Chorus Pedal Advice

[Dylan]

This was originally posted in the general page, but thought I'd come here for some help too.

I'm a big fan of Michael Hedges and Billy McLaughlin, and I wanted to know what might be the best chorus pedal to get for an acoustic guitar to sound similar to them. I know a nice amount about choruses so I don't need entry level info, just what your experiences are with them and which you prefer for acoustic.

Thanks

[doublescale1]

I don't know Michael Hedges or Billy McLaughlin specifically with respect to the chorus they used. I use a Boss CE5 and find that I can dial that into whatever kind or amount of chorus I need. Generally I keep it very light. I have gotten a TC Electronic mini chorus - that one has no battery option so you have to use it with a powered pedal board only, but it also has the "Tone Print" capability so I just go listening to the presets they have and its easy to download one you like to the pedal, and off you go. I used it stock out of the box for a year and a half before I started just trying the toneprint presets - it's also easy to reset back to the factory setting which I found to be very good, since I like very light chorus on acoustic. Good Hunting.

[M Hayden]

The tc electronic chorus is a great standalone unit - it’s got a classic sound you’ll recognize from records, as it was on Larry Carlton’s pedal board for decades.

For wilder stuff, the old Ibanez BCL Bi-Mode can do mild chorus or extreme, Marc-Ribot-like pitch shifting. It can output standard and inverted, so the palette is pretty broad if using two amps or two panned channels on a PA.

[AcouStickistNS]

I will see Billy again on the 18th, he’s playing a few miles from my house. I checked my video of him from last spring but I cannot tell what pedals he has. Keep in mind he uses a custom built PA system and his guitars have minimal electronics in them. He doesn’t care for the ones with a lot of built in eq or effects.

I use a Helix, plus an Eventide H9 for a simple setup or additional effects not found in the Helix.

[AcouStickistNS]

I saw Billy play tonight. I talked to the guy setting up and taking his gear down, and found he specifically uses vintage Ibanez Stereo Chorus pedals. He has about a half dozen of them that he maintains to keep them in working order.

[h2otorched]

Michael used a TC Electronics SCF pedal. Nothing comes close. He used it on the in between setting. TC unwisely discontinued the SCF. If you can find one on EBay with the Purple highlight, Buy It! Probably $225-250!
[emoji1365]❤️

[fingeryoga]

I use a boss ce-2 black label from the early 80's .Great sound , think Michael used one early on as well , before the Tc chorus.

[Dylan]

Are there any contemporary models that are close to that in sound?

[AcouStickistNS]

It’s hard to say that without having both. I’ve been able to do that with only a few pedals out there, not the Ibanez chorus though. What I like about the H9 is you can audition the effects online. Nowadays I like how Zoom, Line 6, the Mod Duo, Eventide allow you to upgrade the algorithms online, vs buying a dedicated pedal. I used to have a Zoom G3 that to my ears came pretty close to some old pedals I had years back from Boss and a few others - Talking delay, chorus flanger, reverb. The drawback in some cases though is you may have to spend a little more time tweaking them to get it right. The H9 works best via software, the direct interface isn’t the greatest compared to it’s competition, but the quality of sound is fantastic. There’s a few others out there doing this whose names I’ve forgotten. I have a few friends that own the smaller Zoom pedals that are also Bluetooth compatible if you want something cheaper that sounds good.

I don’t own a Mod Duo, but I know several people that own them. If I understand correctly, it’s an open architecture device that new algorithms keep being developed. Nowadays I look into this vs buying and trading dedicated effects pedals. In the past some multi-effects I’ve had were never as good as the original stomboxes they emulated. I highly recommend checking out these new crop of upgradeable effects showing up on the market.

[aknow]

The best sounding chorus I've used is the old TC Electronics stereo chorus flanger. Harder to find as TC Electronics is no more. Still available and true stereo!

[hotroad]

I agree with Aknow. I use this unit and love it. But you can get the chorus effect through a Flashback Delay or other pedals that offer other options as well as a nice chorus sound. And as with all effects, use sparingly.

[Paultergeist]

While noting what equipment is used by others can be a valid point of reference, it has been my experience that chasing after a particular piece of gear to get “that sound” — based on how another player sounds to my ears using that same gear — has largely been an exercise in futility. There are so many variables in the equation, not the least of which is the experience, technique, and even physiology of the referenced player. There are quite a few players who have spent considerable cash acquiring vintage gear, only to be disappointed that they still didn’t achieve the vintage tone they sought.

My point is: I don’t think you need to be chasing down dis-continued pedals on the secondary market at a premium price in order to get a great chorus effect; I also suspect that even with that exact pedal, you probably still will not sound quite like the player you are trying to emulate.

I would recommend either the TC Electronic Corona Chorus or the MXR Stereo Chorus as good options to check out.

[doublescale1]

Paultergeist knows of what he speaks - solid advice there. Personally I use a small powered Gator board, and for chorus I use the mini TC chorus, just stock out of the box, its perfect for acoustic because its pretty light - the tone prints can easily get you into chorus with a heavier presence if that's your thing. I like the lighter touch. I also have a tuner pedal that will mute the guitar to the DI box or acoustic amp, a clean boost for a little solo push, and I've even used a Trem pedal for a song or two (Rolling Stones "Heart Of Stone" cover is one of them). I keep the effects pretty minimal for acoustic.