WTB cheap chorus

MartinBush · March 2023

I have had some luck on here in the past with bits and pieces that are sat in drawers unusued, so I thought I would try here before I went looking elsewhere.

I am after a cheap chorus for a bit of a mess about. I know very little about them other than what they sound like. In this case, I want to get a sound similar to Mac Demarco -

By cheap, I mean in the £10/ 20 region. I don't play/ know enough to warrant spending more

BillDL · March 2023

A £25 Behringer UC200 Ultra Chorus is the same circuit and is practically indestinguishable in sound to a Boss CH-1 Super Chorus. You can usually pick these up 2nd hand for about a tenner because lots of people buy a chorus pedal just to try one out and ultimately (a) don't like it and sell it or give it to a charity shop, OR (b) like the effect and buy a more expensive one in the belief that it will be better than the Behringer one. The cases aren't as strong as Boss ones but it doesn't really matter if you aren't gigging it every night. I have the behringer UC200 on one board and the Boss CH-1 on another, and I cannot tell the difference between their sounds.

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Behringer-UC200-Ultra-Chorus-Pedal/89H

Going any cheaper than that into unknown Amazon pedals or "own brands" like Gear4Music's "SubZero"or the Landlord FX "Brewer's Droop" Chorus (own brand of GuitarGuitar and Andertons) is kind of hit and miss, although I do like the Landlord FX one for some sounds.

MartinBush · March 2023

Thanks @BillDL - I have been looking at that one and I've also spotted a UC100 (not sure how much difference there is between the two).

It's good to know that this particular Behringer pedal is a decent one.

BillDL · March 2023

Of the Behringer pedals my personal opinions (based on use) are:

Brown UT300 Ultra Tremolo - pretty nice tremolo effect with a usable range for most people.

Dark green UV300 Ultra Vibrato - a bit limited in the "speed" range and doesn't go slow enough for my liking.

Beige EQ700 Graphic Equaliser - just as usable as a Boss one and most other equalisers I have tried but I seem to recall it doesn't have a "stop" feel when centred.

Grey VD400 Vintage Delay - gives a pretty good old style shorter delay.

Silver DR600 Digital Reverb - enough parameters and options to find some very usable reverb styles.

Grey DD600 Digital Delay - very much like the old Boss digital delay I used to have but with a couple of extra tricks.

Light green TO800 Vintage Tube Overdrive - very much a pretty capable "Tube Screamer" clone if you like that kind of overdrive.

Silver OU300 Ultra Octaver- Not very good. Leaves some odd ringing high harmonic artefacts.

Light blue TM300 Tube Amp Modeller - Not as good as it could have been. Some usable amp simulations available but noisy at slightly increased gain settings and the power input socket is stupidly placed too close to the signal input socket for some patch leads to push in properly.

I wouldn't encourage you to buy the FX600 Digital Multi-FX, even though it has chorus as one of the modulation effects, because I don't think the chorus is as good as the dedicated pedal. OK for experimenting with effects that you might only need now and then, but fiddly to use.

Bear in mind that the hard plastic shells of the Behringer pedals and the slightly less substantial switch hinges are where they can keep the costs low. They are resilient enough for everyday use and weekend gigging, but probably not for heavy use in a working band. The footpedal hinge and circuit board mounted in/out sockets (i.e. not secured and supported externally by a threaded nut like Boss pedals) are likely to be the weak points and could cause problems sooner than more expensive pedals like Boss that can live almost forever, but I haven't broken any Behringer ones yet and I've had a few for some years now.

I really don't know what the difference is between the older Behringer UC100 and the later 200. I have a feeling that it was just marketing so it didn't sound like they were still on "version 1" and not progressing, because they did the same renaming thing with some of their other pedals. I'm sure they will be very similar if not practically identical in sound.

BillDL · March 2023

I managed to find the video I remember watching where Josh of JHS Pedals talks about and compares some of the behringer pedals with the pedals that they are based on. I couldn't remember if the chorus pedal was in the line up, but it is at the time stamp 13 minutes 12 seconds.

MartinBush · March 2023

That's a really helpful summary @BillDL as the other effect I have been thinking about is a delay.

This is all just for fun - I don't gig but do the odd bit of recording.

Now to watch the video

maharg101 · March 2023

I have a Cool Cat chorus for sale if that's of interest https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/219660/fs-danelectro-cool-cat-chorus#latest

Flattop · March 2023

Pm'd

Chiliwailer · March 2023

I have a cheap analogue Mooer Chorus Ensemble, if you’re interested please PM. Thanks.

MartinBush · March 2023

Thanks to all for your feedback on this. I will be in touch with those who have made kind offers as I now have more to think about than I expected!

Howdy, Stranger!

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WTB cheap chorus

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