Review: Boss CE-5 Chorus Pedal (Pink Label version)

This is the Boss CE-5 Chorus Pedal. I bought it a few months back, not even really on purpose. It was part of a package deal with my Boss TU-2 Chromatic Tuner. It sat in the cupboard for a few months, and then I started to do some research, to see if I should sell it. Here's what I found out:

There are in fact three versions of the Boss CE-5, though the second and third ones are virtually identical, apart from having different colored labels on the bottom. All three are made in Taiwan, and all of the features are the same. The (BIG) difference between the first version (the Pink Label version) and the subsequent ones, is that the first issue of these pedals used analog circuitry, where the second and third issues used a fully digital, board-mounted circuit. Because of this major difference in design, these pedals sound radically different, despite looking exactly the same on the outside.

The first edition of the CE-5 (the Pink Label version), made in the early 1990s, uses an analog BBD circuit to produce a delayed effect. BBD stands for "Bucket Brigade Device", and essentially works the same way. The signal is fed into a capacitor, and then emptied into another capacitor, along a line in the circuit. This effectively slows down the signal because of the time it takes to complete this process. When the signal comes out the other end of the BBD, it is combined with the original signal to produce the "chorus" effect after which the effect is named. This type of circuit is used in many popular analog chorus pedals, including the Ibanez CS9, the Boss CE-1 and CE-2, and the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man.

I have always preferred analog effects to digital ones, and this distinction is why the first version of the CE-5 is so much more highly rated than the ones that followed.


Upon testing the pedal, I found the effect to be very subtle compared to most Chorus effects I have used. In the past, I have used a Boss CE-2, an Ibanez CS10, and both the vintage and reissue Ibanez CS9s. While the CE-2 produces a richer, more noticeable effect, the CE-5 adds just a touch of chorus sweetness, and preserves the original signal better than any chorus pedal I've tried. There is also the added feature of the High and Low Cut/Pass control knob, which allows a little better control of the signal path.

As with all the Boss pedals, the construction is very solid, and there are no issues whatsoever with reliability. I am not usually a huge fan of Boss pedals, but this one is a winner!

Highs:
-Solid construction
-Warm analog sound
-Good controls

Lows:
-Hard to find this version
-A little weak if you're looking for deep chorus

Rating: 8/10

Comparison: Vintage vs. Reissue CS9 Stereo Chorus

The original Ibanez CS9 Stereo Chorus was first made in the 1980s as part of the Ibanez 9 series of pedals, which included the SM9 Super Metal, and the famous TS9 Tube Screamer. (For a review of the original CS9, Click Here)

I spent a great deal of time comparing these pedals, on their own and in conjunction with other pedals. Here is what I noticed:

-The original pedal has a much warmer sound and a purer reproduction of the original signal blended in with the chorus effect.

-With the original, it is possible to dial down the chorus depth to an almost unnoticeable level; with the reissue, you can always tell when the pedal is on.

-The reissue has a noisier switch; it might be the difference in output impedance, but the sound of the reissue pedal coming on is definitely more noticeable

 -The output impedance, residual noise level, delay time, and speed frequency are all slightly different on the reissue pedal. Also, many of the components are not manufactured in the same facilities as the originals, and many consider these parts to be inferior to the equivalent Japanese-made parts of the 1980s.
 
Brass Tacks:
-Price: Both pedals can be had for under $100, though the original ones are generally a little bit less expensive than the reissues (if you don't care about condition).

-While neither of these pedals are collector's items, the original pedal seems to be the better investment, since it sounds better and has better components.