Boss CE-2W Chorus review

Ask any wizened effects buff to name the best chorus pedal of all time, and they'll likely cite the first one ever, Boss's iconic 1976 CE-1 Chorus Ensemble unit, or perhaps its later compact-sized incarnation, the CE-2 Chorus.

It's a savvy move, then, that Boss has combined these two classic effects for the latest addition to its high-end Waza Craft series, while adding a few new features along the way.

A tiny slider switch holds the key to the CE-2W's versatility. On the left is the standard position for smooth CE-2 sounds, but shift it over to the middle and you get the CE-1's definitive swirl, while the right engages its full-on vibrato mode for proper pitch-bending goodness.

The sounds are as authentic as can be, too, thanks to an all-analogue circuit, complete with all-important bucket brigade delay chips.

Kicking off with the CE-2 mode, its liquid, watery shimmer thickens rather than drastically alters your guitar tone, but flicking over to the CE-1 Chorus yields a much deeper modulation with more movement.

The vibrato mode, meanwhile, should be your first port of call for SRV Cold Shot-style Leslie leads, while its extreme depth makes it a dab hand at copying Come As You Are Small Clone tones, too.

Despite its all-analogue nature, the CE-2W is remarkably low-noise and doesn't mess with your guitar's core tone, yet retains the three-dimensional nature of Boss's legendary originals.