Tech 21 Boost Chorus review

  • £199
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The Boost Chorus can create a vast range of sounds.

MusicRadar Verdict

This is one seriously versatile chorus pedal, it's certainly rich and smooth - but we can't decide whether it's manly…

Pros

  • +

    Loads of controls to create a wide range of sounds.

Cons

  • -

    No stereo output. Battery compartment lid could get lost.

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For the design of the Boost Chorus, Tech 21 says that it's gone back to the '70s, when "choruses were rich, smooth and manly". We wouldn't take issue with rich and smooth, but manly? Hmm…

Where many chorus pedals find themselves with just a pair of speed and depth knobs, the Boost Chorus pushes the boat out and adds another four.

"This is a very capable pedal that delivers myriad flavours of chorusing."

A mix control adds in the amount of effect you need up to a 100 per cent wet signal, the tone knob operates an analogue circuit that offers treble boost or treble cut, while the level/boost knob adjusts the output to a predetermined level when the pedal is engaged, or can be used to set the amount of signal in a parallel effects loop.

The secret weapon is the pre-delay knob, which sets the delay time of the chorus from 0-50ms - a range that will also conjure up mild flanging and some doubled sounds. On top of this, there's a multi voice switch that creates additional choral voicings for a thicker sound.

With so much tweakability, this is a very capable pedal that delivers myriad flavours of chorusing and, yes, it can do that '70s sound, giving a good account of itself next to our own vintage CE-1, CE-2 and Clone Theory.

Trevor Curwen

Trevor Curwen has played guitar for several decades – he's also mimed it on the UK's Top of the Pops. Much of his working life, though, has been spent behind the mixing desk, during which time he has built up a solid collection of the guitars, amps and pedals needed to cover just about any studio session. He writes pedal reviews for Guitarist and has contributed to Total Guitar, MusicRadar and Future Music among others.