Boss CH-1 Super Chorus Pedal

Boss CH-1 Super Chorus Pedal Overview

The Boss CH-1 Super Chorus is a great all-purpose chorus pedal thanks to it super clean and clear tone and wide frequency range. Over the years Boss have made many different chorus effects, but the CH-1 is the most long-standing, having remained in constant production since its introduction back in ’89.

Compared to Boss’ more famous Chorus Ensemble pedals - with the CE-5 and CE-2w being the current models - the CH-1 has a completely different character. Where the CE-5 and CE-2w are perhaps at their best when used to create swirly thickness in your tone, the CH-1 gives you an edgier effect that’s great for lead work. The CH-1 has found legions of devotees for this very reason, with the amazing Joe Satriani included in the worldwide army of CH-1 fans.

The CH-1 Super Chorus also has a wider frequency range when compared to its Boss Chorus Ensemble stablemates, and a simpler EQ section when compared to the BOSS CE-5. This single EQ control is essentially an overall chorus effect tone control that dials back the CH-1’s edgy nature.

Like the whole Boss range the CH-1 features buffered bypass, which means you avoid signal loss over long cable runs and get click and pop free on/off switching.

FAQs:

Q1: Is the CH-1 true bypass?
A: No. Although there’s a lot of true bypass hype these days, neither true nor buffered bypass is objectively better than the another. On account of a buffer’s ability to drive long cable runs and provide silent switching, Boss remains resolutely in the buffered camp.

Q2: What’s the difference between the CH-1 and the CE-5/CE-2w/CE-? and which is best for me?
A: Whilst Boss have produced many different chorus pedals over the years, the CH-1 is something of a standalone pedal in their chorus range. Direct comparisons depend on the exact pedal in question, but in general, the CH-1 has an edgier, cleaner tone with a wider frequency range that could perhaps be described as ‘more hi-fi’. In general, we recommend the CH-1 for players looking for an all-purpose chorus that can be used subtly to thicken things up, or more aggressively to add a modern shimmer to both clean and driven tones. We recommend the CE-5 and CE-2w to players looking to add that classic Boss chorus swirl.

Q3: Why does the CH-1 have two outputs and how do I use them?
A: The CH-1 has dual outputs so this pedal can be used in stereo. While it sounds great in mono (Output A alone), plugging Output B into a second amp increases the depth of the effect and vastly increases the breadth of your guitar tone. Although we admit that carrying two amps to gigs is pretty impractical, we definitely recommend trying this out for yourself!

Q4: Is this pedal Made in Japan (MIJ)?
A: No. Although Japanese-made Boss pedals are much lusted after, the CH-1 was introduced after production moved to Taiwan. The current range of Boss pedals retains the quality of the earlier Japanese Production, but at much more competitive pricing than Japanese production would allow. As long as the pedal’s registered after purchase Boss provide a full five-year warranty for all compact pedals and Boss pedals are generally regarded as the most reliable pedals available.

Q5: Is this an analogue chorus pedal?
A: Since October 2001 all CH-1s produced have been digital. Amongst a wealth of reasons Boss made this change principally for reliability and consistency

*Boss PSA series power adaptor sold separately.