Best Chorus Pedal For Distortion

Read this article to the end if you are looking for the best chorus pedal for distortion. In the mid 1970’s the first set of independent chorus pedals were manufactured, and their thickening, moist, and dull effect made them popular, inspiring so many people to go into chorus pedal production. In the 1980’s, many producers and guitarist abused the use of distortion effects, and purple rain was the most iconic chorus pedal ever used. As a guitarist, if you do not make use of a reliable chorus pedal, you are missing out on getting the best guitar tones ever. Ever since the first manufacture of chorus pedals, these pedals have gone on to recreate the art of playing guitar.

The truth is chorus no longer intrigued guitarists at some point, but there are numerous reasons why you need to look at our 5 best chorus pedals for distortion today. After its overuse in the 1980’s, chorus pedals became some notable guitarist’s best friend. We are talking about notable guitar players like Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Kurt Cobain, and several other devoted guitar players. Apart from using chorus pedals for distortion for live performance, these pedals meet up to expectation when used in a recording studio setting. Chorus pedals helped shaped the bass tone of popular produce, Andy Wallace, leading to their return in the early 2000’s. No matter what you need a chorus pedal for, whether it is for thickening guitar sounds or adding movement to ambient parts, chorus pedals remains one of the most useful tool a guitarist needs.

Coloring and thickening sounds is what the chorus pedal knows how to do best. Turning a dry and sterile tone into tones full of energy and life is what makes guitarist and bassist love the chorus pedal. You can obtain a cheesy sound from the 1980’s if you know how to use a chorus pedal, but remember that a subtle hint of chorus might be that sound changing effect you need. One advice we leave with newbies is before settling for a chorus pedal, ensure you find out how past guitarists made use of them. Listening to their songs will help you determine that chorus are used on clean guitar tones, and even though you can use chorus tones on drive tones, they can also be used on clean tones.

Best Chorus Pedal For Distortion – Buying Guide And Recommendation

Finding a suitable chorus pedal for distortion for you boils down to finding the pedal capable of making a guitar player sound creative, using its options and timber gel. Various spins can be used on a chorus pedal, and the sounds they make often sound fatter and bigger compared to other pedals. Chorus pedals are used in the studio for changing guitar timbre, leading to the creation of sound staging and double tracking. What guitar players find unique about chorus pedals is that they utilize a delay line in splitting guitar signals into a wet and dry signal, while the low oscillating frequency ensures that the wet part is de-tuned. The way a chorus functions can be a bit complicating, because it is similar to the flanging. The significant difference between chorus pedals and flanging is there is a longer delay with no feedback. In the case of flangers, they top out at 25mm, and that is the point where a chorus pedal takes over from, and this tells you there might be some overlap present.

A chorus pedal can be described as a delay effect, but several choruses manufactured in the past had analog bucket brigade designs which provided richer and warmer tones. However, a tape machine paved the way for flanging where an operator will run two parallel machines, using a finger to slow one down. The same can be said about chorus effect although their chorus effects were created unintentionally. Changes were made to oscillations in tape transmission or motor speed, and these changes were based on the tape machine’s age, tape age, and maintenance of the machine. This led to the pitch sound being played back to be slightly changed, leading to the creation of chorus. Since the creation of chorus, wow and flutter in tapes became a common thing for guitarist, and you will also realize that most choruses are digital.

These digital chorus carries the increased flexibility tradeoff, but at the expense of clinical tones. Digital effects are not only warm and rich, they resemble vintage units used in producing a specific tone, just like in the case of the Strymon Deco’s Tape Machine.

Difference Between Chorus And Vibrato

Several chorus pedals are capable of delivering a vibrato sound. Even though this might not be what this guide is all about, it is important for you to note the difference in the two effects. A chorus effect is a slight variation in pitch, that happens at the same time with a slight time variation. Vibrato on the other hand refers to a variation in pitch alone, similar to the vocal vibrato technique. Chorus pedals have become important when playing the bass or guitar, and this has prompted several chorus pedals to be manufactured and sent to the market, making it tedious to find a suitable one. You will need to work with your board requirement, how you intend making use of it, how much control you want and your budget in finding one that will offer what you desire.

Best Chorus Pedal For Distortion Review

1. TC Electronic Corona Chorus Pedal

If you are searching for a supersonic, easy to use and simple chorus pedal for distortion then the TC Corona Electronic chorus pedal is the suitable choice for you, and guitarist will see this chorus pedal as the best travel companion thanks to its portable and small size. This easy to carry chorus pedal from TC Electronic has four controls compared to other pedals, and these controls include tone, stroke, depth, and speed controls. Another exciting feature of this chorus pedal is its mono and stereo input and output. Furthermore, having a three-way switch allows users to switch between three types of choruses, and this Tri-chorus feature makes use of a stereo chorus combined with a stereo effect to form its own luxurious and broad appeal.

Apart from creating its luxurious and broad appeal, the TC Electronic Corona pedal produces a flanger style chorus effect. Having a TonePrint TC technology is another notable feature of this pedal, and thanks to its USB feature, users can send other guitarist pedal settings to their pedals. Without using the USB feature, the TonePrint editor can also be used in creating a personal chorus effect without having a scratch. You will be impressed with this chorus pedal for distortion which preserves the analog dry signal path’s integrity, and it doesn’t matter if the chorus pedal is active or not.

Specification

• Brand – TC Electronic Corona
• Item Weight – 1.28 Pounds
• Signal format – analog

Key Features

• Offers customizable setting
• Features three chorus types
• Features a zero tone loss

What We Like

• This chorus pedal can be used for guitar and synths
• It requires little effort when used
• Smooth
• Offers beautiful sounds

What We Don’t Like

• Its box doesn’t come with a manual
• It also doesn’t possess the right paperwork

2. Walrus Audio Julia Analog Chorus Vibrato V2 (900-1011V2)

The Walrus Audio analog chorus pedal is one that comes with all the necessary features, and guess what, it also comes with many in-built chorus tones. Apart from the depth and regular speed controls, the Walrus Audio analog chorus pedal comes with a delay regulator, ensuring that users activate a central delay time for the low frequency oscillating effect to modulate for several vibration amounts. Having a d-c-v controller is also another unique feature of this chorus pedal, and the function of the d-c-v controller altering the wet and dry range signals using its level knob. In addition, there is also a waveform knob used for fine-tuning the regulator to achieve triangle shaped sine and waves.

Users will enjoy a good amount of regulatory capacity over any analog circuitry or stroke regulator. The amount of regulatory capacity this chorus pedal possesses is also greater than that of the LED real-time flashing low frequency oscillation in order to obtain bypass change and optical response. Just like we said earlier, this chorus pedal comes with all necessary features, and all of these features are enclosed in a box which has a surreal design. This fully analog drive features a vibrato with advanced control features, visual LED feedback, drag management, and wave change. However, its analog circuit is a bit noisy.

Specifications

• Brand – Walrus Audio
• Item Weight – 13 Ounces
• Signal Format – Analog

Key Features

• Comes with a rate knob
• Comes with a depth knob
• Wave switch for selecting triangle or sine low frequency oscillation

What We Like

• Designed to offer subtle chorus sounds
• Versatile chorus pedal
• Dry and wet knob provides the opportunity to experiment lush sounds
• It is easy to dial in

What We Don’t Like

• It is a bit shallow and slow

3. Electro-Harmonix Neo Clone Analog Chorus

The next chorus pedal on our list in the Electro Harmonix Neo Clone Analog chorus pedal, and this chorus pedal is popular because of the sparkling drill that it creates. Currently, you can get the Electro Harmonix Neo Clone Chorus Pedal in a smaller Nano EHX package, and it also offers bulky and rich vibes that every guitarist would love to hear when playing the guitar. Having a user friendly structure means users will not experience any difficulty in working with this chorus pedal from the Electro Harmonix brand, and guess what, this pedal sells at an affordable price. It isn’t expensive but offer so many features that makes it compete with other chorus pedals at the top.

Having a depth selector and one speed feature makes this chorus pedal easy to learn, and just like most of the effects in the EHX package, getting away from your comfort zone is the surest way to obtain all of these effects. Nice modulation and subtle movements are other benefits that comes with using this outstanding chorus pedal, and another interesting feature of this pedal is its function is Cobain approved. Furthermore, having an intuitive and simple layout makes operation easy.

Specifications

• Brand – Electro Harmonix
• Item Weight – 10.04 Ounces
• Signal Format – Analog

Key Features

• It uses a high quality bucket brigade chip
• It uses a small clone circuit

What We Like

• Potable chorus pedal that offers a wide range of possibility
• It comes in a well built box
• It fills out tones nicely
• Allows dialing in of nice sounds

What We Don’t Like

• This chorus pedal has no significant cons

4. EarthQuaker Devices Sea Machine V3 Super Chorus Pedal

The EarthQuaker Devices Sea Machine chorus pedal is one that packs lots of pulse, blends and control inside, but it could have either a negative or positive value. The possibility of having a positive or negative value depends on the depth level a guitarist hopes to achieve, and how deep you are willing to go will determine the sound you are going to find. You can count on this chorus pedal if you are looking for a special drill, and this third generation device comes with an enhanced circuit that boosts bass. This enhanced circuit is also responsible for providing a wide range of relay based quiet movement and any steering wheel. A bumpy drive tone is what you will enjoy by using the EarthQuaker Devices Sea Machine chorus pedal.

What we find interesting about this chorus pedal is its analog-to-digital design, combined with a couple of fine-tuning options. This chorus pedal comes with a V3 feature that offers better circuit and range, and the ability of this pedal to produce unique sounds makes it one of the most useful chorus pedals for distortion. You will find it easy to master using this chorus pedal thanks to its lot of controls, and the part of this chorus pedal that has the low frequency oscillation provides control for measuring the shape, depth, and speed of the driving effect.

Specifications

• Brand – EarthQuaker
• Item Weight – 12 Ounces

Key Features

• It has improved circuitry
• It has a bypass design
• It comes with several modulation possibilities

What We Like

• This chorus pedal provides beautiful and crazy sounds
• It comes with multiple setting and controls
• Versatility is part of its strength
• This chorus pedal also offers lots of possibilities

What We Don’t Like

• There is no significant error with this chorus pedal

5. Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo Analog Chorus Pedal (WM61)

This chorus pedal is a mini version of its doppelganger, and it comes with sweet tones and features. Even though this chorus pedal might not be a typical mini pedal, but it is compact enough to fit the palm. It’s less boxy design makes it pedal board friendly compared to other bulky chorus pedals on the market. In terms of design, the smalls blue hippo chorus pedal comes with depth and speed controls, while its chorus and vibe switch makes way for toggling between both settings. Thanks to its circuit, the Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo produces gooier and thicker sounds with minimal shimmer, and guitarist will also enjoy clean sounds this pedal produces.

Specifications

• Brand – Way Huge
• Item Weight – 6.4 Ounces
• Signal Format – Analog

Key Features

• Vibe switch for vibrato texture
• It has chorus and vibrato effects
• All analog circuitry

What We Like

• It offers a simple operation
• It can be used for bass and guitar
• This chorus pedal has the ability to produce subtle effects

What We Don’t Like

• This pedal makes a lot of noise
• The pedal also struggles if an incoming signal is very strong
• Doesn’t sound like its predecessor

Brief History Of Chorus Pedals

Today, you will find the use of chorus pedals in all genres of music, and they are very popular when it comes to neo soul and pop tracks. The end result of using a chorus pedal is they produce a significant breadth and variety of thin, digital, shiny, and analog products. The most significant part of any metallic tone is being able to obtain good distortion from a chorus pedal, and in the case of distortion pedals, you will notice a significant difference in guitars. Some guitarist believe that the only way to obtain amazing chorus tones is through the use of an amplifier, claiming that all chorus distortion pedals do nothing but destroys sounds. There are other guitar players that prefer working with distortion pedals, combined with a reliable guitar amplifier.

Let’s be honest, it is what you call your personal tone setting that will deliver the results you want, but with so many chorus pedals for distortion today, it is a bit difficult to find a chorus pedal with a one-size-fits-all description. The choice of what chorus pedal for distortion to use varies from one guitarist to another, and this means what might be trash for a guitarist might be the best option for another guitarist. You never can be so sure what a chorus pedal for distortion has to offer to a particular guitarist. Knowing that the choice of chorus pedals varies from one guitar player to another should tell you every guitar player will not want the same chorus pedal for distortion. This is why we have carried out a research and scanned through various chorus pedals on the market to bring you the best products only.