|
Strikingly vocal with a distinctive organic
tone, the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus is the only true sonic replica of
the most sought after chorus of all time– the 1976 CE-1. Its lush,
focused tone is the standard by which all other chorus effects are
measured.
The Analog Chorus is capable of a wide range
of sounds from a thick analog doubling, to an ultra-lush chorus, and
even a Leslie rotating speaker.
"The Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus is a
faithful sonic clone of the old CE1...warm, pulsing and sexy” -Guitar
Player
“Warm where many other products are
seemingly sterile and cold” -Guitar World
“This is the best chorus I’ve ever
used” -Tim Pierce, L.A. session player
Guitar World Magazine Analog
Chorus Review
The Magic Is Back
Once upon a time (the Ronnie Reagan years, to
be precise), the almighty chorus pedal was the hippest, most happening
stomp box you could find–its lush, three-dimensional textures
ubiquitously ensconced in airwaves and record grooves. And, if its
popularity can be attributed to anyone in particular, then former
Policeman Andy Summers--stand up and take a bow! Arguably more than
anyone, Summers foisted the chorusy guitar sound into the pop
landscape, with everyone–including six-string demigods like Eddie
Van Halen and even jazzbo Pat Metheny–soon incorporating the effect
into their own tonal palette. Also, combined with a boatload of
high-gain distortion, the chorus was tantamount to that Rocktron-esque
guitar tone equally omnipresent in the Eighties.
Of course, we ain't in Kansas anymore, and
perhaps that chorusy tone seems as hip as a Yamaha DX-7, "Der
Kommisar" and Sonny Crockett. At least, the much-copied tone
Summers deployed on a tune like "De Doo Doo Doo" seems a bit
out of sync in the high-gain Nineties. Does this mean the chorus pedal
is irrelevant in these vintage-inspired times? Hardly. The Voodoo Lab
Analog Chorus pedal, in fact, more than ably demonstrates myriad uses
of the chorus effect, far beyond the way it's been exploited in the
past.
The Voodoo Lab chorus pedal is bare-bones
simple, with only two parameters–speed and intensity–and an on/off
footswitch that completely bypasses the effect's circuitry.
Interestingly, it's a faithful recreation of the world's very first
chorus pedal–the boss CE-1, which was unleashed in 1976 and quickly
scooped up by Senor Summers. (Actually, all the Voodoo Lab pedals are
pretty accurate reproductions of sought-after pedals of the sixties
and seventies.)
Powered by either a 9-volt battery, or an
optional AC adapter, the Voodoo Lab pedal has only one input and one
output jack, and unlike more sophisticated chorus pedals on the
market, its monophonic. Lack of stereo capability is nevertheless
keeping with the less-is-more approach here. In fact, it sorta paves
the way for you to find some decidedly more adventurous tones than the
typical, lush, chorus sound.
Nevertheless, the Voodoo Lab chorus indeed
pulls off the lush thing, most prominently with the speed set at 3
o'clock and intensity at 12. At its most subtle, the effect provides a
sultry depth and dimensionality that isn't there otherwise. While at
its most obvious, the effect yields a throbbing, otherworldly vibrato
reminiscent of the thing that inspired chorus pedals in the first
place–the Leslie speaker cabinet.
The Bottom Line
Whatever the application–whether for
sprucing up otherwise lack-luster guitar tones, or for providing a
dramatic contrast when used sparingly–Voodoo Lab's replica of the
godfather of chorus boxes proves to be a no-nonsense device that's
warm where many other products are seemingly sterile and cold, at a
come-hither price. |
review cart
Buy Now