MXR M83 Bass Chorus
The MXR M83 is the best bass chorus pedal for those who want a great analog chorus sound with an optional flanger effect. With the versatile controls, X-mode modulation reduction, quality build, and great entry price, you can’t really go wrong with this pedal.
MORE INFOWhy do you want the Best Bass Chorus Pedal?
We would consider bass chorus one of the more important effects pedals to have on your pedalboard. It basically gives your sound a shimmering dreamy quality, kind of like a chorus is singing out your notes. Another way to put it is that it gives your sound more depth and makes it almost 3D sounding.
There are guitar chorus pedals and bass chorus pedals, and sometimes they are mixed into one unit. It is always better to get a stand-alone bass chorus pedal because it is better than modifying low frequencies. While you can use a guitar chorus pedal with a bass plugged in, the circuitry of a bass chorus pedal is set up to be the most responsive in the typical dynamic range of a bass guitar.
Most bass chorus pedals work the same way. It splits your incoming signal into two voices and affects one with delay and pitch modulation. Then it combines the two voices and results in a shimmering dreamy sound. If you don’t know this sound, you should listen to some sound samples online.
So the big question is how do you select the best bass chorus pedal for your setup? First and foremost, you should choose between analog or digital bass chorus pedals, as these make the biggest differences in terms of sound quality. Analog pedals sound a bit warmer while digital ones are a bit brighter.
Next, you need to pay attention to controls and settings. Most bass chorus pedals will have at least a few knobs that let you fine-tune the chorus effect even more. Some will let you adjust the rate, and width, or pass a low filter through the sound. Some more advanced ones will allow you to adjust envelope settings and even have a three-band equalizer to filter unwanted frequencies in the chorus effect.
Finally, you should focus on build quality and versatility. In general, you should go with name-brand audio equipment and effects pedals because they are proven to work and last. There are a lot of knock-offs and replicas out there, so you have to watch out for that as well.
Best Bass Chorus Pedal
- MXR M83 Bass Chorus
- Boss CEB-3 Bass Chorus Pedal
- EBS Sweden UniChorus Pedal
- Aguilar Chorusaurus Bass Chorus
- Digitech XBC Bass Multi-Voice Chorus
1. MXR M83 Bass Chorus
The MXR M83 is the bass chorus pedal because it is designed by bass players for bass players. This is a pure 100% analog bass chorus pedal that has a cool shimmering chorus while giving you the option for a metallic flanger effect as well. Our favorite feature is probably the X-Over mode, which reduces modulation at the lower-end frequencies. This is great for playing higher-frequency chords while keeping the low end in tune.
We also love the separate tone controls for the affected signal. There are bass and treble knobs that allow you to cut or boost the lows and high frequencies of the affected sound, which help shape the overall tone. There are also rate and width knobs to tweak the chorus effect to your desired sound. Also, if you want a wider stereo sound, there is an internal switch you can select to change this.
Overall, this pedal really works well and adds the perfect Chorus sound. Additionally, there is a cool flanger setting that adds a bit of spice to your mix. We love the warm analog sound and with the bass and treble boost and cut knobs, you can really change the tone to your liking. And of course, it goes without saying that the build quality of the MXR is absolutely amazing.
– 100% Analog pedal
– Optional flanger setting
– Bass and treble equalizer knobs
– X-Over reduces modulation at the low end
2. Boss CEB-3 Bass Chorus Pedal
If you want the best bass chorus pedal with legendary build quality and reliability, go with the Boss CEB-3. If you are into pedals, you should know about Boss Effects pedals by now. They pretty much make great effects pedals across the board and the CEB-3 bass chorus is no exception.
This bass chorus pedal has 4 control knobs and a mono input and stereo out, so you can connect to two outs if needed. The control knobs are level, low filter, rate, and depth. These all work together brilliantly to fine-tune your chorus sound.
The level knob is pretty self-explanatory and simply mixes in the wet sound with the dry sound. The low filter is quite an interesting one and as you change this knob, the chorus effect will apply to wider or narrower ranges of the lower end. This basically helps you control and avoid muddiness. The rate knob is a pretty simple one and basically sets the rate at which pitch modulation occurs. The depth knob dials in the modulation depth.
Overall, this is an impressive bass chorus pedal with lots of options to change the way the chorus effect is delivered. It also is built with the level of quality and craftsmanship you expect out of a company like Boss, which has been doing it right for so long. Also, it is quite cheap compared to other brands and bass chorus pedals that do basically the same thing.
– Quality build and reliability
– Stereo output
– Low filter, rate, and depth knobs
– Value and well priced
3. EBS Sweden UniChorus Pedal
The EBS Sweden UniChorus is the best bass chorus pedal if you want a nice analog pedal. This pedal produces a really smooth, warm, and fatter bass-sounding chorus that most digital pedals just can’t replicate. We just really like this low-noise studio-quality chorus sound, which is great for both in-house and live gigs.
The setup of the pedal is quite simple: you have an input and an output that can run in both mono and stereo. There is a flanger, pitch modulation, and chorus mode, in case you want some options. The flanger effect is always a nice one to have. You can also adjust the depth and rate of the chorus, which helps you sculpt your chorus effect to your liking. Finally, it has a true bypass switch, and higher sensitivity, which makes it easier to dial in.
All in all, we love the analog-driven circuitry and how it shapes the warm sounds of the EBS Sweden UniChorus pedal. This analog pedal also has higher dynamics and lower noise.
– Analog pedal
– Low-noise studio quality
– Flanger, pitch mod, and chorus mode
– High sensitivity
4. Aguilar Chorusaurus Bass Chorus
Aguilar is certainly a wise choice when it comes to brand names in the bass pedal world. The Aguilar Chorusarus is the best bass chorus pedal for those who want simplicity. First of all, this is an all-analog chorus pedal which is specifically designed for the bass guitar. Due to the analog bucket-brigade technology, it provides a rich organic analog chorus effect that is quite lush. Furthermore, it has an awesome frequency response with no loss on the low end.
Additionally, there are 4 knobs that give you precise control over your chorus sound. These knobs are blend, width, rate, and intensity. The blend is quite obvious and mixes in the dry and wet signals. The three other knobs’ width, rate, and intensity change the delay of the wet signal.
Rate is probably the most noticeable of the three knobs and sets the tempo of the delay. In this sense, a faster rate has a more bouncy effect while a slower rate has deep oscillations that are more subtle.
Next, the intensity and width controls work together and really help dial in the proper donation. Intensity sets the time in which the delay time will vary. Setting this to zero will result in no effect because the delay time won’t vary. Setting it to max causes a lot of delay time variation and can have a muddled underwater sound.
However, you can control intensity via the width knob, which controls the width of the rate. Width sets the range of the intensity and sets the max delay time. Cranking the width up results in a longer max delay time.
– Very simple yet elegant
– Blend, width, rate, and intensity knobs
– Analog chorus pedal
– Very durable and world-famous design
5. Digitech XBC Bass Multi-Voice Chorus
Digitech is the best bass chorus pedal for those who looking for lots of options for the chorus effect. This pedal keeps your low notes nice and clean while giving up your 16-chorus voices to play around with. That’s right, 16 different chorus variations. Additionally, you have built-in voice randomization which will further thicken the sound.
In terms of controls, the Digitech Bass Multi Chorus has 3 control knobs to custom-tune your sound. The level knob serves to adjust the amount of chorus effect to mix into the dry signal. The speed changes the rate at which the chorus delay effect differs. Depth represents the width of the chorus effect and controls the range the chorus sweeps. Cranking this up to max will result in a deep and muddy tone.
Overall we really like the Digitech Bass Multi Chorus for its variety of sounds. While most bass chorus pedals are limited to one chorus sound, you have many options for the Digitech pedal. Also since you can manipulate the speed and depth knobs for each voice, there are limitless combinations of sounds you can create.
– Up to 16 chorus voices
– Speed and Depth Knob to Adjust Voice
– Well-known brand
– Durable
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorus_effect
https://thehub.musiciansfriend.com/tech-tips/tech-tip-what-is-a-chorus-effect
