Before we go ahead to talk about the best chorus pedal for bass that we have, let us briefly tell you more about bass chorus pedals and where such pedals are used. Bass chorus pedals are electronic processors that produce rich and crisp chorus sounds to bass signals when they are engaged.
These rich and crisp shimmering chorus sounds are created due to something Wikipedia refers to as ‘beating,’ and beating implies the oscillation of two sounds, heard in the union but at different frequencies.
These sounds glide in and glide out in perfect harmony or synchronization, but when the sounds get sustained, you will hear this chorus effect clearly.
All through rock and pop music, the chorus effects have been heavily used, and the Nirvana band has made use of the chorus effect processor on some of their guitar recordings, like the famous ‘come as you are’ song.
It doesn’t matter whether you are using a bass chorus effect processor in a studio recording environment or a live performance; you can obtain the chorus effects from a bass multi-effect pedal. Furthermore, singular chorus pedals provide better and deep chorus effect controls.
Everything we have said here so far about the bass chorus pedal might make you wonder if you won’t get a strange sound when another oscillating signal goes in and out of the fundamental frequency.
The bass chorus pedal designers have already figured that out, and you can trust a chorus pedal like the Bose CEB-3 and MXR M38 bass chorus pedal to offer a split-frequency chorus effect that will produce rich and warm chorusing to increased frequencies without lows getting muddy.
In simpler terms, chorus modulation gets done on a higher bass frequency, ensuring that the low frequencies are clear and crisp.
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As a bass player, standing out from the crowd is what you have set your mind to do, and the best chorus pedal for bass all have designs that will produce a unique sound different from that of another bass player.
In the 1970’s the bass chorus pedal gained popularity when fusion and progressive rock groups began using them, but they turned mainstream in the early seventies and late eighties. In the past, bass players had no other option than to use a guitar chorus pedal designed specifically for bass that never existed, but all that has changed today.
Most bass chorus pedals today have designs that eliminate or reduce the chorus effect on the lowest frequency range of any bass, ensuring that the sounds you get are less muddy and more clearer. Unfortunately, losing some low ends is what bassists who use a guitar chorus pedal deal with.
Though there aren’t so many bass chorus pedal choices to choose from, using a reliable chorus pedal for bass will provide bass players with a great tone. In addition, every bassist would find a chorus pedal for bass simple to use.
A chorus pedal for bass doesn’t require having a right or wrong setting, but all you have to do is keep adjusting the chorus pedal for bass till you find a suitable sound that appeals to you. However, there are some key things you need to know before you settle for any chorus pedal for bass, so let’s take a look at these few key features.
Bass Chorus Pedal Control
You will find the following on the chorus pedal for bass; level, depth, tone, and rate. Level refers to the amount of chorus a player wants to add to his sound, meaning a lower level would offer a less chorus sound. A high level would provide a high chorus sound.
The depth takes care of the chorus effect intensity and the circuit modulation waveform’s depth in terms of depth. You will obtain classic bass chorus sounds if you set the depth to about fifty percent. The rate control is used in adjusting the modulated chorus effect speed from a slow speed to a faster one.
Subtle effects are obtained when using a low-speed setting, while a vibrato-typo sound is obtained at a high-speed setting. Furthermore, a fifty percent speed setting will provide a bass player with an ambient chorus effect. Lastly, the tone is used in adjusting the bass and treble response.
Which Is Better? Digital Or Analog Pedals?
The digital vs. analog debate will never come to an end when debating which produces better audio quality. The truth is the digital and analog pedals have their places, and I don’t think any is rated as the best over the other.
Digital pedals have great sound controls and generate cleaner tones, while analog pedals create warmer sounds with fewer controls. Unfortunately, the difference between the analog and digital pedals has been blurred by recent technology, so you can only trust your ears to find what will make your music sound good to you and your listeners.
True Bypass
True Bypass refers to pedals with the ability to bypass their circuitry when it goes off. You have to understand this perfectly because your sound’s quality will be affected by effects chained together, so having more pedals means having more circuitry to bypass.
Bypassing more circuitry could lead to a capacitance load build-up, capable of dulling your overall tone. A pedal with a true bypass mode will bypass its circuitry without capacitance load build-up issues. The capacitance will not be a big issue when one or two pedals are used, but having lots of pedals means your sound might get affected.
Effects Pedal Power Supply
Powering your pedal becomes important when using pedals in a pedalboard. Pedalboard users prefer using one power supply to power all their pedals, which leads to neater and cleaner pedals, avoiding issues like having your battery die out midway into your performance.
Generally, effect pedals use a 9-volt battery, meaning they supply a 9-volt output, but some pedals can require 24-volt, 15-volt, 12-volt, and 18-volt to function. Therefore, you should always check to see every pedal’s voltage requirement to ensure it matches your power supply needs.
Top 5 Best Chorus Pedal For Bass Reviews
1. Behringer UC200 Ultimate Stereo Chorus Instrument Effects Pedal
The Behringer UC200 ultimate stereo chorus pedal is the least expensive chorus pedal for bass yet has the ability to provide decent quality effects when needed.
We like this chorus pedal from Behringer because it doesn’t disappoint. Even though it is designed primarily for electric guitars, you can trust this effect pedal to provide a high-quality effect when used for bass.
If you are searching for a low-cost pedal to match your budget, you have found the right device, and you can also trust this pedal to offer impressive stereo output when used on bass and electric guitars.
The Behringer chorus effect pedal is still the best option for a musician who doesn’t want to worry about purchasing an expensive unit, but we will leave you with advice if you must use this chorus effect pedal bass. First, it is essential to use an additional equalizer unit on its signal path to boost its low-end root frequencies.
Thanks to its depth, rate, tone, and level controls, users are also guaranteed awesome sound shaping. These features and more create competition between the Behringer brand and products from other high-quality brands on the market.
Specifications
- Brand – Behringer
- Item Weight – 11.7 Ounces
- Color – Yellow
Key Features
- Blue LED offers visual confirmation.
- Powered using a 9-volt battery
- The brand provides a link to a user manual.
- A stereo effect chorus pedal
What We Like
- It comes with strong plastic housing.
- Best chorus pedal for low budget shoppers
- Provides clear sounds
What We Don’t Like
- It sounds a bit weak.
- Its battery is difficult to insert
2. JOYO JF-37 Analog Chorus Guitar Pedal for Circuit-chorus
Just like the Behringer chorus effect pedal for bass that we just finished talking about, the JOYO JF-37 analog chorus guitar pedal is also an ideal option for anyone shopping on a budget. Though this chorus pedal isn’t built specifically for bass use, you can trust it to deliver sold chorus strength when necessary.
It is similar to the Behringer chorus effect pedal we talked about initially; you can use the JOYO JF-37 chorus effect pedal on bass and electric guitars. You can get many dope features and pleasant sounds from this chorus effect JOYO pedal without hurting your bank account so much.
Durability is one feature you find out about this chorus pedal, and you are instantly pleased. It features a heavy-duty, rugged housing that ensures it withstands all types of use, and due to its durability, users are sure of not going back to the market in few months to shop for another chorus pedal for bass.
It comes with depth knobs and rate control features that ensure outstanding sound shaping, and you can count on this chorus effect pedal to deliver crisp and clean tones at all times. Its footswitch and durable jacks all come together to make working with this chorus effect pedal fun and easy.
Specifications
- Brand – JOYO
- Item Weight – 8.1 Ounces
- Color – Blue
Key Features
- Features a bucket-brigade technology
- 1/4-inch jack output
- 1/4-inch jack output
- It comes with a 9-volt battery
What We Like
- Delivers great chorus for bass
- Its dials get the job done and are sensitive enough
- Sounds lush with a slight volume boost
- Good build
What We Don’t Like
- It has a minimal sweep rate
3. Mooer Audio Ensemble Queen Bass Chorus Pedal (MCH2-U)
Unlike the other two chorus pedals discussed in this review, the Mooer Audio Ensemble Queen chorus pedal is designed specifically for bass. Any bassist conscious of portability and space will prefer to stick with this chorus pedal and when shopping on a budget.
When it comes to sounds this pedal can create, you can trust this chorus pedal to wow you, and the Mooer Audio Ensemble Queen Chorus Pedal will hold it down when it comes to creating a decent quality chorus effect.
For live performances, the Mooer ensemble queen bass chorus pedal is best suited for such an environment. It delivers great audio focus during live performances compared to when used in a studio recording environment.
This chorus pedal from the Mooer company has proved to be a long-term investment with how long it lasts and the quality of sounds it generates.
This pedal has a high level of versatility to offer psychedelic warbling or subtle wavering effects. Lastly, this is simply the best chorus pedal for enhancing low-end instrument sounds and providing rich chorus effects.
Specifications
- Brand – Mooer
- Item Weight – 5.6 Ounces
- Color – Blue
Key Features
- It comes with a 9-volt adapter
- 1/4-inch input jack
- 1/4-inch output jack
- True bypass
What We Like
- Delivers great tone for bass
- Provides an impeccable sound quality
- Excellent quality product
- Designed to be versatile and compact
What We Don’t Like
- It has no significant complaint
4. MXR M234 Analog Chorus Pedal
Designed by Jin Dunlop, the MXR M234 analog chorus pedal design makes it ideal for bass and guitar. So even though it isn’t specifically built like the MXR M83 chorus bass pedal, this right here can be used either by bass or by electric guitars.
You can say that this is the best chorus effect pedal for a musician that wants something versatile, and similar to the MXR M83 chorus effect pedal, this pedal also uses a gold standard analog bucket circuitry, providing lush tones that a digital circuitry will not be able to provide.
A standout feature between this chorus effect pedal and other pedals on the market is its dual 1/4-inch output. Looking away from features, compact and portability are other essential features of the MXR M234 analog chorus pedal.
A strong aluminum casing with small size makes this chorus effect pedal the best for touring or traveling. In addition, its durable aluminum casing ensures it takes a lot of beating without suffering any significant damage. Overall, you can tell that this is a fantastic chorus effect pedal just by looking at all the positive reviews it has earned.
The m234 chorus effect pedal is the ideal solution if you are looking for a bass and electric guitar pedal. Finally, the design of the M234 chorus effect pedal offers liquid and lush sound textures for a smooth and pleasant sound experience.
Specifications
- Brand – MXR
- Item Weight – 1.2 Pounds
- Color – Blue
Key Features
- 1/4-inch jack input
- 1/4-inch jack output (thru)
- 1/4-inch jack output (mono)
What We Like
- Designed to work great before distortion and gain
- Best sounding bass chorus pedal on the market
- Provides ambient sounds
- Well built chorus pedal
- Features great control options
What We Don’t Like
- It doesn’t come with a power supply rating
5. BOSS Bass Chorus Guitar Pedal (CEB-3)
I am sure our readers must have been wondering when we will introduce a chorus pedal for bass from the BOSS brand. The BOSS brand is renowned for making high-quality and high-demand musical instruments and devices, and this BOSS CEB-3 bass chorus guitar is built to last for a long time.
We find unique about this bass chorus pedal is its in-built crossover function that fights against low-end frequencies, delivering clear sounds.
In terms of sound quality, the BOSS CEB-3 bass chorus pedal can provide outstanding quality chorus sounds, and even though this bass chorus pedal might blow your socks off, you are guaranteed they will stick around for a long time.
Overall, this bass chorus pedal is built to be tough and solid, and it is the best option for any bassist looking for a long-term investment for recording and gigs.
It can also provide a split-frequency chorus effect that will add rich and warm chorusing effects to extremely high frequencies without causing low frequency to be muddy. For all bassists, this is the recommended chorus pedal for bass that they need.
Specifications
- Brand – BOSS
- Item Weight – 1.1 Pounds
- Color – Blue
Key Features
- It runs on a 9-volt battery.
- It has a true bypass design.
- Five-year manufacturers warranty
What We Like
- Delivers many cool tones
- Very reactive chorus bass pedal
- It produces fantastic sounds.
- Provides the right chorus amount a bass guitar needs
- Features a high-quality build
What We Don’t Like
- Its batteries drain faster.
How To Use Effects On Bass Chorus Pedals
Here is a full list of articles on pedals; check it out.
Conclusion
The chorus pedal is one of the common pedals you will encounter on the market, and bass chorus pedals specifically add sophistication and smoothness to tones. However, like any other bass effect pedal, shopping for the best chorus pedal for bass might be slightly complicated because of the numerous products available.
The best products come with easy and simple controls, laced with features that suit your playing style. Unfortunately, the use of a chorus pedal might not get all the appreciation it deserves. With a chorus pedal for bass like the MXR M234 analog chorus pedal, bassists are guaranteed to mellow and soothing sounds.
Most people might say chorus is no longer in vogue, and anyone who uses it wants to be addressed like a 1980’s throwback. Even though there might be some truth in that statement, using the right amount of bass chorus effect will thicken sounds subtly, and you can count on any of the chorus pedals for bass we have listed in this review to do the trick.
