NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

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fuzzbuzzfuzz
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NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by fuzzbuzzfuzz » Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am

More Choral fun...

Picked up these two the other day, which are duplicates but slightly different. The CE-3 is a black label (I think I have a boxed green) and the FX65 is one the earlier iterations in all blue with the older footswitch (I had completely forgotten I had the newer big switch version boxed up somewhere!).

DOD FX-65 Stereo Chorus

I have a slight nostalgia for the earlier fonts and colors of the DODs and the 65 seems to have had a rejuvenation of late, being heralded for the early RHCPs tone, and Andy Martin (Reverb) etc.

Whilst they are plentiful and modestly priced on Reverb ($60-120?) they are few and far between over here in Japan so I snapped it up. I have the earlier light blue (lush!) 2 knob FX60 which I enjoy for faux Leslie. The FX65 has a much wider palette of tones, almost confusing given the Delay time knob also has a pronounced effect on tone and where the depth might be set for the overall sound. Very versatile unit, I'll compare at some point.


CE-3 Stereo Chorus

Never had a major fascination with this one as to my ears it has a more "metallic", "airy", "80"s tone and there are no thick Leslie sounds to be had. Many like it for the pitch vibrato, (a cheap VB-2), but yet again that quite pronounced almost square wave I find a bit too much!

Anyway it is, I think, an 83' unit and in reasonable condition. Going rate in Japan is 11,000 yen for used examples with boxed and clean ones up to 18,000yen.

Both pedals required a good bit of cleaning, de-fluffing, new washers/nuts and tlc (on the dinner table, with a beer in front of bemused wifey).

I should try these out in full stereo setup to see what the real fuss is about compared to their light blue mono brothers.

Both pedals also seem to have nuts that are not the size I have! :| :?:
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laurie
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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by laurie » Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:59 am

fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am
More Choral fun...
Very nice! What did you actually pay for them?
fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am
new washers/nuts
Do you have a cheap source for washers and nuts? (presume you mean for the jacks?)

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fuzzbuzzfuzz
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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by fuzzbuzzfuzz » Tue Mar 14, 2023 2:32 am

laurie wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:59 am
fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am
More Choral fun...
Very nice! What did you actually pay for them?
6500yen for the DOD and 7000yen for the CE-3 online from private sellers after a bit of haggling. DOD missing the power jack nut, BOSS needed a rubber grommit. Always a bit risky with sellers but as long as I can fix it I don't mind too much at those prices.

Resonable in todays climate. I do recall paying less for my boxed CE-3 but at least 5 years back.

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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by Pepe » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:24 am

fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am
CE-3 Stereo Chorus

Never had a major fascination with this one as to my ears it has a more "metallic", "airy", "80"s tone and there are no thick Leslie sounds to be had. Many like it for the pitch vibrato, (a cheap VB-2), but yet again that quite pronounced almost square wave I find a bit too much!
I really like the CE-3. I received a nice looking one in one of our very first pedal exchange tours many years ago. It really shines in stereo. I agree that it doesn't produce a sound like a BOSS CE-2, but that's another reason to keep them both. The faux vibrato is really not my cup of tea. That's not really a proper alternative for a VB-2.
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fuzzbuzzfuzz
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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by fuzzbuzzfuzz » Wed Mar 15, 2023 1:15 am

Pepe wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:24 am
fuzzbuzzfuzz wrote:
Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:36 am
CE-3 Stereo Chorus

Never had a major fascination with this one as to my ears it has a more "metallic", "airy", "80"s tone and there are no thick Leslie sounds to be had. Many like it for the pitch vibrato, (a cheap VB-2), but yet again that quite pronounced almost square wave I find a bit too much!
I really like the CE-3. I received a nice looking one in one of our very first pedal exchange tours many years ago. It really shines in stereo. I agree that it doesn't produce a sound like a BOSS CE-2, but that's another reason to keep them both. The faux vibrato is really not my cup of tea. That's not really a proper alternative for a VB-2.
I really MUST try these pedals in stereo (The DC set too)!

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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by Pepe » Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:13 am

Really, you have missed a lot until now!
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laurie
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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by laurie » Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:39 am

Pepe wrote:
Wed Mar 15, 2023 9:13 am
Really, you have missed a lot until now!
Oh yes - stereo is a must!

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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by bigtone23 » Mon Mar 20, 2023 6:53 am

Ooh yeah! Stereo chorus is really that extra something something.
My first chorus was a CE3 back in 1983ish. When it was sold, it was replaced with a CE2. I liked the tonality, but missed the stereo.
Now I just use a CE5 or DC3 for stereo.

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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by Pepe » Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:49 am

What is the best about the CE-3 is that it offers two stereo modes. Stereo Mode II is pretty much like the CE-1 or CH-1 do it with direct sound at the one output and modulated signal at the other one. It can be really nice with two amps, but it doesn't sound too pleasant through headphones. Stereo Mode I sounds very nice in any stereo setup, because it offers the chorus sound on each output*.

*Question to Laurie: I suppose that this mode is not mono compatible, since it is D+E and D-E. I haven't tried it before, but will the chorus sound vanish when both putputs will be put together in mono?
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Re: NPD: Stereo Chorus x2

Post by laurie » Mon Mar 20, 2023 1:32 pm

Pepe wrote:
Mon Mar 20, 2023 9:49 am
*Question to Laurie: I suppose that this mode is not mono compatible, since it is D+E and D-E. I haven't tried it before, but will the chorus sound vanish when both putputs will be put together in mono?
Yes, with the D+E and D-E outputs, if you summed them back into mono (using two channels on a mixing board, say) the chorus sound should disappear. In the real world there will be remnants because of component variations.

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