In this article we’re going to be discussing the best chorus pedals for guitarists, that exist in 2023.
Chorus pedals are a classic pedal type and have been used by many famous guitarists over generations. Each is slightly different and some are certainly better than others in terms of quality. We’ve reviewed the 10 best chorus pedals currently on the market and available. Enjoy!
What is A Chorus Pedal?
Chorus is a type of effect that can be placed in the modulation effect family, similar to the likes of flanger and phaser. The best way to describe a chorus sound is to imagine adding rich layers over your guitar tone (imagine the sound of a 12-string guitar in comparison to a conventional 6-string).
Chorus can be manipulated by different controls that change the dynamic of the pedal. For instance, most chorus pedals can be set to almost emulate the effect of a tremolo. For the most part, chorus works extremely well with clean guitar tones, however, the effect can also be used with overdrive pedals to add dirt to the sound (think Nirvana).
Typically, a chorus pedal will be used in the effects loop of an amplifier. This gives a boost in volume in comparison to using the effect in the front end. Additionally, the most common place for your chorus pedal within your chain is before your delay and reverb pedals. This prevents the chorus from discolouring your reverb or delay and produces best results for your overall tone.
Most of the chorus pedals mentioned within this guide will feature the typical controls that are typical fo a chorus pedal, these include depth, level and rate. However it is known for some chorus pedals to consist of just two or even one control. Now you know what chorus is all about, lets begin our list of the 10 best chorus pedals.
Best Chorus Pedals For Guitar
1. TC Electronic Corona Mini
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Amongst the fantastic guitar effects that TC Electronic have crated for guitar players, many will see their chorus creation as one of their very best achievements. Whats even more mind blowing is how they fit this chorus effect into such a small, compact pedal, hence the name Corona Mini..
With the Corona mini you are treated to two shimmering chorus setting, the classic TC Electronic SCF and a Tri- chorus. On top of this, TC Electronics tone print technology applies with this pedal so you can create you own go to chorus tone which will never leave you. High quality components give this pedal a real advantage over its competitors, so you’re in no danger of damaging this tiny pedal whilst playing.
The Corona Mini Chorus pedal has three knobs: speed, depth and fx level. These are typical settings for chorus pedals and usually the best controls for shaping a luscious chorus tone, not to mention that the controls on the this pedal are wonderfully responsive.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
At its price point, any guitar playing should consider buying the TC electronic Corona mini. Its quality and tone is hard to beat, especially in such a compact pedal. If your pedal board is small or short of space, the Corona mini will be a blessing and will allow more room for other effects. Never under estimate the power of mini pedals!
Read the full review here of the Tc Electronic Corona Mini
Customer Review Rating
The TC Electronic Corona Mini is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
2. Boss CH-1 Stereo Super Chorus
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Boss chorus pedals are true classics in the guitar effects pedals world and unsuprisingly their CH-1 super chorus makes it as on our best chorus pedals list. This compact chorus pedals is housed in a classic Boss pedal chassis that will stand the test of time and look great on your pedal board.
This pedals delivers crystal clean chorus sounds and a wonderful stereo effects which can be distinguished between left and right speakers. The pedals also has four knobs that allow for really precise controls of the the chorus effects, these are: Effects level, Hi-low EQ, rate and depth.
The EQ function on this pedal is particularly good and really allows you to shape the chorus effect exactly how you want it. We found the super chorus to be exceptionally good with clean guitar tones, however it can of course hold its weight with distortion. For the full Boss CH-1 review – Click here
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Boss pedal lovers should certainly own this pedal. It’s one of their true classic and perhaps one of the best overall quality effects pedals that they have produced. In terms of guitar ability, you will make use of the CH-1 super chorus whatever your level, it will literally add a new dynamic to you guitar playing. Also at this price point, its hard to argue against recommending the Boss CH-1 to anyone who requires the chorus effect on their pedal board.
Read the full review here of the Boss CH-1 super chorusÂ
Customer Review Rating
The Boss CH-1 Super Chorus is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
3. MXR Analog Chorus
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From complex chorus tones to subtle, shimmering colour, the MXR analog chorus has arrived on the scene and provides some of the best analog chorus effect that has ever been housed in a compact effects pedal. Whats significant about the analog chorus is that it’s a true analog chorus, just the way it should be!
In comparison to other chorus pedals on the market, the MXR analog chorus has detailed controls that really allow you to fine tune a specific chorus sound that you wish to use. The controls on this pedal are: level, low, hi, rate and depth. Having this much functionality will benefit guitarists who are looking to reproduce specific chorus tones.
Bucket-brigade circuitry is used in the MXR analog chorus to create the classic chorus effects that you just can’t get with digital circuitry. MXR are one of the big players in guitar pedal creation so you wont be surprised to hear that the build quality is excellent. For the full MXR Analog Chorus review – Click here
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
If you’re in the market for a true analog chorus pedal than this may well be the one for you. Whilst digital chorus pedals are now very good, analog chorus is the holy grail in the eyes of most guitar players. The MXR analog chorus is high quality, durable and has very specific tone control which will appeal to advanced chorus users. It’s price is also very reasonable.
Read the full review here of the MXR M234 analog chorus
Customer Review Rating
The Boss CH-1 Super Chorus is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
4. Wet Dreams – Deadbeat Sound
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Deadbeat Sound may well be considered as one of the newest and possible unknown pedal manufacturers around at the moment, that doesn’t however mean that their pedal quality isn’t of the highest order. The wet dreams is a fully analog chorus which provides crystal clean highs and luscious lows that are simply incredible for a pedal of this price point.
The Wet Dreams analog chorus is a compact pedal with three simple controls: level, depth and speed. This is really all that is required in a chorus pedals and the simplicity of this product is very appealing and a great addition to the chorus pedal market.
Dead Beat has created a compact, plug in and play, fully analog chorus that is well built and wont take up much room on your pedal board. The build quality is sound and the components are very well make, including the three responsive knobs and the on/off foot switch.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
The Wet Dreams by Deadbeat Sound analog chorus pedal is perhaps best suited to the beginner guitar player. The main reason for this being its incredible affordable price point. Also, the Wet Dreams is very easy to control and with three knobs that will all most instantaneously produce a great chorus tone that you can use right away.
Customer Review Rating
The Deadbeat Sound – Wet Dreams is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
5. MXR M134 Stereo Chorus
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Unsurprisingly, MXR feature on our list of the 10 best chorus pedals for a second time. This time it’s the MXR M134 stereo chorus. This pedal is always described as the one that adds a little something to your tone which is exactly what you want from a chorus pedal.
The M134 chorus is of course a stereo chorus pedal which has a lot of functionality, making it one of the more complex chorus pedals on our list. The controls are: bass, treble, intensity, width and rate. The EQ section will allow you to perfectly alter the hi and lows of the chorus effects whilst the intensity knob will introduce more chorus is you turn it up.
Whilst we found the MXR M134 Chorus pedal to work great in mono, unleashing the pedal in stereo gives it a new level which is simply fantastic and complement the overall guitar tone perfectly. You really can create an anthemic sound with this pedal, perhaps more so than other chorus pedals on the market.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Whilst all guitar players should consider the subtle qualities of the MXR M134 chorus pedal, it is perhaps geared slightly more to experienced guitar players who want that edge to their guitar tone whilst on stage. Having said that, a pedal that offers so much quality on stage will also work wonderfully in the studio, so this is certainly a chorus pedal that all musicians should take into consideration.
Customer Review Rating
The MXR M134 stereo chorus is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
6. Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine
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Simply put, Earthquaker devices were always going to make our top 10 list as they produce such high quality guitar pedals. Their chorus offering is the Sea Machine which is a hybrid of digital and analog circuitry making it a rather unique beast in the chorus pedal realm.
The Sea Machine consists of six control knobs that offer incomparable functionality for a chorus pedal that will allow you to shape the effect to specifically to your liking. The controls on offer are: animate, dimention, intensity, depth, shape and rate. One additionally feature of this pedals tone is the slightly extended delay which really makes the pedal stand out form competitors.
The animate controls is a real game changer. When set low it produces a more classic chorus tone whilst turning it up will produce swirling effects that create a unique sound. Furthermore the intensity control will blend the dry signal with one thats modulated in order to produce the true sound of the Sea Machine. What a fantastic chorus pedal!
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Ideally every guitar player should want to own the Sea Machine, Earthquaker devices always produce gems and this is no exception. Due to its versatility and slight quirky charm, this pedal is perhaps most suitable for advanced guitar players who are looking to up their chorus game. Also the price point is slightly higher than other most other chorus pedals which may be slightly of range for some beginners. Either way if you can get this pedal, we recommend that you do!
Customer Review Rating
The EarthQuaker Devices Sea Machine is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
7. Fender Bubbler Chorus Pedal
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Here at GFXP, we were very excited for the launch of Fenders effects pedal range, and of course delighted that they have added a chorus pedal to the range. The Fender Bubbler is not just a typical chorus pedal, it has vibrato functionality which we think is a great addition.
The first significant difference that you notice in comparison to other chorus pedals is the second switch named slow/fast. What this does is instantly allows to to switch between two speeds adding or reducing more impact of the chorus and vibrato pedal effect. The Bubbler also utalizes six knobs which are: rate 1, depth 1, rate 2, depth 2, level and sens.
You can customize the rate and depth of each speed and of course control the overall level of the pedal using the level knob. Essentially you have two chorus pedal setting in one that you can easily switch between. Thats not all, the Fender Bubbler all has a 2-way toggle switch that switches between sine and triangle waveforms. For the full Fender Bubbler review – Click HereÂ
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Considering the amount of funtionality of the Fender Bubbler chorus pedal, the price point of this pedal is fantastic, making a great pedal for any level of guitar player. Whilst there is a lot of settings on this pedal, its wont be an issue for less experienced guitarist who perhaps haven’t used a chorus before. For more seasoned guitar players, this chorus should probably feature on your pedalboard sooner rather than later.
Read the full review here of the Fender Bubbler
Customer Review Rating
The Fender Bubbler chorus pedal is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
8. Electro-Harmonix Small Clone ChorusÂ
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As you may be aware, chorus effect heavily influenced the sound of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and in fact the Electro Harmonix Small Clone was his chorus pedal of choice. This classic pedal still keeps its old school appearance as well as it’s original tone that is instantly recognisable for the trained ear.
In terms of features, the Small Clone is simple, compact and only has one adjustable knob to alter the rate of the chorus effect. The result is a fully analog, classic chorus tone which we found to work extremely well with both clean and overdriven guitar tones. The depth of the chorus is also adjustable giving the pedal its fare share of versatility without any crazy controls.
Electro Harmonix always deliver great quality pedals, generally for a great price in comparison to competitors. The Small Clone is housed in a solid chassis which appears to be almost indestructible. The pedal. however, isn’t too big and therefore wont take up excessive space on your pedalboard.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
If you’re a fan of Nirvana then this is the perfect chorus to recreate the sounds achieved by Kurt Cobain. In general it’s a tried and tested chorus which has been used by pro guitar players for decades. Easy to use and affordable, we believe this pedal to be an excellent choice for guitar players of any genre or ability.
Customer Review Rating
The Electro-Harmonix Small Clone is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
9. Walrus Audio Julia Analog ChorusÂ
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Whilst you may not be entirely familiar with Walrus Audio, it’s no shock to us that we feature one of their fantastic pedals on our list. The Julia is Walrus Audios chorus offering and boats a premium, full analog tone with plenty of versatility.
The controls are as follows: rate, depth, lag, into vibrato (labelled d-c-v) and a toggle switch. The toggle is a clever addition as it switches between chorus and vibrato effects, so the Julia has multiple purposes for you guitar tone. The real special feature of the Julia is the lag control which allows you to set the delay time that the LFO effect modulates from.
This chorus pedal is our pick as the best premium chorus you can buy. It offers everything from smooth chorus to crazy detuned noise. The build quality on this pedal is spectacular and looks like a boutique pedal that you wish you could own. Luckily you can, despite the price being a little extra than most pedals on the list. For the full Walrus Audio Julia review – Click Here
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Ideally, any guitar player would want the Walrus Audio Julia on their pedalboard. However its important to remember that this is an outstanding, premium chorus pedal that would suit the more experienced guitar player a little more than the beginner. The price is of course on the high end, however the amount of functionality and quality of tone is exceptional, therefore we fully advise you to check this pedal out.
Read the full review here of the Walrus Audio JuliaÂ
Customer Review Rating
The Walrus Audio Julia is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
10. Dunlop M148 MXR Micro Chorus
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For the third instalment on our list from MXR, we have the Micro chorus. In similar fashion to the Corona Mini, it’s a compact mini pedal with a single classic tone and minimal functionality. This pedal has a fantastic 80’s reissue tone with a single rate control that introduces or fades out the intensity of the effect.
Whats great about this pedal is that its a fully analog, plug in and play addition to your pedal board that you can rely on at all times. Bucket brigade technology provides a warm analog tone which is a very pleasant and doesn’t need any toggle switches or EQ knobs to dial in a perfect chorus.
The chassis is the same size as the MXR phase 90 phaser and will no doubt go down in time as being just as iconic. In a practical sense, the MXR Micro chorus is going to provide you with anything from a warm analog chorus to intense rotating speaker effect with the us the use of a single control. Simplicity at its finest!
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Needless to say, this pedal will appeal to beginner guitar players who just want to get the instant tone when they plug it in. For players looking for more versatility with their chorus, other options on this list will be more suitable. Additionally, the pricing is very affordable and the overall quality of the pedal housing and analog chorus is very good.
Customer Review Rating
The MXR Micro Chorus is rated 4.5* out of 5* on Amazon – Check Reviews Here
Our Number One Choice 
We’re going with the Boss Ch-1 Super chorus.. Boss pedals never let us down and thats why we recommend them so often. The CH-1 has all the attributes needed to make an all round great chorus pedal. It’s has a good amount of functionality with the four knob control, the chassis is great quality as you would expect from Boss and the price point is very affordable. This pedal is perfect for beginner guitar players as well as seasoned professionals, the tone is a classic after all!
Our Premium Choice 
Whilst a premium chorus pedal isn’t essential for a good chorus sound to your guitar, paying a little extra on the Walrus Audio Julia will take you into analog heaven and provide luscious shimmering tones to your guitar. Premium chorus pedals generally combine effects such as vibrato to give extra depth to the tone and we believe that the Julia does this perfectly. Don’t hesitate to try it out!
Best Value For Money 
When selecting the chorus pedal with the best value for money, we take into consideration quality and cost. Going for the cheapest pedal is a common option for beginner guitarists but its rarely the best decision. The TC Electronic Corona Mini is an excellent chorus and has all the qualities of it’s bigger brother, just in a more compact form. The basic tone is very desirable and the tone print technology allows you get so much more out of this pedal.
if you found this roundup of the 10 best chorus pedals both enjoyable and informative. Comment below your own review or any questions you may have regarding this product.
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FAQ: Best Guitar Chorus Pedals
1. What is a chorus pedal?
A chorus pedal is a popular guitar effects pedal that adds depth and dimension to your guitar sound by creating multiple copies, or “voices,” of the original signal and modulating their pitch slightly to create a swirling, shimmering effect.
2. What makes a chorus pedal one of the best?
The best chorus pedals offer high-quality sound, versatile controls, and a wide range of modulation options. They should effectively enhance your guitar’s tone without overpowering it and provide the desired depth and richness to your sound.
3. Are there chorus pedals specifically designed for bass guitars?
Yes, there are chorus pedals specifically designed for bass guitars. These pedals are optimized to retain low-end frequencies and provide a smooth, musical modulation that complements the bass guitar’s unique tone.
4. What is the significance of “Waza Craft” in chorus pedals?
“Waza Craft” is a term used by Boss to indicate their premium line of pedals. These pedals are crafted with meticulous attention to detail and offer enhanced sound quality, additional features, and improved overall performance.
5. What are the benefits of using stereo chorus pedals?
Stereo chorus pedals provide a wider and more immersive sound experience. They create a spacious effect by sending different chorus voices to separate left and right channels, resulting in a broader stereo image.
6. Can you recommend some reputable chorus pedal brands?
Sure! Some reputable brands known for their quality chorus pedals include TC Electronic, Walrus Audio, Electro-Harmonix, MXR, and Boss. These brands have a history of producing reliable and great-sounding chorus pedals.
7. What is the difference between analog and digital chorus pedals?
Analog chorus pedals use analog circuitry to create their modulation effect, which often results in a warm and vintage sound. Digital chorus pedals, on the other hand, utilize digital processing to achieve a wide range of modulation possibilities and can offer more precise control over the effect parameters.
8. How can I achieve the classic chorus sound popularized by artists like Kurt Cobain?
To achieve the classic chorus sound associated with Kurt Cobain and many other artists, look for pedals that replicate the sound of vintage chorus units, such as the Boss CE-2 Chorus. Experiment with moderate settings for the rate and depth controls to achieve a lush and vibrant chorus tone.
9. Can a chorus pedal be used with other guitar effects pedals?
Absolutely! Chorus pedals are often used in conjunction with other effects pedals to create unique and layered sounds. They pair well with distortion pedals, delay pedals, and even modulation pedals like vibrato, allowing for a wide range of creative possibilities.
10. Do all chorus pedals have stereo output?
No, not all chorus pedals have stereo outputs. While some pedals offer stereo output capabilities, others may have mono output only. The choice depends on your specific needs and setup requirements.
Remember, finding the best chorus pedal ultimately depends on your personal preferences and the specific sound you are aiming to achieve. Consider experimenting with different pedals to find the one that suits your playing style and musical taste.
Last update on 2023-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API