Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble Settings Guide
The first chorus pedal ever produced — the Boss CE-1 (1976) extracted the chorus circuit from the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier and placed it in a pedal format. The CE-1 uses BBD (Bucket Brigade Device) chips running at a higher voltage than later chorus pedals, producing a lush, wide, three-dimensional chorus character that remains the benchmark for the effect. The Edge used the CE-1 on The Joshua Tree (1987) defining the sound of chorus in a modern context. It also features a Vibrato mode (full wet/pitch modulated signal) absent from most later chorus pedals. Discontinued in 1982; the Waza Craft CE-2W offers a close modern equivalent.
Used by: The Edge
The best Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble settings start with: Intensity at 4/10, Rate at 3/10, Mode at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Classic Rock / U2: Intensity 5/10, Rate 3/10, Mode 0/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Intensity | 4/10 | Subtle → Deep Chorus |
| Rate | 3/10 | Slow Sweep → Fast Vibrato |
| Mode | 0/10 | Chorus → Vibrato |
These are universal starting points. Adjust based on your amp, guitar, and room. Scroll down for genre-specific settings and artist-documented positions.
What Each Control Does
Recommended Starting Settings
Safe starting positions for any style. Adjust from here based on your amp and room.
All values on a 0–10 scale. These are starting points — fine-tune by ear.
Settings by Genre
Chorus mode, moderate Intensity and slow Rate — the CE-1's primary rock chorus setting. The BBD chip at higher voltage produces a lush, three-dimensional chorus that is noticeably wider and warmer than transistor-based chorus pedals. The Edge's "Where the Streets Have No Name" intro uses the CE-1 in this approximate setting to create the shimmering, ambient guitar texture that defines The Joshua Tree.
Higher Intensity, moderate Rate — the CE-1 chorus voice associated with 1980s new wave guitar. At Intensity 6 the chorus is audible as a distinct effect rather than a subtle thickener; the BBD character adds warmth that prevents the chorus from sounding harsh or "watery". Johnny Marr used CE-1 on The Smiths recordings for the characteristic lush jangle.
Vibrato mode, moderate Intensity and Rate — the CE-1 Vibrato mode removes the dry signal and outputs the pitch-modulated wet signal only, producing a pure vibrato effect that can sound psychedelic or seasick depending on Rate and Intensity. At Rate 5, the pitch oscillation is fast enough to create an obvious vibrato effect without becoming an artifact.
Subtle Intensity, slow Rate — the CE-1 as a transparent clean enhancer. At low Intensity and Rate the chorus adds three-dimensional width to a clean guitar signal without obvious pitch movement; the effect is heard as increased richness and space rather than identifiable chorus. The CE-1's BBD character adds this quality more naturally than most digital chorus pedals.
Artist Settings
Documented settings used by professional guitarists on this unit.
The Edge used the CE-1 into a Vox AC30 and later his delay chain on The Joshua Tree — the CE-1's lush, BBD-based chorus before the delay creates the layered, shimmering texture of "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You". The CE-1 in the delay send produces chorus on the repeats as well as the dry signal.
Also in Our Rig Database
Guitarists who feature this gear in their documented rig — explore their full setup.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The Boss CE-2W Waza Craft is the most accurate modern equivalent to the CE-1 — it includes a CE-1 mode that reproduces the original's wider, higher-voltage BBD character alongside the standard CE-2 mode. It is the recommended alternative for players who want CE-1 tone without sourcing an original.
- The CE-1's Vibrato mode is separate from the chorus and produces a different musical effect — in Vibrato mode, there is no dry signal, only the pitch-modulated wet signal. Use Vibrato at low Intensity and Rate for subtle pitch animation, or high settings for an extreme Leslie-cabinet-adjacent effect.
FAQ
Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble: Intensity at 4/10, Rate at 3/10, Mode at 0/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Classic Rock / U2: Intensity 5/10, Rate 3/10, Mode 0/10. Chorus mode, moderate Intensity and slow Rate — the CE-1's primary rock chorus setting. The BBD chip at higher voltage produces a lush, three-dimensional chorus that is noticeably wider and warmer than transistor-based chorus pedals. The Edge's "Where the Streets Have No Name" intro uses the CE-1 in this approximate setting to create the shimmering, ambient guitar texture that defines The Joshua Tree.
For New Wave / 80s: Intensity 6/10, Rate 4/10, Mode 0/10. Higher Intensity, moderate Rate — the CE-1 chorus voice associated with 1980s new wave guitar. At Intensity 6 the chorus is audible as a distinct effect rather than a subtle thickener; the BBD character adds warmth that prevents the chorus from sounding harsh or "watery". Johnny Marr used CE-1 on The Smiths recordings for the characteristic lush jangle.
Intensity: Modulation depth — how wide the pitch variation sweep is. Higher Intensity produces more obvious chorus movement. (Subtle to Deep Chorus). Rate: LFO speed — the rate of the pitch modulation cycle. (Slow Sweep to Fast Vibrato). Mode: Chorus (wet/dry blend) or Vibrato (wet only — full pitch modulation, no dry signal). (Chorus to Vibrato)
The Boss CE-2W Waza Craft is the most accurate modern equivalent to the CE-1 — it includes a CE-1 mode that reproduces the original's wider, higher-voltage BBD character alongside the standard CE-2 mode. It is the recommended alternative for players who want CE-1 tone without sourcing an original. The CE-1's Vibrato mode is separate from the chorus and produces a different musical effect — in Vibrato mode, there is no dry signal, only the pitch-modulated wet signal. Use Vibrato at low Intensity and Rate for subtle pitch animation, or high settings for an extreme Leslie-cabinet-adjacent effect.
The Edge settings: Intensity 5/10, Rate 3/10, Mode 0/10. The Edge used the CE-1 into a Vox AC30 and later his delay chain on The Joshua Tree — the CE-1's lush, BBD-based chorus before the delay creates the layered, shimmering texture of "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You". The CE-1 in the delay send produces chorus on the repeats as well as the dry signal.
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