Boss CE-2W Chorus Settings Guide
The Boss CE-2W is the Waza Craft reissue of the original 1979 Boss CE-2 — considered the classic analog chorus pedal and the foundation of the chorus sound that defined 1980s and early 1990s guitar tones. Uses genuine BBD (Bucket Brigade Device) chips rather than a digital simulation. Adds a CE-1 mode (the even earlier 1976 version with a slightly warmer, more lush character). Andy Summers (The Police) and many others used the original CE-2.
Used by: Andy Summers
The best Boss CE-2W Chorus settings start with: Rate at 4/10, Depth at 5/10. Adjust from there based on your amp, guitar, and room volume. For Clean / New Wave: Rate 4/10, Depth 5/10.
⚡ Start Here — Recommended Settings
| Control | Starting Position | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | 4/10 | Slow → Fast |
| Depth | 5/10 | None → Full |
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
The classic CE-2 setting — moderate Rate and Depth. This is the chorus sound of The Police, 1980s new wave, and country clean guitar. The BBD chip gives the modulation a warmth that digital chorus pedals don't fully replicate. At these settings the chorus is present but not overwhelming.
Slow Rate with higher Depth — the lush, slow-modulating chorus used in ambient and shoegaze contexts. Slow Rate means the modulation cycle is long; high Depth means the pitch deviation is significant. The CE-2W in CE-1 mode at these settings produces a particularly warm, enveloping chorus.
Faster Rate with moderate Depth — the rotary or vibrato-adjacent chorus used in classic rock. At Rate 6 the modulation is noticeable and rhythmically present, adding movement to rhythm parts. Depth at 4 keeps it from being too obvious or watery.
CE-1 mode (switch toggled) — the original 1976 Boss Chorus, which has a warmer, more vintage character than the CE-2. Depth at 6 in CE-1 mode produces a particularly lush, swimmy quality that the CE-2 mode doesn't quite achieve. Use for a more vintage, almost tape-warble chorus character.
Artist Settings
Documented settings used by professional guitarists on this unit.
Andy Summers of The Police used the original Boss CE-1 chorus (the CE-2W's CE-1 mode) for the lush, clean chorus that defined the Police's guitar tone on Roxanne, Every Breath You Take, and similar tracks. Moderate Rate with Depth at 6 — prominent enough to be a signature element of the tone.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- The CE-2W requires 9V power like all Boss pedals but uses a genuine BBD (MN3207) chip rather than a digital simulation. The difference is most noticeable on A/B comparison — the analog BBD chorus has a warmth and slight imprecision that makes it more musical-sounding than digital chorus at equivalent settings.
- CE-2 mode vs. CE-1 mode: CE-2 is brighter and more precise; CE-1 is warmer and has a slightly swimmy, lush character. CE-1 has both Chorus and Vibrato voicings (vibrato is full wet; chorus is mixed dry/wet).
FAQ
Boss CE-2W Chorus — Common Questions
Best starting settings for Boss CE-2W Chorus: Rate at 4/10, Depth at 5/10. Adjust from there based on your guitar, room, and playing style.
For Clean / New Wave: Rate 4/10, Depth 5/10. The classic CE-2 setting — moderate Rate and Depth. This is the chorus sound of The Police, 1980s new wave, and country clean guitar. The BBD chip gives the modulation a warmth that digital chorus pedals don't fully replicate. At these settings the chorus is present but not overwhelming.
For Ambient (lush): Rate 2/10, Depth 7/10. Slow Rate with higher Depth — the lush, slow-modulating chorus used in ambient and shoegaze contexts. Slow Rate means the modulation cycle is long; high Depth means the pitch deviation is significant. The CE-2W in CE-1 mode at these settings produces a particularly warm, enveloping chorus.
Rate: Chorus modulation speed (Slow to Fast). Depth: Chorus modulation amount / depth (None to Full)
The CE-2W requires 9V power like all Boss pedals but uses a genuine BBD (MN3207) chip rather than a digital simulation. The difference is most noticeable on A/B comparison — the analog BBD chorus has a warmth and slight imprecision that makes it more musical-sounding than digital chorus at equivalent settings. CE-2 mode vs. CE-1 mode: CE-2 is brighter and more precise; CE-1 is warmer and has a slightly swimmy, lush character. CE-1 has both Chorus and Vibrato voicings (vibrato is full wet; chorus is mixed dry/wet).
Andy Summers settings: Rate 4/10, Depth 6/10. Andy Summers of The Police used the original Boss CE-1 chorus (the CE-2W's CE-1 mode) for the lush, clean chorus that defined the Police's guitar tone on Roxanne, Every Breath You Take, and similar tracks. Moderate Rate with Depth at 6 — prominent enough to be a signature element of the tone.
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