Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble...As An Overdrive?!?

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Today, we're taking another look at the fabled Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble - arguably the greatest chorus pedal ever made. We know it sounds absolutely amazing as a chorus & vibrato...but can we use it as an overdrive??

A key part to the CE-1 sound is the preamp circuit that can start to break up as we hit the guitar harder. Usually this would be very undesirable in a modulation pedal, but it's a key element in what makes the CE-1 sound so special and unique.

By turning off the chorus effect and turning up the preamp, we can make that circuit clip the signal in a totally unique way and use the CE-1 as a totally unique-sounding overdrive pedal. It sounds a little similar to pedals such as the Hudson Broadcast and Supro Drive, both of which use saturated transformers to crunch the signal, but it's definitely it's own thing.

What do you think? Would you use the CE-1 as an overdrive? Or is it not for you? Comment below!

Guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Custom with Monty's PAF replica pickups through a Hughes & Kettner Puretone Combo (recorded with an sE Electronics RNR1 Ribbon) and a Cornell Romany Plus (recorded with a 57)


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