Guitar Effects are anything that affects the tone of your guitar. They have been present for many years and have been the Sound that we have grown to love. If you want to change the tone of your guitar sound or add some effects and your amplifier cannot produce the sound you are after, a chorus pedal can be the solution and the best chorus pedal under 100 dollars is a good starting point. They provide the perception of similar sounds coming from various sources to create a full and rich sounding tone. However, all chorus pedals are not equal. You need to know the right type before heading to your nearest guitar blog or store.
What To Look For In A Budget Chorus Pedal
True Bypass
True bypass is essential when you want to leave your pedal off, but keep it connected in your pedal chain for occasional use. When you have a true bypass, the input goes straight through the pedal to the output without connecting to the other circuitry in the pedal; this might otherwise colour your Sound or add a bit of noise. In general, true bypass is preferable for the purist, although many people get impressive effects out of pedals that don’t offer true bypass and may not even notice 95{0794a961920d97099aea99cac5a861228867c4461e5cf936a4873e99fb4a0da6} of the time.
Digital or Analog Chorus Effect
You can just tell when a pedal is digital and when a pedal is analog. Analog chorus pedals give a warmer sound, so if that’s important to you, it’s something to consider. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana used the Electro-Harmonix Small Clone, which is purely analog. Then again, many 80’s guitarists like the icy digital Sound of a digital chorus pedal. Maybe you will need both, depending on your desire to play across different genres.
Versatility
Some chorus pedals let you mess with other effects at the same time, which is, of course, cool. For example, the Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress enables you to dial up the Sound of Jimmy Hendrix, Pink Floyd, or the Police with some added flange. Keep in mind that not all pedals with multiple effects let you mix and match, instead of forcing you to switch between one effect pedal and the other.
Our Recommendations
With so many chorus pedals out there, how is a musician to know which one is best for their instrument? Below is a list of the best chorus pedals under $ 100.
MXR M234 Analog Chorus Pedal
The MXR Analog Chorus creates some of the best audio engineering for guitars. It is an analog gear from many years ago that gave all the classic vintage sounds that we all came to love. The pedal provides a uniquely classic sound different from any modern digital pedal. Twist the M-234 Analog Chorus’s rate, and level controls to go from dizzying swirl to subtle shimmer and everywhere in-between.
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It provides a warm and shapable chorus tone. Similar to all of MXR’s pedals, the M-234 Analog Chorus comes packed in a sturdy, lightweight, and small aluminum case. This all-analog pedal also uses bucket-brigade circuitry to produce classically vibrant, liquid textures that are not found with the modern circuit. It also comes in a heavy-duty package with durable jacks and switches.
There is also a through switch which allows you to use the stereo. This pedal is impressive since you can use it to add depth or stage presence to a guitar. You can achieve this by using the High and Low equalizer knobs. These controls are also handy for balancing your effected tone with your un-affected Sound. They are especially useful if you want to create a live music sound in a studio setting.
Also check our comparison of the MXR micro chorus vs analog chorus.
Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus Pedal
The Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Analog Chorus Pedal provides a luxurious analog chorus effect, a distinctive tone, and flexibility that differentiate it from other similar guitar effects pedals. It is a useable chorus in many situations and does what you need; if you want a straight-out chorus effect, it has got you covered.
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It produces the most elegant analog chorus sounds: from bright, vibrant, and dimensional to warm pulsating warbles, intensified with the Depth Control. The single rate knob and the depth switch make this an easy-to-operate stompbox. Its stompbox is well designed and has been a hot pick for over 20 years. It’s full of personality: vibey, dimensional, emotional, other-worldly personality.
When playing using this pedal, just simple tweaks will create an interesting doubling effect, Leslie-like warbles or chiming 12-string-style sounds. Its thick metal steel case is similar to the highly collectible original. It runs on a 9.6 DC-200 power supply or a 9V battery, which comes separately. If you switched the pedal on and put it on the lowest speed and the lower depth setting, it will produce multivoiced. Since more voices are going on, it will create a thicker chorus.
Ibanez Mini Chorus Guitar Pedal
Made in Japan, the Ibanez Mini Chorus features a smaller Depth knob and a significantly larger Speed knob in the middle. For versatility, they have also added a smaller level knob. The best thing about this product is that it does not offer processed Sound. A true bypass switch produces a short, direct signal path, and one of the cleanest tone. The 100{0794a961920d97099aea99cac5a861228867c4461e5cf936a4873e99fb4a0da6} analog circuitry helps to add natural magic to the Sound. The CS MINI is a small chorus pedal narrowed down to fit on any pedalboard!
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It can be challenging to hit the Sound of the real analog chorus for adding sparkling richness to your guitar tone. However, this Mini effects pedal serves it up in a small pedal that can fit on any pedalboard. Depth, speed and level controls make quick work of twisting everything from mild clean tones to intense. True bypass switching removes the effect from your signal path ultimately when released while the analog signal path controls your guitar’s tonal essence.
To add true analog chorus to your guitar rig, Sweetwater can highly recommend the Ibanez Chorus Mini. When you put it in a faster setting, it will give you a Leslie type of effect.
MXR M-148 Micro Chorus Bundle w/Truetone
This is a simple chorus pedal that is known as the Phase 90 of chorus pedals. It comes with only one knob and is as simple as it can be; however, it has plenty of functions. It produces a beautiful and thick sound that is not on the way of your guitar tone. With its easy to use features and stellar analog tone- this product joins the list of MXR Classics such as the Micro Amp, Phase 90, and Dyna Comp.
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This 80’s reissue provides a stunning range of luxurious chorus textures, from intense rotating speaker simulation to sparkly watery shimmers with a twist of the Rate control. If you set it on a 3 o’clock position, it will give you a rotating speaker kind of Sound. This product is designed with old-school bucket brigade technology to enjoy fat analog tones and the type of sound quality you’ve come to expect from MXR.
Furthermore, it’s also a true-bypass pedal, so you can count on pure guitar tone when you switch off the MXR Micro Chorus. Its road-worthy hardware and components come in a space-saving Phase 90-sized box. The bundle includes Truetone 1 Spot Space Saving 9v Adapter. It also comes with a little rubber foot that goes over the knob so that you can work the knob with your foot.
MOOER Mod Factory MKII Modulation Effects Pedal
The Mod Factory MKII holds 11 algorithms, plus all its features are there, including Trem, Flange, Chorus, and Phase. There are some changes on the signal to noise ratio. It has gone through some changes, and there is much improvement. Now your guitar tone will remain full and present when you switch on the pedal.
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To intensify the experience even further, there are features added, such as acceleration functions and real-time tap tempo and accessed by the soft-touch momentary footswitch—the control changes depending on the type of effect you are using. If you want chorus, it becomes a tone control. If you want something like a flanger, it becomes the feedback control, and if you want a bit of ray, which is right at the end of the pedal, it changes the frequency of the effect slightly.
The Mod Factory MKII also has a wide variety for series or parallel, which switches toggles between serial or parallel internal signal cable routing. This dramatically produces two very distinct sounds from each sound type.
Aural Dream Super Chorus Guitar Effect Pedal
Aural is a digital pedal that has eight effect modes that provide a diverse range of ready-to-play modulation effects. You can mix the Sound by adjusting the dry/wet ration. To improve the frequency of the effects middle knob, select between sines, Tri 1, Tri 2, Saw Up, Saw Down, Trapezoid waveform type of the vibrato.
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The Aural Dream Digital Chorus pedal offers many digital choruses sounds in one pedal. Four types of chorus, providing multiple choruses, analog chorus, and standard chorus effect -True bypass mode, compact and robust. It features four perimeters on the front to control each of the sounds.
The tone controller is on top. The knob, which makes the depth last a bit longer or shorter depending on how you set it. The mix control which brings in or takes out your dry signals. So depending on how far o’clock you have it, you get a wet signal. Last but not least, the pre-delay control. So if you want to get an extra hit of reflection before you get your Sound, then use this control.
Hotone Skyline Series CHOIR Compact Chorus Guitar Effects Pedal
This box is an analog chorus pedal that provides a clear, warm, and rich sound, and onboard controls let you regulate the depth and speed of your effect. It got its inspiration from the legendary Jazz-Chorus amplifier, and its circuit produces a natural and pure chorus sound in a little box. Besides, the DEEP button can satisfy those guitar players in pursuit of a greater chorus depth.
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Analog Chorus stompbox for producing clear dense chorus effects. The compact comes in an easy-to-use design and analog-style parameter knob and a metal footswitch, making it simple to tweak your tone. It has a bright LED to symbolize an active pedal. The clear LED is blue and will brightly shine on a live stage.
The other feature of this pedal includes the level knob, which changes the level of your Sound without changing the colour of it. The rat knob with change how fast you want your chorus to go. The depth knob which adjusts how many choruses you want in your Sound and the DEEP button gives your Sound a richer deeper sound to your chorus pedal or use the DEEP button to extend the ambience and drama of your tone. The depth and level parameter controls your tone and advances the style DEEP button to deliver more low point into the chorus effect.
WET DREAMS Analog Chorus Effect
DeadBeat Sound produces this product, and it is the best way for players to get a compact, fully analog chorus. It is also a fantastic little pedal if you are looking for something cost-effective and quality. It features a slim chassis won’t take up too much room on your board, a footswitch for switching it on and off, and a simple control layout with Depth, Speed, and Level knobs. It delivers crystal clear, classic chorus sound from high to low, adding a luxurious liquid touch to your Sound.
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It also comes with two patch cables, a 9V DC, and packed in a foam stuffed storage box. It has a current draw of 200 mA. If you want something crazy or wild, you can turn the depth and speed up and get that rich, profound effect. However, if you want a warm sound, you can set the depth and the speed both at 12 o’clock and the level up.
Top Chorus Pedal Under 100 Conclusion
The final decision on purchasing a chorus pedal depends on the type of Sound you are after and the genre of music you are playing. Generally, amplifiers have built-in effects, but often, they will not create the Sound that you are after. There are many brands of chorus pedals, and the choices can seem overwhelming. Head to your local stores. This is good since you can test out equipment and even make a purchase. However, it may be wise to test out some pedals locally and then get online to find the bargains.
Some more choices: