The Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus is a discontinued analog chorus effects pedal built as a replica of the 1976 Roland CE-1. Voodoo Lab describes it as "an exact true sonic replica of the most sought after chorus of all time: the 1976 Roland" CE-11, and the maker is blunt about the circuit's pedigree: "And yes, it's really analog!"1. The pedal offers what Voodoo Lab calls a wide range of sounds, from thick analog doubling, to ultra-lush chorus, and even a Leslie rotating speaker effect2.
The pedal is no longer in production. Voodoo Lab states plainly on its product page that "The Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus has been discontinued," because the maker has "exhausted our stock" of the Panasonic BBD (bucket brigade device) parts the analog circuit requires2. That makes it a secondhand-market pedal today.
A CE-1-style analog chorus
The pedal this one copies is the Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, released in 1976 and built from the chorus circuit Roland used in its JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifiers, first released in 19755. The CE-1 was produced from 1976 to the mid-eighties21, and Boss notes that it remains widely used by many players for its characterful preamp more than 30 years after it was discontinued21.
Voodoo Lab's pitch for the Analog Chorus is that it recreates that sound in a modern pedal. In the maker's words123:
"Its lush and distinctively organic tone is the standard by which all other chorus effects are measured. The Analog Chorus is capable of a wide range of sounds from a thick analog doubling, to uber-lush chorus, and even a Leslie rotating speaker."4
The control set is minimal. A 2006 MusicPlayers.com review by Scott Kahn describes "the mono-only Analog Chorus features only an Intensity and Speed control, and a true bypass On/Off switch"4. So one knob sets how deep the modulation goes, one sets how fast, and the footswitch turns the effect on and off.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Intensity | Adjusts chorus intensity4 |
| Speed | Adjusts modulation speed4 |
| On/Off switch | True bypass footswitch4 |
The enclosure is a sturdy aluminum box, and the on/off switch is a metal, Carling-style switch4. A tip sheet was included with the pedal, with suggestions for basic settings and details for connecting power4.
Power connectors: barrel and mini-plug
The power connection is the detail most likely to trip up a buyer today, because it changed over the production run. Voodoo Lab's own support article explains the split1:
Current Analog Chorus pedals with the LED have a 5.5 x 2.1mm barrel connector. However, older Voodoo Lab pedals without the LED have a 3.5mm mini-plug jack.1
That means two otherwise identical pedals can need completely different plugs. If you are buying one used, check whether it has the LED indicator before ordering a power supply, because a standard barrel supply will not fit an older mini-plug unit, and a mini-plug supply will not fit a later barrel unit1.
What reviewers said
The most substantial published review is Scott Kahn's November 2006 review for MusicPlayers.com, which rated the pedal 3.3 overall4. Kahn tested it with a Fender Super Sonic tube amp combo, both in the effects loop and in front of the amp4. The review's shortlist of alternatives at the time included the Electro-Harmonix Stereo PolyChorus, the BOSS CE-20 Chorus Ensemble Twin, the Line 6 MM4 Modulation Modeler, and the TC Electronic Stereo Chorus Flanger4.
On YouTube, Josh Scott of JHS Pedals has called it "one of the best analogue chorus has ever made"6.
In the JHS video, Scott covers the pedal's place in the analog chorus lineage and its relationship to the CE-1, and his overall verdict is strongly favorable toward its tone6.
From the Roland CE-1 to discontinued
The CE-1 the pedal copies came from Roland's JC-120 amplifier circuit of 19755 and was produced until the mid-eighties5. Voodoo Lab built its replica around the same kind of Panasonic bucket brigade chips the original used, and that is exactly what ended the product: those vintage BBD parts are no longer available, and Voodoo Lab says its stock of them is exhausted2.
The Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus is discontinued and cannot be rebuilt, because the Panasonic BBD parts it depends on are no longer in the maker's stock2. A B-stock unit was listed by Godlyke at a regular price of £115.00 GBP, described as showing signs of use with velcro on the back3.
For players shopping new, the CE-1-style sound lives on in other analog chorus pedals, including the Analog Man Chorus, the Analog Man BI-CHORUS, the Analog Man Clone Chorus, the Analog Man Mini Chorus, and the Mr. Black Analog Chorus/Vibrato Deluxe. Several of those, unlike the mono-only Voodoo Lab, offer stereo output478.
Questions
Is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus discontinued?
Yes. Voodoo Lab states on its product page that the Analog Chorus has been discontinued. The maker says it ran out of the Panasonic bucket brigade device (BBD) parts the circuit depends on, and that stock of those parts is exhausted, so the pedal cannot be built again.
Why was the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus discontinued?
Voodoo Lab says it discontinued the pedal because it exhausted its stock of Panasonic BBD parts, the delay-line chips an analog chorus circuit needs. Once those vintage parts were gone, production of the pedal stopped.
Is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus true bypass?
Yes. Voodoo Lab says all of its pedals, including the Analog Chorus, use true bypass switching, so there is no loss of tone when the pedal is bypassed. A 2006 MusicPlayers.com review also describes it as having a true bypass on/off switch.
Is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus mono or stereo?
It is mono only. A 2006 MusicPlayers.com review describes it as the mono-only Analog Chorus, with a single output. Players wanting a stereo CE-1-style chorus need to look at other pedals.
What power supply does the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus use?
It depends on the version. Voodoo Lab says current Analog Chorus pedals with the LED use a 5.5 x 2.1mm barrel connector, while older pedals without the LED use a 3.5mm mini-plug jack. Check which version you have before buying a supply.
What is the Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus based on?
It is a replica of the 1976 Roland CE-1 Chorus Ensemble. Voodoo Lab describes it as an exact true sonic replica of the CE-1, the chorus pedal originally derived from the chorus circuit in Roland's JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifiers.
Sources (8)
- Analog Chorus FAQ, Voodoo Lab, 2026-07-24
- Analog Chorus, Voodoo Lab, 2025-02-14
- VOODOO LABS Analog Chorus, Godlyke Distributing, Inc.
- Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus, MusicPlayers.com, 2006-11-06
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME (www.tonehome.de)
- Why Voodoo Lab Pedals Are Amazing, JHS Pedals (YouTube), 2019-10-17
- chorus.docx, Analog Man
- bichorus.docx, Analog Man (analogman.com)
