Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer

I bought this unit from Mainstreet Music (Greensborough, Vic, Aus) and paid $230 for it.
I knew a little about compression at the time and I bought this pedal for use with my bass rig.

It makes an undescribeable difference to the music. It improves clarity, tone, adds punch and reduces huge dynamic changes. I have it set up for use as a limiter more than a sustainer. I consider it a part of my pre-amp now, it is almost always on and I would almost refuse to gig without it.

hmmm... nothing! Perhaps the cost. It's a large price for something that doesn't have an effect that stands out like a wah wah. A wah though, is a novelty unit, whereas this gives a more professional sound.

It's a BOSS. That is another way of saying that it is UNBREAKABLE. Sturdy as a tank and quality is guarenteed! (I think boss will even give you your money back if you're not pleased? or something like that.) the sound quality is immaculate, with almost no noise when used correctly.

A must for bassists, really. The pedal can be used for any instrument and work well, but I think it is more likely a 'requirement' for the modern bassist.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased on eBay for $32.00. I needed a good quality overdrive that didn't sound like a cheap imitation from a multi-effects board.

First off, it's BOSS quality and is in a solid metal chassis. You could drop it off a building, soak it in your sink, drive over it with your truck, and stomp on it continually during a gig, and it'll still function great.

The overdrive sounds great and can go from very very mellow to very very hard core. I need the flexibility of both and am not disappointed at all. You can strum a hard rhythm and then go to light picking and it'll still retain the characteristics of your individual guitar.

The color looks pretty sissyfied to me. Pale yellow? Ack!

Solid metal chassis and legendary Boss quality.

Great purchase and a no-brainer alternative if you can't afford the Ibanez TS9. A super pedal if you need flexibility and great quality sound that other multi-effect pedals try to but can't imitate.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

i bought this for about $85.00 from Guitar Center..i bought it cause i THOUGHT it would be useful once i messed around with it...

hmm....have to think about this one....its good for playing a lot of legato..but thats about it....oh, and i guess if you like a low signal then its good for that....

Basicly the fact that i bought it pisses me off...i rarely play legato, and i like my pickups with a nice hot output so this thing does nothing for me but waste my money......i want it gone soon....

Well BOSS effects are tough as hell...but i dont know about the quality of this perticular one..ive found no good enough use for it...

If your thinking of a compression pedal..rethink it...wait and maybe consider it as some rack gear, but otherwise dont waste your money, you will be disappointed, you will have more fun with some modulation effects, such as a flanger : )

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The Boss CS-3 Compression is an analog compressor designed for use with the electric guitar, but is suitable for any electronic instrument. It has both a 1/4 inch input and output and has a specific power supply that will power it in addition to the battery compartment. It is a pretty sturdy pedal and is overall made pretty well. This is not a rackable piece of gear - it is a stomp box.


UTILIZATION

The make up of the CS-3 Compression is really simple and easy to follow as it has a series of four knobs that each will control a different aspect of your sound. From right to left it has knobs for compression, attack, volume, and emphasis, the latter of which is kind of like a tone knob. This is pretty much all there is to it and anyone with any sort of experience with guitar pedals or compressors won't have too much trouble with it. I don't have the manual for this pedal but it is easy enough to use that you don't really need it.


SOUND QUALITY

The sound of the CS-3 Compression is a bit above average and will definitely do what it advertises to do, which is compress your guitar signal in any way you see fit. I usually use this pedal with a Fender Strat and a 1976 Fender Twin Reverb and I'm always pretty happy with the results I am able to get. There is a good amount of control over your tone available, which adds to the overall number of sounds that are possible with this pedal. While I've used some better compression pedals before, the Marshall ED-1 Compressor is a nice pedal in its own right.


OVERALL OPINION

I first used CS-3 Compression guitar pedal about two or three years ago and since then it has always done well for me. I like the overall tone it has and the ease of use makes it a good option for players on all experience levels. The price is very reasonable if not downright cheap and certainly gives you some bang for your buck. While I prefer the Boss CS-3 compression pedal to this one, the CS 3 is a good pedal and will last a while if you treat it properly.