TC Electronic SCF Stereo Chorus Flanger

The Danish company TC Electronic is very well known for their innovative, top quality musical gear for both studio and stage.

The TC Electronic Stereo Chorus, Pitch Modulator, and Flanger (Also known as the SCF) is a bit different from most stomp boxes.Introduced in the mid 80's, the SCF was TC Electronics' stake in the game of tone modulating pedals for guitar, which was a popular niche in the gear market at the time. Rock guitarists loved the sound of chorus on their soaring solos, and experimentation with flange, pitch mod, and other wild sounds was at an all-time high.



UTILIZATION

The SCF Features a silent (momentary) footswitch, mono/stereo outputs, independent input gain control, along with Speed, Width, and Intensity controls.
The user toggles between Chorus, Pitch Mod, and Flanger using the 3-way switch located between the Width and Intensity controls. There's an overload indicator to alert you if your input gain is too high, and a jack for an external bypass switch, so that you can remotely turn the pedal on and off.

As an added plus, the pedal plugs directly into a power source with no need for an external adapter, eliminating the need for a space-hogging wall wart.


The controls are fairly easy to understand. Speed adjusts the rate at which the pedal modulates the sound with a given effect. Width adjusts how wide the sweep is, from 0 to 6. Intensity blends the individual effects with the dry signal to varying degrees.




SOUND QUALITY

The SCF is an extremely well-designed pedal in both sound and construction. It was originally designed for guitar, but Keyboardists have been known to take advantage of its capabilities.

The Chorus is very smooth and capable, going from light swimmy effect to nausea-inducing tone modulation all with a few twists of the controls.

The Pitch modulator is interesting because it isn't strictly a pitch mod, as it pairs the pitch mod effect with chorus to achieve a rather unique effect. Here, you can go from light overtones to raging pitch dissonance again just throughout the range of the controls.

And Finally there is the Flanger, which, like the Pitch Mod, is mixed somewhat with the chorus. It's not a particularly overpowering Flanger, but you can get some nice airplane sounds out of it with the Intensity cranked.

OVERALL OPINION

The TC Electronic Stereo Chorus, Pitch Mod, and Flanger is an enduring effect pedal that has seen a home on the pedalboard of many guitarists, and likely many to come. It's high price ($319 average retail) keeps it out of the hands of most, and that's a shame, because it really does offer top notch Chorus effect for those who are fans, and even on ebay can go used for upwards of $250.

The best bet is to give one a try at the music store, and make a decision for yourself whether this classic pedal is worth your investment. I certainly enjoy having it in my arsenal.

This is one of those chorus flanger pedals that can do both things at once. These are very high quality products and the voicing of them are of the best standards in guitar pedals. This pedal from Tc Electronics is one of the first introductions that TC has done with the guitar pedal platform. For years they have been known for their rack units and processors but now getting more heavily involved into the floor guitar pedals market.

These pedals are all analog and you ca definitely here the great tone from this pedal compared to the digital units. TC Electronics have been introducing the new effects pedals and one of them is the Corona chorus which is a digital pedal. The Corona is a much cheaper unit as far as price so that is reflective in the tone fo the two units.

UTILIZATION

Detail
Type Stereo Chorus/Flanger/Vibrato
Inputs 1 x Instrument
Outputs 2 x 1/4"
Power Supply Included Internal power supply (uses standard AC power cord)
Batteries Not battery powered
Height 1.22"
Depth 4.88"
Width 3.86"
Weight 1 lbs.


CONNECTIONS:
- Mono Input to Mono or Stereo Out
- Bypass control that allows you to bypass the effect via any external relay switching system
- No wall-wart – plug straight to 110-220V

CONTROLS:
Chorus/Flanger mode selector (Speed, Width and Intensity)

ADDITIONAL:
To secure optimal performance with practically NO noise the SCF is unlike most Chorus/Flanger pedals designed with an Input Gain control and Overload indicator.

SOUND QUALITY

The tone of this pedal is fantastic for choruses and pitch modulation. The chorus is a lush tone that is a thinner voicing but still very desirable. Some people like a darker effects pedal and some like a thin one that just helps out their overall tone and not take control over it.

The pitch modulation is a very great feature as well. You get a definite slight change in the tuning of the guitar which adds a lot of depth and range. The vibrato is a great silky tone that adds a unique and dynamic effects to you rig.

I am not a fan of the flanger tone though. I like the tone of a MXR flanger and have just tailored my ear towards that voicing. Not that this flanger is bad just not my preferred taste in flangers.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these pedals come in at around $299, which is a bit high in my opinion for a simple chorus pedal. This pedal sounds fantastic but not to the tune of $300. That is a bit steep for this pedal and any pedal that does essentially the same thing.

I would recommend this pedal to a TC fan of some kind. Even if you aren't a TC fan this pedal might work for you, but before you unload $300 for this unit I would suggest trying it out first or picking one up on the used market and if you don't like it you can basically dump it again for the same price.

Everything is said I have nothing more to add

UTILIZATION

I use the chorus, flanger I find the bof and Pich Modulator useless

SOUND QUALITY

The chorus of reference is what we read everywhere ... on this one then I'm not sure 100% against what is right is very fine, very clean studio, the sound is not modern in the vintage chorus generous greasy ... of stroke over time he can be blamed on lack of character because it becomes a limit chorus mat so it has become the benchmark in a lot of pedalboard
At the time I needed a chorus worthy of the name between the Boss CE-1 to € 500 secondhand in TBE and this one had the two schools are the top 80s and the other of 90 years, after reflection I let myself tempted by this one because the EC-1 ate too much signal but against what his ...

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for over a year I sold it with no regrets replaced by the MXR Stereo Chorus which I find much better
The value for money at € 320 nine I said no ... I traded mine to 280 € new in store