I've always had the soft spot for the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus , mostly because it symbolizes a weirdly particular era of acoustic guitar gear that doesn't get enough like these days. If you grew up or even started playing around the time whenever Charvel and Jackson were the undisputed kings of the "superstrat" world, you probably remember that they will didn't just quit at making guitars with pointy headstocks and lightning-fast necks. They actually dropped their toes to the pedal world, even though these units aren't as famous as a Boss CE-2 or an Ibanez CS9, they have a character all their own own which is remarkably high-quality.
The CH-600 SC is usually one of individuals bits of gear that people often overlook on an utilized gear shelf because it looks a bit "budget" at 1st glance. It's obtained that classic late-80s/early-90s aesthetic—a dark grey plastic-feeling housing plus a layout that doesn't scream "boutique. " But as anyone who has actually plugged a single in can inform you, the sound coming out associated with those jacks is definitely not cheap. It's lush, wide, and has that specific analog warmth that will modern digital emulations still find it difficult to toe nail perfectly.
The Real Japanese Connection
To understand why the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus noises as good as it does, you have in order to look at its GENETICS. Throughout the late 1980s, Charvel was freelancing the production of these pedals to Japanese manufacturers. Once you learn anything about pedal background, you know that will Japan was absolutely crushing it during this period. Many enthusiasts believe these were produced in exactly the same production facilities that handled brands like Arion or even certain Ibanez lines.
The build is definitely interesting. It's the "plastic" housing, yet it's a quite sturdy, heavy-duty amalgamated. It's not the particular kind of plastic material that shatters in case you step on it a tad too hard. This feels substantial. When you crack one particular open, you'll usually find a really clean circuit panel layout, often showcasing the legendary MN3207 bucket brigade gadget (BBD) chips. These types of chips are the particular secret sauce behind that classic analog modulation. They give the particular chorus a certain "drift" and a small rounding off associated with the high-end frequencies that makes your guitar signal feel thicker and more expensive than this actually is.
Dialing in the Tones
Using the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus is all about simply because straightforward as it gets. You've got three main knobs in order to play with: Size, Speed, and Hold off Time. Having a dedicated Delay Time knob on the chorus pedal through this era is of a deal with. Most pedals just give you Rate and Depth, but being able to adjust the delay offset allows you to move from a tight, flanger-like shimmer to a serious, watery warble that will almost borders on a vibrato impact.
I've spent a lot of time twisting these types of knobs, and I've found the "sweet spot" is amazingly wide. In case you keep the Width close to 12 o'clock and the Speed low, you get this beautiful, delicate movement that floods out a clear tone without making it sound like you're playing underwater. It's perfect with regard to those "80s energy ballad" clean passages. But if you crank the Velocity, things get odd within a good method. It begins to get on a Leslie speaker quality that will sounds fantastic when paired with the slightly overdriven amplifier.
The "Stereo" area of the name isn't just marketing filler, either. If a person run this your pedal into two different amps, the soundstage opens up immensely. It doesn't just split the signal; it creates a true sense of space. One aspect stays relatively dried out while the some other carries the modulated signal, or it creates a phase-shifted picture that makes this feel like the sound is swirling around your head. If you're a recording nerd, tracking an any guitar through the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus within stereo is a good easy method to create a single any guitar part sound totally massive in a mix.
Precisely why your invisalign aligner Series Matters
A great deal of guys scoff at pedals that aren't housed within heavy die-cast steel enclosures. I get it; we want the gear to be bulletproof. But the "Plastic Series" from Charvel—which includes this chorus, a distortion, and a delay—has created a bit of a cult adhering to. Why? Because they're quiet.
Surprisingly, the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus frequently has a lower noise floor compared to some of the metal-boxed pedals through the same period. The switching is also quite easy. It uses the soft-touch momentary change rather than the particular hard "click" associated with a 3PDT switch, which is good if you're using within a quiet environment or doing facility work where you don't want a loud mechanical pop to ruin a get.
Comparing It to the Heavyweights
It's impossible to talk regarding the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus without mentioning the particular Boss CE-2. The CE-2 is the gold standard for most, yet it's also turn out to be incredibly expensive upon the vintage market. The Charvel device offers a comparable analog flavor but with a little more versatility thanks to that will Delay Time handle.
Where the Boss is "mid-forward" and very focused, the Charvel feels a little more transparent. It doesn't color your core tone as much. It just adds that layer of shimmering cup on top. For some, that might make it feel "thinner, " but I'd argue it makes it more usable throughout different genres. You can use this for jazz, shoegaze, or even country chicken-pickin' in case you keep the settings conservative.
Also, in comparison to the Ibanez CS9, the Charvel feels a bit more "behaved. " It doesn't get as wild or metallic-sounding as the Ibanez can whenever you push the depth. It remains musical and pretty even at intense settings. It's tough to get a "bad" sound away of this point, which is the testament to the particular circuit design.
The Hunt intended for Vintage Gear
Getting a charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus today can be a slight challenge, but that's part of the enjoyable. They aren't "rare" or in other words that only five were produced, but because they weren't the flagship product for any main pedal company, several of them ended up in the bottom part of junk drawers or people paid five bucks at garage sales within the earlier 2000s.
Whenever you do find one, it's usually at a price that makes it the total steal. Whilst people are spending $250+ for traditional analog choruses, you are able to often snag one of these brilliant for under a hundred bucks when you keep your eyes peeled upon Reverb or auction web sites. Just be conscious that because they use those old-school BBD chips, these people do require the standard 9V strength supply, however they can be a little bit picky about the particular quality of the power. Using a cheap wall-wart might introduce some hum, therefore I'd always suggest using a decent isolated power stone.
Maintenance plus Longevity
One particular thing to bear in mind with these older Japanese units is the capacitors. Since the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus is now striking the 30-plus-year-old mark, some of the internal components might be getting a little tired. If you buy one plus it sounds a bit "dull" or if the effect isn't as pronounced because it should end up being, it may just require a simple summarize.
The battery pack compartment is an additional thing to check on. Such as many pedals from that era, the plastic clip for the 9V battery could get brittle. Most individuals just use the power supply in any case, but if you're a purist who else likes batteries, just be gentle with that plastic doorway. It's not simply because flimsy as a good old Arion door, but it's also not indestructible.
The Bottom Range
Ultimately, the charvel ch-600 sc stereo chorus is an excellent example associated with why you shouldn't judge a your pedal by its brand or its casing. It's a professional-grade analog chorus hiding in a moderate, unassuming shell. Whether you're trying in order to recreate the lavish clean tones associated with the 1980s or else you just want the reliable modulation your pedal that doesn't sound like almost every other electronic pedal on the market, this particular Charvel unit is usually worth every any amount of money.
It's obtained soul, it's got history, and nearly all importantly, it sounds incredible in the stereo rig. If you ever notice one pop-up with regard to a reasonable cost, don't overthink it. Just grab it. It might simply end up being the permanent "always-on" secret weapon upon your pedalboard that everyone asks about after the present. There is something really satisfying regarding having a piece associated with gear that isn't the "standard" selection but still handles to outperform the particular classics in the own unique method.