I have tried this through a number of set-ups, with a TS-9 into a 50W plexi and with a Deltalab Tube Driver into a solid state Raven POS as well as into the FX loop of a Marshall reissue with the master volume gain fairly high, and I rarely use the FX loops. I went to a lot of trouble because of the disbelief over the price. This chorus is excellent. I had to force it to make noise using a single-coil stock Strat and an MT-2, and that's the only time that I heard the swirly noise that I've heard about from one source that seems to follow the indicator light. I really had to push it into unreasonable territory to get the crud, so I'm thinking that the other guy had another problem with proximity to his tube amp or some such thing. Results; this thing sounds great. I own a CE-2, and I like this more. I put it with a Fulltone DejaVibe mini, and this was much better, especially considering the price being less than .25 of the Fulltone unit. The SC-1 is an excellent value. It has a very nice sparkle and the rate doesn't thin out the tone of the guitar. With a Les Paul the SC-1 wasn't overcome by the thicker tone of the humbuckers, even in the neck pos. A Strat got even sweeter and yes, I got a very convincing Trower-esque tone, especially with a Fulltone RTO. The Digitech Hardwire chorus may have more variety, but I still found the tones in this tough little guy more useful all around.
Reliability/Durability:
The unit appears to be very well armored and fairly RPG-proof. Popping it open I can only speculate as to how someone finally made one of these at a price that fits the amount of material.
Ease of Use:
Very simple standard labeled controls, good heavy-duty footswitch, function-on light also gives a visual on the speed/rate. Heavy-duty metal box that will still be around with Keith and the cockroaches.
Customer Support:
I cannot imagine the circumstances under which this might suffer. These haven't been around long enough to wear out (yes, they do, and remember that when someone tries to get hi-$ from you for a "vintage" anything!), so... I'll give them a high mark for pre-emptive common sense.
Overall Rating:
I play anything style-wise on my contract. I am not asked to do much in the way of classical guitar, but pretty much the lot of the rest. For me, equipment is a tool box, whatever tool(s) I need for any particular given job, I apply. I put this lil' dude into my little room jam rig which is a TS-9, the SC-1 and whatever else is called for. I would replace this if anyone were foolish enough to steal from me. I constantly research gear. I am an "old pro", 40+ years. What I really love about it is the price/functionality ratio, it does a great job for a lot less in a day when I see way too many idiots doing the freakin' River Dance on a half-acre of stompboxes that seem to have become status symbols. I like this because it gets me a tone that inspires me to let slip the mortal bonds and simply play.
