Every era of guitar music has had certain effects associated with it, whether it was slapback echo in the ‘50s or fuzz and wah-wah in the ‘60s, but all of these effects eventually transcended the decade in which they rose to prominence, and can now be found in use by many guitarists working in widely disparate genres. Perhaps the one exception to this phenomenon is chorus. Chorus effects are very strongly associated with the ‘80s, specifically the ultra-clean, compressed, modulated tones that were so prominent in the cheesy power ballads that clogged up radio frequencies across the world during the "Reagan Rock" era. Unfortunately, chorus has yet to fully transcend these evils that have been perpetrated upon it.
What many players forget is that a lot of cool bands used chorus in the ‘80s as well. It wasn't all cheese. The Police, The Cure, The Clash, and even more overtly underground bands, like Hüsker Dü, The Fall, Public Image, Ltd., and Killing Joke, made use of chorus sounds on record and in live settings. It was just a chorus-y kind of decade, and every guitar tone was summarily brined in a warm bath of modulation. Sometimes it was terrible, sometimes it was awesome. So it goes.
A number of players used chorus pedals from Boss, Electro-Harmonix, and other companies, but it's really the rack chorus effects that define the ‘80s chorus sound. No mainstream power balladeer would have been taken seriously without a rack full of blinking processors behind them, and even many respectable players had rack units in their backlines. The new rack-mounted effects offered players the same control and tonal flexibility of the gear they used in the studio, which pedals simply couldn't match. Here are a few of the standout chorus units used and abused by ‘80s guitarists to create the sounds that are so inextricably linked to this period in electric guitar music.
T.C. Electronic 1210
Unlike many of its rack-mounted contemporaries, the T.C. Electronic 1210 Spatial Expander + Stereo Chorus/Flanger was not digital. This vintage analog rack unit also offered a bit more than just typical modulation tones, with two separate, independent chorus/flanger sections, and a "spatial expander" element that could create an incredibly spacious stereo picture using a clever bit of psychoacoustic processing. The spatial expander was one of those effects that often seemed rather subtle, but when bypassed for a moment, suddenly the guitar sound seems painfully thin and lifeless. In addition to its addictive enhancement of the stereo image, the 1210 also did chorus, flanger, and warm, tape-like modulation sounds, among its many specialties. T.C. kept the 1210 in production for many years—well into the digital era—and it remains popular to this day with audio engineers and guitarists, with used models in working condition selling for upwards of 1500 dollars.
Roland Dimension D
Roland has always been at the top of the chorus game, with the JC-120 Jazz Chorus amp, the legendary CE-1 pedal, and its various Space Echo models, among other units. Perhaps its most idiosyncratic chorus effect, though, is the Dimension D, a fabulous one-trick pony introduced in the late ‘70s that eschewed the standard liquid, pitch-modulated chorus tones in favor of a rather understated, yet captivating expansion effect. Many users were unsure of what, exactly, the unit did, knowing only that it seemed to make everything that was run through it sound instantly better, somehow or another. Its only controls were five buttons on the face, one of which turned the unit off, while the other four selected varying effect intensities. For the most intense effect, one simply mashed all the buttons at once. The Dimension D is great for adding width, depth, and thickness without the watery sheen typical of many choruses, and it was a favorite of many guitarists and producers, including Nile Rodgers, Robin Guthrie, Brian Eno, David Bowie, and even Stevie Ray Vaughan.
A/DA MP-1
Few guitar preamps were as pervasive during the ‘80s as the A/DA MP-1. Used by tons of shredders, including Paul Gilbert, Nuno Bettencourt, Kirk Hammett, Vernon Reid, and others, the MP-1 was a popular choice because it sounded great, was quite versatile, and had everything an ‘80s rocker might need all in one rack space. Its pair of 12AX7's could generate tube-flavored clean and distorted sounds, which could be given a distinctively Marshall or Fender-esque lilt with the MP-1's selectable, preset equalization curves. It could also do ultra clean solid-state tones with compression. The reason I'm talking about it here, though, is its spectacular analog chorus tones. Used in stereo with its solid-state preamp setting, the MP-1's chorus effect created a lush stereo spread that could compete with the Roland Jazz Chorus, and it sounded excellent through a proper amp, or direct into a recording console. The A/DA MP-1 has retained its popularity in modern times, with used models being rather common and cheap to obtain from all the usual venues.
Yamaha SPX90
If there's one processor that was as ubiquitous in ‘80s guitar racks as the MP-1, it was the Yamaha SPX-90. This unit achieved great popularity based on its groundbreaking price point and its excellent effects, which included reverbs, delays, pitch shifting, and modulation. Its stereo chorus, "symphonic" chorus, and flanger settings have contributed to the SPX-90's continuing lofty reputation among guitarists, as they have a thick, chewy, almost analog quality that is missing from most digital effects units of a similar vintage. It's great for anything from subtle stereo widening to all-out liquid chorus drip, and it's also really easy to program. The Yamaha SPX-90 and SPX-90 II have been key to the signature tones of many guitarists working in the ‘80s, including studio stalwarts like Michael Landau, fusion specialists like Mike Stern, and fearless adventurers like My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields.
Rockman Stereo Chorus
Most guitarists that have been around awhile are familiar with Rockman, the line of headphone guitar amps and effects units produced by Boston guitarist and founder Tom Scholz. These products were very popular in the ‘80s, and are still beloved for their thick tones, sturdy build quality, and clever features. Among the most popular units from Rockman's famous Rockmodules effects line was the Stereo Chorus, which offered a superb and flexible analog chorus in a compact half-rack design. Its range of sounds tended towards subtlety, but the quality of the tone was deliciously organic and warm, perhaps due to the high quality bucket-brigade circuitry. The best part of the Rockman Stereo Chorus, though, was its ability to create an ultra-wide stereo spread, which made even the best stereo chorus pedals sound monophonic by comparison. The Rockman chorus sound was extremely popular in the ‘80s, and its signature sonic imprint can be heard on recordings by Boston (obviously), Joe Satriani, Def Leppard, Huey Lewis, and other chart-toppers too numerous and varied to mention.
It's a shame that chorus effects are so closely associated with the worst music of the ‘80s, and it's a particular crime against guitardom that rack chorus effects have suffered from such a poor reputation, as many of these venerable ‘80s warhorses are very well made and are superior in tone and versatility to the finest pedals. The good news is that many of the more common models are still around and are very inexpensive to procure, so guitarists willing to think outside the pedalboard can harness their mighty powers of modulation with minimal investment.