Feature – 1981 Ibanez CS-505 Chorus

Model Description:

While the Ibanez TS‑808 Tube Screamer has taken pretty much all of the plaudits bestowed on the relatively short‑lived standard box ‘0’ series pedals (only produced in 1980 and 1981), it was far from being the only decent effect pedal from the prolific Japanese company and its manufacturing partner, Maxon. The dainty (but surprisingly heavy) analogue CS‑505 Chorus was one such often‑overlooked gem. The ‘classic’ style of the CS‑505 with its familiar square footswitch was preceded by a ‘narrow box’ model using the same model number (1979‑1980) and superseded by the equally good CS9 Stereo Chorus (1982‑1984), before Ibanez effects lost their way a bit after the mid‑1980s. Despite being short-lived, high production numbers of each version mean that supply remains quite good and prices reasonable.

Pedal Description:

The features of this lovely little lavender-coloured Ibanez CS‑505 Chorus suggest it was one of the last variations from 1981. It has the black ‘Made in Japan’ label, the ® above the ‘z’ in Ibanez, the square footswitch, no nut on power jack, and level markers around the controls. The requirement for 2x 9V batteries or an 18V DC adapter may put some users off at the time. Chorus pedals can split opinion and popularity goes up and down over time sitting, as they do, in that awkward space somewhere between phasers and flangers. This particular example sounds very good indeed, sweet and smooth when not pushed to warbly detuned extremes. It is, to my ears, one of the most natural sounding of the vintage analogue chorus pedals around (including the venerable BOSS CE‑2 or Electro‑Harmonix Small Clone) and great for adding those 12‑string‑type (?!) emulations. The straightforward stereo facility adds a bit of flexibility. As chorus pedals weren’t typically heavily used effects, many of them are in pretty good condition, like this one. The ‘0’ series pedals are becoming more collectable as time passes. All together now…

Features: