Real AmpTuning: E StandardPickup: NeckBeginner FriendlyClean ToneAmbientBest for Beginners
Blood Sugar Chorus Glow — CE-1 Clean Rhythm
The song was recorded during the Blood Sugar Sex Magik sessions with Frusciante’s late-1950s Stratocaster and the album’s split Marshall guitar-and-bass-head setup. The Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble is strongly associated with the song’s wide, nostalgic clean sound, but its exact studio controls were never published, so the settings below are representative. Source: Mixdown’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik gear rundown and BOSS’s Dave Lee interview.
Signal Chain
Late-1950s Fender Stratocaster→Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble→Marshall guitar head and bass head blend→Marshall 4x12 cabinet pair→Short Studio Reverb→Output
GuitarLate-1950s Fender Stratocaster
Tone
8
PickupNeck
TuningE Standard
Volume
9
PedalBoss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
ModeChorus
Rate2.5
Intensity4
Preamp Level5.5
AmpMarshall guitar head and bass head blend
Bass
5
Mids
6.5
Blend5
Treble
6
Presence
4.5
Bass Head Volume4.5
Guitar Head Gain3.5
Cab / IRMarshall 4x12 cabinet pair
MicClose dynamic and room microphone
Mic PositionClose mic off-axis with subtle room blend
EffectShort Studio Reverb
Mix
2
Decay2.5
Notes
Use the neck pickup and keep the chorus slow and shallow. The sound should shimmer without an obvious seasick modulation sweep.
Don't have this gear?
See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.