CS-3 Compression Sustainer
Smooth compression sustainer with tone control - quieter than the CS-2, still musical.
The CS-3 replaced the beloved but noisy CS-2 in 1986, adding a dedicated Tone knob and significantly reducing the hiss that plagued its predecessor. It's been in continuous production ever since, making it one of Boss's longest-running models.
The compression circuit uses an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA) for smooth, musical dynamics control. Unlike studio-style compressors, the CS-3 doesn't try to be transparent: it colors the signal with a slight mid-range emphasis and adds a percussive snap to the attack that works particularly well for funk and country picking.
Four controls: Level, Tone, Attack, and Sustain. The Tone knob is the big upgrade over the CS-2, letting you dial back the brightness that compression naturally introduces or push it forward for sparkly clean tones. Attack at minimum gives the fastest response; backing it off lets transients punch through.
Not the quietest compressor on the market, but at 10mA and $50 new, it's hard to argue with decades of proven performance. Pairs well with an NS-2 in high-gain rigs where compression and noise suppression work together.
Reverb
Amazon
