CE-1 Ensemble Crunch
Faithful Boss CE-1 preamp recreation—John Frusciante's dirty-clean secret. Landed on RHCP's pedalboard in 2017.
In 2017, Italian builder Will Galluccio discovered that John Frusciante's clean tone came from the Boss CE-1's preamp section, not its chorus. The CE-1 Ensemble Crunch is the most faithful recreation in the world of that preamp circuit, using the exact same schematic with top-quality components and a pedalboard-friendly power section.
The Boss CE-1 has an always-on preamp that sits before its chorus effect, and this standalone version captures that specific gain stage. It's the dirty-clean sound that defined Frusciante's tone with RHCP—a slight breakup that adds character without obvious distortion. Josh Klinghoffer added it to his RHCP pedalboard in October 2017 after discovering its transparent drive.
Handmade in Italy, the pedal uses age-correct components to match the vintage CE-1 character while running on standard 9V center-negative power. Controls are minimal, focusing on volume and gain to dial in subtle coloration or pushed preamp saturation. It's an exact modern replica of a very specific vintage tone that shaped alternative rock guitar sounds.
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