Nano Clone

The Nano Clone is the shrunken, budget-friendly version of the Small Clone, a chorus with a long history. This pedal came out in 2006 and has an analogue circuit. The principle is simple: the frequency of the incoming signal is bent by a fraction and then blended with the unprocessed signal. That produces a doubling effect, so a played note starts to sound thicker and wider.

The sound is rich and shimmering, with the audible warble and twinkle you expect from an analogue chorus. Operating it is almost nothing: there is only a Rate knob, which sets the speed of the effect. That makes the pedal quick to set up, but also limited. It runs on a 9V battery or on a separate 9.6-volt adapter, its current draw is a low 12 mA, and the die-cast metal housing is compact enough to fit almost anywhere on a pedalboard. The pedal is mono and has true bypass, so your dry signal is left alone when you switch it off. A footswitch toggles between effect and bypass, and an LED shows when the effect is active.

Users call the pedal solid, sturdily built and easy to use, and they appreciate that it takes up little space. Opinions on the tone are divided: some find it a fine basic chorus, others hear a harsh, metallic sound. Behind a distorted signal it can produce noise, which you can tame with a noise suppressor. If you want more control, a single knob is quickly too little, and one owner found the larger version sounded better. It suits anyone who wants an affordable, simple chorus without fuss.