There is a version of the chorus effect so deeply embedded in rock history that you can conjure it from memory with four notes. The descending riff of “Come As You Are.” The shimmer on The Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.” The liquid doubling that makes a clean Stratocaster sound like it’s submerged in warm water. All of that — decades of iconic recorded texture — traces back to one family of pedals from Electro-Harmonix. And at the most accessible, most stripped-back end of that family sits the Nano Clone: a single-knob analog chorus that costs less than a decent set of strings and sounds better than it has any right to.
The Nano Clone is not a glamour pedal. It won’t show up in Guitar World’s “25 Most Expensive Pedalboards” feature or command attention on a boutique collector forum. What it will do is give you the same bucket-brigade analog chorus warmth that defined the sound of alternative rock, post-punk, and shoegaze — for around fifty dollars, in a nano enclosure that takes up no real estate on your board. For a pedal with one knob, it packs a remarkable amount of history into its die-cast shell.
The Small Clone Legacy: Where the Nano Clone Comes From
To understand the Nano Clone, you have to understand its parent. The Electro-Harmonix Small Clone was introduced in 1979 as a more compact and affordable version of the brand’s larger Clone Theory chorus/vibrato pedal. It used analog bucket-brigade device (BBD) technology — a chain of capacitors that pass a delayed copy of your signal along in “buckets,” creating the gentle pitch and time variations that produce the chorus effect. The Small Clone had two controls: a Rate knob to set the modulation speed, and a two-position Depth switch to toggle between a subtle, swimmy chorus and a deeper, more pronounced modulation.
The Small Clone remained a working guitarist’s tool through the 1980s, but it was Kurt Cobain who launched it into the rock-historical stratosphere. Kurt Cobain bought his first Small Clone from Guitar Maniacs in Tacoma in 1990, and eventually owned five of them. He ran it at the end of his signal chain — almost always with the Depth switch hardwired into the high position — on essentially every major Nirvana release. The most famous application is the opening riff of “Come As You Are” from Nevermind (1991), where the Small Clone’s lush, liquid chorus turned a four-note descending figure into one of the most recognizable sounds in rock history. Across all three studio albums, the Small Clone was the only pedal present throughout Cobain’s entire recording career.
It’s worth being precise here: Kurt Cobain used the Small Clone, not the Nano Clone, which wasn’t released until 2006 — fifteen years after Nevermind. The Nano Clone is the Small Clone’s spiritual descendant, stripped down even further for the nano-enclosure era. The lineage is real and the circuit family is related, but the specific model Cobain made famous is the Small Clone. Any description of the Nano Clone as “Kurt Cobain’s pedal” is misleading. What you can honestly say is that the Nano Clone inherits the core sonic philosophy — analog BBD chorus, warm and lush — that made the Small Clone an icon.
What the Nano Clone Actually Is
Released by Electro-Harmonix in 2006, the Nano Clone is a single-channel analog chorus pedal in EHX’s nano die-cast enclosure — the same format as the Nano Big Muff Pi, the Crayon, and the Soul Food. It operates on a bucket-brigade analog circuit that creates the chorus effect by blending a slightly delayed and pitch-modulated copy of your signal with the dry signal. The result is the characteristic thickening, shimmering doubling effect that separates analog chorus from its digital counterparts: warmer, less precisely defined, with a natural beating frequency that sounds musical rather than mathematical.
The control set is minimal by design. There is exactly one knob: Rate, which controls the speed of the modulation oscillator. Turn it counterclockwise for a slow, subtle shimmer that barely registers as movement. Turn it clockwise for faster, more pronounced undulation that becomes almost vibrato-like at maximum settings. The footswitch toggles the effect on and off, with a status LED that confirms the effect is active. True bypass ensures your signal passes through the pedal without any coloration when it’s disengaged.
What the Nano Clone does not have is a Depth control. The Small Clone’s two-position Depth switch allowed you to choose between shallow chorus and deep chorus — the high setting being the one Cobain hardwired into position. The Nano Clone’s depth is fixed, and it’s set at what the circuit naturally produces — which corresponds roughly to the Small Clone’s Depth switch in the high position. You get one depth, always on, and the Rate knob is your only shaping tool. This is the fundamental trade-off of the Nano Clone: maximum simplicity, fixed depth, one parameter in your hands.
Specifications
Famous Players: Honest About the Lineage
Let’s be direct about the Nano Clone’s artist connections, because the circuit lineage is important context but it doesn’t automatically translate to artist endorsement of this specific pedal.
Brett Campbell (Pallbearer)
The most clearly documented Nano Clone user in any major media context is Brett Campbell, guitarist of Arkansas doom metal band Pallbearer. In a Premier Guitar Rig Rundown video, Campbell is visibly using the Electro-Harmonix Nano Clone chorus on his pedalboard — making him the most verifiable named artist with a confirmed, documented Nano Clone connection. The choice of an analog BBD chorus in doom metal context is interesting: chorus in slow, heavy music functions as a thickening agent and adds harmonic complexity to sustained chords rather than the shimmer effect it produces at faster rates. The Premier Guitar documentation is solid.
Nils Lofgren
Equipboard lists Nils Lofgren — longtime E Street Band guitarist and accomplished solo artist — among the Nano Clone’s 13 documented users. The connection appears credible given Lofgren’s documented history of using chorus effects (including rack-mounted Roland systems during his E Street Band era), but no specific Premier Guitar Rig Rundown or primary interview explicitly confirms the Nano Clone variant rather than another EHX chorus model. It’s an Equipboard secondary connection without an independently accessible primary source. Worth noting as plausible; not worth presenting as confirmed.
The Small Clone Context: Who Made This Sound Famous
The Nano Clone’s musical heritage runs through the artists who built the Small Clone’s reputation. Kurt Cobain is the unavoidable starting point — his use of the Small Clone on Nevermind turned a working musician’s chorus pedal into a cultural artifact. J. Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. is another documented Small Clone user, using it to add that distinctive low-rate shimmer to his layered guitar walls. The legacy continues with Andy Summers of The Police, who used various EHX chorus and flanger pedals throughout the band’s run to create the clean, chiming textures of songs like “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” — the sound that established what a good analog chorus could do in a post-punk context. The Edge built U2’s early sonic identity partly around chorus and modulation, creating the chiming, spatialized guitar textures that defined The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree.
None of these players used the Nano Clone — it didn’t exist when most of their iconic recordings were made. But the Nano Clone is explicitly positioned by EHX as the heir to that tradition, and the sonic connection is real: it’s the same circuit philosophy, the same analog BBD approach, the same family of warmth and shimmer. Buying a Nano Clone is buying into that lineage. Just be honest with yourself that the specific pedal on those records was a different model.
Tone Recipes and Settings
“Come As You Are” Reference Tone
This is the canonical analog BBD chorus sound — the slow, liquid shimmer that made Kurt Cobain’s opening riff on “Come As You Are” so distinctive. On the Nano Clone, set the Rate knob to approximately 9–10 o’clock (slow to medium-slow). The depth is fixed and already set correctly for this application. Run this after your drive pedals, into a clean amp. Play a clean or lightly driven signal through it. With a Stratocaster bridge or neck pickup through a clean Fender-style amp, the result is that familiar floating, watery quality. Because the Nano Clone’s depth is always in the “high” position (roughly equivalent to the Small Clone’s hardwired Cobain setting), you’re starting from the right place — just dial in the Rate and you’re in the ballpark.
Subtle Doubling and Thickening
At its slowest Rate settings (fully counterclockwise or just slightly off minimum), the Nano Clone produces a barely perceptible doubling effect — less pronounced than a traditional chorus, more like the slight width you’d get from running two slightly detuned signals together. This is extremely useful for adding depth to clean arpeggios and fingerpicked patterns without introducing obvious modulation movement. It’s the sound of “chorus as texture” rather than “chorus as effect.” At this setting, most listeners won’t hear a chorus pedal; they’ll just notice the guitar sounds a bit thicker and more present. Effective on a telecaster bridge pickup where the single-coil clarity can benefit from some low-level enrichment.
Classic 80s Chorus Shimmer
Set Rate to 11–1 o’clock for the medium-speed shimmer that defined clean-channel guitar in the 1980s. This is the setting that puts modulation front and center in the mix — the sound of Police records, the chiming opening of countless new wave tracks, the clean-tone sweetener that turned a Fender through a Roland JC-120 into something ambient and spatial. At this rate, the Nano Clone is obvious and expressive rather than subtle. Works best with clean amp settings; combining it with high-gain distortion can produce a queasy, unstable effect that’s occasionally useful but more often disorienting.
Fast Vibrato Effect
With Rate set to maximum (fully clockwise), the Nano Clone’s modulation becomes fast enough that the blending of pitch-shifted and dry signal starts to approach a vibrato quality — the pitch movement becomes audible as undulation rather than shimmer. This is a more experimental setting and won’t suit every context, but for slide guitar or certain lead passages, the fast chorus-into-vibrato territory creates an interesting wobble effect. It’s not the most transparent application of the pedal, but it demonstrates the range of the single Rate control.
Doom/Heavy Chorus Setting
Slow Rate (9 o’clock or below) into a high-gain amp or high-gain drive pedal creates the thickening effect that doom, sludge, and heavy alternative players use chorus for. At slow rates with heavy gain, the chorus doesn’t shimmer — it spreads. Sustained power chords gain a slow-beating width effect that makes them sound larger in the mix. This is approximately what Brett Campbell (Pallbearer) is using the Nano Clone for in the doom metal context. At slow rates, the modulation frequency is well below the threshold where it reads as “chorus effect” — it just makes the signal bigger.
The Nano Clone in the Signal Chain
Conventional placement is after your drive pedals and before time-based effects (delay, reverb). This places the chorus in the modulation slot in the traditional signal chain: guitar → tuner → wah → compressor → overdrive/distortion → chorus → delay → reverb → amp. In this position, the chorus is processing a relatively stable driven signal and adding width before the time-based effects create space. This produces the most predictable, controllable results.
An alternative is placing the chorus before your drive pedals. This creates a very different effect: the overdriven stage processes the already-modulated signal, which can produce a thicker, slightly messier quality where the chorus movement gets compressed and harmonically enriched by the drive. Some players prefer this for the more “amp-in-a-room” quality it imparts, where the modulation feels embedded in the distortion rather than layered on top. Try it both ways — the Nano Clone costs little enough that experimentation has low stakes.
One practical note: the Nano Clone is true bypass, which means when it’s disengaged, your signal passes directly through without any buffering. In a long chain with multiple true-bypass pedals, this can result in high-frequency loss due to cable capacitance. If you’re experiencing this problem, consider placing a buffered pedal early in the chain to maintain signal integrity, or using an isolated power supply with a dedicated buffer at the input.
How It Compares: The Nano Clone’s Place in the Market
EHX Small Clone
The direct ancestor and the obvious comparison. The Small Clone offers the Rate knob plus a two-position Depth switch, which gives you access to a more subtle shallow-chorus mode that the Nano Clone can’t replicate. If you need both depth options — the gentle Mode 1 shimmer for clean doubling and the deep Mode 2 immersion for full modulation — the Small Clone is the correct choice. The Nano Clone’s fixed depth is permanently set at the deeper position (Mode 2 equivalent), which is right for many applications but eliminates the flexibility of the parent pedal. Price difference is modest; the Small Clone costs roughly $10–20 more new. If the Depth switch matters to you, spend the extra money.
EHX Neo Clone
EHX also makes the Neo Clone, which fits in the same nano enclosure as the Nano Clone but adds a Depth switch — essentially restoring the Small Clone’s two-mode functionality while keeping the compact format. The Neo Clone is the upgrade path if you need depth control in a nano footprint. It typically costs about $20–30 more than the Nano Clone. For most players who want the full Small Clone feature set in a smaller package, the Neo Clone is the smarter buy. The Nano Clone’s advantage is pure simplicity and price: if you know you want one rate control and the fixed deep-chorus depth, the Nano Clone is cheaper and wastes no panel space on controls you don’t need.
Boss CE-2 / CE-2W
The Boss CE-2 is the other canonical analog BBD chorus of the same era, released in 1979 (the same year as the original Small Clone). The CE-2 has Rate and Depth controls, uses the MN3007 BBD chip in its original version, and is warmer and slightly darker-voiced than the EHX Small Clone family. The CE-2W (Waza Craft, current production) is Boss’s reissue with both CE-2 mode and CE-1 mode (the earlier, more lush chorus/vibrato unit). The CE-2W is significantly more expensive than a Nano Clone — typically $180–200 new — and offers more tonal range including stereo output in CE-1 mode. If you want the CE-2 character and need depth control and stereo, the CE-2W is the right tool. The Nano Clone is the right tool if you want EHX’s slightly brighter, more open-sounding analog chorus at a fraction of the price.
MXR M234 Analog Chorus
The MXR Analog Chorus has Rate, Depth, Bass, and Treble controls — far more parameter control than the Nano Clone. It’s a quality analog chorus at approximately $100–130 new, and the EQ controls make it more versatile for dialing in specific characters. The MXR is the better choice if you need to sculpt the chorus frequency content (boosting the high-frequency shimmer, rolling off bass from the wet signal to avoid muddiness). The Nano Clone offers no such control. For players who need to integrate chorus carefully into a complex mix — recording engineers, live sound-conscious players — the MXR’s additional controls justify the price premium. For players who want to set a Rate, step on the switch, and not think about it, the Nano Clone is the cleaner solution.
TC Electronic Corona Chorus
The TC Electronic Corona is a digital chorus pedal with TonePrint functionality, offering downloadable artist presets and significantly more variation than any analog BBD pedal. It’s versatile, clean, and generally more flexible. What it doesn’t provide is the inherent warmth and musical imprecision of analog BBD technology. Digital chorus tends to sound more precise — the modulation is mathematically exact rather than drifting organically. Whether that’s better or worse depends entirely on what you’re after. For players who specifically want the lo-fi warmth, the slight noise floor, the organic beating that characterizes classic analog chorus, the Nano Clone delivers what the Corona cannot.
Buying Guide and Ownership Notes
The Nano Clone is currently available as a new product from EHX authorized dealers at approximately $47–65 USD new (MSRP around $56.30, though online street prices often undercut this). Used examples in excellent condition typically run $30–45 USD — making the price difference between new and used relatively small. Given how straightforward the circuit is and how durable the die-cast enclosure is, new is often the sensible choice unless you find a used example well below street price.
The most common complaint in user reviews is the pedal’s noise floor. Analog BBD circuits are inherently noisier than digital alternatives — the capacitor chain introduces a low-level hiss that becomes audible at high volumes in quiet passages. This is a characteristic of the technology rather than a defect in the specific pedal, and it’s why noise-sensitive live applications (recording studios with very low noise floors, large PA systems) sometimes push players toward digital alternatives. If you’re gigging in a loud rock band context, the BBD noise floor will be completely inaudible. If you’re recording direct and listening on studio monitors in a quiet room, you may notice it.
The power supply situation is typical for EHX nano-format pedals: a 9V battery is included, but no adapter comes in the box. The Nano Clone draws 12mA — extremely low, comparable to most simple analog stompboxes — so a standard isolated power supply output will handle it easily. The center-negative 9V standard applies. Budget for an adapter if you’re building a powered pedalboard.
One practical note on pedalboard real estate: the Nano Clone is listed as 4.5″ × 2.75″ in its dimensions, which is the standard nano-format footprint. Unlike the larger full-size EHX enclosures, it fits neatly on most pedalboards alongside other nano-format pedals. The input jack is on the right side, output on the left, power on the top — the standard EHX nano orientation.
There are no significant production variants or circuit revisions to watch for. The Nano Clone has been in consistent production since 2006 with no documented circuit changes. You’re buying the same pedal regardless of when it was made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Electro-Harmonix Nano Clone the same pedal Kurt Cobain used?
No. Kurt Cobain used the Electro-Harmonix Small Clone, which is a different — and older — model. The Small Clone was released in 1979; the Nano Clone wasn’t released until 2006, well after Cobain’s death in 1994. The Nano Clone inherits the same circuit lineage and sonic philosophy as the Small Clone, and it’s positioned by EHX as part of the same chorus family, but “Kurt Cobain’s chorus pedal” is specifically the Small Clone, not the Nano Clone.
What’s the difference between the Nano Clone and the Small Clone?
The primary difference is controls. The Small Clone has a Rate knob and a two-position Depth switch that toggles between shallow and deep chorus modes. The Nano Clone has only a Rate knob — the depth is fixed at the circuit’s natural level, which roughly corresponds to the Small Clone’s Depth switch in the high (deep) position. The Nano Clone is also slightly smaller in its nano-format enclosure. If you need access to the shallower depth setting, buy the Small Clone. If you’re happy with the deep chorus setting always engaged, the Nano Clone is smaller and cheaper.
What’s the difference between the Nano Clone and the Neo Clone?
The Neo Clone is EHX’s upgrade to the Nano Clone that restores the Depth switch (like the Small Clone) while keeping the same nano-format enclosure. The Neo Clone gives you both Rate and Depth controls in the same small footprint, at a price about $20–30 higher than the Nano Clone. If you want the full Small Clone functionality in nano size, the Neo Clone is the better choice. The Nano Clone is for players who specifically want one control and the fixed deep-chorus depth.
Is the Nano Clone true bypass?
Yes. The Nano Clone has true bypass switching, which means the effect circuit is completely disconnected from the signal path when the pedal is disengaged. Your signal passes directly through without any coloration, buffering, or load from the chorus circuit. This is the standard for most modern EHX nano-format pedals.
Can I use the Nano Clone for bass guitar?
Yes, and it works well. The Nano Clone’s full-range analog circuit doesn’t inherently filter bass frequencies, so it processes the low-end content of a bass signal without the thinning effect you get from some chorus pedals that roll off low frequencies in the wet signal. At slow Rate settings, the Nano Clone adds a subtle chorus thickening to bass lines without obscuring the fundamental. Equipboard confirms bass players among its documented user base. The fixed depth setting is well-suited to bass applications where extreme modulation depth would muddy the low end.
Does the Nano Clone work with high-gain distortion?
It can, but the combination requires careful Rate management. Slow Rate settings (9 o’clock or below) produce a thickening effect with high-gain signals that can sound large and atmospheric — this is how doom and sludge players use chorus effectively. Fast Rate settings with high gain tend to produce an unstable, slightly queasy quality that can work as a texture but rarely sounds “good” in a conventional sense. The most useful high-gain applications are at slow rates, where the chorus adds width rather than obvious modulation. The Nano Clone placed after high-gain drive pedals will typically sound different from running it before them — experiment with both positions.
How noisy is the Nano Clone?
Noisier than a digital chorus, as expected for an analog BBD circuit. The bucket-brigade technology introduces a characteristic low-level hiss that’s intrinsic to the design rather than a defect. At typical gigging volumes in a band context, this noise floor is completely inaudible. In high-gain, high-volume applications, you may notice it slightly in quiet passages. In very quiet studio recording situations with high-resolution monitoring, it’s detectable. If noise floor is a critical concern, a digital chorus like the TC Electronic Corona offers cleaner operation. If you’re a working rock guitarist, the BBD noise is a non-issue and arguably part of the analog character.
What’s the best setting to start with on the Nano Clone?
Start with Rate at approximately 10–11 o’clock — slow enough to be clearly analog and organic, fast enough to have obvious movement. From there, adjust to taste: counterclockwise for more subtle doubling, clockwise for more pronounced shimmering modulation. The fixed depth means you don’t have to worry about a depth setting — the pedal has already made that choice for you. Once you’ve found your preferred rate, mark the knob position with a paint pen so you can return to it quickly at gigs.