Boss CS-3 Opto Mod

WARNING! — The OPA2134PA opamp, of which are included in many of my kits, is currently extremely hard to find. Mouser and Digikey are currently out of stock with none expected until 2023. I have hundreds in stock. BE CAREFUL BUYING THE OPA2134PA ON EBAY. THE MAJORITY ARE FAKE! Manufacturers in China are rebranding cheaper opamps and selling them as OPA2134PA opamps. I test all my OPA2134PA opamps I buy. You can easily test whether a OPA2134PA has been rebranded. Do this, take some Acetone on a Q-tip and rub across the lettering of the opamp. If it is Fake the ink used to print the labeling will dissolve into the Q-tip.

Boss CS-3 DIY Pedal Mod Kits My regular CS-3 mod, according to some, is what put me on the map as a legitimate DIY pedal mod supplier. My regular CS-3 Mod is my best selling mod to date and rightly so. Many feel it is better than a certain very popular pedal modders boutique compressor that sells for 3X the cost of a modded used CS-3. Having never played that certain boutique compressor I have no point of reference. But, I will say, without a doubt, that a CS-3 modded with this kit is the most inspiring compressor I have ever heard or played. My CS-3 modded with this kit rivals my favorite compressor, the Waves Renaissance Compressor. In my opinion what makes a great compressor is one that doesn’t alter the original tone in a negative way. Most compressors shave off a bit of the top end of the signal and muddy up the mids and bass.

A really great compressor lets the true character of the signal come through preserving all the frequencies of the original signal. This is exactly what my CS-3 Opto Mod does, and it does it very well. I modeled this kit after the character of the old vintage Opto Compressors. These compressors are highly sought after today for their ability to compress a signal in a very smooth yet transparent way. With this mod I have achieved this and more. In fact, I use a CS-3 modded with this exact kit as a front end compressor for my personal studio. I use it for vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards. The results have been nothing short of amazing. If you’re looking for a great compressor that won’t break the bank and will inspire you, this is the kit for you. My best selling Mod just got better!

Hear For Yourself! (.mp3s)
Juergen_Optp.mp3 This mp3 was submitted by Juergen Ehle of Germany. This is how Jeurgen uses the Opto modded CS-3 on stage with his acoustic guitar. Everything was recorded straight from his gigboard via an Alesis AI3 A/D to his computer. No other input stages were involved. This is exactly what he feeds into the mixing desk in a live surrounding. Click here for a complete description of what you will here in the mp3.

Opto.mp3 Played entirely through a Boss CS-3 modded with our CS-3 Opto Mod Kit. I also used our new DS-1 Rectifier Mod on this mp3. Played on A Strat through a stock Fender Hot Rod Deluxe amp mic’d with a SM57. The Uni-Vibe type Chorus effect is a Yamaha MagicStomp II. This is one FAT and Transparent Compressor after the mod. Absolutely smokes any compressor at any price.

Jean_Francois_Cyr.mp3 Jean-Francois Cyr mp3s – Jean-Francois Cyr mp3s – This mp3s was graciously supplied by Jean-Francois Cyr. Jean-Francois Cyr is playing a Gretsch Tennessean. You can see Jean-Francois Cyr on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFOx9_hHyjQ. Thank you Jean-Francois for letting me use this clip.

IMPORTANT — Boss has started using surface-mount components on some of their new pedals. I’ve created a page to help you determine if your pedal is moddable. Read about it here.