Electro-Harmonix Nano Clone

The Electro-Harmonix Nano Clone is the budget-friendly, compact-format version of the much-loved Small Clone analog chorus. Released in 2006, the Nano Clone strips the design back to its essentials — a single Rate knob, an analog bucket-brigade circuit, and a small footprint — to deliver classic 1980s chorus character at a price point well below most chorus pedals.

The Nano Clone uses a genuinely analog bucket-brigade delay (BBD) signal path, the same family of analog circuit technology used in the Small Clone and most classic chorus pedals from the late 1970s and 1980s. The BBD chip introduces the slight darkening of the top end and subtle warmth that distinguishes analog chorus from digital chorus — a quality that has made the Small Clone iconic on grunge and alternative rock records since Kurt Cobain used one on Nevermind.

The interface is even simpler than the Small Clone's: a single Rate knob controls the speed of the modulation LFO, with the depth fixed at a moderate setting that suits most use cases. There is no Depth switch or Mix control — set the Rate, engage the footswitch, and the pedal does its one thing well. At slow Rate settings the Nano Clone produces a subtle doubling and movement that thickens clean tones; at moderate Rates it sits in classic chorus territory; at faster Rates it approaches vibrato with a wobbling, slightly seasick character.

The fixed depth is the main practical difference between the Nano Clone and the Small Clone — the Small Clone has a two-position Depth switch that allows for more or less pronounced modulation. The Nano Clone is cheaper and smaller, but loses that tonal flexibility. For players who tend to use a chorus at one depth setting (and who don't need stereo outputs or expression control), the Nano Clone delivers the core analog BBD chorus sound at a fraction of the cost.

The pedal runs on a 9V battery (included) or a 9.6VDC 200mA adapter (sold separately) and draws just 12mA — easy to fit on any pedalboard supply. The chassis is the EHX nano format at 4.5" × 2.75" × 2.1", with true-bypass switching and a single 1/4" mono input and output.

Who Is This For? The Nano Clone suits guitarists who want classic analog BBD chorus character at a budget price, particularly players who would only set one or two of the Small Clone's controls anyway. It works well for indie, alternative, post-punk, and shoegaze players who use chorus as a textural addition to clean and lightly-driven tones, and it is a good "first chorus pedal" for players exploring the effect. Players who want the additional flexibility of a Depth control should step up to the Small Clone, and those wanting stereo operation should look at the Stereo Clone Theory or other dedicated stereo chorus pedals. For straightforward, single-purpose chorus that has the right analog character, the Nano Clone is hard to beat at its price point.