Like all Boss pedals, it's very well built and should last a lifetime. The only issue I've ever had with a Boss pedal was when I used a bad power supply and fried a DD-3 :-( Totally my fault!!

Don't get me wrong, the Keeley and Carl Martin comps are great pedals, but they are two or three times the price!! Let me tell you, they are NOT two or three times better than the CS-3. Guitarists as diverse as Andy Summers, Steve Lukather, Joe Walsh, Yngwie Malmsteen, Steuart Smith, Mark Knopfler, Steve Vai and many, many more have used and continue to use Boss effects, so I'm more than content to do likewise!! I've used a lot of different brands of effect pedals in the past but I keep returning to Boss. I'm rarely disappointed by a Boss pedal (there are a few exceptions). The Boss CS-3 is without doubt, one of the most versatile pedal compressors on the market. It can go from subtle compression all the way to slamming limiter with the turn of a knob or two.Reliability really can be affordable to all.Boss are so suretheir compact pedals last the test of time,they cover them with a full five year warranty. Key Features Unlike many other compressor pedals, the CS-3 doesn’t alter the tone of the guitar very much. If you like your sound without the CS-3, you can just leave the tone control flat. It is still a very welcome addition, in case you want to use the compressor as an effect for solos or specific parts of a song, rather than keeping it always on.

The Boss CS-3 compresses high-input signals while boosting low-input signals, giving you smooth sustain without degrading the quality of the original sound. A range of effects from gentle compression to squeezed sounds is at your command. Designed for outstanding low-noise performance, the CS-3 also provides EQ for precise sonic control. Renowned Boss build qualityBOSS’s colourful stomp boxes are the most recognisable pedal range in existence. For over 40 years, guitarists from bedrooms to stadiums have put their boot down on a BOSS effect to transform their sound. Several models have passed into guitar legend and early examples can fetch extremely high prices. Happily, BOSS have maintained their stellar reputation for world-class effects in bomb-proof casing with their current range and have fended off the imitators for decades to remain the pre-eminent single pedal effects manufacturer in the business. If there’s an effect for guitar (or bass, vocals, keys…be creative!) then you can bet BOSS have a pedal of it in their range or even invented it outright! Every guitar player should get to experience the joy of selecting a pedal from BOSS’s exhaustive roster, plugging it in and unleashing their wildest sonic dreams. The famous Blue compressor form BOSS! If your playing needs a little smoothing out, shaping up and polishing with a little sheen, you may need a compressor in your pedal chain.