used Boss CS3 Compression Sustainer (1991) Black Label TAIWAN + battery & strings, CS-3 (NO: box/pw)

The reason that I "wrote works with 9v power supply  - but sounds fuzzy" is because  - since this is a kind of older BOSS effect pedal - it is designed to work with a 12 volt power supply. More details are in the description.

NOTE: International customers please contact me first to find out if there are any shipping / delivery suspensions for your country.   One or more countries are listed below - but there are more:

At this time, all mail services to RUSSIA are not available.

• Click on the ALERT tab in this link:  usps.com/international/
  
• Also - this link has more info: click on the blue box VIEW THE SUSPENSIONS:  about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm?_gl=1*niepl7*_ga*NDk5OTMyNjg0LjE2MzU3ODIwNTA.*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTYzNjE1NDYzMC4zLjEuMTYzNjE1NDczMS4w%20In%20the%20above%20link-%20click%20on%20the%20blue%20box%20VIEW%20THE%20SUSPENSIONS

Here is a used (with a lot of visible cosmetic wear / imperfections) Boss CS-3 Compression / Sustainer.  Made in Taiwan - Black Bottom Label (from 1991).

• NOTE: one of the screw holes for the bottom plate has a piece of a broken screw (when looking at the bottom side of the pedal  -- it is the upper left bottom plate screw hole. (SEE pictures #10 and  # 11.  Feel free to ask for more pictures of this area).

I took a few pictures of the inside of the pedal (circuit board, etc).

Comes with a fresh 9v battery. Also --

**  I am including one new set of D'Addario EXL-120 extra light (gauge 9) electric guitar strings.  Please let me know if you prefer D'Addario EXL-110 light (gauge 10) strings instead of the gauge 9 strings ***

The selling price will be $3 less if you do not need the strings and $2 less if you do not need the battery.  Please make an offer with a message stating that you do not need these items. You can also message me if you prefer that these details be edited in listing

Sorry No Box and No Paperwork.

Here is a link for the Instructions / Owner's Manual that you can view, print, and / or download:

ENGLISH:  static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/CS-3_eng03_W.pdf

Other languages:  boss.info/global/support/by_product/cs-3/owners_manuals/

I put its condition as Good. But if you are really going with REVERB's condition criteria- some people might feel that it is in between Very Good and Good shape.

This pedal has been tested and it works fine (meaning it works as it should - as it is designed - as I have described).

• Since this pedal was originally designed to be used with a Boss ACA power supply (which is 12V)- usually when you use a "regular 9v negative tip power supply - the pedal works, but the light does not light up or it lights up faintly (dim).  When I tested it out with a Truetone  9v negative tip 1700mA power supply - it LIT UP faintly (dim). MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS are in the description.

All Original.

This pedal has the sticker / label with the serial number in the battery compartment. It also says: Product of Roland TAIWAN

Entered Serial:    DC29235

Your pedal was made in  Your pedal was made in Jan, 1991 (January 1991)

Boss Serial Number Decoder website:  stompboxzone.com/decoder/

With the exception that it is missing one of the screws for the bottom plate - All original.

The pedal is just about 31 years old and it was definitely used. Therefore it has that cool used and aged look to it.

• NOTE:  You can see most (but not all) of the imperfections that it has in the pictures. But there are some that can be seen (or seen better) in person.

Here are specific details about its condition

LEFT SIDE -- Several nicks, some tiny  & very small rust spots, some short & medium length scratches, and a couple of chips.

RIGHT SIDE -- Several nicks (mostly on the upper mid to front area), some tiny & very small rust spots, some short dash scratches, and a couple of chips.

BACK SIDE -- a couple of tiny & very small nicks, a couple of very short dash scratches, and some chips (most of the chips are on the top edge & some are on the right edge).

The Power Jack has a few  very light surface scuff and a few very small shiny spots.

Small Label Near The Power Jack is generally fine with a few tiny nicks.

FRONT SIDE --  a couple of tiny & very small nicks, a couple of very short dash scratches & a few short dash scratches, and some chips [most of the chips are on the edges (esp the top edge) and corners].

TOP SIDE (of the blue parts of the casing)-- Many chips and nicks on the outer edges and corners. The center area has several scratches, nicks, and come cloudiness.  And the center edge has many chips and nicks. 

TOP BLACK PLATE (where the controls are) -- Has some tiny and very small nicks and a couple of very light tiny dash scratches. 

The pedal has all of the KNOBS. The tops of the knobs are generally fine. The main top areas have a few very short light hair-line scratches. And the top edge of the ATTACK knob has a very small impression.

The rubber on the top is was some wear and aging. 

HARDWARE (nuts and washers for the jacks) -- Clean - just a few tiny nicks.

The black finish on the heads of the screws has light fading or a little dull.

As mentioned at the start of the description -- ONE of the screw holes for the bottom plate has a piece of a broken screw (when looking at the bottom side of the pedal -- it is the upper left bottom plate screw hole. (SEE pictures #10 and # 11. Feel free to ask for more pictures of this area). It look like someone tried to drill the metal piece out because this metal piece has a a light (not deep) very small dimple (dot impression). 

• Honestly I would just leave it alone because the other three screws hold the bottom plate on fine (securely). And - in my opinion - it is not really worth (time-wise and effort-wise) to try to drill out this small piece of metal.  Also not worth messing up the casing, etc or even hurting yourself if you have an accident while drilling. But if you are handy with tools and have a vice set up in your work area -- then this task might be easy for you.

RUBBER ON BOTTOM -- It has hardened a little from age. It has wear around the edges, some light scuffs, some cloudiness, and minor discoloration.

BOTTOM LABEL - It is generally fine. The upper center area has a few nicks and a few very short hair-line scratches.

The grommet (the small rubber piece that cushions the front screw hole) has a break / creak on the upper center area and it has some other visible breaks / cracks on other areas.  I will the grommet that is on the pedal on - and I will also include a new one (sorry not pictured).

The front black plastic thumb screw is generally fine. It has a few light surface imperfections. 

The controls are: LEVEL, TONE, ATTACK, and SUSTAIN.

The jacks are: Input, Output, and Power

NOTE: The label near the adapter jack says, "USE BOSS ACA ADAPTER ONLY."  

I would recommend that you use this pedal with a 9 v battery of a 12 v negative center barrel end power supply (the 12v power supply does not have to be made by Boss or Roland).

•  If you do not has a 12v adapter (whether it be a Boss one or one made by a a different brand . I would suggest that you use a Dunlop / MXR power brick, TRUETONE CS7, Voodoo Lab pedal power unit or something similar that has a 12v option.  NONE of these items are included

This is because when you use this pedal with a 9v, negative center, barrel end power supply with sufficient mA (like 300 mA to 500 mA or even higher) - this particular pedal sounds a little fuzzy. This is because the pedal is not getting enough juice (power). It needs 12v (12 volts) and the 9 volts is not strong enough.

Also -

Since this pedal was originally designed to be used with a Boss ACA power supply (which is 12V) - usually when you use a "regular 9v negative tip power supply - the pedal works, but the light does not light up or it lights up faintly).  When I tested it out with a Truetone  9v negative tip 1700mA power supply (as well as with a few other 9v power supplies) - it LIT UP DIM.

Therefore if you use this pedal with a 9v power supply - you just have to LISTEN (even though the light is very dim or possibly not lit - you will here the effect sound when the effect is on. And you will hear the by pass sound when the effect is off.  

NOTE: When you use a battery -- the light lights up fine when the effect is on.

 If a 12 volt negative tip power supply is used - then the light will light up.  According to Roland / Boss:  "Powering ACA pedals with a PSA power supply

Powering the older pedals designed for 12V DC input with either a newer ACA or PSA adapter will not work very well. The voltage drop over the resistor and diode will prevent the pedal from getting enough power and its LED will usually only glow faintly (or not al all). The solution is to use a daisy chain and plug in another pedal designed for the newer ACA or PSA adapter. The lead between the two pedals will short the resistor diode pair and the pedal will receive full power."  I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS.

A few years ago there was a site  bossarea.com/other/aca.asp  where I found the above info. Unfortunately this site is no long in existence [ now there is Boss Area 2.0 ]:

But -you can do a search for >> "Powering ACA pedals with a PSA power supply." which is what I recently did and I found the below link / article.

Here is an informative site:   stinkfoot.se/archives/726

It has an Article Titled:

BOSS ACA & PSA – WHAT GIVES?
I took pictures of all sides of the pedal and a few of areas of interest.

I took pictures of all sides of the pedal, there are a few pictures of the inside (circuit board, etc), and  the first  picture shows what it comes with. Please message me if you only want to buy the pedal or if you would like to buy the pedal with certain items presented in this listing. 

NOTE:   There may be some imperfections that I overlooked.   There are some imperfections that can be seen in person that do not appear in the pictures.  Also  - there are some imperfections (glares, reflections, dust specks) that show up in the pictures that are not that visible in person.

• Comes from a smoke free and pet free environment.
  
• Feel free to ask questions.
  
• I will discount shipping on combined purchases.
  

• USA Shipping is with USPS Priority Mail.  
• International Shipping is with First Class Mail International
  
  

CA Prop 65 Warning!
Everything sold into the state of California contains agents known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects, reproductive harm, or other, as yet unnamed, harm to its citizenry.

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the following is information on this model pedal - Keep control; make it last.

With the Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer you get smooth sustain, a more balanced string response, and more clarity and punch at any volume. A must for recording. Ideal alone for a clean sound or in front of a distortion or chorus.

CS-3 Compression Sustainer  

The CS-3 replaced the CS-2 in 1986 and has since then been the only Boss pedal compressor available. This pedal will compress high input signals and boost low input signals to produce sustain. Boosting low-input signal means that noise will be boosted at the same time so it is easy to compress the signal too much and end up with a very noisy signal.

The CS-3 has been through a chip replacement at least once in its lifetime. Early pedals used a voltage controlled amplifier (VCA) DBX1252 but it was changed to a THAT2159 some time in the early 90s. The pedal was modified for the PSA adapter in 1997.

Specifications

• Controls: Level, Tone, Attack, Sustain
• Connectors: Input, Output, AC Adaptor
• Current Draw: 10 mA (DC 9V)
• Weight: 400g (15 oz.)
• Recommended AC Adaptor: ACA (black label) the pedal for sale in this listing is ACA or PSA (silver label)

Labels

• Black - Made In Japan
• Black - Made In Taiwan << (the pedal or sale in this listing)
• Silver - Made In Taiwan