I think that the CE-3 actually has a little more lushness and more depth to it. It is supposed to be instantaneous "Police" chorus sounds.
Yeah, theyre supposed to be some new guys on the market trying to make boutique-ish stuff at cheapo prices. I havent tried one yet but they could probably be worth something.
the Holy grail has it's place, but it has its cons too. It has alot of noise and can be metallic. It also has close to no control. After a while youll be wishing for at least a little bit more control. I'd look for something that was better for the same price and didnt require an odd power supply. Check out digiverbs and all that fun jazz. If you can find any Marshall Reflectors, they are the more standard, no-nonsense reverb machines!
Just tell him that it's part of your career of bettering yourself as a professional musician. its at least 100 less.
Well, it can sound however it needs to for a few months, but you know it aint from the pedal. you can be patient for a deal like that! If nothing, think of the resale value!!!