Tremolo Pedals

[RW James]

I had a Rocktron Pulse, and I really liked the way it played. I would be happy replace it with a new one, but it did take up a lot of real estate on my board. So I was looking at the Guyatone VT-3 Vintage Tremolo, which looks like similar controls, but more the size I need.

Any one use either of these or other Tremolo pedals that would like to share their experience?

Thanks

Might as well throw in the Boss TR-2 as well. All about the same price.

So help me decide

- Rocktron Pulse
- Guyatone VT-3
- Boss TR-2

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I like the Rocktron pedals (have a Short Timer on my board) but agree that they take up a lot of space. My tremolo pedal is a plain ol' Boss TR-2. It's a normal 3-knob trem with speed, depth and waveform controls. I modded mine with one resistor change to bring up the effect volume in relation to the bypass mode.

Used, the TR-2 is plentiful and cheap, and they are indestructible. I think it sounds great, but if you want to improve it, there are lots of published mods.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I might buy one soon, too. I'm thinking of either the Demeter or the new EH one. The EH looks/sounds really cool from the clips I have heard.

 

[jmv]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I've got a TR-2, and i dig it. I think it sounds fine, and i don't really have the desire to tweak the sound anything past what it offers me.....

and, its cheap and indestructible.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

Of the 3 you named the Boss is the one to get IMO.

 

[millsart]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I've currently got the Voodoo Lab Tremolo and its pretty nice, maybe $50 more than the other options listed but its got a very warm sound so it. I've had the EH Pulsar before and it didn't really compare, though it could make some rather odd sounds.

I just bought the new SD Shape Shifter though which I've got high hopes for as its got the very cool tap tempo with ratio control and should have an excellent all analog circuit as well. From everything I've heard, its the best thing on the market regardless of price and its very affordable at $140

Worth checking out as well is the EHX Wiggler, I didn't end up buying one but if you want a great classic trem AND vibrato sounds, I think it would be an awesome pedal. Not as much in the way of tremolo control's but it sounds like it nails the old amp trem and vibe sounds

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

+1 for the SD Shape Shifter - that think looks sick. I saw a video of it and was blown away! Probably the best one out there

I also like The Wiggler as someone mentioned. Great tone, not as much functionality though, and big and a pain in the a$s to power. Still sounds friggen killin'

 

[wahwah]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I've had a Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan for years, but only last week, the Australian SD distributor gave me a Shape Shifter to check out. Dudes, this thing is incredibly beautiful. Not only is it the sweetest old school style trem you've ever heard in a pedal, it also does a bunch of new stuff that no other trem can do. The tap tempo feature is excellent, and the whole thing just melts into the sound of the amp. I didn't realize the price was so low until I saw it posted above. I've already told the distributor that he's gonna have to wrestle this one from me!



Cheers...........................wahwah

 

[baritone]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I have a Marshall VibraTrem, which is pretty cool. It pretty much satisfies all of my tremolo needs, but the Shape Shifter and the Pulsar loook tooo coool.

The VibraTrem seems to give a tiny compensatory volume boost when the depth is maxed.

 

[RW James]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

Well, it looks like there is no love for the Guyatone pedal (or Rocktron)...

As for the under $100 crowd, it's between the EH Pulsar and the Boss TR-2. I'm kind of concerned about the wave shape control on the EH pedal, so Boss seems out front here.

I agree that the Shape Shifter looks great, but honestly it has more control than I need and doesn't justify the cost. This is a pedal that I may need only 10% of the time (at the most).

There have been a couple of comments about the volume of the tremolo pedals. I had a similar issue with my Rocktron pedal until I moved it into the effects loop - then I was happy with it.

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I may go with the Boss pedal.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

FYI, the price on the Shape Shifter is going to go up next year (in a couple of weeks). But keep in mind that it has all the digital controls (tap tempo, ratio control, wave and shape), but a 100% analog signal path.

IMHO, it's the coolest tremolo pedal in production.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

IMHO, it's the coolest tremolo pedal in production.

heck ya, i love mine!

 

[Tor]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

The Shape Shifter looks great.. But for my limited pedalboard, it would be way too big.

 

[millsart]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

Its not that big of pedal physically is it ? I was thinking it was about 5" or so, maybe a little bigger than a Voodoo Lab style box ?

 

[Tor]

Re: Tremolo Pedals

I checked the specs now, and its width is 5.5''. It wasn't as big as I thought it was, but it would still be too big for me. But then again I would need a tremolo not much bigger than an MXR-sized pedal to fit on my board.. Nonetheless, this tremolo does indeed look very nice.