Which Tremolo?

James Rock

James Rock

Active member
Im looking at purchasing a good tremolo pedal. Im not sure exactly what sound I want so id like versatility and a generally good sound. I can't really afford to spend more then $100 so after a lot of research I was thinking EHX stereo pulsar. What are peoples opinions? Any other cheap but good quality versatile trems out there?
If money wasnt a problem i'd probably be looking more boutique and something with vibrato to but as I'm only in high school and am trying to save up for a laptop while buying a CIJ Jaguar and a few pedals i can't spend too much.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Voodoo Lab Tremolo pedal. I've got the 4 knob variety and it's a freakin killer pedal with tons of tweakability options....I even use it when I'm using my 1970 super reverb (which has super tremolo on the amp) if that tells you anything.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

James Rock said:
Im looking at purchasing a good tremolo pedal. Im not sure exactly what sound I want so id like versatility and a generally good sound. I can't really afford to spend more then $100 so after a lot of research I was thinking EHX stereo pulsar. What are peoples opinions? Any other cheap but good quality versatile trems out there?
If money wasnt a problem i'd probably be looking more boutique and something with vibrato to but as I'm only in high school and am trying to save up for a laptop while buying a CIJ Jaguar and a few pedals i can't spend too much.
Click to expand...

Me, I'd just get a used Boss tremolo pedal.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Well I assumed the EHX would be better then boss (just cos in my opinion that is usually true)
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Dude, wait for the Duncan Tremolo that comes out in a few months. Definately the best for the buck. (You can get better tremolos, but they cost $300+)
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

The Duncan tremolo will be more than $100 Im betting but maybe not too much more and it looks cool based on what I've seen so far. The Voodoo Labs tremis pretty nice, the Boss is OK...I do hate the volume drop but it's not as bad as a lot of perople make it out to be, the EH is alright to but not amazing either...the Line 6 Tone Core is cool but I hear it has noise issues...You could look into the Analogman mods for the boss, those correct the volume issues and also improve the sound quality. Fulltone makes a cool tremolo pedal as well but it's also more than $100
 
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Re: Which Tremolo?

the voodoo lab ones run about $65 if I remember correctly on ebay and they are amazing pedals. I traded off my boss tremolo pedal when I got the voodoo lab one. It's got a volume knob so there's no volume loss, you can even set it for a boost. It's warm and wonderful sounding. very rich, very organic...I love it. It's never leaving my pedalboard (especially when I play with the Dr. Z, which has no amp based tremolo)
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

The best Tremolo pedal I've ever heard is the Danelectro Tuna Melt.

Try it. Really.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

SD Tremolo if its just over definately i totally forgot that was coming out (as I go through phases of GASing different stuff!)
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

I have Boss TR-2. I had one a while back that disappointed me so I sold it. Then for a while this summer I was playing a Silverface VibroChamp, and THAT is a tremolo, my friend. When I sold the Champ, I missed having trem, so I sniped TR-2's on eBAy until I got one real cheap. It on my pedalboard now and I (almost) love it.

I say almost because the TR-2 has a well-documented volume drop when it engaged. I just haven't gotten around to replacing the one resistor it takes to boost the trem volume up to match the bypassed volume. It's a real simple fix, one that should not discourage you from buying a TR-2.

Other than that, it turns out the only problem I had with the TR-2 was that it's a bit tricky to dial in. Unlike the classic Fender amps, the Boss also has a waveform control in addition to speed and depth. It takes some time to tweak the waveform and depth to get close to that classic Fender sound. Of course, if you want "other" types of sounds, the Boss gives you some added flexibility with that third knob.

If you're on a budget, I say try the Boss. It's pro-quality as far a durability goes (unlike the Dano), it sounds pretty darn good as-is, and can be modded to near boutique specs if you want to in the future.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Well im not so much after the fender sound in truth I don't really know what kind of sound I want thats y i want versatility but one sound I like is in the new vox ac30's (and that is solid state not tube). I really want to try the seymour duncan. If i was to spend more then 130 though Id go for the george dennis trem/volume pedal (cos I would like a volume pedal too) unless the seymoud duncan really WOW's me!
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

The Shape Shifter is on the way. I don't know when stores or websites will start to say they have them, but over the next month you should start to see the first ones trickle in, and then be readily available. Anyone considering tremolo owes it to themselves to try this pedal. It has an introductory retail price of $199, so it will be more than $100 in the stores, but you'll never regret it. The tap feature alone has become one of those things you never knew you needed until you had it. If someone was going to remove it now, I'd freak out. It's almost a deal breaker now for me.

Anyway I don't want to just be a company messenger, you guys know I really mean what I'm saying, but if you have to stay under $100 I can respect that. Of all the boxes mentioned I like the Voodoo Labs.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Im just not so sure how much I want to spend on an effect I'm not so sure on. So maybe I'll opt for delay and reverb pedals and then see how much money I've got. The tap tempo feature is a sure fine attraction.
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

Frank, I have a couple of questions about the Shape Shifter, how does the tap tempo calculate tempo? Does it average several taps or does it take the last two taps? Also, is there a 'one tap reset'? The Cusack system allows you to tap once to reallign the trem with the beat once it drifts. Can the SS do this too?
 
Re: Which Tremolo?

It takes the last two taps. I just googled Cusack Tremolo and man that's a sweet tremolo. Of all the trems out there, that's definitely the closest thing to the Shape Shifter out there today, when it comes to features. You have to click between waves, whereas the Shape Shifter is infinitely variable and can get most of the wave presets offered on the Cusack, although he's got some wacky random stuff. Plus the Shape Shifter should be about half the price, and it's still all analog with intelligent volume compensation and high grade components.

There is not a "one tap" reset. The one tap reset is more likely to be off. The two tap re-entry guarantees the tremolo will be in time.
 
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