What kind of Tremolo Pedal to get?

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 15 May 2007 10:52 am

I don't have tremolo in my rig right now and I'd like to add it. Any suggestions? My rig consists of a Fender 400 and a telecaster into a Nashville 1000 with a volume pedal in the first fx loop. In the second FX loop I have a real tube 902 for use with a telecaster. I also have an AB box/buffer, compressor, distortion box, and tuner ahead of the amp input. I would probably put the tremolo pedal right after the distortion box.
I used to have a Boss TR2 but I hated it. It wouldn't go far enough in the off direction when it pulsed. Any other suggestions, or is there a mod anybody has seen on the web which makes the TR2 more extreme?

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 15 May 2007 11:18 am

Paul,

I've tried probably a dozen or more tremolo pedals, and owned half as many. I finally settled on the Demeter Tremulator. It sounds remarkably close to Fender amp tremolo, and is much quieter than any tube unit I tried. I've had it for 3 years, and LOVE IT!

I did have mine custom made (at no extra charge through a Demeter dealer) to have a lower volume boost. Any tremolo pedal requires some boost so that the average signal doesn't drop when it's engaged. For my taste, the STOCK Demeter boosted the level a tiny bit too much.

Edited to mention that the Tremulator is true-bypass.

Look here!

Michael Brebes · Post by **Michael Brebes** » 15 May 2007 11:50 am

The Line 6 Modulation Modeler has both the Fender style tremolo and the Vox style tremolo. It also does a number of other things as well: Chorus, Phaser, etc.

Rand Anderson · Post by **Rand Anderson** » 15 May 2007 11:56 am

I have been using a TR-2 w/ the Robert Keeley mod.
He adds a volume pot to boost output level. You can also turn the rate off and it becomes a clean boost.

http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=26

Steve Waltz · Post by **Steve Waltz** » 15 May 2007 1:21 pm

I'm using a fulltone that a friend loaned me. It's versitile, strong and I think it's a true bypass.

Built like a tank.

http://www.humbuckermusic.com/fusutrpe.html

Steve

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 15 May 2007 3:26 pm

Steve Walz wrote:I'm using a fulltone that a friend loaned me. It's versitile, strong and I think it's a true bypass.

Built like a tank.

http://www.humbuckermusic.com/fusutrpe.html

Steve

I've had this model for about 4 years now, no problems at all. It's called the Supa-Trem, offers a hard and soft trem.

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 15 May 2007 4:10 pm

I'm a tremolo junkie and my Fulltone Supa-Trem has worked without any problems for 3 years now.

Steinar

Gibson Hartwell · Post by **Gibson Hartwell** » 16 May 2007 5:53 am

I've been quite happy with the Voodoo Lab Tremelo for about three years now.

http://www.voodoolab.com/tremolo.htm

It sounds good, gives you lots of control over the character and volume of the tremelo, and it has true bypass as well.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 16 May 2007 1:42 pm

I tried them all! Bought a Vibutron from Framtone Electronics. Very sweet sounding. It has Speed and Depth controls plus a rotary switch to select between the waveforms, Square, sawtooth, and sine waves.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 16 May 2007 6:35 pm

Thanks to all who replied!
I have a huge number of great pedals now to go find and try out.

Appreciate it, everybody!!

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 16 May 2007 8:04 pm

I very seldom use Tremolo, but; when I need it, I use the BOSS TR–2. I like it a lot!

Kristen Bruno · Post by **Kristen Bruno** » 4 Apr 2009 4:44 am

The cheap danelectro tuna melt is one of the best i have ever used and cheap .... but, unfortunately ... don't play without a backup! They can break very easily or unexpectedly.

I tried a mod on a boss tr-2 I saw by removing a capacitor .... it sounded a little better, but I end up (very stressfully) going back to the danelectro with my fingers crossed hoping it will keep working.
The boss tremolo is one of the few boss pedals that truly dissapoints me. such a nice strong pedal with such a crummy tremolo.
is this keely mod something i can do by myself?

thanks
super kristen
kristen

Tim Walker · Post by **Tim Walker** » 4 Apr 2009 1:15 pm

Fulltone Supa Trem - great sounding pedal.

Cusack Tap-a-Whirl - expensive but more versatile.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 4 Apr 2009 1:18 pm

The Peavey Valverb is quite nice too. But, as it's a rackmount, I don't use mine anymore. Maybe I'll sell it soon.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 4 Apr 2009 2:05 pm

DanElectro Cool Cat, it's has True Bypass ( it has a sticker that says so ) it's metal, it's quiet, it sounds just fine and it was only $39 !

Here's my rig

52RI > Sparkle Drive > Cool Cat > Classic 30 or Hot Rod Deville

Search YouTube for reviews and demo's. That's how I decided on this one.
t

Steve Norman · Post by **Steve Norman** » 4 Apr 2009 2:37 pm

Electro harmonix pulsar is pretty cool, you can split the out put so one pulse amp 1 and the second is on amp 2. Makes everyone feel weird. Good times

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 5 Apr 2009 6:09 am

If you're inclined to do a little soldering, you can build a nice sounding trem from Build Your Own Clone, The kit is $75 plus shipping.

http://buildyourownclone.com/tremolo.html

Loren Claypool · Post by **Loren Claypool** » 5 Apr 2009 8:08 am

I'm very pleased with my Boss TR-2 Tremolo with the aNaLoG.MaN Super Mod - http://analogman.com/boss.htm#tr2. I used the pedal on the baritone tele track on the song First Light from my CD One Feather Shy; the track is up on my MySpace page.

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 5 Apr 2009 10:00 am

Interesting to see this thread wake up again.
What I wound up buying (and selling again - but that's a different story) was the Voodoo Lab tremolo. It gave the best sound for me. But then I wasn't using it very much and I got a 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue so I sold the pedal and just use the amp tremolo.

Thanks for the info from all those who replied. Hope this thread was helpful for someone else, too. It certainly educated me.
(edited for typos..)

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 5 Apr 2009 1:57 pm

The Danelectro Cool Cat all metal Vibrato as Tony P. mentioned is really hard to beat for under $50 ....It actually sounds pretty darn good !!.....Jim

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 5 Apr 2009 1:58 pm

The Danelectro Cool Cat all metal Vibrato as Tony P. mentioned is really hard to beat for under $50 ....It actually sounds pretty darn good !!.....Jim

Mark White · Post by **Mark White** » 6 Apr 2009 12:28 am

I have a Cool Cat Trem also and for the price you can't beat it