Best sounding simple tremolo pedal?

[Jellyroll]

It's got to go fast and deep (yes, ha ha, I get it too), be true bypass, smallish....mxr sized or so, either boost volume or have a volume control, no more than three controls, cost $150 or less, analog, and sound as much like an amp as possible. Does this exist? I already own the Cusack TAW, which I love, but need something smaller and more amplike. Please help.

[polishcomedy]

Danelectro Cool Cat Tremolo (CT-2). $35, true bypass, no volume drop. What more could you need?

[OuttaspaceMan]

Give the Valcoder a try. I'm really happy with mine:)

[johnnykf]

http://www.pureanalogeffects.com/

Just came in. Also works great as a clean boost with or without the trem.
I like it better than the trem on my '64 Black with white knob Princeton. The
idiot light pulses with the trem so you can time the speed by sight.
Can go fast, deep and has true bypass, built like a tank and under $150.
Sandy Phillips builds each one by hand, fast service and delivery, made by a local bro in PA vs an overseas sweatshop. He's going to build me a delay pedal and a compressor next.
Very reasonable prices, boo-teek quality

[wildschwein]

Originally Posted by polishcomedy

Danelectro Cool Cat Tremolo (CT-2). $35, true bypass, no volume drop. What more could you need?

Yes; a really good pedal. Can't argue with the price either.

[Cunningham26]

for the price, you can't beat the danelectro.

i have an EHX Pulsar, because I wanted something where I could adjust the waveform. i think i got it for somewhere around $80 on ebay. it works great, i use it on really weird stuff i'll play for kicks, to that great 60s sound combined with a nice reverb tank

[jazztele]

i really like my guyatone, but it does give a noticable boost in signal which can drive a tube amp into a bit of grit if it's cranked up close to breakup...

[telecasterian]

The Keeley Modded TR2 has been a really good pedal for me. You can get a stock one modified by Keeley and still be under $150. Not familiar with the danelectro version.

[garymaddox]

Danelectro makes 2 tremelo pedals: the Tuna Melt and The Cool Cat. What's the difference and is one better than the other?

[rocksteady Max]

Originally Posted by garymaddox

Danelectro makes 2 tremelo pedals: the Tuna Melt and The Cool Cat. What's the difference and is one better than the other?

I own the Tuna Melt and stopped using it because of volume drop. Otherwise it's a fantastic sounding pedal. I now happily use BYOC Electronic australia tremolo I've built meself

[polishcomedy]

Originally Posted by garymaddox

Danelectro makes 2 tremelo pedals: the Tuna Melt and The Cool Cat. What's the difference and is one better than the other?

I don't know about sound, but I know that the Cool Cat line is different in that it is true bypass and housed in a metal casing. I don't care for the look, color, or the raised surface behind the footswitch, but it gets the job done.

[cletus]

I use a Boss TR-2 and after doing the C4 mod to it to fix the volume drop (you just clip it out with some small cutters) it's one of the best tremolos I've ever heard. It's not true bypass but I need the buffer.

cletus

[Bill]

Originally Posted by johnnykf

http://www.pureanalogeffects.com/

Just came in. Also works great as a clean boost with or without the trem.
I like it better than the trem on my '64 Black with white knob Princeton. The
idiot light pulses with the trem so you can time the speed by sight.
Can go fast, deep and has true bypass, built like a tank and under $150.
Sandy Phillips builds each one by hand, fast service and delivery, made by a local bro in PA vs an overseas sweatshop. He's going to build me a delay pedal and a compressor next.
Very reasonable prices, boo-teek quality

And it looks like there are two versions, depending on whether you want the boost to be footswitchable or handswitchable. The latter will save you 20 bucks.

[nic'o'caster]

Originally Posted by OuttaspaceMan

Give the Valcoder a try. I'm really happy with mine:)

Is the Valcoder still in production ? There's no trace of it on Catalinbread site.

[bradpdx]

Originally Posted by cletus

I use a Boss TR-2 and after doing the C4 mod to it to fix the volume drop (you just clip it out with some small cutters) it's one of the best tremolos I've ever heard.

Isn't the volume drop part of the "authentic" sound? Heck, the volume drops when I turn on the tremolo in my BFDR!

[JamesL]

I used the tuna melt and liked it...now use the Boss TR-2...unmodded... just cuz it fits in my pedal board better...I just turn up my geetar.....I am cheap.....!

[SackvilleDan]

Originally Posted by johnnykf

http://www.pureanalogeffects.com/

Just came in. Also works great as a clean boost with or without the trem.
I like it better than the trem on my '64 Black with white knob Princeton. The
idiot light pulses with the trem so you can time the speed by sight.
Can go fast, deep and has true bypass, built like a tank and under $150.
Sandy Phillips builds each one by hand, fast service and delivery, made by a local bro in PA vs an overseas sweatshop. He's going to build me a delay pedal and a compressor next.
Very reasonable prices, boo-teek quality

I've also got a Big Blue, and I LOVE it. Great build quality, great price, and great fella. Enjoy it!

[Jellyroll]

Some great choices here, anyone try the Modtone Harmonic Tremor?

[gmann]

Demeter Tremelo. Don't know what it costs as I got mine used but I like it better than the trem on my DR.

[Guitfiddler]

X2 for the Keeley TR-2. The added volume/depth control is great and reminds me of a gritty SHO when used as a boost only.

[Mike Eskimo]

Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter

Used for about $100

How many of these other pedals have the "tap" feature ?

Very handy

[tazzboy]

Voodoo Lab Tremolo is another good one

[JohnK24]

This little guy seems stellar, and priced nicely for a hand built box...I'll be ordering one soon...

Lovepedal Babyface Tremolo http://lovepedal.com/pedals/tremolo.html

[bo]

If you hunt around you can probably find the early version of the Demeter Tremulator for that price. It sounds exactly like a BF Twin's trem (but can go faster/slower/deeper), takes up even less room than a Boss pedal, has no volume drop when engaged, is super quiet, and is built to outlast mankind.

[schenkadere]

Originally Posted by polishcomedy

Danelectro Cool Cat Tremolo (CT-2). $35, true bypass, no volume drop. What more could you need?

Nice pedal for the money, but I disagree about the volume drop.

[octatonic]

Keeley is wonderful sounding.

I LOVE the trem in the Eventide Modfactor.

[schenkadere]

Check out the Guyatone VT-3 or VTM5

http://www.guyatone.com/Vt3.php

http://guyatone.com/Vtm5.php

[Jakedog]

Another EH Pulsar fan here. The only one I ever had that I liked as much was the Demeter Tremulator. It was many years ago, and I bought it used for $15. I had never heard of Demeter at the time, and that coupled with the dirt cheap price had me thinking it was junk, even thought it sounded good. I sold it for $15 to another guy who'd never of Demeter and went on with my life. Looking back, I wish I had it now. If you can find one, sounds like just the ticket for you.

If you can, try the Pulsar. I think it sounds really, really, good. Spanks almost all of the boutique and "modded" stuff I've tried. My only gripe about it is that the controls have a HUGE sweep. It can be really hard to adjust on the fly because barely breathing on one of the knobs results in a huge difference in that parameter. On the good side, it's almost infinitely adjustable, and you get all that control over the wave shape. On the downside, the tiniest knob nudge can take you into another sonic territory entirely. Not always what you want in the middle of a song.

[Jellyroll]

The Lovepedal Babyface seems to be the winner so far based on size, sound, simplicity and price. Anyone own one yet? Would love to hear some first hand reviews.

[Bozo Bus]

Originally Posted by bradpdx

Isn't the volume drop part of the "authentic" sound? Heck, the volume drops when I turn on the tremolo in my BFDR!

Mine also Brad ('64 DR). I thought that's what it's supposed to do :)

PEACE,
Phil

[Powers]

I'm going to put in a +1 for the BYOC tremolo (based on electronics Australia). It sounds great, wide range on both the depth and rate knobs, and the volume is set by an internal trim pot so you can match it up and leave it. It's only $75 and if you're a first time buyer you can get the clean boost/buffer kit for free.

All this, and you get to build it yourself! Then, if you're feeling ambitious, give it a cool paint job and a funny name. Even though I'm not big on trems, this little box holds a special place in my heart because I put it together myself.

[Pinball_Wizard]

Bang per Buck the Cool Cat Tremolo.
Simple, Swampy, and there's an internal trimpot in case you need to adjust gain.

oh, and it true bypass and sounds great.

[wildschwein]

Originally Posted by Pinball_Wizard

Bang per Buck the Cool Cat Tremolo.
Simple, Swampy, and there's an internal trimpot in case you need to adjust gain.

oh, and it true bypass and sounds great.

Cool...didn't know about the trimpot - I will try it for fun!!!

[PeteMac]

Ok, I'm throwing in my 2c worth -

Marshall VibraTrem - Vibrato and Tremolo (but not at the same time) with speed, depth and wave shape adjustments. Pretty sure it's true bypass.
Picked it up for $60 Aust. used

I use mine rather than the Trem on my DRRI - it's just more "tweakable" !

[jmecale72]

Originally Posted by polishcomedy

Danelectro Cool Cat Tremolo (CT-2). $35, true bypass, no volume drop. What more could you need?

+1

[SirJackdeFuzz]

VoodooLab trem or EHX Pulsar !


I swear by BOTH !!!

[dusty tolex]

I guess it's not a simple trem, but I love my Boss PN-2. It's sawtooth wave matches the trem on my Vibro Champ amazingly well, and the ability to ping pong the trem is a wonderful thing. I don't find it cold or digital at all.

dt

[rotren]

Cool Cat Tremolo - yay! It's great. Here is my brand new demo.

[JTM45blues]

Monster Effects Swamp Thang or Swamp Thang Jr., the best brownface Fender amp tremolo available.

[Jellyroll]

The cool cat sounds great, but is a little large, and I gotta have the knobs on top so I can see where they are set. Also many other pedals here are outside my original stated parameters. It's gotta be no bigger than an MXR carbon copy! It's gotta be simple, i.e. no tap tempo, all analog, true bypass etc. Most importantly small and simple. I really think I am gonna try out the Lovepedal Babyface. I was worried about the lack of external depth control, but the waveform switch should act similarly. Also like how the knob is large enough to tweak on the fly with my foot, and the sound samples are very impressive. Add to that the Lovepedal reputation and the price, and I don't see how it can be beaten. Still open to any suggestions I may have missed.