Tap Tremolo

[mistermullens]

I've always loved tremolo, but have only had a use for it on maybe one or two songs a night. My usage is increasing, and I'd like to upgrade to a tap tremolo for some added convenience. Plus, I sometimes have trouble dialing in the rate just the way I want it. I'm currently using a Boss TR2, it's my second, and while I wouldn't say I love it, it's the best one I've used. I'd love to get something under $200, but I'm not sure if it's possible. Leading the pack is the Fulltone Supa-Trem2. I thought about going Stymon Flint, but it would involve getting a second tap pedal. Not to mention, that would put me almost $100 over my budget.

I'm also trying to keep my pedalboard small. My "upfront" pedal board is currently my wah>MXR Echoplex, MXR Uni-vibe>TR2. I keep my Boss 62 Reverb pedal and tuner in the back near my amp. Reverb always on, tuner as needed.

 

[artdecade]

Personally, I don't need a tap tremolo, but if I did, I would look at the Cusack Tap-A-Whirl. Looks like a killer pedal, but it is 50 bucks more than your listed budget of 200. Maybe you can see if there are any used ones out there...

http://cusackmusic.com/tap-a-whirl/

 

[falcon5romeo]

I'm experiencing the same problem...if the drummer isn't a metronome it'll get a little wonky. Bump!

 

[DannyStereo]

Empress Tremolo. Tons of options, and the trem sounds great! It's also compact for the feature set.

I absolutely love mine. The Diamond Tremolo is also very nice.

 

[Tim Bowen]

My main board contains a Strymon Flint. I do use the tap tempo. It comes in handy.

For the past few weeks I have been gigging an alternate board, which contains an early Fulltone Supa-Trem v1. I can set the rate knob somewhere between 1:00 & 2:00 on the clock dial and it just seems to work for nearly everything. I will say though that the slower the trem rate, and/or in engaging 'hard' mode (as opposed to 'soft' mode), the more critical or useful the setting of tempo rate can be.

As good as the Strymon Flint sounds, I have to say that the old Fulltone sounds and feels better to me. I'll never part with mine, but If I were looking for a new analog trem w/ tap tempo, I personally would look no further than the Fulltone Supa-Trem 2, although there's lots of great stuff out there.

 

[mistermullens]

Thanks, Tim. I'm wondering if an LED indicating the speed would help me more and alleviate the need for a tap tempo option and saving me some dough in the process? What do you guys think?

 

[DannyStereo]

Thanks, Tim. I'm wondering if an LED indicating the speed would help me more and alleviate the need for a tap tempo option and saving me some dough in the process? What do you guys think?

Depends on what you want it to do. I set my depth pretty high, just under 12 o'clock, for a more dramatic effect.

If I were just giving the songs movement or ambience, I think you'd be fine with no tap. Plenty of old amps had trem without tap gave us great songs

 

[crossroader]

I have an Empress Tremolo that includes the "tap tempo trem" option.
It's a great-sounding pedal and I love mine, but it does exceed your budget ($249 new).

Thanks, Tim. I'm wondering if an LED indicating the speed would help me more and alleviate the need for a tap tempo option and saving me some dough in the process? What do you guys think?

Well, you still need to be bending over and fiddling with controls....while you watch the blinking and match it to your song tempo.
Save some dough? No doubt.
Alleviate the need for tap control? Not so sure.

 

[Deckard]

My main board contains a Strymon Flint. I do use the tap tempo. It comes in handy.

For the past few weeks I have been gigging an alternate board, which contains an early Fulltone Supa-Trem v1. I can set the rate knob somewhere between 1:00 & 2:00 on the clock dial and it just seems to work for nearly everything. I will say though that the slower the trem rate, and/or in engaging 'hard' mode (as opposed to 'soft' mode), the more critical or useful the setting of tempo rate can be.

As good as the Strymon Flint sounds, I have to say that the old Fulltone sounds and feels better to me. I'll never part with mine, but If I were looking for a new analog trem w/ tap tempo, I personally would look no further than the Fulltone Supa-Trem 2, although there's lots of great stuff out there.

How do you get tap tempo on the flint?

 

[Tim Bowen]

How do you get tap tempo on the flint?

With a small, external Strymon Tap/Favorite switch, separate to the Flint unit itself. I think some folks build their own.

 

[Deckard]

With a small, external Strymon Tap/Favorite switch, separate to the Flint unit itself. I think some folks build their own.

Ah fair enough. I don't have one of those for mine.

 

[mistermullens]

How do you get tap tempo on the flint?

With the Flint, you can use a separate footswitch for the tap option or an expression pedal.

I've toyed with getting the Flint for a long time, as I love reverb and trem, and having them in one pedal like an amp is great (my Vox AC4 doesn't have either). I prefer a small pedal board, and having to add a pedal to my pedal adds more real estate to the board. Great sounding pedal, though.

 

[Serenity23]

 

[Tele-beeb]

Mister mulleins... the Diamond is great. I had one, when you want you can sacrifice the tap and use that switch in momentary mode. Super-handy. I sold mine to make pedalboard space... still not sure I did the right thing.
The Empress and Cusack must be super also.
I currently use the VFE Old School. It hasn't got tap, but, does have a momentary option. A super feature is the starve mode, not only is that a cool term sound, I drop the depth to zero and use the starve full-on as a fuzzy alternative. Pretty cool at around the $150 used area I gave.

 

[omahaaudio]

I'm waiting on a Source Audio Vertigo tremolo (from Prymaxe) that offers tap tempo with a $40 accessory foot switch.

 

[halouis]

See if you can find a Lovepedal Tremelo. <-- yes that is the spelling. It has 3 way toggle for different wave forms. LED that indicates the speed. An extra tap foot switch. And overall level knob. I got it for I think 90-95. I don't use the tap feature myself, but it's a great little box.

 

[CAAD8N8]

I have a Neunaber stereo wet reverb. I loaded the tremolo preset in and am loving it! Tap tempo with flashing LED to indicate tempo. Plus, I have 8 different presets of verb, delay, chorus, tremolo, etc with the exp controller.

 

[Tony474]

See if you can find a Lovepedal Tremelo. <-- yes that is the spelling.

It might be their spelling, but it's still wrong. One "E" and two "O"s is the correct way. Personally I blame the British band from the '60s, Brian Poole and The Tremeloes, for creating and perpetuating the very commonly-seen error that's irritated me for over half a century.

Meanwhile my Moen trem doesn't have tap tempo, but its speed control is very good for making fine adjustments quickly by sight once you get used to its range.

 

[mistermullens]

Well, guys, I've decided to have my existing TR2 modded by JHS pedals. It's very cost effective for me, and I do like the Boss. I don't have hardly any money in my TR2, so if it doesn't work out, I'll just sell it. Thanks for the discussion!

 

[artdecade]

I'd have picked Keeley or Analog Mike, but to each their own.