| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Doryphore |
Posted - 06/15/2004 : 00:31:41
Hi everyone, I am currently looking to buy a good tremolo pedal. I thought of the Boss TR-2 at first, but from what I've read it is supposed to be quite noisy. Which brand/type can you recommend?
A fairly good example of a tremolo sound I like is the solo in This Old Heartache.
Thanks |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Sir Mike |
Posted - 10/05/2004 : 13:54:23
I really like my cheapo Danelectro Tuna Melt. It uses optical technology like the Fender amps of old. It gets that sound down pretty well, thought he original article is better. For $30 it's worth a try. It has a soft vintage shimmer setting and a harder machine gun type.
->Words are only the tip of the iceberg of my thoughts.<- |
| hammerhands |
Posted - 08/23/2004 : 04:10:37
Well, I guess nobody cares.
How did you make out?
I did have a reason for asking about your equipment type, there are just too many answers.
Discussing tremolo/vibrato is a history lesson. I suspect the tremolo on This Old Heartache comes from an obvious source, a Vox AC-30. This makes sense to me, as far as I can tell the AC-30 has a power tube bias tremolo circuit, and the recording seems to have a very deep tremolo.
I found this information here.
quote:
We are talking TREMOLO here not vibrato... ok there are several different tremolo circuits.
1. grid bias of the out put tubes used on tweed Fenders, Supros, Ampegs etc. this creates a deep full sounding tremolo very pronounced.
2. the cathode modulation methode used in the Vibro Champs modulates the cathode voltage of the last preamp tube tis is nice sounding but not as deep as the power tube grid methode.
3. Gain stage grid modulation as used in the brown face pro series Fenders and some of the Valco built amps. This is very full sounding with a lot of sparkle more warbely that the other methodes can give an almost chorus like effect when used with an outboard reverb unit. this is what Fender called "Harmonic Vibrato" but is realy tremolo.
4. The optical isolater unit as found on the b/f, s/f Fenders NOTE: later Amppegs used an optical unit but the circuit is different than the Fenders. This modulates the signal just befor the phase inverter is more pulse like than the other methods not as full or deep.
True Vibrato was used by Magnatone, and in some off the Gibsons and Supros this is realy nice sounding changing the pitch of the note. Robert Crey uses a Magnatone 460 to get his unique sound.
also Buddy Holly use one which can be heard distinctly on "Words of Love" also this is basicly what produced those great '50s si-fi sounds. I think the brown face type circuit followed by the power tube grid methode are the two best sounding tremolos.
That may give you some idea what to look for. The bias tremolo circuits appear to be the holy grail.
My amp has the optical "vibrato", which suffices, I never use it!
I saw in another topic a link to Lyle Workman's site where he says he used an AC-30 and a Diaz Tremolo pedal on COR. OK, maybe the AC-30 isn't the holy grail, or maybe someone has an endorsement.
For many years I yearned for a Peavey Valverb. Rack-mounted, I think you have to be willing to make an investment to go rack. I collected one piece, then another, now I have two boxes full.
On a related note I also have a Boss VF-1. I think this thing is a wonderful toy and they show up cheap used (make sure it has the power adaptor). It's full of noisy goodies, but it has pretty crummy reverbs. Everything is very adjustable, including the tremolo. |
| hammerhands |
Posted - 06/22/2004 : 12:30:56
What type of equipment are you using? My amp is old, when all amps had tremelo, those are nice. |
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