War of the Trems

[AngryGoldfish]

So I'm looking to replace my Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper with something smaller and less digital sounding, and I thought I'd ask you folks what your opinions were. They're all in the same size format (this is important), they all have tap-tempo (also crucial) and they're all priced roughly between $200-300.

Catalinbread Semaphore Tap-Tempo - Looks good, has been adored by players for donkies, loads of waveforms, expression pedal control for speed or depth, tap divide, tap-tempo input for a global tap device, sounds big and full, no rhythmic options.

SolidGoldFX Stutterbox V2 - Looks good, expression pedal control for speed, 8 different rhythmic patterns, tone knob, cheaper (Fat Tone Guitars has one for sale with the 24% closing down offer).

Empress Tremolo - Grey box looks good/orange doesn't, two speed mode that allows for ramping Leslie sounds, unique "Brownface" asymmetrical waveform, tap divide, 8 different rhythmic patterns, no expression or global tap input, digital circuitry.

Cusack Tap-a-Whirl - 24 waveforms, global tap input AND output, 'brake' mode that speeds up slows down the tempo of the pulse, stereo output, presets, clickless footswitch, tap divide, fade in, doesn't seem to sound any warmer or natural than my Goatkeeper, looks gammy, no expression pedal control, most expensive.

Diamond Tremolo - All analog and arguably the most natural and warm sounding, four different waveforms, ramps between doubled or halved speeds by holding down tap-tempo footswitch, 'shark-fin' asymmetrical waveform, manual kill-switch effect, tap divide, 6 rhythmical patterns, no expression pedal control, no tap in/out.

Young Pedals The Looker - True stereo ins and outs, cool looking, variable shape control rather than switches, affordable, panning or sync in stereo (won't be using this), tempo doubler, no expression pedal control, no tap ins or outs, no rhythmical patterns.

I'm looking for, ideally, something that combines all of these into one, but so far no one has produced such a mammoth tremolo. The sounds I'm after are warm, natural and organic. What are your thoughts on sound quality, usefulness of such elaborate features, and cost-effectiveness?

[futuresailors]

FUTURESAILORS WILL NOT BE CONSTRAINED BY YOUR PUNY OPTIONS
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guWokSSxDms[/youtube]

[Officer Bukowski]

Check out the musicpcb tap tempo trem

If you're not a DIYer get Skullservant to build you one

My favorite trem is my Demeter Tremulator clone. It just sounds really good, but it looks like you're looking for something with more features.

[AngryGoldfish]

Wrong size sadly. It's strange to say this, but I only have one more output tap on my power supply, and having that pedal will open up a spot for another pedal, something I won't be able to power. Thus I need something in the Diamond Tremolo size.


I don't mind DIY'ing, but there would be a lot of work for something I need pretty soon.

[zRobertez]

FUTURESAILORS WILL NOT BE CONSTRAINED BY YOUR PUNY OPTIONS
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guWokSSxDms[/youtube]

[Tristan]

Do you have a GK3 or a GK2?
I have a GK3 and I think it sounds very natural, it's one of the nicest trems I heard so far.
Opinions can vary offcourse but I wouldn't expect the Empress to sound warmer and more natural than the GK3 for instance.
Diamond can be nice if that's what you like but I usually find them too 'middle of the road' or clean as well as dark sounding, it does have the momentary footswitch though, that can be very cool when put to good use, however similar effects can also be had on most trems that let you control the depth with an expression pedal.
The Stutterbox doesn't seem to have many waveform options but sounds quite nice in the demo's, I don't think it can do the crazy / wacky stuff like the GK though (if you'd still like to be able to do that too).
I don't know about the Cusack, it seems a bit tricky to operate on the fly to me and probably doesn't sound better than the GK either.
I guess I'd go with the Catalinbread, or maybe the Diamond.
Too bad the Dr Scientist Tremolessence doesn't have tap tempo otherwise I'd throw that one in the mix too, or the new FuzzHugger Tremulust, or the 4ms Tremulus Lune.
Would it be an option to go with a tremolo that only has external tap in, so no tap switch onboard (I don't even know whether anyone makes one but maybe it could broaden your search)?
If you didn't knew it already, here's a site that lists loads of pedals: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/type/tremolo/pedal

[univalve]

I have a GK3 and I think it sounds very natural, it's one of the nicest trems I heard so far.

I'm also wondering about that: I have a GK2 and it is the one trem to rule them all.
And it records so nice to a click.

[Tristan]

Cool, I have no hands on experience with the GK2, I just read some stuff on the net saying the GK2 is generally more choppy sounding than the GK3 so I thought the GK3 might be an option for AngryGoldfish if he has a GK2 now, but I don't know for sure offcourse.
To get the most natural sounding trems I usually set the GK3 to the first waveform and depth halfway up or even less sometimes with the first sequencing stage on the time division I want and the other three sequences off.
Another cool thing is to put a knob in a box (really small) in the expression input of the GK, then you have a speed dial and don't need to use the tap tempo all the time (a trick Austin told me).
You can also put it in a fx loop with a momentary switch to turn it on momentarily, as with any other trem (another trick Austin told me).
Well anyway, don't want to make this into a GK topic as AngryGoldfish said he's looking for something else.
About the Empress, I've been watching some video's but I don't think it has the harmonic trem like on the Pareidolia or some Strymon offerings, so I guess it's another deal (don't know exactly what then though).

[univalve]

He has a v3: ilovefuzz.com/viewtopic.php?f=149&t=393&p=427654r#p427654

[Shish]

I've tried Semaphore, I don't think you'd be disappointed with it, very cool trem.

[hazelwould]

I personally love the Sonar. Though, I'm not a huge zvex fan.

And the Tremolessence is such a good/flexible natural Trem.

[AngryGoldfish]

Do you have a GK3 or a GK2?
I have a GK3 and I think it sounds very natural, it's one of the nicest trems I heard so far.
Opinions can vary offcourse but I wouldn't expect the Empress to sound warmer and more natural than the GK3 for instance.
Diamond can be nice if that's what you like but I usually find them too 'middle of the road' or clean as well as dark sounding, it does have the momentary footswitch though, that can be very cool when put to good use, however similar effects can also be had on most trems that let you control the depth with an expression pedal.
The Stutterbox doesn't seem to have many waveform options but sounds quite nice in the demo's, I don't think it can do the crazy / wacky stuff like the GK though (if you'd still like to be able to do that too).
I don't know about the Cusack, it seems a bit tricky to operate on the fly to me and probably doesn't sound better than the GK either.
I guess I'd go with the Catalinbread, or maybe the Diamond.
Too bad the Dr Scientist Tremolessence doesn't have tap tempo otherwise I'd throw that one in the mix too, or the new FuzzHugger Tremulust, or the 4ms Tremulus Lune.
Would it be an option to go with a tremolo that only has external tap in, so no tap switch onboard (I don't even know whether anyone makes one but maybe it could broaden your search)?
If you didn't knew it already, here's a site that lists loads of pedals: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/type/tremolo/pedal

I have the GK3. I do love it, but it doesn't do warm and subtle. I'm looking for something with vintage sound but with modern features. The GK3 simply, at least to my ears, doesn't do that. It's great with distortion and for medium-heavy chop, which is why I'll never sell it, but it's not what I'm looking for right now. For instance, I tend to use the tremolo on my Randy's Revenge way more than the GK3, despite its limitations, because it sounds so much better. I'm looking for subtle, sweep, syrupy tremolo that can throb like the best of them, but can also be controllable via various parameters and isn't so big. I've narrowed it down to the Cattybread, Empress and Cusack. Do I want the features of the Cusack, the sound and looks of the Catty, or the combination of the Empress?

I personally love the Sonar. Though, I'm not a huge zvex fan.

And the Tremolessence is such a good/flexible natural Trem.

I really would love a Sonar, and I intend to pick one up some day, but it's not really the kind of thing I'm after right now.

[AngryGoldfish]

I've tried that, but it still doesn't procure the sound I'm after. It's too thin and vacant. I know I'm going to appear like a snob, but I really love tremolo and use it more than any other modulation effect, so it's only natural I'm this picky. For flanger, phaser, chorus, I'm honestly not that picky. But tremolo, I'm a picky fucker.

[Dandolin]

Not on your list, but I went through a similar search and ended up with a Red Witch Pentavocal which can be dialed in for a lot of shades of warm/chewy organic etc.--I use that for the slow sensual moments and kick in the GK2 when things get more frenzied like. Erm, that didn't come out the way I meant it, but I think you get my point. Uhhhm, sorry. Again.

I too really like the trem from the Randy's Revenge, and also what you can get from a Pigtronix Attack/Decay. For a mix more towards vintage/warm with some more modern features I found I had use for the Tremulus Lune types and this awesome opto maxxed thing stupiddream88/ARC Effects made before he went pro.

[hbombgraphics]

I love my empress
I think it can be really warm and organic sounding,
it can also be choppy and rythmic

great pedal probably a keeper for me as I haven't heard or tried or owned anything better