.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;}

Best Tremolo Pedal for Beginners and Professional Guitarists 

 June 9, 2021

By  Zen Chung

Tremolo; the rhythmic change of the volume of your guitar signal at a given modulation speed. In other words, the most beautiful effects you can apply to your guitar playing. You can evoke a wide range of emotions using the tremolo effect. From Steve Vai's magical finger technique combined with tremolo bar in parts of "For The Love of God", to the incorporation of a tremolo bridge like the one on the Ibanez RG guitar series, tremolo is achievable in different ways. However, having foot control makes it possible to have a rhythmic approach to using the technique in parts that do not necessarily involve soloing. Let us take a look at the best tremolo pedal for a memorable guitar experience.

Contents

Best Tremolo Pedal

1. Boss tr2 Tremolo Pedal

BOSS TR-2 Tremolo Guitar Pedal
  • High-quality vintage guitar tremolo effects Dedicated Wave, Rate and Depth knobs...
  • Rate control allows for higher speed adjustment than BOSS ' classic PN-2
  • Wave control alters LFO waveform from triangle to square

Boss tr 2 has been designed to deliver classic tremolo sounds played by the greats of all time. The tremolo effect pedal has a compact design that is easy to operate. Dedicated wave, depth, and rate knobs on the pedal give you enough control to tailor something extraordinary out of the guitar. The rate control allows for high-speed adjustments of the tremolo depending on the song you are playing. The wave knob alters the LFO shape from a triangle to a square wave. The depth control determines how strong the wave is.

Boss tr 2 tremolo is ideal for beginners and professionals because of the simple signal chain involving input and output. The tremolo effects can easily fit into a pedal board with other effects in your signal chain. Boss pedals are what you need for a high-performance session because of the efficiency and clarity of the effects. Boss has a five-year warranty on their product, proving that the gear will enhance your board and perform as required when plugged in.

Pros

  • The boss pedal has a tap tempo for the effective functioning of the tremolo effect.
  • You can have different tremolo sounds because of the dedicated wave control knob, which lets you choose between a triangle or a square wave.
  • The boss tremolo effects pedal has a standard shape as other guitar pedals and can fit the board neatly and comfortably.
  • Boss has a rate control that alters the tremolo speed at which the guitar signal wave oscillates.
  • Boss tr 2 has a five-year warranty that proves their performance.
  • The pedal produces classic tremolo tones that were played by great guitarists who were revolutionary in music history.

Cons

  • The pedal does not have a volume control, and you would need to control the levels from your guitar.
  • Since the signal leaves the pedal already altered, you need to know signal flow to achieve the best results out of the pedal.

2. Walrus Audio Monument v2 Harmonic Tremolo Pedals

Walrus Audio Monument V2 Harmonic Tap Tremolo Guitar Effects Pedal
  • Converted to smaller enclosure
  • Expanded capability of side jack: now supports external tempo or can function as...
  • Improved tremolo response across all Rates
  • Top mounted jacks
  • Wave shapes can be controlled via the shape knob. You can move between sine,...

Walrus Audio monument is proof that harmonic tremolo pedals are available in the market. A harmonic setup is simply two tremolo circuits arranged in parallel. One circuit in the pedal will let the low frequencies pass through while the other, high frequencies. This feature makes Walrus a fantastic tremolo pedal for keeping the tradition of good music alive. The beautiful thing about Walrus is that it acts both as a standard and a harmonic tremolo. The pedal produces very warm pulsating modulations that can result to smooth or jagged tremolo tones.

The Walrus Audio Monument has a volume knob that will give you control over the signal that is flowing through the circuit. The tremolo pedals have more controls to make playing the guitar something you can explore endlessly. For a soulful guitarist, Walrus is the best tremolo pedal for any session. You can bring the pedal to any board as it uses 1/4 inch-cables, which are universal for most pedals that you will use on stage. The tremolo pedals have a tap tempo button that helps you play in sync with the band, leading to a moving session. The tap tempo footswitch makes it possible to make changes on stage while performing without stopping to make changes by hand. The most important thing for any instrumentalist during practice is the metronome. Walrus comes in handy during your rehearsal sessions to make performance on stage flawless.

Pros

  • The Walrus Audio Monument pedal is a harmonic effects box that makes the guitar sound unique.
  • Walrus is the best tremolo pedal for a guitarist who wants options because it can switch from a standard tremolo effects pedal to a harmonic pedal.
  • The pedal has quarter-inch input and universal output, making it easier to include into an effects board.Walrus tremolo pedals have tap tempo options that keep you in sync with the rest of the band.
  • The tempo can come in handy during a practice session as every musician needs to keep time, which is a standard professional requirement.
  • The tremolo pedal has knobs that can help you switch between square, ramp, lumps, Monument, and a sine wave.
  • Unlike other tremolo pedals, Walrus has a tremolo response that is very clear at any rate.
  • For ease of installation on any pedal-board, Walrus have their jack-ports at the top of the pedal, making patching of cables easier and neater than when it is done from the side.
  • The tap tempo is a footswitch which makes it easier and more efficient to control.
  • Walrus has a bypass knob that allows you to choose between a clean signal and a tremolo signal.
  • The pedal has a toggle switch that is easy to switch, letting you switch between standard and harmonic mode at a simple switch.

Cons

  • There can be a popping noise when engaging or disengaging the bypass knob, which might lead to spiking in the signal in case of a recording.
  • The pedal does not use batteries, limiting the use only to an external power supply.

3. Electro Harmonix Stereo Pulsar Tremolo Pedal

Electro-Harmonix Stereo Pulsar Tremolo Pedal
  • Small die-cast aluminum case saves valuable pedal board spaceDepth, shape, and...
  • Controls:Wave shape switch: selects between the wave triangle mode and the...
  • Shape knob: changes the shape of the waveform that modulates the tremolo
  • In wave triangle mode, as the shape knob is turned from the fully...
  • From the center position to the fully clockwise position, the wave changes from...

If you are looking for a specific 70s vintage look, you will fall in love with the ehx stereo pulsar. The pedal has a lovely aluminum finish with a vintage blue finish. Think of the one that comes to mind when you picture a vintage Desoto Sportsman car. The font used on the pedal will catch your eye, and you will not be able to resist it. The tremolo sound on the pedal is just as good as the looks. The pulsar is a variable shape tremolo pedal that produces an undulating tremolo and panning that will efficiently fill up any room.

The Electro Harmonix pedal has a waveform selector that lets you choose what best works for you. As the wave shape knob is turned, say from the square, the wave shape starts rising as a sawtooth and ends up being a triangle wave. You can use 9v batteries to power the pedal, making it possible to carry the pedal anywhere with you, which is important for you as a guitar player. The pedal has a knob for depth controls, giving the signal character that is unrivaled. Electro Harmonix pedal is the best tremolo pedal for a traveling guitarist, as you can bring it anywhere without worrying about power.

The pedal will give you the best signal close to what will be in the house or broadcast sound because of the stereo input, which gives a wider, more accurate signal.

Pros

  • The ehx is a stereo tremolo pedal with an output that will give the same signal as the one that will go to the house or recording session.
  • The tremolo pedal uses 9v batteries, meaning you do not need an electric power source to use the pedal. Therefore, the pedal is ideal for a traveling guitarist.
  • Like most tremolo pedals, the pedal has a tap tempo footswitch, which is useful for practice sessions and stage performance.
  • Ehx is the best tremolo pedals to bring the vintage vibe because of the designs, which have a 70s feel.
  • The tremolo pedals have a toggle switch control to shift from one wave form to the other. You can achieve a gradual wave shape using a shape knob to avoid any abrupt changes.

Cons

  • Batteries tend to run out after a while. Therefore, the batteries you will use on the tremolo pedals will need frequent replacing.
  • The stereo output might work better if you have two amps for the clarity of the signals.

4. Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas Tremolo Pedals

Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas Digitally Controlled Analog Tremolo Pedal
  • Includes Velvet Bag and Wooden Case!
  • Made in the USA!
  • Harmonic and/or standard tremolo, pure analog warmth

Chase is a very special tremolo that produces an analog sound, unlike most pedals available in stores. The tremolo pedals have an all-analog signal path that can do a standard or a harmonic tremolo. The best thing about the pedal is that it can do both the standard and harmonic modulation simultaneously. Builders of Chase employ a genius technique that makes the Audio Gravitas a great tremolo pedal from the word go. The guitar's signal remains analog without any digital processing, while the knobs and switches have digital connections that open up endless possibilities with the guitar. The tremolo pedals have a sway level control that works great for stereo output. The pedal has a MIDI output that gives you access to presets that allow you to use the pedal as a reverb pedal. The MIDI capability gives you access to other musical instruments that would normally not be available inside the stomp-box.

Pros

  • The pedal has an intensity control that gives you power over the signal coming out of the pedal.
  • The pedal has MIDI that gives you access to more instruments and effects. This feature puts the pedal ages ahead of its counterparts.
  • Chase is the one pedal to beat them all with a toggle switch to enable the tap tempo's bypass button.
  • The pedal is easy to use in a dark setting because of the light signals below the buttons or controls, including the volume knobs. As a guitarist, you will find yourself on stage most of the time. The pedal board is more often than not hard to see. Therefore, controls that have light signals are just the best.

Cons

  • It would help if you had a desktop or computer to install a DAW to host the MIDI instruments.
  • The MIDI capability allows you to use Chase as an expression pedal for different effects.
  • The pedal has a rate knob that acts as speed control for the wave form that the signal will have.

5. Voodoo Lab Tremolo Pedal

Voodoo Lab Tremolo
  • Authentic lamp and photocell tremolo circuit
  • Slope control for waveform tweaking
  • Ultra wide range of Speed and Intensity settings
  • Compact, pedal board friendly size
  • True bypass switching with LED

Voodoo has a special feature that makes it stand out from the rest; the slope control knob. The knob can change the wave form as fast or as slow as you want it to. You can change the signal from a mellow sound to a shattering sound. The pedal has even more special features. Voodoo has an authentic lamp and photocell optical tremolo, which gives you the tone like a vintage tube amp tremolo. These features, coupled with the normal controls on a typical pedal, place Voodoo well in the game. Voodoo has a true bypass pedal that allows you to choose between a clean signal or one with effects.

Pros

  • The pedal has a shape control that gradually and seamlessly morphs one waveform into the next.
  • The pedal is the best tremolo pedal mimicking the old vintage tube amp.
  • The pedal has a wide range of intensity and speed settings.
  • Voodoo is the best tremolo pedals for anyone obsessed with the vintage sound that tube amps produce.
  • The optical tremolo pedal has a true bypass switching knob with an LED light.

Cons

  • The pedal needs intentionality to get the correct information to buy the pedal for the right reasons.

Factors to Consider when looking for the Best Tremolo Pedals

a) Tap Tempo

Tempo is probably the most useful feature in any effects processor shared by musicians playing whichever kind of instrument. This feature will help you during rehearsals and performances.

b) External Expression Pedal

If you can get a pedal with an input in which an expression pedal can go, do not leave it behind. A pedal board ought to be a sustainable ecosystem with the best sound at the end of the signal chain.

c) Bypass

The bypass knob lets you choose between getting a clean signal or one that has effects in it. It is better to have options than to lack them. The bypass will give you the chance to pass clean signals to other pedals on the board, depending on how you want to patch your signal.

d) Stereo Input/ Output

Stereo signals sound wider and fuller when dealing with sound. Some effects depend heavily on a stereo signal.

e) Size

Your pedal board will have other pedals. Consider the option of getting a sizeable stomp-box that will not be bulky to carry around or too big to install on the board.

Zen Chung


I'm Zen Chung, a piano and violin teacher based out of Plano, Texas. I started this blog because my students (and their parents) kept asking about the best musical instruments to buy online. Look no further I'm here to save the day! 

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}