Finding the best tremolo pedal to get that unique shape shifting effect isn’t that easy. Trem guitar effects pedals can be kind of confusing to compare because they have so many different options.
The nicer pedals allow you to control the velocity or rate, depth, and volume of the tremolo effect. Some stomp boxes let you control even more than that. That’s why it’s kind of hard to figure out which one will work for you and which one is simply over complicated.
Don’t worry. We’ve reviewed all of the most popular trem effect pedals out there right now to help you decide which one is right for your sound and your pedal board.
Let’s check them out!
| Trem Pedal | Guitar Pedal Rating | Features | Price Check |
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Red Witch Pentavocal Tremolo |
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Keeley DynaTrem Tremolo |
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Wampler Latitude Tremolo |
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Fulltone Supa-Trem2 |
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Diamond Pedals Trem |
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Seymour Duncan ShapeShifter |
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Boss Audio Tremolo TR2 |
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Voodoo Lab Trem |
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Click Below to Compare the Top Tremolo Guitar Effects Pedals in 2020
Contents
- 1 Click Below to Compare the Top Tremolo Guitar Effects Pedals in 2020
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here is a list of the best trem pedals that will give you that sweet tremolo bar effect with just the right amount of control.
- Red Witch Pentavocal Tremolo
- Keeley DynaTrem Tremolo
- Wampler Latitude Tremolo Deluxe Guitar Effects Pedal
- Fulltone Supa-Trem2 Stereo Tremolo Pedal
- Diamond Pedals Tremolo
- Seymour Duncan ShapeShifter Stereo Tremolo Effect Pedal
- BOSS AUDIO TR2 Tremolo Pedal
- Voodoo Lab Tremolo
Red Witch Pentavocal Tremolo
Specs, features, and benefits
The Red Witch Pentavocal is a unique Tremolo guitar effect pedal with characteristics only this pedal has. This box is true bypass pedal and has a full analog circuitry.
The beautifully designed, white pedal with emerald-green details has five control knobs on it:
- Velocity, which is like “Speed” knob on the other tremolo pedals. It’s different because all the way to the left is actually the fastest tremolo and as you move it to the right it goes slower.
- Depth.
- Volume – this a strong one, does not let any decrease in sound happen
- Bottom – which is EQ, that lets you have EQ control over the trem sound. Pretty unique huh?
- Mode knob – this is the knob from which the name comes, it has five modes (voicings)
The box has two footswitches. The one on the left is for choosing the waves and the one on the right is called “Tremulate”, which is the bypass switch.
Pros and Highlights
- Unique – this is one of the most unique trem pedals ever made, very versatile
- High-quality – this is not strange for the Red Witch pedals
- True bypass – This box is completely silent when not engaged
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Falling in love with a guitar pedal – We are not sure if marriage is allowed
Bottom Line
This is a top-notch, fully analog circuitry, unique and versatile, true bypass tremolo pedal with beautiful design. Every player that owns one is making the others feel jealousy. You can’t go wrong with this one.
Keeley DynaTrem Tremolo
Specs, features, and benefits
This classy, vintage looking pedal is surely one of the best on the market and a must-have for guitar pedal freaks. The Four control knobs and the switch in the center of them give you a wide array of sound options you can choose from.
The Depth control knob controls the depth of the tremolo.
Shape/Reverb control knob is an interesting one, as it gives you the options to control the tremolo wave shape.
You can choose from Triangle, Ramp down, Sine, Ramp up and Square wave shape.
This knob becomes reverb control when you put the three-way switch all the way down.
The Rate knob controls the rate of the tremolo. The Level knob controls the output level and can also give some extra drive when is set past twelve, just like a booster would do.
The switch in the center of the pedal has three modes:
- Dynamic Rate – this mode will measure the rate of the tremolo from the level of your playing
- Dynamic Depth – will measure the depth of the trem by the level of your playing
- Harmonic Tremolo – this mode will produce a vibrato-like sound from some old tube amps, and can also make this pedal operate like a reverb pedal with turning the Depth control all the way to the left
Pros and Highlights
- Big Palette of sound choice – This pedal has so much tremolo sounds to choose from, it’s guaranteed that it will inspire you to play it many, many times
- Dynamic Response – How cool is that? This pedal is your partner in crime!
- Noise Reduction – If you are familiar with tremolo boxes, you will know that they are prone to produce hiss, and this is not the case with this pedal due to the integrated noise reduction in the circuit
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Not your regular tremolo – This box can’t produce the standard flat tremolo-effect, some players will see this as a flaw
Bottom Line
The Keeley DynaTrem is a top-notch tremolo effect pedal. With this pedal box, you have many tremolo sound options to choose from. The Dynamic responsiveness is what many of the players are looking for. The high quality and inventiveness invested in this pedal justify the price. This effect pedal is classy.
However, if you are looking for a standard flat tremolo effect, this is not the pedal you want to buy.
Wampler Latitude Tremolo Deluxe Guitar Effects Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
“Versatile” is the word that describes this pedal best. The ivory-white color and the precise design make this pedal instantly desirable.
With five control knobs, three-way switch, a scale switch and two footswitches, this pedal will produce every tremolo sound possible.
The Speed, Depth and Level control knobs are standard controls just like in any other Tremolo pedal.
The Space control knob is what lets you control the dead space between the trems.
The attack knob lets you control the punch of the tremolo.
The waveform switch is a three-way switch that allows you to choose from
Peak, Sine or Square wave.
The scale switch (it’s like a push button) is your control to choosing the scale of your tapped tempo.
You can choose quarter, eighth, eighth with dot or triplet notes.
There are two footswitches on this pedal, a regular one that will activate the pedal and
“Tap Tempo.” The tap tempo is a switch that bypasses the speed control knob, and with pressing three or more times on it gives you the tempo that you tap with your foot, aligned with the choice you made on the scale switch.
Pros and Highlights
- Versatility – This box can produce every kind of tremolo effect
- Fast and simple – The “Tap Tempo” footswitch is very useful for live playing
- Very strong casing – The pedal is built to last many stomps and kicks
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Too many control knobs – This might scare some players, but with some time spent with the pedal, you will realize that this is a fairly simple one, (with all the versatility that this thing gives in mind)
Bottom Line
The Wampler Latitude Tremolo Deluxe is a high-quality tremolo pedal with tons of versatility.
This pedal has all the tremolo you will ever need. The “Tap Tempo” footswitch allows the player to be fast and accurate. The pedal might be a bit pricey for the guitarists that are newbies in the world of tremolo, but the versatility and quality this pedal provides is priceless.
Fulltone Supa-Trem2 Stereo Tremolo Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
The first thing you’ll probably notice about this pedal is its size. It’s big and somehow strange looking. This is due to the fact that this effect pedal is a stereo tremolo pedal. The pedal has two sets of Inputs and Outputs on the back.
The box has four control knobs:
Volume, Mix, Phase correlation and Rate.
The phase correlation control lets you control the phasing of the sound. This is the most interesting part of this pedal, this is what makes this pedal so unique.
The other knobs are self-explanatory. The pedal has also a three-way switch, letting you choose the sinewave from
Square, Sine or Warble.
The pedal also has two footswitches, On/Off and Tap Tempo. The Tap Tempo needs just two stomps to set the tempo you want.
Pros and Highlights
- True Stereo – This pedal is true-stereo pedal, which allows you to play with the phasing and panning of your guitar sounds
- Beautiful, natural sound – Everybody that owns or has tried this pedal is amazed by the sound this box provides
- Sturdy Case – The casing is very stiff, which makes it perfect for the stomping foots of the guitarists
Cons and Potential Flaws
- You need two amps – To take out the real magic from this pedal, you will need to engage it with two amps
Bottom Line
This pedal surely has one of the greatest tremolo sounds out there. The fact that this is a true stereo tremolo pedal makes it even more beautiful.
If You want to experiment with sound, shift phasing with this pedal will fill your soul with pleasure. The Tap Tempo is making this great piece of gear suitable for a fast decision in live playing. Overall, this is a great piece of gear.
Diamond Pedals Tremolo
Specs, features, and benefits
This tremolo pedal is surely one of the best pedals out there. The circuit is fully analog, which makes the beautiful, vintage tremolo sound many of us desire. It contains a microprocessor for modern flexibility, but this does not affect the analog sound in any way.
The pedal has four control knobs: Speed, Depth, Volume and Mode knob, a four-way switch for choosing the waveform on the tremolo (Sharkfin, Sine, Square & Chop),
On/Off footswitch and Tap/DBL footswitch.
The Mode knob is what makes this pedal unique. It has pretty much all the modes the other tremolo pedals have plus something called “Chaotic mode” which is basically a mode, that will go trough all the speeds and wave forms randomly.
The Tap/DBL footswitch allows the player to adjust the pedal on the fly, which is very good for playing live.
Also, the pedal has an orange LED that visually shows the speed and rate of the pedal.
Pros and Highlights
- High Quality – This pedal is built to satisfy the needs of the most experienced tremolo freak
- Versatile – This pedal has all the tremolos you would ever want
- Vintage, but modern – The sounds you will get with this pedal are completely analog, and you still have the flexibility of the modern-day technology
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Pricey – There are many tremolo pedals that are cheaper on the market that maybe will do the job for you. However, the quality this pedal has is worth every dollar
Bottom Line
The Diamond Tremolo pedal is a great analog pedal that will satisfy all the desires for tremolo one player could have. It is vintage sounding and analog, but it’s modern in the same time.
Versatile as this pedal is, hardly anyone will be disappointed. It may be a bit pricier than the other tremolo pedals out there, but it’s worth every penny.
Seymour Duncan ShapeShifter Stereo Tremolo Effect Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
As a company that is not famous for pedals, Seymour Duncan made a pedal that can easily be set in this list.
The ShapeShifter Stereo Tremolo pedal with the beautiful design, versatility and high-quality components, is simply one of the best trem boxes on the market.
The pedal has five control knobs: Wave, Depth, Shape, Speed and Ch. phase, rate/ratio switch and two footswitches, one for the activation of the pedal and a Tap footswitch.
Although the control knobs have the same names just like on the other tremolo pedals, the ShapeShifter has more options on them. For example, the Speed control Knob has two functions, one for the regular use of speed in tremolo, and the other is related to the Tap tempo footswitch – when the two-way switch is engaged, the Speed control knob becomes a mode selector.
This pedal can be used with two amps, like a stereo tremolo pedal. You can control the phase with the small Ch. Phase knob on the top of the pedal.
Pros and Highlights
- Versatile – This pedal goes all the way when it comes to shaping the trems, from vintage sounding tremolo to sonic and spacey pulses
- High Quality – Seymor Duncan is known for making some of the best quality gear in the
world, so this is not a big surprise
- Stereo – Are You ready to take your tremolo licks on a full stereo ride? Many players will love this feature
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Versatile – This is probably not a flaw, but sometimes guitarists want something simpler…
Versatile as it is, the ShapeShifter can be scary for some players… Also, you could never stop playing with it – this would make your wife cry and your dog weep
Bottom Line
The Seymour Duncan ShapeShifter is a great pedal. Versatile as tremolo pedal can get. Awesome design, unique operating options, sturdily built casing, amazing sound. It can be used as a stereo pedal. It’s great in the studio and is awesome for live playing.
BOSS AUDIO TR2 Tremolo Pedal
Specs, features, and benefits
It’s a rare occasion to find a guitarist without a BOSS pedal on their pedalboard.
Boss pedals are widely known for their great quality and affordable prices, and you already know this is the case with this pedal box too.
The Boss Tr2 pedal has three control knobs: Rate, Wave and Depth. This makes the pedal very easy to operate. Simple as it is, this box is very versatile in sound. And a very effective one too. Every guitarist can use it right away – you don’t need an instruction manual for this one.
Also, it’s very affordable and probably the “standard” for tremolo pedals.
Pros and Highlights
- Simple to operate – the Boss Tr2 is one of the most straightforward tremolo pedals ever made
- Great sound – the pedal has warm, vintage-like tremolo sound, just like in some old Fender amps
- Cheap – There are better tremolo pedals than this one for sure, but you won’t find better quality pedal with the price of the Tr2
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Volume drop – Although this is a fixable problem, it could back-off many players
Bottom Line
If you are looking for an affordable option for a tremolo pedal, probably Boss Tr2 is the best option for you. Just like all the other Boss pedals, the Tr2 is built in a very stiff metal casing and it will last for decades. It is very easy to operate this pedal and provides good quality tremolo sound. However, the pedal is not true-bypass, and you can experience some volume droppings when the box is engaged. Some players love it, while others think it’s better to save some buck and go for a better option.
Voodoo Lab Tremolo
Specs, features, and benefits
The Voodoo Lab Tremolo is very well sounding tremolo pedal, built in a hard metal case with high-quality circuitry elements inside and great graphic design on top of that. The authentic vintage lamp is making the pedal look very attractive.
The pedal has four control knobs: Intensity (Depth), Slope (Sine wave), Speed and Volume.
The Voodoo Lab Tremolo is very a straight-forward and easy to operate.
The circuitry is built with the same photocell and lamp assemblage many vintage guitar amps were built with, which gives the pedal that warm, vintage sound.
This pedal is relatively affordable, and many users are satisfied both with the quality of the sound and the price too.
The company provides five-year guaranty… That says a lot!
Pros and Highlights
- Great sound – this pedal has that vintage sound just like the vintage amps – many of us are looking for
- Affordable – the Voodoo Lab Tremolo is a lot cheaper in comparison with the other pedals of this quality
- Versatile, yet simple – The box is allowing the player to have a lot of control over his tremolo sound. From vintage warm tremolo sound to modern choppy trem, this pedal will do it all with the least amount of tweaking knobs
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Loud pops when engaged, Volume dropping, noisy – Some players reported having hard times playing live with this pedal
Bottom Line
Overall, this is a nice sounding and good-looking affordable pedal with simple and easy to use controls, built in a very stiff case. The company provides five-year guaranty which is good because some players reported having issues with the pedal.
Other players are completely satisfied with guaranty, which the pedal considering the price. You should definitely try it for yourself at your local guitar store. You might be interested in having one.
What We Recommend and Why
We strongly recommend that you should try all these pedals and choose one for yourself at your local guitar store. If you are new to tremolo pedals and don’t plan to use it a lot, you should probably go for something cheaper like the Boss Tr2.
However, if you want the best quality tremolo pedal you should definitely go for the Red Witch Pentavocal Tremolo pedal.
Why?
Because it’s versatile and top-notch sounding, very stiff built guitar effect pedal. Also, it has the best features for playing live. Easy to use and easy to fall in love with. The price may not be the lowest, but the quality you will get is priceless.
