Primakurtz
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Earthquaker Devices makes 2 of them. I use & love the Hummingbird.
Surprised no one has mentioned the Catalinbread Valcoder:
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First let me say I love the Semaphore. I have the latest version I think, and job well done! I really am happy with it.Just curious... When you use a tube amp at a reasonable level how can you hear the difference between a sinewave or a triangle wave modulating amplitude? What is the benchmark for the so called "sinewave" tremolo sound? Fender amp?
PS I appreciate all the Semaphore love. I am really proud of how the remodel turned out. I knew I was taking a big risk changing one of our leading products... But nowadays I am happy about it because I am even more confident it is the best out there.
Just curious... When you use a tube amp at a reasonable level how can you hear the difference between a sinewave or a triangle wave modulating amplitude? What is the benchmark for the so called "sinewave" tremolo sound? Fender amp?
PS I appreciate all the Semaphore love. I am really proud of how the remodel turned out. I knew I was taking a big risk changing one of our leading products... But nowadays I am happy about it because I am even more confident it is the best out there.
I have the Blue Bird. As far as I can tell it doesn't cut completely on and off, it's more like bias-vary trem.For the guys with the GGG, how does it sound? I wasn't too impressed with the couple of clips I heard on youtube. Also, does anyone have the Bluebird? They say because of their unique circuitry the sound doesn't cut off and on in any setting. I would like the option for it to do that so I can get that "how soon is now" by the smiths or "money" by pink floyd type tone in addition to a more traditional rockabilly/country thing. I've read a lot of bad things about the Voodoo Labs, so that one's out. The dano has no volume control, so that's out. I think I'm looking between the tremalicious and the GGG...
I agree completely. I do NOT confuse tremodillo/kay/schaller/swamp thang circuits (and whom ever else has borrowed this circuit) with the old brown fender amp trems (any version). I am only comparing the effect, as I hear it, as it comes from the tremodillo/Swamp thang, and say your Semaphore. The difference is subtle, but I hear it. It makes me want to do different things with each pedal. And I remember your example post from several years ago! I tried and couldn't consistently tell a difference in that example. I don't claim to know what I am hearing. Just that I hear a difference, how ever hair splitting.From my perspective albeit a limited view... It seems most folks confuse Fender style bias trem as "sinewave". Of course that sound is interesting to listen to because it is changing more than amplitude against the LFO. Maybe a bit of phase certainly a perceived tonal shift against the amplitude. Your mind has something other than volume going up and down to triangulate to thus it's interesting. From my understanding Fender's LFO isn't really very close to a sinewaveshape anyway... So if thats the benchmark, I think a lot of variables are being mixed up and a bit too much focus is given on the specific LFO waveshape.
There is a part on Wendy Carlos's Secrets of Synthesis (if my memory serves me) that illustrates in terms of amplitude modulation one would be hard pressed to hear a difference between triangle and sinewave LFO waveshapes. I posted clips of this phenomena using a software synth a number of years ago. You can hear a harder turn at the peak of a triangle if you listen very closely. But when you plug into a guitar tube amp the differences become less apparent as the amp compresses at the peak amplitude...
My point? I think beyond the waveshape triangle vs sine LFO, the circuit that is ACTUALLY being modulated is deserving of more focus. If it is a sterile laboratory clean amplitude without other characteristics (a touch of phase, maybe clipping, tonal shift). It are these characteristics that gives your mind something to get lost in; that sounds more interesting than say riding a mixer's fader up and down.
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I think waveshape has made up a very small part of this conversation. I think most people are focusing on the pedals they like (for whatever reason). As you noted, the Semaphore is faring very well in this thread, irrespective of what we're perceiving the waveform(s) to be.a bit too much focus is given on the specific LFO waveshape.
...erm....good?For the guys with the GGG, how does it sound?
Dr. Scientist Tremolessence! Top jacks... small size... true bypass... and of course, amazing sound quality. Warm and clear. Vol. pot is internal... set it and forget it!
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-Ben
Look in there again. I just verified with the Site That Shall Not Be Named that there is a trim pot in there. Also, one guy came up with a mod to make it external.There is a slight volume drop with the Cool Cat Trem, but my understanding is that that's kind of the nature of the Trem beast.
To the poster above: are you sure about the internal volume pot? I've opened my cool cat up looking for one, and I didn't see anything that looked adjustable.
This is what I use and it's very flexible and sound great.
this ended my trem g.a.s.
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I run it off the 18 volt jack of my dunlop DC brick and it sounds very deep, lush and hypnotic.
+1! most versatile trem ever. if you can't get 'traditional' trem sounds out of it, you're not spending enough time with it.This is what I use and it's very flexible and sound great.