Diaz Texas Tremodillo

One depth knob and one rate knob (chickenheads), one bypass footswitch, and one footswitch that either halves or doubles the rate. The rate and depth knobs are very sensitive, so you have to adjust them carefully.

My clean channel's setup is fender custom shop strat > MXR dynacomp > Boss CE-5 > Diaz Trem > Boss RV-3 > Boss DC-2 > TC SCF+ > Maxon AD-80. Diaz tremodillo is best tremolo pedal with Fulltone supratrem.
I have Boss tremolo TR-2 also, I want to give rating 8.8/10. I want to give Diaz trem rating 11/10.

It's size is similar to MXR box. And very hard. I never care.

I don't know. I bought a used box...

I play brit pop and folk and old pop. Pink floyd, radiohead, led zeppelin and so on...
This pedal is real analog, mellow, sweet tremolo sound.
I never sell this pedal until I stop playing guitar.
It's difficult to buy Diaz stomp box.

Two knobs, one for rate the other for dwell (depth). Two foot-switches that control rate scope (full time 1/2 time). The dwell control is very sensitive and very easily moved, so marking settings is an absolute must. The full and half-time switches are not linear. Stomp switches are too close together. Mine is an old (blue and gold) model, so some of this may have changed.

When I use this, I use it last in a modest chain of effects: 59 Strart or 66 Tele into (1) fulldrive 2 (2) TS-808 (3) Klon (4) tremelo. When not bypassed this has the character of a tremelo in a brown deluxe, i.e. very rich, wavering and deep. It is not a blackface trem sound at all, which is more unilinear and even. All this is to the credit of the pedal. What is not to its credit is that it does not have true bybass and I hear a pronounced ticking through my amps when the unit is bypassed. Maybe it is not possible to get the brown sound out of the box with true bypass, but I doubt that. So, I use a demeter (also a fine unit) instead. The Demeter is a blackface sound which, while very nice, is not as lush and pschedelic as the Diaz. But it is true bypass. Too bad, I'd like to gig with the Diaz, but until the ticking problem is eliminable, I just can't do it. So, I give it a 8 (10 for non-bypass sound).

No problem for 4 years.

N7A

Again an 8. There really is no excuse that I know of (but I'm very definitly not a tech) for not putting true bypass in a pedal. I would be interested to know Diaz's reasons for not doing so. Maybe there's another way to eliminate the annoying click, but then you're still left with a device that is loading down your signal when bybassed.

There are only two knobs, just like the classic Fender tremelos. Rate controls speed of tremelo, while Dwell controls the depth. But the Tremodillo also has a Speed stomp switch which doubles or halfs the tremolo rate, an On/Off switch, a Boss style power jack and an Indicator light which flashes in sync with the tremolo pulse!

It is impossible to get a bad sound out of this thing.

This effect is one of the best tremelo pedals out there, hands down. From slow to seizure speed, it sounds great.

It used to "beat" if it was in slow speed and was in the "off" position. But I haven't had any problems with it since I sent it back to Cesar.

Cesar is great! He fixed my Tremodillo and even added a Boss style power jack which my Tremodillo didn't initially come with (at no charge!). He even threw in a couple of Bob Dylan stories when I talked to him. A true professional.

I would recommend this pedal to anyone looking for that classic Fender amp tremelo sound. This is it in a little box. From surf guitar to rock, it can do it all. I would definitely buy the Tremodillo again, especially knowing that Cesar stands by his products. A 10!!

I used this pedal for about 50 cumulative hours before it died beyond repair on me.
Sound was great, a little touchy on the rate knob, however.

Nothing complicated here. The most time is spent in picking the repeat rate to match the beats per minute of the song.

The first tremodillo I bought (used) had a bad click when the pedals were depressed accomapanied by a time lag. After I sent it in and got a new one, there were no problems.
The Guitar Player review for this product is accurate. It's lush and hypnotic. I thought the lack of a true-bypass would bother me, but in practical terms for me, it doesn't matter.
I run a custom tele through a Marshall, and tend to use it only on the clean channel for chordal work, but I do need to noodle around to find other places it can be used (think SRV's "Couldn't Stand the Weather")

Solid box and switches, and a great smaller size for a crowded pedalboard. I power it with a Voodoo pedal power, and it works fine.

I've got to say, this is where I'm so completely satisfied. After I bought this unit used on Ebay, I emailed Cesar about the clicking problems and the true-bypass question, and he was always very prompt in answer my emails. In response to the clicking and the audio lag, he told me I had a sick unit and to send it in with $25 for repairs. 2 weeks later, I got a *new* unit from him! What a great guy! I simply couldn't be more pleased. By contrast, DOD never answer me about a Q on their tuners.

I'm very happy with the unit. I was lucky to find one of these used at this price, and I know it. I would buy another new, though, if I needed too.
I do gotta say, that funky color and armadillo look cool on my pedalboard!

It's only two knobs (rate and dwell [depth]) and two switches (speed [doubler] and on/off) but if you're picky about your tremolo sound this unit takes some adjustment. The dwell and rate settings are VERY sensitive--1/16 of an inch makes a real difference in how the unit sounds.

I use it on a homemade pedalboard, power it with a Pedal Power, and run it into a variety of amps. I use it with a Suhr guitar that has humbucking pickups w/coil splitting options.

Since the unit is not true bypass, I run it through a hard-wired true bypass loop. The unit introduces a slight amount of signal gain, even when switched off (and in the signal path). I tested the hell out of this when I first noticed I had more gain through one leg of the path than the other, even when all the effects were "off"--and have confirmed that it is the Diaz Tremodillo at fault.

This is a little annoying. Unity gain when bypassed (or an internal switch option that provides it) is a must! True bypass is a must, anymore, in my opinion.

That said, I really like the control that the dwell setting provides. My previous tremolo was a Fulltone SupaTrem, and while that unit has a fabulous "Soft" sound I didn't find its "Hard" setting very useful; it was too extreme. The Diaz unit gives you an adjustable scale. On the down side, the knob moves VERY easily--you'll need to get out your Sharpie pen to mark the spots you like, because the knob WILL move when you pack the pedal up.

When you find a dwell setting you like, the Diaz is comparible to any tremolo unit. Just wish that it was true bypass, and didn't have that gain boost problem.

I don't personally get much use out of the "doubler" switch, but that's my fault. I just don't like super-fast tremolo very much.

I trust the unit completely. Haven't gigged it yet, though, so my trust isn't formed from long experience with the unit.

I understand that Mr. Diaz is a gem to work with, now that he's back in the saddle (lost some time due to an extended illness, which by all reports he is successfully past). I suppose I could get the box done up for true bypass if I wanted, but geez what a hassle.

Never dealt with Customer Support, though: No Opinion

I'll keep it. It's small, well-made, and it sounds great. There are a few things I'd like done differently--I hate having to set up true bypass switching loops for current production effects, and the gain boost is a problem since there are multiple signal paths through the pedalboard. My favorite features are the size of the unit (for a pedalboard, real estate is a sensitive issue) and the control the dwell setting gives you. You can dial in just exactly the tremolo setting you want.

Its only competition in stompbox tremolos, in my opinion, is the Fulltone SupaTrem--which frankly, if it was smaller, would probably still be on my board since I bought it first. I was happy enough with the SupaTrem except for its size.

I like to use tremolo for some, I dunno, "surf-fusion" (I guess) pieces I've written, and it's very important for those particular songs. So, if this was stolen I'd probably replace it. More because of its size, which for my needs negates other slight problems with the unit.

Very easy to use. Its a pedal for Gods sake!

The sound quality by far beats any of the othe tremolo pedals on the market. Virtually quiet however does take a little power from your tone like most pedals do. The features are plain but who cares. If your plaing and the tremolo is really fast..you step on the button and it will cut the time in half resulting in a cool trasition,..and you can do it it from slow to fast. It has speed and depth knobs one on and off switch and the switch that doubles the speed or cuts it. Pretty simple yet the best sound!

Its built like a tank

I play all kinds od music from Charlie Christian to Radiohead. If this pedal was stolen I'd have kill someone. Its kills everything on the market. So buy it!

Very simple to operate. No manual but it is not needed as the only controls are Rate, Dwell, on/off, & speed. In addition, there is an LED rate indicator. The speed switch is great as you can have two preset rates at the touch of a button. The dwell control is especially sensitive and while all the sounds are great, spending some time with this knob will pay off and reward you with the best possible sound for your style of music.

This is a great sounding pedal. It sounds big and multi-dimensional and I notice no tonal degradation of my signal.

The pedal is quiet and displays none of the "ticking" or "sputtering" that some others have complained about. When used with my Digital Music GCX rack switcher, it did pop when switched into the signal path so I added a resistor to the patch cord and that took care of the problem. Usually it is mounted to a pedalboard and there is no pop when I plug directly into the pedal.

I use Music Man guitars (Luke, Albert Lee) and Rivera amps. As I said above, the sound is big and 3-D and adds a great vibe to many songs. It is addictive and I have had a tendency to over use the effect because it is so much fun.

It has been very reliable in the three years I have had it (only one battery change). I do not use a backup as tremolo is not a requirement for getting through a gig.

Cesar Diaz was great to deal with. He has been around and knows his stuff. His credentials attest to that. When I ordered my pedal he told me some wonderful stories about working with the Stones. Nice guy! I had to wait a little longer than I expected for the pedal but what I got in return was a unique product handmade by the designer!

Cesar has received some bad press on this site for customer service.
While it is frustrating to have a product that doesn't work, Cesar was going through a life-threatening situation at the time. I think that if I was that sick then I too would be more concerned with staying alive than worrying about my customers. If you die your customers are really stuck aren't they?

The company is Cesar himself and if he is ill, there is no repair or customer service department to continue on in his absence. The fact that he has posted a commitment to rectify any problems clearly demonstrates his professionalism.

I play a wide range of styles and it works for country, rockabilly, oldies, etc. It is lots of fun and adds a great vibe to a song.

When I heard this pedal I had just purchased a Voodoo Lab tremolo.
While I still own and like Voodoo Lab pedals, the Diaz was so amazing that I had to have it.

I would most certainly buy this pedal again and may buy a Texas Square Face fuzz in the future. I would like to audition a Diaz amp too - if someone can make such a difference in a tremolo pedal then I would love to hear what they can do with an amp!

By the way, Cesar has produced a great video, "The Ultimate Amp Tech". I think that is the exact title. It is interesting and informative for anyone wanting to learn about guitar and amp maintenance.

This unit is so easy and basically expains its self.

The tone that comes out of this small box is absolutely untouchable compared to everyone of the other tremelo units available on the market.

I personally have never had a problem with the consistant performance of the box. The only time that I have ever heard of it being unreliable was when the owner mistreated it or tried to modify the unit without consulting Cesar

When I called the number nobody picked up, but the message mentioned his email address, sure enough he responded within a few hours.

I usually don't pick up my guitars very often, but when I do, I love to use my glow in the dark tremodillo.

Two knobs, two switches. As in every Cesar pedal I have tried, the controls are simple and the circuitry doesn't get in the way of the tone. The speed doubler switch is a way cool function that I've never seen before. The intensity knob has such a wide range that you have to be careful when you set it. I might prefer a little less range to make it a little easier to dial in the exact ammount of effect. Once it's tweaked you will be rewarded with the best sounding trem I have heard. This is not a big hassle or anything, just an observation.

This is the best. I tried several tremelo pedals and could never find one that really sounded right. I used to use a Black face Twin for my clean sound. I mostly use a Bogner now which I love of course, but for certain gigs I really missed the trem from my twin. This pedal sounds better than the twin did. I loved the other night when I kicked the tremodillo on at a gig. The steel player turned to look at me and I swear he looked misty eyed. It's an ear catching pedal. I did notice a "ticking" sound when I first plugged the pedal in in front of my pedal board. The noise was slightly noticeable when the pedal was off. When I first got it I didn't take time to mount it on the board and I just put it in front of everything else. MY MISTAKE! The sound was actually very similar to the sound of some Fender amps when the trem is turned off. When I moved the pedal to it's proper place later on the board and after the compressor, the sound went away. Now if I turn the Bogner up to 7 and listen carefully I can just barely hear it. By the way a Bogner on 7 is considered a lethal weapon in some states. I am tonally anal retentive and can't hear it unless I'm in a quiet room with the amp up LOUD! Just remember to mount the pedal later in your board and you will feel warm fuzzys everytime you turn it on. Also, please read my later comment on my experiences with Cesar concerning the noise, and his excellent customer service.

Heavy Duty MXR style case. Solid switches. (Carling I believe) Feels really solid. I haven't dropped this pedal, but after I got it I liked it so much that I bought some of Cesar's other pedals. I dropped my Texas ranger 3 or four times before I could get it mounted on my board. (I had a lot of gigs that week and I was in a hurry) The only ill effects were that I felt sick to my stomach every time it fell but the pedal showed no evidence of my stupidity.

I wrote this review because of an earlier reveiw from somebody who apparently had trouble. Cesar has been the greatest guy I have ever dealt with in the 29 years I have been playing .....period. When I first set up my pedal in the wrong place and my compressor was amplifying the tiny noise it made, I sent an e-mail to Cesar. He replied within hours and was prepared to send me a new pedal the next day. When I replied to that email explaining what I had done to fix the problem he replied again to explain what was going on. He has asked for my opinion on several pedals and has been kind enough to send me emails containing web site addresses for things he thinks I might find interesting. I'm sure he has a forwarding list and when he gets an interesting email leading him to someplace cool he forwards it out. I think it's a great touch and I can't say enough good things about this guy. Remember, this guy was Stevie's amp tech and has played with Dylan and all kinds of stuff. I was really impressed that he would take the time to work with a tonally obsessed nobody like myself as much as he has. I have also had a phone conversation with the guy and he was way cool. I feel sorry for the other guy if he really did have trouble with the company. I can't imagine what happened unless his deal happened in the middle of Cesar's battle with cancer.

I play a wide variety of music here in Texas. I tend to use this pedal when I'm playing various forms of country because tremelo is part of that sound. I am experimenting with using it in other forms I play also because the pedal is so musical sounding. I have been playing 29 years and own more gear than I have any right to. I have been searching for the perfect set up of effects so I can hopefully stop my gear aquisition syndrome thing and get on with my life. Now at least I'm done searching for the perfect tremelo. If I were going over the top here, I would ask for true bypass which would require one of those insanely expensive triple pole switches. I don't know if one could fit in this box. Also for all I know, Cesar may have true bypass and an LED. I've read that there is a way to do that. Bottom line, if you are looking for a tremelo, you need to try this. I can't remember what I payed for it but it wasn't cheap, unless you factor in the hundreds of dollars I invested in inferior pedals that I didn't like.