Electro-Harmonix Pulsar Reissue

Easy to get a good sound, lots of different types of tremolo available.
Takes awhile to understand the different wave forms, but easy once you work them out.
The manual, however, is crap. Just a loose piece of paper and with minimal instructions!
I give it an 6 for ease of use because it has more features than most tremolo's (not a bad thing!) which complicates matters. Also, to get a really slow, throb, you have to take the rate up, and then bring it down, which is counter intuitive. I haven't taken any point of for the crap manual because it has no effect on the unit itself.

Sounds really good, very crisp and clear, doesn't colour the tone when turned off. I do wonder if it drops the volume just a little bit, but Im not sure.

I havent had it long so I dunno, but it comes in a great big metal case, with sturdy input jacks, so I reckon its pretty good.

Like I said, the manual is crap, doesn't even tell you whether the AC is pin negative or positive! Haven't contacted the company though.

I play bluesy, jazzy rock. This pedal is great for it. I play it though a CORT Source (like an es-345) - hotcake- big muff - Pular - Tube AMP.
If it were stolen I would try the wiggler, simply because it have the vibrato option, but if I was in a hurry or whatever, I wouldn't hesistate to get another one.
The one thing that would be great in a trem wouyld be a tap-tempo/rate. That would be REALLY something.

Very easy to use. Three knobs and a toggle between triangle and square waves. "Manual" is a half-sheet 2-sided photocopy, but you won't need it if you let your ears do their job.

OK, so I bought this on-line. Caveat emptor.

Everything mentioned below is accurate. It's amazing how this raises the expectaion level for what you want from a trem pedal. What's left out of the comments below is when the unit is disengaged. No tone sucking, so that's a plus, right?

BUT: Let's say you have a set of Kinman hum-cancelling pickups going into an awsome hi-fi Class A Top Hat Club Royale. You have delicacy and nuance of tone at your fingertips, and the amp has a reputation for being pedal friendly. So you get done tweaking some quick, truly happenin' sounds from your new E-H Pulsar (which hasn't been out of its wooden box more than a minute) and you press the button to disengage the unit 'coz you gotta know what this thing does when it's off.

No tone sucking (cool) ... but wait: what's that? RF? nope.

The ghosts of the knobs' settings come crackling through like the static caused by distant lightning strikes heard on an AM radio. Or like "Switched on Bach" plays in "the space between the notes" of your guitar. You can actually hear some Moog-esque/R2D2 sounds come through your amp when you twist the knobs: dooooweeEEEEEEEEoooo brpchrp clkclkclkclkclkclkclkclkclk rrrrrrrEEEEeeeeeeewww. But, that's not what the pedal was made for. No, your guitar tone is not altered, but that crackling's gotta go!

(Didn't bother with dirty amp settings: if you know it's there, it's gonna bug ya.)

What cheeses me at myself is that I bought it based on VG's June04 glowing review (of a major advertiser's product >>doh!<<) : "Hey, I'm in the market for a trem pedal, so why not?" TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!

I couldn't put it back into its box and ship it "home" soon enough. I won't know. Seems heftier than the E-H pedals of yore

I couldn't put it back into its box and ship it "home" soon enough. I won't know.

Back in the day, I had the Small Clone, Small Stone, Switch Blade, Memory Man, Electric Mistress, Big Muff Pi, the fuzz that plugged straight into the guitar, the "synth": I know E-H. While the Pulsar is an excellent idea, it would be worth the extra money to add the filtering required to prevent the unit's signal bleed WITHOUT sacrificing the guitar tone.

The pulsar is very easy to use, the knob/switch is marked with graphics of the wave shape. The rate control and the depth control are very simple too. I love that the LED pulses to the rhythm of the tremolo, very handy in live situations. The Pulsar gets a 9 for ease of use simply because it's so freaking big. EH has got ego issues I think, because the pedal case is mostly hollow. Oh well.

The sound quality in my opinion is great. The tremolo doesn't alter my tone at all, it is virtually noiseless, and all the variations of wave shape and intensity are usable. In fact, as another reviewer mentioned, you can get tones that border on ring modulator. I love the stuttery sounds that the extremes of the wave shape knob make. Very rhythmic. All and all, the best tremolo I've ever played.

Seems strong and reliable to me. I don't a backup, so I don't have a choice.

Don't know.

I do everything from Vintage Rock to Modern shimmery spacey music and this trem pulls off all of it. Very usable. I've been playing for about 5 years, and this trem is the most bang for the buck I've found.

Fairly easy to use (duh - it's a trem!), but not quite as straight forward as most tremolo pedals. But then again, it is more versatile. It has the usual speed and depth pots, but has a switch to change between triangle and square (chop) wave, with a third pot to adjust the wave shape further. This is great because it can do all the usual tremolo effects plus some extreme settings that can't be done on other trems. I have to knock some points off for a major frustration though that probably applies to all the new EH pedals -the 'manual' is a tiny piece of paper. There's little information generally and no info on what power supply to use. It uses a non-standard power connector (1/8" jack socket), but there's no info on whether this should be tip-positive or tip-negative. This is not good enough EH. This caused me to damage one by using the wrong polarity power, but the shop replaced it because they had told me the wrong info about power - so even the dealer didn't know! There is no protection circuit either. This pedal actually requires a positive-tip, negative shield jack power supply - you don't need to buy the EH one - that's a myth. As long as it is 9V and can supply more than 100mA, it will be fine. No information about how the pedal uses power either - does it drain the battery with a jack connected to the IN jack? Does inserting a power jack disconnect the battery? Does the on/off switch double as a power switch? Who knows - EH didn't bother to tell us.

This pedal sounds great with guitar but I actually bought it for use with a Fender Rhodes piano - sounds great. (Fender Rhodes 73 Stage Mark 1 > Morley wah > Fender Deluxe 90 amp). It has a true bypass stomp switch, so no tone sucking when off. There is virtually no difference in basic instrument tone (or, crucially, volume) between on and off - which beats pretty much every other trem I've used hands down. Most other trems boost or cut the signal when switched on, which is a pain you can do without. Not on this puppy. There is virtually no noise either, although a little bit of pulsating swoosh is expected with any trem, but this is only barely noticable and only when not playing, so it makes no odds. Another plus is the fact that stomping on and off causes no amp click whatsoever (in my setup anyway). The range (and I'm not just talking speed) of trem sounds this thing can knock out is great, turning what is essentially a very simple amplitude modulation effect into a much more creative tool. Everything from smooth and subtle amp-style trems to pulsating chops at brain haemorrhage speed. The speed range is so broad that the highest setting actually causes the sound to double in a kind of ring-modulator type way. EH really have done a great job with this pedal.

As long as you don't get caught out with the power supply problem, this thing should last forever - it's built like a tank. All the controls feel nice and sturdy too. I've only had it a few days so time will tell. I'd happily use it without a backup.

Never dealt with customer support at EH, but when it came to advising me on the right power jack to use, the dealer didn't know...er...jack! EH support lines are probably tied up with people trying to find out power supply details or people that have royally shanked the pedal by connecting the wrong type. For Pete's sake, include a proper manual EH! It wouldn't take much effort to make one and there's plenty of room for it in the huge, pointless wooden bird box the pedal comes in!

Overall, this is the best and most versatile tremolo I've ever used, and I've tested many. If it were lost, I'd definitely get another one. If it were stolen I'd make it my mission to find the git that stole it and beat him on the head with it until either the pedal or his head caved in - I'm pretty sure which would give first - the pedal is built like a brick sh*t house. It's so versatile (for a trem) and it didn't break the bank either. I wish it had a diagram/label next to the power socket (tip positive, sleeve negative), or just a standard centre-negative power connector like the majority of the pedal-making world! A minor issue is that this pedal is LARGE! This doesn't bother me much, but it might irritate those that have a crowded pedal board already. It would also benefit from a proper manual instead of the crappy flyer currently provided. Pedal worthy of an overall 10, but frustration caused by rubbish product information. If you need a good tremolo that gives you a highly adjustable effect without sacrificing your basic sound, this is it!

Very easey to use! In about 3 seconds you have a great sound!!!!!!!!!

I'm giving this a strait out 10 because mike and the boys have done homework here! E-H is back and with a vengence. Thery're making AFFORDABLE-GREAT SOUNDING_TRUE BYPASS PEDALS!! Ok fuzzy how about this one?? I bought this pedal just to try out and thinking it would end up on ebay--Boy was I wrong!!! This pedal has everythin I wanted in a trem and the main thing was an unusualy fast rate! As the man stated below he thinks it's a take off of the prescription thro! Wrong! I had the throb. It sucked! The trem is slow/ I had the tremulator and found it was fast and week! Volume drop. I'v had the colorsound trem- too slow- I had the vooddoo lab 4 knob good but not as near as good as the pulsar!!!!!!!! this pedal has no drop in volume and goes from very buttery to very chopey! This pedal goes form slow to wobulator fast (I also have the lovetone wobulator which this pedal sounds like but is less expensive)!!!! This pedal will end up on radio heads pedal board. I just can't beleive how great this trem is for $89! I has a 3 dpt switch for real true bypass with led!!!!!!!!! I like this version better than my original pulsar! I love this pedal! The only gripe I have is that I wish it was the size of a small stone for more pedal board realestate! Buy this pedal you won't be sorry!!!!!!

I own over 200 E-H pedals! They are easey to fix and the new ones E-H will look out for ya. I Can't beleive how they still treat customers 1 on 1 and very polite!!!!!! E-H is coming up with new pedals that have $$$ boutiqe pedal makers sh-tting in their pants!

Every time I call they seem to go out of the way to help ma and I remember and appreciate that!!!!!!!!I have so many damn E-H pedal they should name one after me! The fuzzycarter!!!!!!!

The pedal is super easy to operate...three knobs and a switch...

'62 Reissue strat PE Dual Tone > Pulsar > '68 Fender Twin Reverb. It's really smooth. No real volume drop...it does roll off the highs just a bit. You can achieve very realistic sounding amp style trem, but is noticeable different in character. The vibe on my Twin had a little more oomph to it, especially with the Dual Tone engaged. The Pulsar is rumored to be designed with the wants and needs of forum members from Harmony Central. The shape knob is extremely useful...you can dial in the attack and decay really well. The switch allow you to experiment with both the standard sawtooth trem and the square wave or chop trem. Speed and Intensity are pretty self explanatory. You can achieve ring mod and doubling effects with different combinations of maxed out controls. The best thing about it is how smooth it sounds. It is nice and clear, that is probably why it plays well with overdrive. It's also true bypass, so no tone sucking when disengaged. One of my favorite features is the pulsating LED.

EH has a great warranty program on top of very well built equipment.

They answer emails within 24 hours...usually less.

Great trem it, not quite amp sounding, but super smooth and versitile.

wow.
i guess i'll be the first to let everyone in on this pedal. it's only been out a couple o' weeks; it's so new that there's no info on the web--not even on the electro-harmonix page. i'd never heard of it or its 70s pre-incarnation. in any case, as far as ease of use, it must be said that this is not a o.d. unit where everything is cut and dry. it's not hard to figure out the pedal but if you find the perfect setting and you want to get that EXACT sound again then you will need to twiddle a bit. all of this is not a criticism--it's just the nature of a versatile pedal. there is a manual with general info but i think getting used to it is the best way to get the sound you want. one switch, 3 knobs give you plenty of room to find the effect you want to apply.

wow. it slices, it dices, it does the watoosi.

wow.
as far as i'm concerned a trem shouldn't have a sound. it's a volume swell/chop unit. the problem with many units is a boost--often in the treble, sometimes the mids. no boost here. i tried the e-h worm and the treble boost was just appauling. (the e-h wiggler tremolo, by the way works/sounds great only for some reason has no depth knob, making it too limited to bother with. and anyhow the whole tube-powered pedal phenomenon is sorta silly anyway.)
the effect possiblities are impressive on this--without ever venturing out of the trem genre. one flick of the switch puts you in triangle- or square-wave territory. in addition there is a shape knob which alters the nature of the trem (descending/ascending). the re-issue is not actually a straight-up re-ish as it offers not only a triangle/square switch but also the shape knob which puts it a step ahead its older brother and most pedals out there. i didn't try out any boutique trems in my search, but i have a feeling this is based on the throb from prescription electronics, which in turn is based on the 70s pulsar.
this pedal is full of possiblities. you can find some whacked-out sounds, which is basically why i chose this pedal over all other trem pedals. the rate goes from inaudibly fast to slower than a whole chord progression. (literally!)
if put at 12 o'clock there is a doubling effect that can be heard about 2:30 into "one of these days" on pink floyd's MEDDLE. in this position you can hold a distorted chord and the pedal plays a rhytmic pattern for you.
you can get helicopter noises, crcket chirps, even detuning at extreme rate settings--and combiningg effects makes it even more versatile.
and if you're looking for a standard fender amp/60s surf-style trem pedal, don't let my talk of weird sounds put you off. there are lush or subtle "normal" trem sounds by the barrel in this pedal. a few that i played did this really well, but i also like noisy or spacey sounds so the fact that this offers both was the clencher for me.
the only sound issue is the throb you get if you aren't playing while it's on. however, this is true for any trem, i believe. and anyhow, why would you leave it on and not play and, well, the throb's just one more sound possiblility, as far as i'm concerened.

i just got it so i can't say too much--not even how long it lasts on a battery. good news: power is 9v, 100ma. bad news: 1/8" male power supply required.
e-h pedals are big (some would say TOO big, including me) chrome badboys that hold up for decades.
my backup for all fx is a zoom 2100 multi-fx unit, which i also use for samples/loops.

1 year warranty for free repairs.
otherwise i don't know as this is my first e-h purchase.

wow.
lemme just say that i was in the market for a tremolo pedal and so was looking around in local shops. my plan was to get a nice used one for around 40 u.s. bucks. i tried out the boss, the marshall vibratrem, the danelectro, the dunlop, the dod vibro-thang, etc. when i played the dunlop i was impressed but didn't wanna spend that much. when i went into a shop asking for trem pedals and was handed the pulsar i totally tossed caution to the wind and splurged on this beauty of a pedal. i had to. it's the cadillac of trems--and for less than the boss tr-2! nice.
i play some kinda spacey/psych/noise/post-rock/kraut-rock sorta thing and this is perfect for it, as sometimes i play clean as a whistle bust want a bit of pulse to the sound and sometimes i play very fx-heavy, so this this is a perfect addition to my chain.
setup: electra outlaw (70s dc with humbuckers)/yamaha sgv (re-ish of 60s "surf" model)>>70s morley wah/volume>>boss ph-3>>boss ds-1>>dod 250 o.d.>>ibanez fll flanger>>dod chorus>>peavey srp-16 digital reverb>>zoom 2100>>acoustic amp (which is a mesa boogie lawsuit amp from 1981).
i haven't yet fiddled around to find the best spot for the pulsar in that long chain of effects. i think it's supposed to go first but on a fender amp the trem is apparently even after the reverb. i'll just play around and find the spot i like best.
the only drawback i can think of is the size. it has that boutique/oversized-vintage vibe which does make it look cool but it takes up a lot of room in my crowded pedal chain.
the nice thing is that it offers so many nuances that one setting makes me want to write a song around it, which in my experience is the best kinda pedal in the world.
go ahead and try out the boss and whatever else is out there and then play this and have yr credit card ready. i like finding pedals that not only o what they are supposed to but also offer unique sounds--like the 80s ibanez flanger i have. this is also one of those.
by the way, i'm interested to see what the regular asking price will be. i got it for $69 but at the 2 on-line shops that list it (as an item on order) it's listd for $90-100. anyhow, for the price of a boss tr-2 (which is ok, don't get me wrong, you can ge this extraordinary pedal--one which i'm sure a lot of people will be taliking about and playing.