Guyatone VT-X Tremolo

It's easy to use. Just play around with it and get used to it.

I had the misfortune of having my boss tremolo stolen by some scumbag at a club here in NYC. I bought a voodoo labs tremolo and was gigging with that for a while. I used someones flip vtx tremolo because my voodoo labs battery died (the flip plugs right into any power supply and does not need batteries). I LOVED it!!! I contemplated stealing it, but decided instead to just buy my own. I ordered it online and can't wait to get it. This is the best sounding tremolo pedal I've ever used, no exaggeration. I've tried boss, voodoo labs, ehx pulsar(this one was good too), fultone... the ugly orange flip tremolo beat them all. It's very versatile, does everything from vintage to modern.

I'll let you know when I get it

Like I said, I've tried quite a few tremolo pedals and this one was the best in my opinion. I suggest running it through the efects loop. What else can I say? I'm a picky bastard and this pedal is my favorite, hands down.

Super easy to use. Speed, Intensity, and Tone,... Even a Polock could use it! LOL!!! JK you guys!

Gotta love that sweet tube tone. This pedal is actually modded by me. Since I am a tube tone freak, what I did is installed a small push on/off switch that when in the on position, runs the guitar signal through the tube AND effects. Now, when in the off position, I wired it so I can bypass the effect and keep my beloved tube tone... pretty cool hugh? The reason for me doing this little mod is because I play through a solid state church sound system. When I am able to keep the tube hot while having the rest of the effects on (Distortion & Chorus), it adds amazing warmth and tonal value. Any way, I did the mod cause I'm a geek and I CAN, other then that, I love the pedal.

No Probs! Althogh... I switched the original tube out and replaced it with a Vox 12ax7. I did so because, when in the "Normal" position, it will cut highs, and bring out mids and lows. But, when in "Emphasis" it emphasizes highs, kind of like a Vox amp, which are known for there Tremolo and Chime.

N/A

I play church music, jazz, blues, rock n' roll, and this fits them all. If it was stolen, I beat the living tar out of whoever took it. If anybody has questions on how I did the mod, or any other questions, feel free to contact me. My email is franksvillesix@aol.com.

Very easy to use. Standard dials. U can switch from traditional tremolo to more intense type tremolo with the flip of a switch. Pretty easy to use.

I played this through the effects loop of a marshall combo and it sounded GREAT!! This pedal is billed as "vintage tremolo" and that's what it sounded like. It also has the option of a more modern sound, by fliping a switch for a faster tremolo sound. It also has a tone control that is subtle at best, but still somewhat useful. I played several tremolo units in the store that day and this one was the one I liked best. It even has a tube in it, which gives it a natural warmth that the other pedals didn't have.

It seems pretty sturdy. It does have a 12ax7 tube in it, so I supposed it's more vulnerable than a pedal without a tube, but it's not something I would worry about.

n/a

I will give it a 10, because I can find no fault in it? I love the way it sounds, it has a wall plug, so no batteries to crap out on you, it goes from vintage to modern with the flip of a switch by turning up the tone control... what more can you ask for in a pedal?I'm sure some nitpicky player will find something to whine about, but the only fault I can really find in this pedal is the color. It's orange. I hate the color. At least it's not pink?

This pedal sounds great, right off the bat. It's pretty easy to use, standard dials with 2 switches(one for faster or slower speeds and one for normal and more empasized sound).

I used this to replace a voodoo lab tremolo. I did an a/b test to compare them both and it was pretty close. The flip has much more range and is more dynamic. It also doesn't color the original tone. The voodoo lab does this slightly, but I never minded it. They are almost equal, but the flip is more versatile and sounds a bit warmer. I think this pedal sounds great. I really love it.

I just got it, so far so good.

I would have to give it a perfect 10, seeing that I can't find fault with it? Tremolo is the major part of my sound, and I feel very comfortable with this being my main pedal. The voodoo lab is good too, but I feel this one is more versatile and sounds warmer.

This unit sounds very good right out of the box. Very warm and lush. The knobs are simple, Tone, Speed, Intensity....... and there's a few range adjust switches too. It's a nice classic effect, doesn't have the brash digital sound going for it. I particularly like the flexibility.... a very wide speed range, and a very wide intensity range.... from very subtle to choppy to a fault.

Sounds very good. I use mine in the effects loop of a combo amp, or stack... That way I get more input to the pedal, and less drain on the instrument. I find that it sounds great playing through it, and I don't find that it has a major effect on the guitar sound when in bypass... I may have a newer revision than a few other reviewers I use bypass loop boxes anyway for other FX like Echoplex, so I don't find the bypass a huge deal. When engaged, you can hear the volume sweeps on higher intensity levels...

I would depend on it, but Make sure you cut the power to it when you aren't using it. The Tube will stay warm, and the power supply heats up too. Guyatone stuff is notoriously well made, but don't take your chances... cut the juice when you aren't playing... and give it a few mins to warm before you start.

Godlyke has been good so far. I own some other products they distribute too.

I bought this to play some of the Vintage 50's songs that I like... It gets the job done for sure. Because of the range of it, and the warmth, I'd say it's a very good general purpose tremolo. It goes from subtle to chop, from gentle to pulse... and from throb to helecopter.... what more is there?

It's not a cheapie, but it's a good one.

I have two tremolo pedals: this one which was moded by JPL Audio and the Fulltone Supa-Trem. With that said, my review will be based upon my experience with both pedals against each other and my '66 Deluxe Reverbs tremolo circuit.

The pedal is very easy to use. The switches are useful; the do exactly what they are labeled to do. Definite differences between sounds and very versatile. Tone knob is subtle, but is still useful. I am a bit crazy about small differneces so I find the tone knob a nice additive to the mix of this pedal. The panning is nice however I dont personally use it much.

The sound is excellent. To be perfectly honest, I have tried the Diaz Trem, Demeter, the new Line6 Trem, Frantone trem, TRex trem, EH Pulsar, I own the Fulltone supa trem, and Ive tried numerous vintage and boutique amps.

I will not say its the end all, because everyones got their own opinions but its excellent for me. I found it does have the ever so slightest noise to the chain, but ALL PEDALS DO! It is not true bypass so I use a keely looper with it. I have found that it is the closest sounding tremolo pedal out that to the natural tremolo sound of an amp, probably because of the tube of course. To me, it really just sounds like adding a tremolo sound to my guitar signal with almost NO coloration or change in the sound you are putting in the pedal.

It is a VERY warm sounding trem on its own; very rich and lush pulses. When Guyatone called it the "Vintage Tremolo" they were correctly naming it. I actually prefer it to my Deluxe Reverbs amp tremolo sound. If you want the best lush, warm, versatile tremolo that is the closest sounding to an amps tremolo: THIS IS THE ONE.

When compared to the Fulltone Supa-Trem, its just different. The supatrem is a great sounding pedal but it does sound like a pedal. Has is own sound definately . The supatrem is really warm, full and lush but has a very noticable increase in volume and gain when engaged. That can be fixed with your guitars volume pot but, I dunno... I just dont like that about it.

Some of these reviews stated that this pedal gave an increase in volume but it cut the volume of my signal, so I had it modified to have added gain and then a Volume control by Jim at JPL Audio. This is the reason I gave it a 9 and not 10. It actually worked out great cause if i want an increase volume for a solo or part or whatever, its great. Otherwise it really is fantastic.

It works really well with MY setup. Find out for yourself... Warmoth Jazzmaster body/Strat modified with Lindy Fralin Vintage Hot strat pickups or Warmoth Telecaster... EB Vol.Pedal Jr.-> Fulltone Deja Vibe-> Fulltone OCD (which is FREAKIN' AWESOME!)-> Maxon AD999-> Boss DD5 w/ Anaolgman High Cut Mod-> Guyatone VT-X Tube Tremolo-> '66 Deluxe Reverb w/ Weber 12F150 speaker and JJ Tubes or Divided by 13 ERT33 w/ 212 Celestion Blues Cab. Works excellent with ALL my pedals, both amps and both guitars.

VERY

GOOD!

I play Pop/Rock and Blues. I thinks its great and would recommend it above any other and it is tied in my book with the Fulltone Supa-Trem. Its a great match for my gear and sound and it will be for a long time. Thanks for reading.

This is an easy to use tremelo pedal. A manual is not necessary for those who know what a tremelo pedal does, although one is provided. The only feature that might confuse someone is the emphasis switch, but you're ears will tell you what it does.

I would agree with Jeff Morris below. He seems to an most experienced reviewer. This thing has an amazing range. Slow motion to hummingbird fast. I can not find fault with this pedal. I would rather have a signal boost than a signal drop. Jeff has found a clever way of finding a unity setup. I use a Victoria Bandmaster 35310, and this is a more portable alternative to the Victoria unit. Echo and Tremelo are all you need when you have a floating baffle pine combo.

I have not had it long enough to comment on reliability. A grill is located above the tube, which should prevent it from overheating. I would probably bring along an extra tube.

No experience.

I have been playing since 1989. I play just about every style. This pedal was rated as one of the top 50 pedals of all time in Guitar Player magazine. I'm happy Guitar Player is reviewing more and more boutique pedals. The review sparked my interest, and I am convinced they are dead on. If you like tremelo, you can't go wrong with this pedal. This thing crushes the Boss unit in both versatility and tone. The only thing the Fulltone Supa Trem has on it, is the rate doubling switch. I would love to hear the new Victoria combos, but I still like the option of putting a tremelo before the preamp tubes. This alows you to have gain introduced at the top of the swell.

simple to use: just tweak the knobs to the way you like. if vintage tremelo is your thing, this pedal can do it and more.
one downside to this pedal is that it needs to be run off a 12v power adaptor, which i've found is a little cumbersome because i'm used to running all my pedals through a dc brick. although i suppose one more plug in isn't so bad. That's the one complaint i would offer for this pedal, although i'm over it, it sounds great especially in stereo.

Amps: 68 super reverb/ reissue ac-30
Guitar: thinline telecaster (wr-humbuckers)
pedal is NOT true bypass, although the signal degradation isn't so bad. you lose a bit of high end when pedal is pluged in whether on or off. now take it from me, i'm very fastideous when it comes to signal lose and i was reluctant to buy this pedal because it wasn't true bypass, however i'll attest that the it's not bad at all. i suppose if you're running a long chain of un bypassed pedals, it could really weaken the your sound but alone it's not bad.
When pedal is engaged there is a very very slight drop in volume, although i'm not convinced that it isn't just the effect-you know, a tremelo kindof has this in and out flow to it, so perhaps it's just the effect that makes it sound lower. it's okay. it sounds very warm. tone knob isn't really that effective. the other knobs and switces are great, you can achieve almost any level of tremelo. great.

very reliable, i teched for a guy for two years, and he had this pedal the whole time. and while almost all of his other pedals (mostly analog, boutique, vintage types) would crap out, this never once had a problem, and he would stomp the sh*t out of his pedals. we would always joke that the vt-x was the next to go, i mean it has a fu*king tube in it, right. but it never did, very reliable

First off - I posted a review before - a couple down - where I basically said, "This would be the perfect tremolo if only I could control the volume boost it provides when engaged." I tried different tubes which colored the sound some and were pretty easy to swap out, but no luck. Then - through the disucssion forums, I discovered Jim at http://www.jpl-audio.com and I had him do some custom work for me, so my unit now has a volume control! Wahoo!!

All it takes is a quick knob tweak of speed, intensity, tone, and now volume to get the sound I want. I'm usually using this as mono rather than panning, but if I want to pan? Easy - just add a second cable. Not finding the speed in the knob twists, or I want a sudden increase in speed? Easy, flip the speed switch. Not getting the intensity or enough of an 'on-off' sound I want in the knob twists, or I want a sudden increase in intensity? Easy, flip the emphasis switch.

Some of the botique boxes (Fulltone trem and Diaz I believe) offer a second stomp switch to increase/ double the speed. I find the emphasis switch does this. Perhaps not with the convience of a stomp, but still . . . real easy. I love it.

It can do stereo / pan outs, has the obvious speed and depth knobs, but also has a tone knob and two switches, one for emphasis (gets more the chopper sound than the throb) and one for speed (jumps to superfast). The only problem has been no matter what tube I tried, I got a significant volume boost. This was fine in the studio when I might use trem for a whole song, but live . . . not so much. I bought a Voodoo Lab Tremolo which worked just fine - really well actually - but it still didn't have that sonic mojo for me.

And then I learned about Jim - again at http://www.jpl-audio.com. And when I got the pedal back? Sonic nirvana.

With the dual speed and emphasis switches, I not only find the range greater than the Voodoo Lab trem, but the ease of adjustment and quickly dialing in the sound I want is much improved too. I think the Guyatone thickens the sound a bit, so those searching for a 100% transparent trem might not like it, but boy - I do. Noise wise, the VL might be a tiny bit quieter too, but I don't hear enough noise difference to care about. I'm just in love with this baby now that it's been hot rodded. And if I ever want to experiment again with different tubes - more options potentially await.

Bought the pedal used, and had it for 2 years prior to getting the mod done and never had a problem. I plan on using it a LOT more now, but imagine no issues. The original unit is well outside the warranty period and has been opened up enough and stomped on enought that I'm real confident about it. Then, Jim warranties the mod for awhile, so I know he's confident that his work won't screw anything up. I expect this to keep on tickin (throbbin) for years to come.

I e-mailed Kevin at Godlyke (Guyatone's US distributor) a few times about the volume boost, and always got prompt and pretty helpful answers. He offered to take the unit back to see if anything was wrong with it, but told me that a slight volume boost is part of the unit's design. So I declined sending it back to potentially be told it was working like it should. Still, I think if I had, I would have been well taken care of.

Jim at JPL meanwhile was AWESOME. He understood my desire for a volume knob added into the circuit to control the output. Took a look at some digital pictures of the pedals' innards to make sure he could do the work before I shipped it to him. Then he E-mailed me a few times to make sure I got exactly what I wanted, offering a few different options as well as what he saw as the pros and the cons. And then sent me a digital pic to show me what the mod looked like the day he shipped it back so I could see what was coming. And followed up to see how I liked it once I got it. Wow. I'm not going to list how much Jim charged, since this was his first job on this pedal and future work may be adjusted to reflect what he's learned, but it wasn't too much, and certainly in line with what any of the other pedal modders (Keely, fx doctor) are charging for work.

For my jangle-rock, this is a great toy. As said above, I've used the Voodoo Lab four knob tremolo. I've tried a Boss and Carl Martin trem. They didn't do it for me. I haven't tried the Fulltone, Diaz, or either of Electro Harmonix's trems (Pulsar and Wiggler) but I still see this as having more features, plus a smaller footprint than the EH stuff, so am not likely to run out and sample. The only way I'd ever consider replacing (or not replacing if lost) this pedal and it's mod would be if I changed to an amp with a tremolo circuit built in, and even then . . . I'm not sure I would. I own a lot of other stuff, some real high end (my amp, my EBS compressor pedal) some mid level (a line 6 Delay moddler, Boss chorus & eq, VL Sparkle Drive overdrive, Dunlop volume/wah) and I put this in the high end part. As a matter of fact, if I had to strip my pedal board down to just two pedals, it would be this and my Sparkle Drive. Just one? Well, probably my Sparkle Drive, but I'd have to think about it, as tremolo is my favorite effect, and this my favorite tremolo pedal.

Fairly straight forward operation. 3 knobs (speed, intensity, tone), 2 switches (1.slow-fast, 2. normal-emphasis); all do what they claim to do. However, there are 2 outputs and no indication which of the outputs is for mono use. The manual for this pedal is the same manuel for the whole series of pedals, and this is the only one with stereo outs. Bad idea! I assumed that output one was mono, but this seriously diminished my tone when the pedal was switched off. So, I tried output 2. Bingo, that's the mono. Other than that, I had dialed in a "Cold Shot" setting in a matter of seconds. Would give it a 10 if it weren't for the output issue.

In my main set up, I run a late 80's American Standard strat or a 2001 American Standard Tele > TS-9 > Crybaby (80's) > VT-X > EH Holy Grail > reissue Bassman. Depending on the gig, I may use other effects as well (chorus, heavier distortion, flanger, etc.) Tried the VT-X in various spots in the chain, and it seems to work best after everything but the reverb. Which, I figure is the way it would happen if the Vibrato were built into the amp too. No noise problems except that you can hear the pulsing when the pedal is engaged and you aren't playing. As I mentioned above, I had trouble with the output thing, but after that it was smooth sailing! This thing sounds fantastic! Does a very convincing SRV univibe sound, plus you can dial in "Rebel Rouser", "Crimson and Clover" and a whole host of weirdness that would make Metheny and Scofield drool! With the emphasis engaged and the speed cranked up to fast you can get some surreal sounds. Add a little dirt and you end up with some bizarre overtones. At the other end of the spectrum, just a little "vibe" and you get a chorus effect. In fact, at a gig last saturday a guy asked me what kind of chorus pedal I used. He couldn't believe that it was the VT-X?

This thing seems solid. All metal construction with plastic knobs and a silent switch. I've done a 5 gigs with it so far. My only concern is for the power supply. You cannot use a battery with this. I would definitely gig without a backup pedal, but I'm getting a backup wall wart soon.

Only had the pedal for a month, haven't had to deal with customer support yet.

Well, the VT-X was given to me as a bonus at work! (Yes it is cool to have a boss who understands your passion/compulsion). But, it was the pedal I was leaning toward after a ton of research. It's the tube warmth, man. I've been playing for 18 years and used to play through a vintage Music Man amp with onboard vibrato, and the VT-X is great! I perform with 2 different groups on a regular basis (blues, jazz, funk) and get calls to fill in or do all sorts of things from country to oldies to showtunes. I need versatility and authenticity in my set up, and I definitely found it here. I don't even bring my Boss CE-2 with me any longer. The VT-X gets a good enough chorus sound for me. definitely worth the $$ even if I was the one paying! Does it have an expression pedal like a uni-vibe or some boutique pedals, no. And that may be the one thing I wish they did add. But, I'm pretty much a set it and forget it player. It's no big deal to bend over before a tune and turn a knob or flip a switch. Again, it is virtually noise-less, simple to operate ( after the output thing) and very authentic to my ears.

Very easy. Speed, Intensity & Tone. There are also speed modes (fast and slow) and an Emphasis mode, which is cool for dialing in funkier, wetter sounds, or rolling it back to a more subtle shift.

Strat > Vox Wah > MXR 90 Phaser > VT-X Trem > T.C. Electronic Chorus/Flange > Boss Tuner > Marshall TSL 60 HEad w/ Silvertone Cab + Fender Vibrolux. Well, the stereo output is where it's at. If you're going to get this pedal, use two amps as the stereo pan fx are KILLER! If you dial in the right speed and finger pick something cool, it just swirls around you - AWESOME, like Radiohead's great "The Bends" period. Perhaps the Voo Doo Vibe is a bit warmer, but the Tone will dial in some botton nicely. The shifts are also quite subtle with the Emphasis taken off, but with it on can get real wet a la "Down by the Seaside" kind of thing. I picked up some radio frequencies with the itensity buried, but I think that's just the grounding of my amp (or lack thereof).

It's a bit early to tell, I've had it a week.

Never had to use it.

The only thing I could ask for is the presets or assigns of a digital unit, but those are the breaks. I'm the lead vocalist, so I hate bending down to change sounds, but that's life!

The manual does an OK job of explaining the controls and their functions, but it doesn't mention squat about the tube, tube change out or using different tubes. The effect itself can be easily set as desired.

I bought this pedal under the notion that it being tube driven it would have a great warm Fender-like tremolo sound, to which it does. However as soon as the guitar signal dies out it is immediatly replaced by a SH-SH-SH-SH-SH sound that varies with the speed setting. Now for a pedal that costs $179 new, it shouldn't make any noise such as that!

Now here we come to a most curios circumstance!
I put a noise gate on to which somewhat helped tame the excess noise problem I was having. Then came the day (about 4 days after I bought it) while in mid song the tremolo sound "died". Suspecting a power failure when I glanced over at it, I was surprised to see the idicator light on it still glowing red!!! I just kept playing and about 10 seconds later the effect came to life again!! The rest of the band looked at me with a what the hell look on their faces, to which I just shrugged my shoulders. However this was the straw that broke the camel's back because I mailed it back to Musician's Friend today for a refund! The noise problem was strike 1 and this problem was strike 2. There wont be a strike 3!

Never delt with them

This pedal is a complete ripoff! I dont mean to slam Guyatone because they make some very good effect pedals. This peice of junk shames their name!

Three knobs - Speed, Intensity, and Tone. Two switches, speed (Fast or Slow Setting) and Emphasis (Normal or Emphasis). The speed switch set to fast is like turning the speed knob to ten, and being able to adjust from there. The Emphasis switch on Emphasis is like turning intensity to ten and being able to adjust from there. Both these switches are really nice, fun and unique additions to a tremolo pedal. They also are small enough that I can manage to change them with my foot providing lots of options. The tone is cool too - cranking towards ten gives you more treble bite. Plus there?s the 12AX7 tube and the requisite 12 volt adaptor to power the effect. All are great features in a tremolo pedal. I can't remember if there was a manual with mine or not, but I found it pretty self-explanatory. There is only one thing missing. One big thing. Really, really missing. A volume knob. I?d give ANYTHING to have the sound this pedal provides coupled with a volume knob to control the boost it comes with. Aside from that ? it?s perfect, and I'd give it a ten. Happily. But without that volume knob . . .

It sounds great with any amp or guitar I've used it with - warm, lush, subtle or extreme - I feel like I can dial in just about anything I want. But that volume boost . . . sigh. It sounds so good though that I try to work around it. I have tried a host of different tubes in it, new tubes, old tubes, 12AX7's, 12AT7's, different brands, and found some work better than others. But no matter what, there's still a boost. And what other effects I'm using ahead of the tremolo in the chain affect how much boost the tremolo provides when engaged.

I do find a little bit of hiss when I engage the pedal. This isn't much of an issue live, but in the studio we've had to pay attention to the signal to noise ratio when using the pedal. The hiss varies depending on what other effects are being used. And again - it just sounds so good that it's worth it.

If I use the effect all the way through the song, it?s fine. If I play a little softer once I engage the effect, I can make it work. If I quickly turn down the volume either with the volume knob on the guitar or my volume pedal, I can make it work. But what I'd give to have a volume knob on the pedal!!!! Oh, would that be ideal!!!! I'd again happily rate this a 10 if it had the volume knob. But without the volume knob . . .

I've had this for well over a year and I bought it used. In that time, other than the volume boost, I've never had any problems with it, and I've never brought a backup to a rehearsal, recording session, or gig. The tube I?ve had in it for about half a year now also seems to be humming along quite happily, which is a good sign.

I did e-mail Guyatone and got very prompt replies. I was told that some volume boost was built into the circuit so the tremolo would cut through better (all well and good in my mind) but that some users didn't find this to taste. Kevin (I think his name was) did suggest some of the alternate tubes I tried and offered to have the unit sent back to take a look at it, but forewarned me that others had done so as well and that he usually found nothing wrong with them. So I'll keep a high grade here for honest, fast, and helpful responses (albeit, not the response I'd hoped to hear).

In summary - if this had an adjustable output, it would be the perfect tremolo pedal. I've also owned a Rocktron Surf tremolo and a Voodoo Lab tremolo and tried the Carl Martin Trem O Vibe. The Carl Martin didn?t sound very impressive. The Rocktron sounded fine, but the volume went down when I used that pedal - something I found even worse than the boost on the Guyatone. The Voodoo Lab also sounds nice (nicer than the Rocktron) but not as nice as the Guyatone. It doesn't have the warmth. Also - short of the flexibility of the volume knob, the Voodoo Lab doesn't have the versatility of settings ? I find I miss the emphasis and speed switches. I also find the Voodoo Lab?s knobs would change the sound too much over too short of a range, while it?s easier to dial in the sound I want on the Guyatone. So if Guyatone could either fix this up to have the volume knob I want, or someone else could retrofit one it (feel free to e-mail me if you have the answer to that one), it would be perfect. But until then, while I plan to keep right on using it, it?s only getting a 6 overall.

I rated this down a little for two reasons: (1) the rate/speed knob covers a lot of territory for a small knob and thus turning it just a little bit can result in a fairly drastic change; it takes a while to get a feel for the enhanced speed and intensity effect switches. The tone knob is subtle, which I happen to like.

Pristine? Well, I'm not sure that captures it, but ... with a good strong tube in it (I use a Tungsram 12AX7A) this thing covers all the sonic turf I need it to - from subtle swell/swoosh-like enhancements to incoming choppers. It nails the traditional tremelo sounds from the 50's and 60's, does a nice swampy tone (think SCOTS/Creedence), and plays real nice with distorted tones (think REM's "Monster" CD). I run the VT-X last in my FX loop chain (anywhere else just plain didn't work with my amp - see below), and its pretty quiet there - a tiny bit of swoosh when on with no signal, but it's hardly noticeable unless you're listening for it or you've got the intensity level cranked. I think the thing is true bypass - it has that type of three pole dual throw switch - and I don't detect any sonic difference until I switch it on. I'm not sure where that one previous reviewer was coming from --- perhaps he was writing about a VT-3, not the VT-X --- or maybe mine was modded by a previous owner.

I bought it used about a year ago, I play weekly, but out of 4 sets worth of songs, I probably use it on only two or three songs -- but, its never let me down. However, its not an integral part of my sound, so I don't have a back-up. It is a solid piece of gear.

I've never dealt with them

I give it a ten. I particularly like the way it will do those "chattering/chopped" type effects (e.g., the chord crash on the Bangle's "Walk Like an Egyptian" or REM's "Blame"). I've been playing for about 20 years, and professionally, off an on, for about 9-10 years in primarily cover bands. Right now main main set-up is a '95 Amer.-made Strat w/Kinman AVn P/U's (these are sweet), into a Budda Bud-Wah, --> the compressor of a Roland GP-8 guitar fx processor (using the GP-8's FX loop)--> Budda Phatman --> Carvin 212 BelAir combi with the GP-8's delay and chorus modules, then the VT-X, set up in the Carvin's FX loop. This is a versatile, though somewhat awkwardly cabled, set up --- it allows me to play just about any style but shred/death/shriek/metal. I didn't really compare the VT-X to other products -- I tried out a VooDoo Labs product, and used the vibrato effect on my old mid-sixties ProReverb as a benchmark. The VT-X is "warmer" (enhanced low-mids) sounding than those, and will color your initial tone accordingly --- that's what's nice about having that tone knob on the VT-X --- you can brighten it back up a bit if desired. I also thought the VooDoo Lab trem was too noisy when no signal was passing through it. The VT-X has everything I need in a tremelo -- a very professional sounding piece of gear in all applications. I'd get another one just like it if I needed to.

easy to get a good trmolo sound.simple knobs.the manual is more of an advert for thier other pedals than a manual.

I use good equiptment,all my other pedals are true bypass,this one is NOT.the reason it isn't is because the volume and tone sucking qualities of this pedal would be far more apparent.i got an external bypass pedal(www.banzai.com)and the signal loss when engaged eff.on or off was horific.very noisy pedal,shwoosh shwoosh shwoosh etc.
as far as tremolo"sound"it'spretty good.

MADE IN JAPAN

i play fifties rock in one band $$$;alt.rockjazz fusion in an other,this pedal just diddn't make the grade.i'm going to sell mine and will never buy another guatone prod.in my opinion and not to be to blunt this pedal is a tone robbing noise maker.I've learned from my mistake!If you are considering this pedal do yourself a favor and A/B it and compare it to other trem.pedals(demeter trem.,fulltone supratrem,voodoo lab tremolo,tremodillo,carl martin)

This effect is very easy to use, probably the easiest of the trem pedals out there.

I use the VT-X with a Guild Starfire IV, Fender American Standard Tele, and a Fender Custom Tele. It works great with all of them! The only Tremelo effect that I've heard that is better is on the Vibrolux, go figure. No noise to speak of, although I did experiance a drop out put. I contacted Guyatone and they replaced it.

Like I said I had only one problem, and Kevin sent me a new one. I think just like all things in eletronic you can get one that is not up to par.

I dealt with Kevin in the return of the pedal, and he was a pleasure to deal with. What a great asset to the company.

I lead worship at the church I'm on staff at, and this effect has been a good fit for me. I use with a Fender Blonde Blues Junior, and a Ampeg Reverbrocket 212. 15 and 50 watts tube respectively. Very sweet sounding, and I dig the wide range of control on it. If it were stolen? I'D REPLACE IT!

Very easy to use, 3 knobs(not the sturdiest looking), 2 switches. Good sounds straight out of the box. Tweak to taste. Small manual, easy enough to use without it.

I use this at the end of the effects chain prior to splitting off stereo into 2 Fender Pro Juniors. I play a Warmoth strat with EMG SA pickups. I did not notice any noise to speak of. You can get whatever sounds you would want from a tremolo from this thing. The sound speaks for itself.

Appears to be roadworthy. I would mount it on a pedalboard. Get a cheapie tremolo as a back up when gigging.

I hear Guyatone has good customer service. I wouldn't hesitate in contacting them if need be.

I play all kinds of music, ambient and experimental is my calling. This fits those styles well.
I have been playing a long time (20+ years). I own many guitars and even more effects. I would certainly repurchase this pedal if lost or stolen. I enjoy finding a quality effect pedal, this IS a quality effect pedal.
I have a Boss PN-2 and there is no comparison. It has got to be the best tremolo pedal out there. I am unaware of anything else that sounds as warm and buttery as this pedal sounds. You can get a wide range of effects that go from subtle to extreme.
As with most electronic devices you get nowadays the wall wart is the bane of pedal effects. A small price to pay though for the sounds you get.
I use this pedal with a synthesizer and it is sweet on the Rhodes presets. The stereo outputs are a plus, especially with my set up.
It is inspiring to play through this pedal it can really sweeten passages of music. You can't go wrong with this one.

plain and simple. three knobs, two very kool switches to play with (normal/emphasis and slow/fast). never looked at the manual. you can even jimmy the switches with your big toe, if you're good.

this thing souds like a champ. and I don't mean the old fender amps. it's a figure of speech. super-warm throbbing trem, slow as hell if you want it... or robot-like too-fast tones, all waiting to sound even kooler with the emphasis switch.

no problems.

n/a

I play all kinds of shit. and this thing is perfect for it. I run it thru an analog delay (maxon - recommended), cry baby, whammy II... a whole bunch of shit.

Wow!?! Has a lot of whistles and bells, ins and outs! I used to turn a knob! Now... there's always so many to choose from. I started with and Super Reverb in 1967... carried one heavy piece in to gigs, along with a Tele or a Tennessean. The same stuff these days??? A Bedrock Royale, Vox Pacemaker, '63 Reissue Fender Reverb, an SKB with a sliding shelf, Real Tube preamp, Behringer mixer, Guyatone VTX, power/surge strip with lights, Rack-mount tuner, DanEcho, a FS for reverb, a FS for boost/clean, two A/B boxes and a twenty-foot snake. Is the VTX easy to use? Sure... its only got four wires, six knobs and a switch! If that's not easy I don't know what is!! Sound???!!??
Holy s**t! It's the best four I've ever heard!!! Manual? Yeah, never looked at it.

Deep, Rich, Syrupy, Shocking, Unnerving, Smooth, Soft, Stuttering, Warbling, Intoxicating, Painfully slow, Heart Attack Speed!
Good thru one amp! Good through two amps. Must have A/B to do! Good preamp! Sounds good! Good! Good! ...and Good!

Seems solid, too early to tell. I'll bang it around for 2-3 years and write back.

I will call the company after I bang it around for 2-3 years.

I real love this thing. It does more than what I need, but it just added to my eclectic, almost schizo, arsenal. Why am I playing John Lee Hooker, Muddy and Charlie Patton in the set before I play Pipeline and Secret Agent Man?!? Are my 110 knobs and switches not enough?!? Will they let me take all this to the Mental Health Center or Nursing Home in a few years?!? Did my bird just poop in my coffee?!? Will they indeed lock me up?!?
I believe the VTX has the best sound of any I have ever used. It is more powerful than the trem in my Vox, more wide ranging than my rackmount Yamaha FX500 was. I tried the VOODOO labs, and chose the Guyatone.

Unreal! What can I say? This box gets a gorgeous, beautiful sound straight from the box! In my own opinion, I feel this device sounds BETTER than any amplifier's built-in tremolo circuit. It easily NAILS the famous Fender or Vox Tremolo in no time flat. Three control knobs; Speed, Intensity, and TONE [what a great addition this is] along with two independent slider switches. The first slider gives you dual control over fast and slow speed settings while the second slider has a "normal" and "emphasis" setting [this setting takes the VT-X into "Throb City" at the drop of a hat]. Think of the "emphasis" switch as a way of going from softer sounding tremolo(s) into "The Outer Limits"--DEEP, INTENSE and THICK. The VT-X has been extremely well thought out in its design/engineering. The pedal's sonic bombast immediately lets you know you've bought the finest tremolo pedal imaginable. Don't forget the VT-X has STEREO ouputs, TOO [unlike quite a few of the competing tremolo products]! The stereo option really intensifies your pleasure and fun by a BIG factor. The bottom line? This is THE KIND. The VT-X will quickly get you any type of tremolo you need/want, even dipping into the Magnatone-style sounds as well. It comes with a manual but this is quite simple and painless to use.

I used a 1996 Stratocaster for these tests with various amplifiers; A new Komet 50 watt head, vintage Marshall heads with a few different 4-12 Marshall 1960A cabinets from varying periods. Also in attendance was a new Vox Cambridge 30 Reverb and Peavey Classic 30 combo with 112E extension cabs. The VT-X has a separate power supply that does a great job keeping it quiet and noise-free. No batteries allowed in this one [and for good reason from what I can hear]! The clear winner all the way around for any type of music.

Built like a brick sh**house so I don't believe that reliability will be an issue at all [except the possibility of changing a 12AX7 preamp tube in the very distant future]. I would not take a backup to a gig or session.

Godlyke is at the top of their game when it comes to customer support.
Kevin is the best around [in this country, anyway]!

I forgot to mention that the VT-X is a highly attractice orange color and it's slim profile is a plus in the pedalboard department. Sleek and sexy with sounds that make you smile!

Very simple setup, you'll be able to get great sounds from it right out of the box. No manual to speak of, but not really necessary.

This is a tube driven tremelo that comes equipped with an NOS JAN Philips 12AX7WA. Not a bad sounding tube, but since I have the benefit of a nice tube collection I tested about 8 different types before settling on the 60's era GE JAN 5751, a lower gain version of the 12AX7. Since stepping on this pedal does give a boost to the signal and adds some small amount of distortion to your signal I found the 5751 to be as close to the bypassed signal. The speed knob and intensity knob are very wide ranging, probably the most range I've seen on a trem pedal or trem equipped amp. There is a cool fast/slow switch that allows for twice the speed combinations too.There is another switch for either warbling, soft edge tremelo to helicopter like hard wave chops. Very interesting. The last control is a tone knob that is also very useful. The switch is silent and you can't hear when it is engaged. There's a 12VDC wallwart for power and if you have 2 amps plugged in to this unit at once you'll hear amazing stereo sounds similar to my old Magnatone 280 with extension speakers (except the Maggie has true vibrato, but this comes close!)The tremelo is honestly the best I've heard including brown and blackface Fender amps. I highly recommend it.

Seems very well built, the case is thick steel and the 12AX7 is shock mounted. The switch is silent and appears well made.

I've only emailed the Guyatone US Distributer, Godlyke. They were very friendly and I had no problems.

I play "Desert-Surf" instro music with my band the Cadillac Hitmen and tremelo is an integral part of my sound. I've been playing for almost 20 years and have owned many of the amps that this pedal was built to emulate. It does a VERY good job in that regard. I tested a lot of the competition before settling on the VTX and I'm very happy I found it. Like I said, I love the sound and I recommend it very highly.

If you know why you bought this pedal, the control will be very intuitive. Took me 30 seconds to dial in the sound I wanted.

Okay here's the deal...I'm giving it a 9 because:

When I first turned on the pedal, it really dropped the output level considerably. However, the tremolo that was coming out was sweet and fat sounding! No annoying ticking/clicking and it sounds equivalent to a Fender tremolo, except now you. have the ability to use normal or emphasis (choppy, helicopter, etc.)

Since the preamp section is powered by a 12AX7 (a crappy GT with teenie tiny plates), I replaced it with a new GT 12AX7EI with nice big plates and the level drop is no more (actually it boosts ever so slightly).

I'm giving this an 8 because it seems as though the cord on the power supply is a bit flimsy. It's worked great so far with no problems!!

The chassis is heavy-duty and the footswitch and switches are quality. The knobs are a little small and not very solid feeling, but they are working great as well.

I e-mailed Kevin at Godlyke, Inc. (US distributor) and have gotten nothing but helpful prompt responses. When I was worried about the level drop, he informed me of my options to resolve the problem. He even faxed me the schematic for the pedal! Excellent Customer Service!

I have also dealt with him when I needed to replace another Guyatone pedal. He even remembered my name from the warranty card. Great guy!

Overall, I'd say that the price goes more for design, because no pedal has $200 worth of parts in it (not that I know of anyway). However, this is the best tremolo I have ever heard, hands down.