Marshall VT-1 VibraTrem

Just twiddle the knobs and see what comes out! Pretty straightforward. Access to the battery is fiddly, though at least you don't need any tools (except for a coin) and you don't really want to run this on batteries anyway...

Guitar goes into this, then a DDL, then into an amp, sounds great! The unit is very quiet, there is a small change in level - a slight boost - when it's on, but it isn't anything to worry about. I really like the sound, from subtle to dead choppy, great!

I've had this for about 4 years, maybe more. It's been subjected to both a hot humid climate and a cold, damp one without issue. It hasn't been used a whole lot, but the thing is really, really solid and I would definitely gig without a backup.

One point though, I strongly urge anyone to use this pedal with a good power brick. I was running it on batteries for a while, thought it sounded ok, then one day it sounded very, very weak even though the led was still nice and bright. I whacked a regulated 9v supply into it and straight away the effect was really rich and strong, problem solved.

I haven't had to contact them about this stompbox, but I have contacted them in the past with queries about amps and they have always responded promptly and have been extremely helpful. I was considering buying the 'reflector' reverb pedal in the same series as this one, but I saw a number of negative reviews regarding reliability here on HC. I emailed Marshall for comment and as usual they replied very quickly. Not only did they claim to have resolved the known problems, they offered to refund me in full if I bought one and it failed. What more could you ask for?

If it was stolen/lost, I'd buy another one. I like the style and weight almost as much as I like the sound. Shiny knobs are sometimes a bit hard to see, but there are many other fx that have similar, at least these are nicely knurled so sweaty fingers can grip 'em.

Now discontinued though still stocked in some shops, and often coming up on ebay, this pedal is a bargain if you want any of the following;
- stereo split of guitar signal to 2 amps
- tremelo, hard to soft
- panning, fairly basic
- goose signal a bit, add treble, at end of effects chain, in vibrato mode
It is a bit puzzling to use in fact, if you are expecting vibrato, because there ain't none! What the vibrato option seems to do is to put the signal out of phase, thus subjectively boosting your treble and volume. What's crazy about it is that one output still outputs tremelo when the vibrato mode is engaged; on the plus side, this enables you to record 2 tracks of subtly treated guitar simultaneously; on the minus side, so what? I can do that another way and where's my stereo vibrato? The vibrato is pathetic, doesn't even modulate a quarter-tone let alone a semitone. It's an interesting and effective pedal but to call this a vibrato is wrong.

2 small amps, one a 30w transistor bass amp and the other a modded 70s Vibrochamp with a Weber speaker, and a heavily modded System III Strat. I had no noise issues at all with this pedal, as I was using a 9v supply with plenty of headroom; it does have a good sound and is useful as a stereo split box, and for putting back some of the spark into the guitar signal, if placed near the end of the chain. The tremelo effect is very good and pans nicely in stereo, but as a vibrato it's a non-starter and the Marshall Supervibe does that much better; when this effect pedal is chained into that one or vice versa, some extraordinary results can be achieved;add a good slapback or reverb and you're well into Link Wray/Chris Isaacs territory. Time-based stereo effects can often be a curse as well as a blessing; there is always going to be a perceived increase in volume OR change in tone when the effect is switched in, and that's the trouble with this pedal as well as being one of its interesting features. The soud quality is good, very good, but can you use it?

Yes you can depend on it; please ignore the review later on in these pages that seems to take issue with the country of manufacture, I've opened this thing up and it's very well put together. I would use this pedal simply as a signal splitter box at the end of the chain, and put it on a mild vibrato setting which would bring back any lost top end to the guitar signal. For all that, I don't know how often I'd switch it in.

No. See below.

This and the Marshall Supervibe pedal are now discontinued and come up regularly on ebay at a bargain price, usually half of retail price. Both are stereo output, both a bit off-the-wall in their design but extremely well put together. This is a good stereo tremelo/pan pedal but the weak, almost non-existent vibrato lets it down. Then again, the vibrato setting is useful, as noted above, to goose your guitar signal a bit at the end of the chain. However as the Supervibe also does this (arguably better) on certain settings I think that's the one to keep. If the vibrato was a 'proper' vibrato, this would be a very good pedal indeed but I don't think it could be modded. Close but no cigar.

Easy enough. You twiddle the knobs.

I bought this to use with a Blues Junior and latterly ahve used it with a Peavey Classic 30 with a cab. It sounded ok.

Heres the beef. Its conked out on me. ive used this so little in the 5 -6 years ive had it. Literally for HOURS. Its been in my case for years not ever getting touched, i took it out to have a pootle on it the other day and its doing nothing. It lights up and slightly alters the volume but doesnt modulate in the slightest. Ive used brand new 9v duracells and 2 variable voltage PSUs. Nothing. Ive contacted Marshall and ive heard sweet FA from them. I have a thing with Marshall. I bought a JCM800 Combo brand new in the mid 80's and the thing was the biggest pile of unuseable microphonic shyte i have EVER owned. I dip my toe back in the Marshall pool again many years later and get screwed again.

See above. Should be ashamed of themselves. Buy British. Bollox to that.

Was an OK pedal. Remebering that Vib trem is an effect you dont over do, it would have been sufficient in a live set up. But it didnt work when it was called upon. Ive seen plenty other reports on similar faults on this and other pedals since my regrettable purchase.
Avoid Marshall pedals.

extremley easy to use, and very simple.

I am just blown away with the quality of this pedal for it's price! one of the best things I have ever bought for value. It adds a slight boost in volume when turned on, which I find is good, as it's extremley subtle. I use it before my overdrive/distortion fx as I like it to sound gentle> my fx setup is as follows: JJ Retro Guitar fitted with Bare Knuckle Pickups, a Mule and a BKP90>(pedaltrain2 board)>Keeley Comp>Teese RMC3 Wha>Marshall Vibrotrem>Keeley Fuzz Head>Keeley Katana Boost>Keeley True Bypass Looper (Line 6 Liqua Flange + Boss DD3 MIJ) in the loop, into a Vox VR30. The Vibrotrem is by far the cheapest pedal I own on the board, but don't let this put you off, it sounds great. It has a really nice vibrato as well the tremelo, you can also get a LOT of sounds out of this box. I've not even had it for 2 weeks and I am in love with it already! It's true bypass, and to me it sounds very analog like and always warm. 10/10 I am 100% satisfied with it!

It seems like its really built to last! very well built and made from solid metal, nothing like a boss or line 6, these are much beefier. I have owned an original JH-1, which I now regret selling as it sounded amazing, bought in 1998, I once threw it down a corridor at school several times, and it is still working to this day as far as I know.

I have had no problems with it yet! can't comment.

for it's price you really won't find a better tremelo pedal than this if you want more of a vintage trem, and also need a vibrato. I have actually compared this to a Roger Mayer, Voodoo Labs Boss and Electro Harmonix, this is the one that sounded the best! I thought that the marhsall was a good sise too, but basically if you need a tremolo then I recommend this one, and the vibrato is a beautifull vintage effect, I found I love this maybe more than tremelo for some songs. The pedal can also be used in the studio or live with ease, in fact since getting this pedal, I am starting to hate all other modulation pedals, especially chorus and univibe, vibrato seems better as it is less of an 'effect' you just 'feel' it, hope that makes sense.

this pedal could not be better value! It is better than most boutique pedals I have heard, and it also has a vibrato mode! which is unique, but for ??36.50 it is by far the best quality tremolo pedal and most versitile, plus it sounds amazing! never harsh all my other pedal are real expensive 'boutique' pedals and this stands strong next to them, and it has excellent true bypass circuit that is no different to ??200 + pedals, it sucks no tone at all used with the best leads and setup. It has a vintage warmth, and is actually better than most valve amp tremolo's as its more adjustable.

Didn't get manual. Knobs are metal and easy to use, though small. Agree with a previous reviewer that outputs/inputs are a little confusing to use, but use the mono output for vintage tremolo and the input 2 for intense, staccato tremolo.

Sweet. Don't know why so many dis' the vibrato. If you ever have the need for that tasty intricate Chris Isaak(sp???)pitch bending sound, this pedal has it! The tremolo is every bit as good as the Fender SuperReverb I played back in the 60s. Actually, it's better, because it's just as dramatic and not as noisy. Also I LIKE the subtle boost (VERY suttle) when engaging the tremolo. When I had the SuperReverb, I always had to turn the volume on the amp up a notch so that the sound would carry in a live application. Don't even think of using a battery to power this unit. Seller provided a Dano power supply with purchase. Open it up and see why...no 9 volt battery could power this much circuitry for more than a few minutes! And what rube uses batteries in a pedal anyway when gigging?

I owned this pedal exactly 2 days before the footswitch crapped out on me! Granted, it was a used pedal... but there was not a single scratch on it and absolutely no indication of a defect in the switch when I bought it. Upon opening the pedal up, there was absolutely no sign of attempted repairs. So, if you like this pedal, don't buy it used... buy two new ones at a well-discounted price (NEW, WITH WARRANTY ONLY... three years P&L, 5yr.parts only). These things usually go for about $75 online, and just use one of your old (like Dano 9.6v 200mw) power supplies.

Don't know yet. The guy I bought it from is looking into returning it for me, since he bought it new.

You will not find any pedal that is so versatile and sounds so good for such a typically low, discounted price (new, generally around $75). But DO NOT BUY USED. The insides are more crowded than an engine compartment in an American Minivan. Looks like it would cost more to get it fixed than you'd save buying it new and having failures warranteed. I play a "66 Fender Jaguar, recent Jay Turser paisley Tele, Guild Asbory bass, Martin electrified acoustic, accordion, all through a Roland Cube bass amp (which has a factory coaxial speaker that sounds great for many applications). I've been playing in bands since 1965 and currently lead a middle school/high school praise band.

I didn't get a manual with this used pedal, which was OK. Control knobs were self-explanatory. Tried different outputs: very smooth, light to deep natural tremolo from mono- jack; more intense,separated, edge-y tremolo from input 2. Both of these textures have use. Solid metal textured knobs and sturdy button pedal on/off switch.

I ALSO DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SHARP CRITICISM OF THIS PEDAL'S SOUND. I've been playing since 1964 and used a Fender SuperReverb for years. I know tremolo. MAYBE there is a slight boost in signal with using the trem effect, but I like this. Because oftentimes when I used tremolo on my Fender, I had to SLIGHTLY increase the volume to allow it to carry in the halls we played. Anyway, the increase is very slight. I have used only a power supply with this pedal, and I can say that the tremolo and vibrato can be made as soft or intense as you like, and the sound quality is impressive. The highs and lows carry well through the pedal with tremolo on or off. Less noise than any amp with built-in tremolo that I've owned. If you're into retro surf and 60's sci-fi/grade B spy movie soundtracks, you've got your effect: the vibrato feature. If you never use it, just consider it free because of this unit's price.

This is a used pedal, and it works great. Don't know the history of it, though.

Haven't had to deal with Marshall before.

I played in The Ancestors (see theancestors.com) throughout the 60's and later played 10 years on the road with Cruis-O-Matic, so my forte is 60's one-hit-band tunes from soul to psychedelia. I now lead a middle school/high school praise band at my church. I got this pedal to fill in parts on some of the slow, soulful tunes we now play. I play a 1966 Fender Jaguar (Fiesta Red) and a Jay Turser Sino-Tele that I love (red paisley); a Martin electrified acoustic; a Yamaha SK20 analog synthesizer (all through a Roland Bass Cube amp which is the most versatile amp I've ever owned... and weighs about 30#); accordion; and a Guild Asbory Bass. But I can tell you this pedal would be equally effective in playing tunes by the Prunes (Electric, that is)! Unless it craps out on me in less than a year, I would definitely replace it.

Very easy to get good sounds. Especially if you start with the example settings and work from there.

I think the Vibratrem sounds excellent. I like it a lot more than the Boss Tr-2 and find that it is most of the way to where 'boutique' trems are at. Better than some! The Vibrato effect is also very nice. Those that say the Vibrato and Tremelo sound the same are probably using the second output, which stays on tremelo when vibrato is selected. Vibrato only works on the main output.

Excellent vintage tone.

P.S. Does sound crap on batteries! Use an adaptor at all times.

Seems bulletproof. We'll see...

Havn't had cause as yet...

I love this pedal. It's a keeper. Great vintage tones at a very good price.

It's easy to figure out. Four knobs: Mode for trem or vibrato sound, speed, depth and shape.

As on every modulating effect you have to try a lot of settings to get that sound you want. Just to find out, that you need completely different settings, when that beast joins the sound of your band. But it's possible, and then it sounds damn great.

Never read the manual

Great: No noise at all.
Strange: When plugging it in front of your amp, it raises the volume a little. When plugging it into your FX-loop, it eats volume a bit.
Nice: The tremolo sound is really mellow. You get nice vintage analogue sounds out of that beast. Perfect to me.
Needless: The vibrato. Who the hell needs this unusable crap?

I "only" give a 9 because of this stupid vibrato mode

It's a Marshall. It's built like a .... you know.

n/a

I like this thing, and I don't understand, why so many people here are mad about it. This is the most vintage-sounding and still cheap Tremolo i know, does its job without any noise and is built like a tank. I would buy it again.
I give a 9 because of the volume-problem and because of the senseless vibrato mode.

Its easy to use, 4 knobs, Tremelo or Vibrato knob. Speed Depth and Wave Control are the other 3 knobs. Overall it's very easy to use. But you can't do anything with it that other effects do.

It's a great effect, but its very unsensitive, It goes from full vibrato or tremelo to no vibrato or tremelo. It has vibrato and tremelo effects, but they both sound the same.

It is virtually indistructable. I droped it 5ft on solid concrete, the only thing dented was the concrete. Solid Steel. For electronics its very dipendable.

I play bassicly every style of music, its only good for modern rock. I have a Fender Stratocaster, and I'm using my step dads Traynor amp. Bad combination. If your stuck with it, try heavy distortion with reverb. Boss would be a better choice.