Do you use the built-in tremolo in Fender amps?

[Tal_175]

Pardon my ignorance but I always thought of tremolo as a rockabilly thing. So I've always turned it off with the foot switch in my Fender amps that have built-in tube tremolo (currently Princeton 65 reissue) and never thought about it again.
Today I turned it on, set the intensity really low. It's barely noticeable but I think it adds a little something. Sort of more full spacial effect.
Do you use it this way, kind of like a subtle tone enhancer? What settings do you use?

[Jazzstdnt]

Pardon my ignorance but I always thought of tremolo as a rockabilly thing. So I've always turned it off with the foot switch in my Fender amps and never thought about it again.
Today I turned it on, set the intensity really low. It's barely noticeable but I think it adds a little something. Sort of more full spacial effect.
Do you use it this way, kind of like a subtle tone enhancer? What settings do you use?

Only when I play Riders on The Storm

[KirkP]

My current amp doesn’t have tremolo. I have a cheap tremolo pedal, but rarely use it. Maybe I should as I love it on certain tunes.

[Ray175]

For me, judicious use of tremolo can be very effective. One example that stands the test of time is Richard Thompson's use of it on Calvary Cross. He rides with the slow tremolo and uses the swell and decay to perfection. Check it out.

[vintagelove]

Dear god no.


and don’t even think about using the brite switch.

[citizenk74]

Sometimes I use it as a timekeeper; sometimes I use two amps with the tremolos set at different rates and/or depths to get a stereo effect; sometimes I use it just for fun. A change of pace helps the creative juices flow.

[sgosnell]

Mostly no. My Vibrolux Reverb's default is tremolo off, thank goodness. I have to plug in a switch to turn it on, and I seldom bother to plug one in. It came without a switch, and it took awhile before I made up a double switch box, for trem and reverb. I keep it stashed inside the amp in case I ever want to use it, but I seldom bother. In fact, I seldom bother to turn the Fender on at all.

[rabbit]

Sometimes I use it as a timekeeper; sometimes I use two amps with the tremolos set at different rates and/or depths to get a stereo effect; sometimes I use it just for fun. A change of pace helps the creative juices flow.

I'll use two amps but don't have the hardware for two tremolos, only one and it's a pedal.

Must think 'bout this...

[citizenk74]

I'll use two amps but don't have the hardware for two tremolos, only one and it's a pedal.

Must think 'bout this...

Got a delay pedal? Split the trem pedal output, run to one amp direct and through the delay pedal to another. Adjust the delay rate for desired effect. I've spent much of my career devising cheap, off-label uses for the stuff I've got lying around. Early EHX stuff was great for this.
Grounding issues are the main obstacle, but not usually insurmountable.

[neatomic]

I'll use two amps but don't have the hardware for two tremolos, only one and it's a pedal.

Must think 'bout this...

you just need a stereo trem pedal..they are out there

classic fulltone!!



cheers

[Gilpy]

I use tremolo all the time for ballads, but not from the amp. I use a trem pedal set for a very subtle effect, always with a bit of echo. It adds a nice depth to my sound.

[John A.]

Pardon my ignorance but I always thought of tremolo as a rockabilly thing. So I've always turned it off with the foot switch in my Fender amps that have built-in tube tremolo (currently Princeton 65 reissue) and never thought about it again.
Today I turned it on, set the intensity really low. It's barely noticeable but I think it adds a little something. Sort of more full spacial effect.
Do you use it this way, kind of like a subtle tone enhancer? What settings do you use?

I use it occasionally on recordings, typically just a little to add texture to a chord part on blues/rock track, or maybe if I'm covering a Bo Diddley tune, but almost never outside of that. I used to have a brownface pro that had this really trippy tremolo that sounded almost like a flanger or or something. It was fun to mess around with, but not terribly useful.

John

[neatomic]

... I used to have a brownface pro that had this really trippy tremolo that sounded almost like a flanger or or something...

that was leos great harmonic trem..it split the input trem signal into two halves..."bass and treble"..then recombined..so lots of phasing...immortal tone!!

rivals magnatones classic amp vibrato effect (the robert ward/ lonnie mack tone)

cheers

[floatingpickup]

Pardon my ignorance but I always thought of tremolo as a rockabilly thing. So I've always turned it off with the foot switch in my Fender amps that have built-in tube tremolo (currently Princeton 65 reissue) and never thought about it again.
Today I turned it on, set the intensity really low. It's barely noticeable but I think it adds a little something. Sort of more full spacial effect.
Do you use it this way, kind of like a subtle tone enhancer? What settings do you use?

Never, ever.
Keith

[teleboli]

It's too bad really. My main amp is a '56 Tweed Tremolux 'Big Box'. I'll never part with it again. I actually bought it twice.

The trem on this amp is simply hypnotic. Almost seizure inducing. But I never use it because I just don't play 'that way' anymore. If I was playing in a roots band I'd use it on a few songs, but for the chord melody/standards I play exclusively now it's just not required.

[omphalopsychos]

I turn it up to just before I can tell it’s on.

[cosmic gumbo]

I love the tremolo on my Deluxe Reverb, and always look for an excuse to use it playing roots/Americana type music, or sometimes even comping on the right modal jazz tune...Maiden Voyage?

In an interview, Pops Staples said he only took his guitar on tour and told promoters to make sure the venue provided him with an amp that had some "shake" on it.

[Alter]

I really like it as an effect, use it often. It is just such a beautiful sound, although of limited use in traditional jazz for sure. Both on my twin and Princeton reverb it's always on, no footswitch, and I just turn the dials to zero.

[D.G.]

I love tremolo. I prefer bias trem but an opto trem has it’s own charms. These days it’s my number 1 preferred effect. Great on ballads.

[christianm77]

Sometimes, not much these days tbh

[gggguitar]

Princeton Reverb here...I do use the tremolo sometimes. The thing that is special about the amp tremolo here vs. using a pedal is that the tremolo is post-reverb. It can be really a lovely thing.

[KirkP]

... Pops Staples - Somebody Was Watching - YouTube

Thanks for that. What a great track! He recorded it in 1999 along with a full album of vocal and guitar tracks, but died before it was finished. Fifteen years later, Mavis asked Jeff Tweedy of Wilco to finish production. The album “Don’t Lose This” was finally released in 2015. It’s now on my playlist.

[jschiele]

Wes occasionally used tremolo. The track "Heart Strings" from the Montgomery Brothers album "Groove Yard" has what I think is the harmonic vibrato from a brownface Fender.

[Greentone]

If I play Billy Strange's (and the Wrecking Crew) arrangement of "Deep Purple" I do. I have a Peavey Valverb for this.

[DRS]

Different Fender amps have different tremolos.
The Princeton Reverb has a bias varying tremolo that sounds great.
The Deluxe Reverb has optoisolator tremolo which is less smooth and lush and can have a faint ticking sound.
I had a Deluxe reverb so I used a trem pedal (Dano Cool Cat - awesome value and sounds great).