VFE Old School Tremolo

Original Info:
"Our OLD SCHOOL tremolo pedal recalls the luxurious tremolo sounds of vintage tube amps. Derived from a rich sounding, but feature-limited tremolo circuit from the 1960s, we added extra range to both speed & depth controls. But we did not stop there! We added two unique circuits - one to starve the circuit to add grit & chop, and another that can adjust the speed or depth based on your playing dynamics."

You can find Madbean's PDF with schematic here.

Madbean Tapanator Projects

Here are some great new Tap-Tempo projects by Madbean.
I prefer to add them all in the same post because they are meant to work together.
You could use 1/8" jack & plugs.
You can find all info and his great (and cheap!) PCBs on his website here.
The TapLFO is available from SmallBear here.

Twin Peaks "Tap Tempo" Tremolo

Another great project by David Rolo from Madbean's forum.
You can find all infos about this pedal here:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=17253.0
Thanks to Hozy31 for verifying it!
06/11/2015 Layout updated: inverted rotary switch pins.

BYOC Tremolo

Request.  The stomp is wired in an unusual way so I have shown exactly how to do it.  The reason for this is that during bypass the input to the effect is grounded and the emitter of the LFO transistor is disconnected from ground, and so stops the LFO continuing to cycle during bypass.  This is a really good method because you can be sure that no LFO bleed-through will be heard as people have experienced with other effects with oscillators.  The indicator LED connections are shown and this will pulse in sync with the oscillator, and because the bypass method stops the oscillator when off, this means the LED will be off too.

Info about the original BYOC project and board:

The tremolo has become one of b.y.o.c.'s most popular kits through word of mouth. And with good reason....the difficulty of the build is low, it's simple to use, and it just sounds good. This kit is based on the EA(Electronics Austrailia) Tremolo. It's a great vintage sounding trem like you would find on an old Blackface Fender Amp. The amplitude modulation is done with transistors, so unlike most opto-coupler based trems, you don't get an "on/off" sound on slower speed settings and there is much less current draw. It's also a lot easier to build. And the LED status light blinks in time with the speed. 

Frantone Vibutron

Great sounding tremolo here from Fran, and something for me to finally build with the batch of ICL8038 ICs I bought a couple of years ago! :o)  To keep the size down and make it 1590B friendly I've done away with the rotary switch used in the original, and instead I've used a DPDT on/on/on toggle to select the waveforms.  Functionally they remain identical and you will be able to select sine, triangle or square wave in exactly the same way, but remember to add the link noted.  I've also added an optional "Fast" switch which isn't in the original, but will do what it says on the tin and so some people may like the extra effect.  Thanks to KindaFuzzy on FSB for his schematic.

Info about the original:

Good Vibrations!
All of the warm, soothing tone you'd expect from a great vintage amp trem with the added versatility of selectable waveform.  Designed with the single coil player in mind, this variable amplitude modulator is a favorite among those that want the highest fidelity and smooth performance combined.  The Depth control allows you to dial in as much effect as you like, from the slightest hint of mellow sine wave smoothness to fully gated square wave effects.  The added benefit of a wide Speed range makes this a very powerful tool for the serious musician.  The Vibutron's lemon-lime motif is highlighted by the custom made cherry red Bakelite knobs.
Bon appetit!

Grind Customs Electric Boogaloo Optical Tremolo

Another project collaboration between Rej at Grind Customs and CultureJam, similar to the Shoot the Moon but with a couple of subtle differences including a shape switch instead of the wave pot (similar to the 2 knob version we did).  If you don't want to roll your own with the LDR and LED, the Vactec VTL5C3 is the recommended vactrol.

I can't find a video anywhere, so if anyone can make one that I can post with the layout that would be great.

Moosapotamus Skippy Tremolo / Ring Mod

Based on the Vox Repeat Percussion but with greater control options, and another advantage is this version uses the 2N6027 Programmable Unijunction Transistor which is still available cheaply and in quantity, so you don't have to search around for 2N2646's and pay top dollar for them. 

I haven't included the connections required for external expression pedal rate control, opting to keep it self contained, but if you do want to include one, make the connections to the control socket to where the rate pot currently connects to the board, as shown in the scheme on the Moosapotamus site.

Info from Moosapotamus about their pedal:

The SKIPPY tremolo is based on the vintage Vox Repeat Percussion. The original VRP is well known for it’s very hard, percussive tremolo sound, or chop. Certain combinations of speed settings and playing style can almost trick your ears into thinking that you are playing through a delay instead of a tremolo. For these reasons, the sound of this tremolo effect is often described as synth-like.

Originally, the VRP had only one control, Rate, to adjust the speed of the effect. In addition, the version that was built into the Vox Beatle Super Reverb amplifier also had an input jack for a foot pedal that enabled you to control the speed of the effect with your foot.

With additional controls and features, SKIPPY covers a much wider sonic range while still retaining all the character and bravado of the original VRP. Check out the video…

CONTROLS
Depth - Adjust effect depth from subtle throb to hard chop.
Rate - Adjust effect speed.
Level - Adjust output volume to compensate for perceived volume loss with certain extreme settings.
Tone - Switch original Vox low-cut filter on or off. When on, output has a lot of treble and very little bass.
Mode - Switch between hi and low speed ranges. Low speed is normal tremolo range. Hi speed is pseudo ring-modulator range.

FEATURES
Plug CV pedal into control jack to vary speed with foot while playing.
Capable of ultra-wide range of speeds, up to pseudo ring-modulator speeds.

Rick Holt Vibracaster

Moving on from the Valve Caster, and as recommended by Neil McNasty, here's Rick Holt's Vibracaster.
The tube components are very similar, but the Gain, Tone and Volume controls have been removed and components selected for unity gain and a simple LFO added.

There are lots of mods suggested for this on diystompboxes but I've just based this on the original schematic Rick posted for the 12AU7 tube.  The mods should largely be easy to implement if anyone wants to, it's a pretty simple circuit and even with a few extra rows or columns added it should still be 1590B friendly.

When someone builds it will they post a vid on youtube so I can add one to this post.  Ta! :o)

EHX Pulsar

Here's the original '79 two knob version of the EHX Tremolo....

Here's a modded layout that may cure the reported LFO clock bleed. Note that the semi-transparent 47µ cap is there just as an example. You should probably try different values there to find out what works the best. Also the 470R resistor should be tweaked for perfect value. Both of these are there to tame the LFO clock from bleeding back to mixer opamp supply.

EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird

It's a modded Vox Repeat Percussion so more use for those 2N2646's you stocked up on.

Info about the original:

The Hummingbird is, at heart, a hard and choppy tremolo. What comes out is more akin to vintage synth style oscillations. It's core is based on the old Vox Repeat Percussion with several updates to reduce noise, enhance the "chop" and add more control. It can create ring mod-like octaves, slow pulses, ping pong delay-like stutters, light blipping through machine gun stutter tremolo and many more wacky sounds!

Controls:
Depth- Controls amount of modulation from barely there to full signal chop.
Rate- Controls the speed of the LFO
Level- controls the input/output level
Mode- fast/slow switch for LFO rate

Magnus Modulus

With 8 knobs and 3 switches I really didn't need to keep the size of this one down, but it will fit in a 1590B if anyone is utterly insane :o)  You can shave off another column if you solder D1 and D2 in the same hole and move the 1u cap over to the left into the hole vacated by one of the diodes.  But there probably isn't much point in saving the space when it's going in a 1590BB (at least) anyway.

Another mod would be to make the bottom left 100u cap switchable to change the speed range available from the LFO, but I'll leave experimenting with that one up to you.

From Nathan Alexander Smith's original project document:

The Magnus Modulus is another PT2399 based DIY echo modulation effect pedal. I wanted to make a digital delay and liked the idea of adding modulation ala Echo Base. I decided to use a stage from the BYOC Ping Pong with the LFO from the Tremulus Lune for maximum modulation control.  I didn't reinvent the wheel here, just a bunch of other ideas put together into one awesome effect. 

The delay lengths are controlled via a voltage controlled oscillator in the PT2399 at pin 6. The nominal delay length is set by R9 and Delay Time pot. The modulation is coupled on top of this DC value via R10 and C13. There is no need for a variable resistor (transistor, LDR). While I had the LFO and buffers already on board I decided to add a tremolo coupled into the output amplifier stage with a J201 acting as a switch.

This project is intended as a DIY effect and hopefully an evolving one.  This is a highly modifiable circuit, hopefully you'll find the setup you like the most. The values in the schematic and layout are my personal favourites, your taste may differ so I'd suggest a few mods. The project fits in a 1590BB if you have skills

MODS: Delay filtering - I have a really hot bridge pickup in my Les Paul and it can make the delay section distort (I use both pickups and designed the pedal using the middle one, it sounds awesome) I increased the values of C11 and C18 to filter more of the highs. Capacitors you can play around with to change the filtering are: C5, C6, C11, C18.

I used 240k resistors in the LFO, the original has 220k, you can add a "Fine" rate control as well.

The tremolo could be inlplemented with an LDR, I used the J201 as it is pretty common. There is a bit of charge injection that is only really noticeable with the space (or smooth, can' t remember) knob is turned down, the tremolo sounds really good and smooth when that control is set properly though.

You can use less knobs, the gain knob could be a trimmer if you don't want a booster.  Taking out the limiting diodes will increase the output significantly during self-oscillation and is not recommended

Culturejam Shoot The Moon

As with the original I've left a gap in the centre of the board for the LED and LFO to allow them to easily be bent to face each other and laid flat, ensure the LED and LDR legs don't short against any of the links or component leads in between.  Heat shrink tubing or electricians tape will be perfect to bind them together and stop external light from reaching the LDR.  If you don't do this remember you will need to box the effect or be in total darkness to test.

Info from CJ about his take on the Tremulus Lune:

For your enjoyment, here is a tremolo that is pretty much identical to the Tremulus Lune, but with 2 fewer LFO pots. I think 4 knobs for a tremolo is plenty, and if you like the idea of the Lune but think it's got too much going on, this project is one you will want to pursue.

Other changes I made from the stock Lune:

• I changed a few parts values to make them a bit more "standard"
• I added a resistor (R16) and cap (C7) to isolate the LFO from the audio path. It might be overkill, but I like to err on the side of caution to avoid LFO ticking.
• I ditched the 9v regulator. I see why it would be there, but if 9v is the specified input voltage, a 9v regulator doesn't really make a lot of sense. Usually you need to give a regulator a volt or two more than its rated output to get to work properly. So I just got rid of it.
• I switched the input and output caps from electrolytic to film caps. However, if you are making your own layout, you can still use electrolytics if you wish, of course.

And an even more simplified 2 knob version with switch to select sine or square wave and gain trimmer.

Video of Geiri's build of the 2 knob version:

Harrymatic Stutter Distortion

Request. This one comes from Harrymatic's instructables.com project. Check out the page for more information and demo clip with keyboard. This one has really low part count, but tons of links keep the board pretty big...

Tremulus Lune

Original design by Dan Green from Commonsound and now a very popular DIY project, this version based on the Tonepad schematic and corrections.  For optional Symmetry pot to give you a sawtooth LFO in each direction, take a feed from Speed 3 and inline, solder in an anti-parallel pair of 1N4148 diodes.  1 of the diodes will go to Sym 1, the other to Sym 3, then Sym 2 links to Smooth 3 or Fine 1 & 2.  The 4ms versions removes the Fine pot if you opt for the Symmetry pot, but there's no reason you can't use both if you want to.  The Symmetry pot would be 500K.

The LDR ideally needs to be wrapped with D1 (black heat shrink tubing is great for doing that) or at least mounted facing each other.  I purposely placed only links and thin leads between the two components and I have left enough separation so they can lean into each other, lie flat and be wrapped comfortably.

3 knob version without Fine and Spacing control as requested:

4 knob version without Fine control, but with Symmetry control and Spacing trimmer:

Colorsound Tremolo

This is per the original schematic, not a reissue. I made the transistor pinouts to match your basic transistors and i think that 2N5088s should work just fine in there. Original units have 2SC945s in them, so mind the pinouts and twist the legs if you want to use those.

Medferret's demo clip of his build:

Negistrem/Negistron

Simple, but still seems like one of those super problematic circuits :) This one goes published as unverified for Madferret, who was after a unverified tremolo layout. So. Here you go. Let us know how it works out :)

John Hollis Frobnicator

This one is definitely verified, but:
The LFO section is *very* sensitive to both voltage and current, so if your board doesn't fire up right away (which happened with my second build too), you should consider doing a little daughterboard with 9V regulator, 8V2 zener and a 10-50 trimmer to get the LFO going. That being said - this is not a project for beginners.

---

Mr. Hollis has been known for his modulation circuits. This one seemed like an interesting build so i drew it up. Once again. I'm more or less out of sources for the demos and so on. But i have a hunch that this may be 1:1 with two knob version of Copilot FX Android... Anyway. The circuit does tremolo from mild to wild and flick of a switch turns it into super mean ring modulator - with lots of good stuff on the sweep. Or so i'm told.

Vox Repeat Percussion

.. awaits comments asking what the bloody hell is that! :o)

I think a few people will like this, a really great sounding tremolo.  The 2N2646's are obsolete but still available from a number of places, RS, Farnell, Mouser and a few sellers on eBay.  They're not as cheap as the more common silicon transistors but definitely worth getting in for this. 

Original:

Modified to include a depth pot and altered values for more output.

Version with all of the above and a couple of extras including a Tone switch which switches the input cap to give you an option to prevent any low end loss, and a Fast/Slow rate switch.

Jordan Vico Vibe

Actually a very nice sounding tremolo rather than the effect the name suggests.  A clone of this is currently being sold by a company called Mahoney and they wrote:   

In the late 60's, Jordan offered an incredible sounding tremolo unit that was housed in the plug-in style box like the Bosstone. There were less than 100 of these rare units ever produced.

Some people have mentioned a volume drop when the pedal is engaged, so it may be worth building this in a box with a clean boost of some sort pushing it, so you have more control over the level.

This is a demo of the Mahoney copy which will give you a good idea how this sounds:

Schaller Tremolo

Request.  I've already done the Hearthrob but someone asked for this, and you can never have too many tremolo options I suppose.  Some of those transistors look like they may be difficult to get hold of, so I'd probably just use 2N5088's which work fine in the Hearthrob.

If you do use other transistors make sure the pinouts of your build match the pins shown in the layout.