Tremolo... a Project To Be! Or not..

[Strelok]

Hi all!!

Did any of you build the Fender Tremolo in TUT2?

I like the idea of frequency changing with the sweep a lot.
But the LFO made of tubes may not be very efficient, an OpAmp would be much cheaper and smaller.

I have no idea what voltage or current the tube produce to create the sweep.
Maybe I will build it on my prototype board.

Is it worth building thios thing or is the sound just "average"?


Strelok

[makinrose]

If you are referring to Blonde/Brown Harmonic tremolo in TUT-2 and found many early 60's Fender I've built into about half a dozen amps and a number of outboard units. It's a fantastic sounding tremolo but as KOC points out committing 3 tubes to the task is big design choice. I think you have difficulty getting the same effect from op-amps. Many pedal companies have tried. When I build an amp with Harmonic Tremolo it's for player that considers the tremolo central feature.

[Strelok]

Hi Makinrose!

Thanks for your answer!
You built not one but many

Central feature... then it must be outstanding!
Adding something special to the amp.

The OpAmp idea was to create the waveform only.
But I will have to measue it anyway so I will build it as it is.

Thnaks for the inspiration!


Strelok

[K O'Connor]

Hi Strelok

The fancy trem uses five triodes, so make sure to have a use for the sixth one. Fender didn't serm to mind wasting a half a tube but there are so many good things to with it

[makinrose]

Sure thing! Imagine that these amps are bit more common in the US so I've been lucky enough work on couple old one. Here's a youtube clip of the tremolo in action:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dChBeEYIkM

[K O'Connor]

Hi Guys

Fender's frequency-shift tremolo circuit in the Bandmaster 6G7-A used five triodes but the Concert 6G12 used only four triodes.

Concert has a linear Intensity control (labelled 'L', but now called B)where Bandmaster has a reverse audio ©. Depending on which was built first, the taper change was either to save money or to try to smooth the response of the effect at the extremes of the pot sweep?

[makinrose]

If you are referring to Blonde/Brown Harmonic tremolo in TUT-2 and found many early 60's Fender I've built into about half a dozen amps and a number of outboard units. It's a fantastic sounding tremolo but as KOC points out committing 3 tubes to the task is big design choice.  I think you have difficulty getting the same effect from op-amps.  Many pedal companies have tried.  When I build an amp with Harmonic Tremolo it's for player that considers the tremolo central feature.

Hi Guys

Fender's frequency-shift tremolo circuit in the Bandmaster 6G7-A used five triodes but the Concert 6G12 used only four triodes.

Concert has a linear Intensity control (labelled 'L', but now called B)where Bandmaster has a reverse audio ©. Depending on which was built first, the taper change was either to save money or to try to smooth the response of the effect at the extremes of the pot sweep?

The four triode version in the Concert 6G12 is missing stage for buffering the Intensity control....  A very short time latter they moved over to the 6G12a Concert with the five triodes.  I'm guessing that it a bit like what you pointed out in TUT3 with the Bassman....Fender did lots of experimentation during production.  I've actually played both and the five triode version does seem to have more depth but as you said there other changes there too.  Pretty much all the versions I've seen have very little Intensity until the control is turned way up.

[K O'Connor]

Hi Guys

"Pretty much all the versions I've seen have very little Intensity until the control is turned way up. "

That suggests there needs to be either a buffer before the Intensity control, or some gain added, or both. The concertina-style buffer could be directly driven by the sixth triode for some gain.

[Strelok]

Thank you very much people!

A lot of good stuff going on behind the façade of the humble tremolo!



Strelok