The Mooer Trelicopter Tremolo pedal is a must-have accessory that modulates the sound of your guitar to create a tremolo effect. It’s a performing guitar pedal that lets you adjust speed, depth, and bias to create personalized sound effects.
Mooer has been making audio equipment since 2010. This manufacturer offers a collection of guitar pedals that cover all the basic but essential sound effects. These pedals have been a mainstay of the brand’s product lineup, and I think this fun and sturdy tremolo pedal is a must-have for any guitar player.
It’s a simple accessory that delivers excellent value for the price range, and it comes with two short 1/4” jacks.
Top Things to Consider Before Buying a Tremolo Pedal
A tremolo guitar pedal introduces variations into the volume of your instrument to create a distinctive shuddering sound effect. Note that the result is very different from the tremolo bar on your guitar. A tremolo bar modifies the pitch of the instrument by putting more strain on the strings but doesn’t change the volume.
Some amps have a built-in tremolo effect, but a pedal makes this effect easier to access since you can turn it on and off from your pedalboard while playing. If you’re looking for an accessory that creates effects similar to the tremolo bar on your guitar, I recommend getting a vibrato pedal instead.
Here are a few things to consider before buying a tremolo pedal like the Mooer Trelicopter Tremolo Pedal:
Guitar | Pedal | Model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
Main | Mooer | Trelicopter Tremolo |
Mooer Trelicopter Tremolo Pedal
PRO's & CON's of Mooer Trelicopter
Before we dive into our review, let's look at some of the pros and cons of the Mooer Trelicopter Tremolo Pedal:
Pros
Cons
Features and Benefits
In spite of its apparent simplicity, the Mooer Trelicopter pedal is an essential accessory for taking your playing to the next level.
Range of Effects
This Mooer pedal lets you create a wide range of tremolo effects thanks to the speed and depth controls. The speed setting determines how quickly the volume changes and the depth knob lets you adjust how intense the effect is.
The bias control changes the color of the effect. You can turn it up to get a choppy effect, or turn it down to get a tremolo that sounds smooth. There is a wide range of shimmer effects to explore in the middle.
Image by Free-Photos (available under Pixabay License)
Optical Tremolo
Tremolo is one of the oldest guitar effects. It modifies the sound signal of your instrument to create variations in volume, but there are different ways of achieving this.
If you’ve used an amp with a built-in tremolo effect, you probably noticed that the tremolo sounded choppy and very distinct. Amps use power tubes to emit a sine wave that modifies the volume of your sound. Tube bias tremolo is a common effect, but it can sound choppy.
The Mooer Trelicopter guitar pedal uses optical tremolo. This technique uses a resistor or photo cell to adjust the strength of your signal by modifying the resistance of the electric current. The result is a tremolo effect that sounds more natural and responsive. If you’re looking for a pulsing, smooth, and organic tremolo, this pedal is an ideal choice.
This YouTube video is a tutorial you can follow to build a tremolo effect box from scratch and learn about optical tremolo in the process.Controls
The speed, depth, and bias knobs are easy to adjust. The Mooer Trelicopter was one of my first effect pedals, and I think it’s an ideal option for beginners thanks to these simple controls. You can play with the different settings and listen to how they distort the sound of your guitar until you find the perfect effect. It’s fun, and it’s a great way of learning about tremolo effects with a hands-on approach!
Finding an exact effect again can feel frustrating since there are no ways of saving presets, and the knobs don’t have markings. However, I’ve found that adjusting the three settings by ear usually works well.
The footswitch is another standout feature. The pedal features a large switch that you can press with your foot while playing to turn the effect on or off.
This video from Mooer goes over the controls of the pedal in more detailsTrue Bypass
There are a lot of possibilities for setting up the Mooer Trelicopter pedal. You can add it to your effect board between your guitar and your app, or after your preamp if you have an effect loop.
The true bypass feature ensures that the sound wave doesn’t go through the effect circuitry when you switch the pedal off. It prevents possible loss of strength or distortion in the audio signal.
Image by akd835 (available under Pixabay License)
Design
The design doesn’t stand out, but it’s timeless and sturdy. The dimensions of the tremolo pedal are 3.55 x 1.38 x 1.18.” It’s easy to add the pedal to an existing board.
The metal frame protects the internal components and makes the pedal road ready and durable. I like that the pedal features clear labels for the different knobs and ports.
You can see a closeup of the pedal in this YouTube demo.Standard Input and Output
You can power the pedal with a 9V DC power source, which means you can plug it into any pedalboard power supply.
The input and output for the sound signal use a ¼” standard jack. It’s easy to add the pedal to an existing effect chain or to connect it to your guitar and amp directly thanks to the standard input and output.
You can learn all about setting up your pedalboard in this YouTube video.Social Proof of the Pedal
Positive online reviews from musicians were one of the factors that influenced my decision to get the Mooer Trelicopter Tremolo Pedal. The product receives excellent reviews from musicians and has a four-star rating on Amazon and a 4.4 rating on Google. Reviewers often mention the range of effects and the budget-friendly price.
One of the top contributors for the guitars category on Amazon calls the pedal very cool and comments on the range of sound effects. He also recommends the pedal if you want to emulate Buckethead’s sound!
Another Amazon reviewer mentions the excellent customer service. If there are any issues with your order, it looks like the authorized Mooer reseller who offers these products on Amazon will make things right.
I found this review on Google. The reviewer makes an excellent point about the Trelicopter pedal delivering tremolo effects without the price tag of more advanced accessories!
This reviewer discusses the benefits of the bias control and comments on the plug and play design of the pedal. He explains that the pedal adds dimension to his playing without the need to use other sound effects. It’s an interesting benefit if you want to simplify your setup.
In Conclusion
The Mooer Trelicopter guitar pedal is a sturdy and affordable addition to your pedalboard. It’s an ideal choice if you want to explore tremolo effects, change the volume of your instruments, and achieve a unique choppy sound while playing.
I recommend this pedal because of the simple controls, durable metal case, and true bypass feature. Click here to check it out!
