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The best tremolo pedals for most players are the BOSS TR-2 for simple, reliable pulse and the Strymon Flint for studio-grade amp tremolo and reverb. If you want the lush, swirling harmonic tremolo of early-60s Fender amps, choose the Walrus Audio Monument or Fender Tre-Verb. On a tight budget, the Mooer Trelicopter is a great start.
Tremolo is one of the oldest guitar effects. It was built into amps long before stompboxes existed, and it still adds movement to surf, country, indie, ambient and worship guitar. This roundup is part of our complete guide to building a guitar pedalboard, so you can see how tremolo fits with the rest of your board.
Below you’ll find a comparison table, detailed reviews, an explanation of harmonic tremolo, and tips on where tremolo belongs in your guitar pedal order.
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Send My Cheat Sheet →Best Tremolo Pedals at a Glance
| Tremolo pedal | Best for | Type | Stereo | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOSS TR-2 | Most players | Standard (triangle to square) | No | You want tap tempo |
| Strymon Flint V2 | Studio-quality amp tones | Harmonic, bias, optical + reverb | Yes | You’re on a budget |
| Walrus Audio Monument V2 | Tap tempo and harmonic tremolo | Harmonic + standard | No | You want reverb in the same box |
| Fender Tre-Verb | Fender amp tones on a board | Optical, bias, harmonic + reverb | Yes | You need a tiny pedal |
| MXR M159 Stereo Tremolo | Stereo panning | Analog standard + pan | Yes | You only play mono |
| Mooer Trelicopter | Tight budgets and mini boards | Optical | No | You need tap tempo or presets |
What Does a Tremolo Pedal Do?
A tremolo pedal turns your volume up and down at a steady rate. That rhythmic pulse can be slow and gentle, or fast and choppy like a helicopter. The controls are usually simple.
- Rate (speed) sets how fast the volume pulses.
- Depth sets how far the volume drops. Low depth is subtle, and high depth chops the sound.
- Wave or shape changes the pulse. A smooth sine or triangle wave sounds vintage, and a square wave sounds choppy.
Don’t confuse tremolo with the “tremolo arm” on your guitar. That arm actually bends pitch, which is vibrato. If your arm keeps slipping, our guide on what to do when a whammy bar keeps falling out will help.
Harmonic Tremolo Pedal: What Makes It Special
A harmonic tremolo pedal splits your signal into a low band and a high band. Then it pulses them in opposite directions, so as the bass rises, the treble falls. The result isn’t just a volume change. It’s a gentle, swirling, almost phaser-like motion.
Fender used harmonic tremolo in some early-1960s “brownface” amps before switching to the simpler bias tremolo. Players love it for slow ballads, ambient parts and vintage blues. If you want that sound, look for a harmonic tremolo pedal like the Monument, the Flint or the Tre-Verb.
Here’s how the main tremolo types compare.
| Tremolo type | How it works | Sound |
|---|---|---|
| Bias tremolo | Varies the bias of the amp’s power tubes | Smooth, warm, throbbing |
| Optical tremolo | A light and photocell vary the volume | Choppy, classic, “Blackface” style |
| Harmonic tremolo | Pulses high and low bands in opposite directions | Swirling, lush, phase-like |
| Square-wave tremolo | Switches the volume on and off | Stuttering, helicopter-like |
The 6 Best Tremolo Pedals in Detail
1. BOSS TR-2: Best Tremolo Pedal Overall
The BOSS TR-2 has been a pedalboard staple for decades. It has three knobs: Wave, Rate and Depth. Wave sweeps the pulse from a smooth triangle to a sharp square, so one pedal covers both gentle vintage pulse and choppy stutter.