The Mu-Tron Tremu-Tron is an optical tremolo effect which can be used as a “clean boost”, and features the famous Mu-Drive preamp from the original Mu-Tron III Envelope Filter. By utilizing an 18 volt dual-rail internal power supply, this effect provides a crisp, clean signal and high headroom. The Tremu-Tron utilizes Mu-Tron’s patented opto-mod technology to provide classic, hi-fidelity attenuation without extra noise...
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We have loved every piece of gear we’ve come across from the Mu-Tron family, from the old 70’s Phasor all the way up through their newer line, like the Octavider+ and Micro-Tron. Today’s pedal is one we have been particularly excited about, as have many of you, patiently awaiting its release for a long time….the Bi-Phase II Phase Shifter takes Mu-Tron’s HUGE 70’s unit, makes some improvements,...
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The latest version of Mu-Tron has been releasing some incredible pedals over the last few years, including the Micro-Tron Envelope Filter, the Phasor III Optical Analog Phaser and today’s funky machine. The Mu-Tron Octavider+ Analog Octave Fuzz is the newest reincarnation of the classic Octave Divider that Mu-Tron produced in the 1970’s, combining Fuzz and Octave effects for a small but powerful machine. The Fuzz side...
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The Mu-Tron / Musitronics Phasor was one of our favorite phasers (and favorite pedals, really) to ever come through the shop here at Pedal of the Day. Big, bulky and badass, it helped define the phaser effect in the 70s and beyond, creating giant soundscapes of whooshing pulses and out-of-this-world types of sonic embellishments for all to enjoy. Fast forward to the present day, and we’re lucky enough to have the Mu-Tron company...
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The opening Dm chord of “Shakedown Street” is familiar to all Deadheads, and to a good chunk of non-Deadheads as well, whether they like it or not. That whole song, as well as several other Dead tunes, Stevie Wonder songs, Frank Zappa licks, Bootsy bass lines and more, would not be possible without the storied Mu-Tron III™ Envelope Filter effect. Today, we’ve got the next great incarnation of this pedal, in smaller...
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Vintage pedals seem to always have a mysterious aura about them, whether there were only a few of one model made, or pedals made with certain inner chips no longer available, or obscure effects made famous by players who possessed them. Mu-Tron / Musitronics was known for creating incredible, state-of-the-art and technologically advanced effects back in the 1970’s, and their pedals were made popular by the likes of Jerry Garcia,...
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(This article comes from our friends at GuitarTricks.com – check out their site for tons of guitar-related tips and tricks!!) Guitar Tricks presents A Look at the Vintage Pedal Market By Shawn Leonhardt for Guitar Tricks and 30 Day Singer, the original platform for online guitar lessons. Vintage pedals are so popular that many modern manufacturers attempt to replicate them so there are more to go around! Not only do some pedals...
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The Mu-Tron Phasor II is arguably the best phaser pedal ever created, right? Well, as always, that’s debatable, but it sure is one of the best ones I’ve ever played – however, original units, even in bad condition, go for $500+ all day, which is pretty steep for most of us. Thankfully, the fine folks over at StewMac have come up with a wonderful solution, and one that you get to build yourself: the Lightcycle Optical...
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Today, we’ve got an ancient piece of gear that we ran through a bunch of different effects, and it was one of the funnest experiences we’ve had here in the office. The Library of Congress started building their own cassette players for handicapped people from the 1960’s until the late 2000’s. These cassette players are known for their complete control of cassette tapes that other cassette players just...
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Any kind of pedals that push boundaries and make us think a little differently are always welcome here at Pedal of the Day. Forcing us to approach how we think about and create music helps keep it all fresh and in perspective, and that’s exactly what today’s piece of gear does. The Fairfield Circuitry Hors d’Oeuvre? Active Feedback Loop lets you put together as many of your favorites pedals as you’d like, then...
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Kyle Ciarrocchi Guam Brand New Crescent Moon facebook.com/theguamband facebook.com/brandnewcrescentmoon How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I started seriously playing guitar when I was 11 years old, then joined School of Rock when I was 14, and have been performing since. I always was exposed to great music that my dad showed me, his favorites (which I grew up on) like The Grateful Dead and...
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After already getting our grubby mitts on the Tru-Tron 3X and Boostron 3 effects pedals from Mike Beigel and the newly revamped Mu-FX, we absolutely could not wait to see what today’s pedal had in store for us. Boy, did it deliver and then some! The Phasor 2X is the Modern Vintage Analog™ refinement of the original Musitronics® Phasor II pedal, but housed in Mu-FX’ signature “mini-mu” enclosure, and featuring...
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Who wants to get FUNKY? Today’s pedal is just about all you’ll need to do so, and with mind-blowing results, too. The Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter Envelope Wah Super-Machine easily creates down and dirty grooves, popping chords and all the Parliament/Funkadelic sounds you can imagine. Let’s check it out… The AF-9 is an optical analog envelope filter, reminiscent of the classic Musitronics Mu-Tron III, made famous by...
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Earlier this year, we finally got around to checking out the original Octron Octave Divider from Foxrox Electronics, and we thought it was just an incredible piece of gear. Fast-forward to today, and we’ve got the next iteration of this steel gray beauty for you, complete with upgrades, more options and that same killer circuitry and tone. The Octron3 features a smaller enclosure, two additional toggle switches and an analog...
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Mike Beigel Mu-FX Encinitas, CA www.mu-fx.com [Mu-FX by Beigel Sound Lab is a division of Beigel Technology Corp.] facebook.com/BeigelSoundLab How long have you been a musician? How did you get into musical effects in the first place? My main musical training was classical music on clarinet, but I also played Saxophone for a local high school dance band (“The Crescendos”), and for some local rock & roll bands and guitar just for...
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Let’s face it: an octave effect can really add another dimension to your sound, period. Whether it’s up or down (or both, in the case of today’s pedal), this one effect has produced some classic tones over the decades, and continues to be a powerful, if underrated, piece of gear to use on both guitar and bass alike. The Octron Octave Divider from Foxrox Electronics brings you the best of both worlds in the octave...
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Tim Bluhm San Anselmo, CA The Mother Hips www.motherhips.com/ How long have you been a musician? How did you get into it in the first place? I’ve been singing since I was a kid, in church choirs and in school choruses. I started playing guitar right after high school. In my second year of college I started the Mother Hips with Greg Loiacono and we started getting gigs really quickly. Who have been some of your major musical...
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After reviewing the new Mu-FX Mu-Tron 3X a little bit ago, we were blown away by what Mike Beigel and Co. have done with their new lineup, and couldn’t wait for more. One day, a magical box arrived at our doorstep, and what lay inside was an incredible 3-In-1 pedal that gives new meaning to an “always on” pedal: the Boostron 3 Boost Compressor Distortion box from Mike and Mu-FX. The Boostron 3 is based on three...
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A pretty decent portion of my teenage years and beyond have been spent listening to the Grateful Dead, and the one and only Mr. Jerry Garcia. He had a signature sound unlike any other guitarists’, instantly recognizable and full of emotion and power, but one effect in particular produced what many call the “Jerry Sound”: a Mu-Tron III™ Envelope Filter from Musitronics, a classic effect used by numerous musicians, but...
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The Mu-Tron III is considered by many to be the end-all, be-all of envelope filters, and for pretty good reason. It’s classic sounds can be heard on funk records the world over, and although there have be many attempts to copy that sound, not all have been successful. Today’s pedal, the Moody Sounds Mewtone, is one that bucks that trend, however, and manages to stay true to the original sound while adding in some modern...
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Throwing a little funk into any practice session instantly sparks creativity and joy, to me, anyway. I’ve been testing a bunch of envelope filter pedals lately, much to my delight, and have found one that I just cannot stop clicking on every time I go to play. Coming to you straight from our friends to the north, Canadian company Tribute Audio Designs, this is the Tron III Envelope Filter. This is not a plug-and-play pedal,...
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What do you think of when you hear the words “Envelope” and “Filter” together? Inevitably, your brain tells you to hear the first chords (and subsequent wicked-rad riff) of “Shakedown Street” by the Grateful Dead. You being a fan or not of the band is beside the point: that is one of the most recognized uses of an envelope filter in music history (and I, for one, think it sounds incredible). The...
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This was VERY exciting when it first arrived on my doorstep, and hasn’t gotten one bit dull since then. The EP2 Envelope Phaser from Pigtronix will take you clear to outer space, and then a bit further, before pulling you back slowly into sublime reality. You can switch between the envelope filter and the phaser with a tap of your foot, or use them both in conjunction to set the controls for the heart of the sun. Use the Depth...
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