Mattoverse Electronics Debuts the TremStortion

September 17, 2019 · 4 sources

Mattoverse Electronics announced the TremStortion, a pedal that combines an analog optical tremolo circuit with a distortion stage in a single unit. The maker describes it as "a full-featured analog optical tremolo pedal capable of producing anything from pristine clean" through to crunched tones, with the gain control spanning completely clean to what Guitar.com's Cillian Breathnach called "a transparent yet palpable crunch"¹².

The tremolo side offered eight waveform options: ramp up, ramp down, square, triangle, sine, sweep, random pulse and random slopes. Its frequency was governed either by the rate knob or by a tap-tempo footswitch for more precise control, with a secondary LED above the footswitch pulsing in time with the effect. A depth control managed the intensity of the chosen wave, alongside a standard level control².

A three-way toggle in the center of the pedal let the tremolo act before or after the distortion, and its center position linked different parts of the signal chain together for what the maker called a more unique "inverted" sound. There was also the option for a 0-5v rate sync input, which overrode the other tempo controls. Rounding out the features were top-mounted jacks for easier introduction into a busy pedalboard².

Gearnews' Jef found that placing the tremolo and distortion in one box made it "a nice twisted little analogue tremolo effect"⁴.

The Tremstortion listed for $179 at launch².