The Caroline Somersault is a lo-fi modulator pedal from Caroline Guitar Company that covers chorus, vibrato and faux rotary sounds. Caroline calls it "the chorus-y/vibrato-y/faux-rotary device our customers have asked us to make for years," and says gentle, lagging vibrato, 1980s style choruses and even some doubling effects are possible1. Delicious Audio describes it as "an '80s inspired, wide-ranging and creative Chorus/Vibrato"2.
The pedal sits in Caroline's modulation lineup alongside the Arigato phaser/vibrato, and the company says it has been one of its best-selling pedals the last few years1. For players comparing it against other vibrato pedals, its distinguishing feature is the Offset control, which pushes the wet signal away from the dry signal into lo-fi warp and detune territory.
A hybrid analog and digital circuit
The Somersault is neither fully analog nor fully digital. A digital chip sets the delayed wet signal, while the initial gain stage, dry signal, LFO, control set and output mixing stage are entirely analog1. Caroline says the pedal "applies a similar framework as our popular KILOBYTE™ and MÉTÉORE™ pedals," so the architecture follows the same division of labor as its delay and reverb1.
For a player, this means the unmodulated dry signal never passes through a conversion stage, and the character of the effect comes from an analog LFO and mix stage shaping a digital delay line. Caroline describes the end result as sounding "rich and fat, with the same robust feel and power our customers have come to expect from our work"1.
A lo-fi chorus, vibrato and faux rotary
The Somersault's range runs from conventional modulation to deliberately degraded lo-fi sounds. Delicious Audio notes that modulation can get extreme at high depth settings, "approaching pitch-bended slapback chorus territory"2. The pedal offers two LFO waves, the classic Triangle and what Delicious Audio calls "the glitchy and pulsing Square"2.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson found the pedal covers both ends of that range well4:
"For the Somersault you get superb classic and lo-fi Chorus and Vibrato profiles, and the pedal also delivers a very usable faux rotary."
He also noted that the Somersault "puts out its modulation at a decent level of output volume," and that Caroline's Philippe "has done a wonderful job of calibrating his modulations in a sort of Boss startup style"4.
Controls and switching
The control set breaks into knobs and toggle switches:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dry>Wet Mix | Balances the dry and modulated signals4 |
| Wet>Dry Offset Time | Sets the delay time range of the wet signal and heightens the intensity of the effect5 |
| Depth | Modulation depth; extreme settings approach pitch-bended slapback chorus2 |
| Speed | Modulation rate4 |
| EQ toggle | Bright or Dark voicing of the wet signal4 |
| Waveform toggle | Triangle or Square LFO4 |
The Offset knob is the pedal's signature control. Caroline explains that "the offset control sets the delay time range of the wet signal and heightens the intensity of the effect"5. Karlsson describes it as "the unique Offset control, which allows you to draw the Wet signal further away from the dry signal, a little like a Warp or Detune knob," adding that it brings lo-fi Warp/Detune-style range and a usable faux rotary sound4. Delicious Audio also highlights a Tone knob that can dial in lo-fi tones2.
A momentary footswitch ramps the speed up to maximum while held2, which gives quick access to fast vibrato or rotary-style movement without touching the Speed knob.
Versions and limited editions
The current pedal comes in Standard and Columbia Flag versions1, and Guitar Pedal X reports it in a Standard Light Blue Edition or Dark Gray Asteroid Edition with different knobs4.
The Black and Lavender edition of the Somersault was a limited run of 100 units4. The pedal has been one of Caroline's best-selling pedals over the last few years1, and it applies a similar framework as the KILOBYTE and MÉTÉORE pedals1.
The Black and Lavender edition was limited to 100 units in June 2019, so it is only available secondhand. The standard Somersault remains in production at $219.0014.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X's 2026 review was positive overall, calling it "a really commendable pedal," though Karlsson felt Caroline's Arigato and Pawnshop Parabola were "a little more special" to him personally4. Compared with the Freqscene Koldwave Chorus, he found the Somersault "wasn't as immediate for me," but concluded "both are excellent really" and cover similar territory4. The review also points to a 4-Preset Sheet covering classic, lo-fi and faux rotary profiles4.
Delicious Audio added the Somersault to its Best Chorus Pedals article in May 20242.
Videos
Pete Thorn
CarolineGuitarCo
The Pedal Zone
Questions
Is the Caroline Somersault analog or digital?
It is a hybrid. A digital chip sets the delayed wet signal, while the initial gain stage, dry signal, LFO, control set and output mixing stage are entirely analog. Caroline applies the same framework as its Kilobyte and Météore pedals, so the dry path and modulation stay analog and only the delayed wet signal is digital.
What does the Offset knob do on the Somersault?
The Offset control sets the delay time range of the wet signal and heightens the intensity of the effect. Guitar Pedal X describes it as drawing the wet signal further away from the dry signal, a little like a Warp or Detune knob, which is what gives the pedal its lo-fi warp and detune range.
What does the momentary footswitch do on the Somersault?
The momentary footswitch ramps the modulation speed up to maximum while you hold it down, then returns to the Speed knob's setting when you release it. It is a way to duck into fast vibrato or faux rotary movement for a moment without bending down to change the knob.
How many Black and Lavender Somersaults were made?
The Black and Lavender edition was a limited run of 100 units released in June 2019. It came alongside the pedal's limited advance release for The Trevor Project, which sold out in less than a day, with the last handful selling in an hour.
How much does the Caroline Somersault cost?
Caroline lists the Somersault at $219.00 on its product page as of 2026, and Guitar Pedal X reported the same $219 price in June 2026. It is offered in Standard and Columbia Flag versions.
Sources (5)
- Somersault, Caroline Guitar Company, 2026
- Caroline Guitar Somersault LoFi Chorus/Vibrato, Delicious Audio, 2024-05-01
- Somersault PreRelease, Caroline Guitar Company, 2019-06-13
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-06-23
- *SOLD OUT* SOMERSAULT LIMITED ADVANCE FOR CHARITY WITH SHIRT & MUG, Caroline Guitar Company, 2019-06-17
