The Catalinbread Topanga Burnside is an analog effects pedal that combines spring reverb and tremolo in one box, aimed squarely at surf rock and skate punk sounds1. It is a variation on the original Topanga: RockBoard's PedalPedia says it has all the springy, surfy character of that pedal, with a Trem knob added that controls the rate of a lush tremolo effect1.
What sets the Burnside apart from simply running a reverb into a tremolo is where the tremolo sits. RockBoard's PedalPedia says it revisited the original Topanga and found that placing the tremolo between the cascading reverb stages yielded the best result1. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as a "full-on surf rock spring reverb unit in pedal form"2.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mix | Blends the wet and dry signal, from 0 to 100% wetness, unlike amp spring units2 |
| Tone | Shapes the reverb's tone2 |
| Dwell | Sets the reverb's character and decay response2 |
| Volume | Controls the discrete preamp: compensate for clean-signal loss when adding reverb, or push it for extra clean boost2 |
| Trem | Controls the rate of the lush tremolo effect1 |
The Volume control doubles as a practical gain-staging tool. Delicious Audio notes it "lets you either compensate for the loss of clean signal that normally happens when adding reverb, or apply some clean boost when the pedal is on"2, and separately that the Volume "controls the discrete preamp for extra clean boost when you want it"2.
Topanga vs Topanga Burnside
The Burnside is a variant of the original Topanga circuit with a tremolo knob added2. If you only want spring reverb, the original Topanga covers that ground; the Burnside is the version to look at when you want the tremolo built in and placed inside the reverb path rather than after it12.
The Sweetwater version of the Burnside is a limited edition with a custom finish available only at Sweetwater, and it comes in a matching box with a skateboard soft deck with turning wheels3.
Where the name comes from
RockBoard's PedalPedia says Burnside is a reference to the famous Burnside Skatepark in its hometown of Portland, Oregon, a nod that fits the pedal's skate punk and surf rock orientation1.
In the demo
Sweetwater's Mitch Gallagher demonstrated the pedal, playing a G&L Comanche in a Sweetwater exclusive finish through a Boss Nextone Special3.
Videos
Catalinbread Effects
60 Cycle Hum
Questions
Is the Catalinbread Topanga Burnside analog or digital?
The Topanga Burnside is an analog circuit, according to Catalinbread's product listing. It is a spring-style reverb pedal with a tremolo stage built into the signal path, and it uses a true-bypass footswitch, so when the pedal is off your guitar signal passes through untouched.
Is the Topanga Burnside true bypass?
Yes. Delicious Audio describes it as having a high-quality true-bypass footswitch, housed in an all-metal chassis built for long-lasting performance.
What power supply does the Topanga Burnside need?
The pedal is powered by a 9 to 18V power supply, which is not included with the pedal. Plan to have a suitable supply on hand before it arrives.
What is the difference between the Topanga and the Topanga Burnside?
The Burnside is based on the original Topanga circuit with a tremolo knob added. Catalinbread says it keeps all the springy, surfy character of the original Topanga, and that placing the tremolo between the cascading reverb stages yielded the best reverb and tremolo together.
Does the Topanga Burnside work as a clean boost?
Yes. The Volume knob controls a discrete preamp that can be used for extra clean boost when you want it, or set to compensate for the loss of clean signal that normally happens when adding reverb.
Where does the name Burnside come from?
Catalinbread says Burnside is a reference to the famous Burnside Skatepark in its hometown of Portland, Oregon, which fits the pedal's skate punk and surf rock orientation.
Sources (3)
- Topanga Burnside by Catalinbread, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Catalinbread Topanga Burnside Spring Reverb + Tremolo, Delicious Audio, 2021-11-02
- Catalinbread Topanga Burnside Spring Reverb Pedal Demo, Sweetwater, 2021-09-09
