Crazy Tube Circuits Memphis

The Crazy Tube Circuits Memphis is a vibrato pedal that recreates the modulation effect of vintage Magnatone amplifiers: a true pitch-shifting vibrato, not a volume tremolo. Where tremolo on some amplifiers only changes the volume, the Magnatone amps vary the pitch, which gives an altogether different sound¹. The Memphis puts that effect in a small three-knob stompbox, without the drive section of the company's larger Killer V².

The pedal is built around an all-analog LFO and a two-stage pitch-shifting circuit that the maker describes as true to the original amp, powered from an internal voltage multiplier for high headroom and improved dynamic response³. Delicious Audio called it a true pitch-shifting, amp-like vibrato pedal with a musical feel that delivers "instant classic Lonnie Mack / Robert Ward sounds"².

What it does: Magnatone-style pitch vibrato

The Memphis follows the Magnatone take on the effect, where the pitch of the signal is modulated rather than its volume. Gearnews explained the distinction when covering the Killer V: "The Magnatone amps, on the other hand, vary the pitch. That gives you an altogether different sound"¹. Premier Guitar's reviewer likewise noted that the Killer V, whose vibrato circuit the Memphis shares, "specifically honors Magnatone's distinct take on the effect"⁶.

With the Intensity and Speed knobs, the maker says you can add a subtle shimmer, or a pronounced 3D acoustic image and musical feel with an ear-pleasing vibrato effect³. Delicious Audio described the result as a musical feel that gets you classic Lonnie Mack and Robert Ward sounds, the two players most associated with the Magnatone vibrato².

The controls

The Memphis is, as Delicious Audio put it, "a pretty straightforward pedal with three knobs (Intensity, Speed and Volume)"², plus one mini toggle.

Gearnews described the Intensity and Speed knobs as dialing in the tremolo side of the effect, with the Volume control setting the overall output⁵.

What the All Wet / Dry-Wet switch does

The mini toggle is the pedal's most versatile feature. In ALL WET, you hear only the modulated signal: a straight pitch vibrato. In DRY/WET, the dry, unmodulated signal runs in parallel with the modulated one⁵.

That parallel setup is not an arbitrary extra. Crazy Tube Circuits says it "was found in some of the original amps through 'stereo' inputs and yields whirling phaser / vibe sounds"³. MusicRadar described the same switch as toggling between a 100 percent modulated effect and both modulated and dry signals running in parallel⁷. So while the Memphis is a vibrato pedal first, the Dry/Wet position pushes it toward phaser and Uni-Vibe territory, which is worth knowing if you are comparing it against vibe-style pedals.

Power: internal voltage multiplier for headroom

The two-stage pitch-shifting circuit takes its power from an internal voltage multiplier, which the maker says provides high headroom and improved dynamic response³. MusicRadar highlighted the same detail, noting the two-stage pitch-shifting circuit powered from the internal voltage multiplier⁷. For a player, that means the circuit runs at a higher internal voltage than a standard pedal supply delivers, giving the modulation more clean range to work with.

History: the vibrato from the Killer V in its own box

GuitarPlayer's review of the Killer V found it delivered Magnatone amp- and vibrato-style tones and called it deserving of your hard-earned scratch for roots and Americana players⁸, a verdict that speaks to the shared circuit the Memphis carries.

Memphis and Killer V compared

If you want the Magnatone drive and vibrato together, the Killer V is the full package. If you already have your drive sorted and just want the pitch vibrato, the Memphis is that circuit alone. For other takes on the effect, see the wider field of vibrato pedals⁹²⁸.

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