Cusack Music Tremolo AME

The Cusack Music Tremolo AME is a compact analog tremolo pedal with tap tempo, nine selectable waveforms and a rate "brake" effect. Cusack Music positions it as a scaled-down take on its larger tap-tempo tremolo: RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "our one of a kind tremolo effect in a scaled down version that is packed with versatile settings in a user friendly configuration"¹. It is based on the Cusack Tap-A-Whirl, which Cusack calls the world's first analog tap tremolo pedal².

The current version is the Tremolo AME 2.0, which the maker calls "the full featured little brother of the worlds' premier tap tempo; the Tap-a-Whirl V4"³. It lists at $195.00⁴.

Controls: depth, rate, level and nine waveforms

The front panel keeps things simple. Three knobs handle the basic parameters of Depth, Rate and Level, and a wave selector system picks the shape of the tremolo⁴. The clear Rate knob flashes in time with the effect, and the light's intensity corresponds with the Depth setting, so you can read the speed and depth of the effect at a glance on a dark stage³.

The waveforms are organized as 3 banks of 3, for a total of 9 shapes⁴. You choose a bank, then use the WAVE switch and knob to select the individual wave shape within it⁵.

Tap tempo, divide and brake modes

Tap tempo is the headline feature carried over from the Tap-a-Whirl line. The pedal has two footswitches: Bypass engages and disengages the effect, and Tap sets the tempo. Tapping is interactive with the Divide setting and overrides wherever the Rate knob is set⁵.

The tap divide settings let you match the tremolo to a musical subdivision. The product page lists tap divide settings of 1/4, 1/8, and dotted 1/8 note⁴, while the manual describes the divisions as 1/4 note, 1/8 note and 1/4 note triplet, set by holding the Bypass switch and moving the wave selector⁵. The two documents disagree on the third subdivision, so check your unit's manual for the version you have.

Holding the Tap switch gives you the Brake, a rate break that ramps the tremolo speed. How the brake behaves when you let go is configurable: hold the Tap switch and move the wave selector to choose. Wave 1 stays where the rate ramps to, Wave 2 quickly snaps back to the original rate, and Wave 3 slowly drifts back to the original rate⁵. The product page describes the same three options as stay, snap back, or drift back⁴.

The EXP/TAP jack adds two more connections:

• Expression pedals with a TRS plug, set to control the Depth or Rate parameters; the first knob you move after plugging in is the one the expression pedal controls⁵
• External tap tempo switches (normally off/open) with a TS plug⁵

Power and connections

The Tremolo AME runs on a standard center negative 9V DC supply or a 9V battery, with neither included². Current draw is approximately 8mA², low enough that it shares easily with other pedals on a isolated supply. RockBoard's PedalPedia listing gives the same figures: 9V DC, center negative, 8mA¹.

At 4.42" long by 2.39" wide by 1.24" high², the enclosure is the same size as the Cusack Screamer, which is how Cusack fits all of these features into what it calls a very small enclosure⁴.

A smaller version of the Tap-a-Whirl V4

The Tremolo AME's circuit comes from the Tap-a-Whirl, which Cusack Music describes as the world's first tap-tempo tremolo². The line has since evolved: the Tap-a-Whirl V4 is the latest version, which the maker describes as "the latest version of the world's first Tap-Tempo tremolo - the V4"⁶. Cusack Music (cusackmusic.com) calls the Tremolo AME 2.0 "the full featured little brother of the worlds' premier tap tempo; the Tap-a-Whirl V4"⁴.

For players who want the full waveform count, stereo path and presets, the V4 is the bigger sibling. For players who want tap tempo, a brake effect and nine waveforms on a small board, the AME covers it in the Screamer-sized box³⁴⁵.

Videos

Click to load

Click to load

Click to load

Questions