The Drunk Beaver Chernivtsi Trembita is an optical tremolo pedal, and the first tremolo the Ukrainian builder released. It came out on 13 February 2024 as Drunk Beaver's 18th Pedal Drop, a limited edition of 15 units sold at $150 each plus shipping on the Drunk Beaver Webstore1. As with all tremolo pedals, it modulates the volume of your signal, and its six wave shapes let you choose how that modulation moves.
An optical tremolo with six wave shapes
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described the circuit as "an LDR + LED Optical style Tremolo with Digital controls and 6 different wave-shapes onboard"1. In an optical tremolo, a light-dependent resistor paired with an LED does the volume modulation, an approach that keeps the audio path analog. Here the analog path runs through a BJT input buffer to align the signal with the next stage's input impedance, then an inverting buffer and an inverting output stage, so the in and out signals stay in phase1.
The digital side is an AtTiny85 microcontroller, which provides digital control over Rate, Intensity and Wave Shape1. The six wave shapes are:
- Triangle
- Ramp Up
- Ramp Down
- Square
- Sine
- Square Pattern [1-1-0-0-1-0-1-0]1
The Square Pattern shape steps through that eight-step on-off sequence rather than a continuous cycle, which gives a choppier, more rhythmic modulation than the plain Square shape1.
The controls
The Trembita carries four controls1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Intensity | Sets the depth of the tremolo effect |
| Rate | Sets the speed of the tremolo |
| Wave Shape | Selects wave shapes 1 to 6 |
History: Drunk Beaver's 18th Pedal Drop
Drunk Beaver is the pedal brand of Vitalii Bobrov, whom Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson got to know after introducing himself to him2. The Chernivtsi Trembita was the maker's first tremolo, released as its 18th Pedal Drop, with 15 units going up for sale at $150 each plus shipping on the Drunk Beaver Webstore1. Drunk Beaver continues to sell its pedals through that webstore, as it did with later releases such as the EM-1 Echo Machine3.
The Chernivtsi Trembita was a limited run of 15 units at its February 2024 release1.
Videos
Drunk Beaver Pedals
Questions
How many Drunk Beaver Chernivtsi Trembita pedals were made?
The Chernivtsi Trembita was released as a limited edition of 15 units. Guitar Pedal X reported that all 15 went up for sale on the Drunk Beaver Webstore when the pedal launched in February 2024 as the maker's 18th Pedal Drop, priced at $150 each plus shipping.
How much did the Chernivtsi Trembita cost?
At its February 2024 release, the Chernivtsi Trembita was listed at $150 each plus shipping, with 15 units available on the Drunk Beaver Webstore. As a limited run of 15 pedals, that was the price for the drop.
Is the Chernivtsi Trembita analog or digital?
It is a hybrid design. The audio path is analog: an LDR plus LED optical tremolo circuit with a BJT input buffer, an inverting buffer and an inverting output stage, keeping the in and out signals in phase. An AtTiny85 microcontroller provides digital control over Rate, Intensity and Wave Shape.
Who designed the Drunk Beaver Chernivtsi Trembita?
The Chernivtsi Trembita was designed by Vitalii, the builder behind Drunk Beaver, whom Guitar Pedal X identifies as Vitalii Bobrov. The pedal was Drunk Beaver's first tremolo, released as the maker's 18th Pedal Drop.
What does the Square Pattern wave shape do on the Trembita?
Square Pattern is the sixth of the Trembita's six wave shapes, written as the pattern 1-1-0-0-1-0-1-0. Instead of a smooth or simple square cycle, it steps through that on-off sequence, giving a choppier, more rhythmic tremolo pattern than the standard Square shape.
Sources (3)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-02-13
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-14
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-08-08