The Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar is a variable shape stereo tremolo and panner pedal, an analog circuit in a compact Nano-series enclosure released in 20221. It joins Electro-Harmonix's Nano range of compact guitar effects pedals, which MusicRadar noted already included the Ocean's 11 Reverb alongside the Pulsar tremolo2. The pedal does two related jobs: it modulates your volume for classic tremolo, and in stereo it pans the signal between two amplifiers.
What sets it apart from a basic tremolo is its waveform control. A Shape knob morphs the modulation continuously, and a switch selects between Triangle and Square Wave modes, giving you falling and rising sawtooth, narrow and wide pulse width, or triangle and square wave tremolo shapes1. Electro-Harmonix describes the goal as taking "tremolo beyond the ordinary and fill your space with weaving, pulsating energy"1.
A stereo tremolo and panner with variable wave shapes
The Nano Pulsar is the compact descendant of a line of Electro-Harmonix Pulsar pedals. Delicious Audio described it as updating the company's stereo tremolo "by shrinking its size and adding a Volume knob"3, and Guitar.com's news coverage of the 2022 release called it a compact version of the Stereo Pulsar3. Guitar.com's reviewer, Josh Gardner, traced the lineage further: the pedal descends from the Pulsar, Stereo Pulsar and Super Pulsar, with "the fundamental core of the Pulsar remains unchanged, and what a fine and musical core it is too"4.
The larger Stereo Pulsar, a variable shape analog tremolo that generates "vintage tremolo and panning that will fill any venue with rhythmic stereo energy," was discontinued in 20255, leaving the Nano Pulsar as the current carrier of that circuit in the range.
In use, the pedal works in mono through the Mono/Left output or in stereo across two amps. On Premier Guitar's demo video, John Bollinger highlighted the stereo panning: "this thing is panning between two amps is a huge sound and actually give you kind of kind of some natural chorusing almost" like a Leslie6.
The controls
The control set is five knobs and a switch, per the maker's product page1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Rate | Sets the speed of the tremolo/panning modulation |
| Depth | Adjusts the amount of tremolo applied to the signal; past approximately 1 o'clock the tremolo warps by modulating between positive and negative phase; around 1 o'clock gives the widest stereo field when used as a panner |
| Shape | In Triangle Wave Mode, morphs from rising sawtooth through triangle to falling sawtooth; in Square Wave Mode, increases pulse width from narrow to wide; shapes are reversed out of the Right output jack |
| Volume | Sets overall output level, with up to 12dB of boost available; fully counterclockwise silences the effect output |
| Shape switch | Selects between Triangle and Square Wave modes |
| Footswitch | Toggles between buffered bypass and effect mode; powers up in bypass |
The Volume knob is the addition over the larger Pulsar. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen noted the Nano version "actually adds a knob over its larger version with adjustable volume," useful for counteracting perceived volume drop7, and Bollinger appreciated the range: "love that they give you the option of either adding or subtracting that's a great feature"6.
A status LED is lit in effect mode and pulses at the same rate as the effect, so you can see the modulation speed at a glance1.
For mono use, Electro-Harmonix recommends the Mono/Left output jack so the Shape knob's waveform descriptions match what you hear. The Right output jack can also be used alone, but the Shape waveforms are reversed out of it1.
What reviewers said
Reviews were broadly positive about the sound range, with reservations about features.
GuitarPlayer's reviewer found "wide range of inspiring tremolo and pan effects in a small, affordable package," and credited the interaction of the shape, depth and rate controls with "an abundance of cool sounds" that standard amp tremolo cannot achieve. The same reviewer found that with depth pushed past around one o'clock the effect "hovers somewhere between a Leslie and a harmonic tremolo," but cautioned that players trying to match classic Fender or Vox amp tremolo "the Nano Pulsar might not be for you," though a usable vintage-style sound was obtainable8.
The feature gaps drew criticism. The reviewer wrote that the pedal "begs for a tap tempo option," and with no presets or tap tempo, suggested it "may find use largely in the studio," while still allowing it could yield unique sounds for live performance8.
Guitar World's Trevor Curwen judged that it "does the job of its larger sibling" with tidy build, small size and small price, though some players might want tap and harmonic tremolo modes7. Premier Guitar's reviewer called it "at just a click more than 100 bucks, it's a very inexpensive way to enrich your library of modulated tones in a big way"9, and Bollinger praised the housing: "they're rugged i mean this is a tough construction it's gonna hold up"6.
Gearnews' 2025 tremolo buying guide included it among the best tremolo pedals, citing its stereo outputs, adjustable wave shapes and selectable rising or falling sawtooth modes as making it "a versatile choice," at a listed $77.0010.
Premier Guitar's First Look demo walks through the pedal's controls and sounds:
Videos
EHX
Guitar Bonedo
News
Questions
Does the Nano Pulsar have tap tempo?
No. The Nano Pulsar has no tap tempo and no presets; the rate is set only with the Rate knob. GuitarPlayer's reviewer wrote that the pedal "begs for a tap tempo option," and noted that without it the pedal may find use largely in the studio, though it can still yield unique sounds live.
Is the Nano Pulsar true bypass?
No. The Nano Pulsar uses buffered bypass. Pressing and releasing the footswitch toggles between buffered bypass and effect mode, and the pedal powers up in bypass mode. The status LED is off in bypass and pulses at the effect's rate when engaged.
Can the Nano Pulsar run on a 9V battery?
Yes. A 9 volt battery is included with the pedal, and plugging into the input jack activates power when running on the battery. It also works with an optional 9VDC center-negative power supply; the maker lists a 30mA current draw, and the optional 9.6VDC-200mA adapter is not included.
How is the Nano Pulsar different from the Super Pulsar?
The Nano Pulsar is a compact, knob-based tremolo/panner with no presets or tap tempo, while the Super Pulsar is a larger stereo tap tremolo with a sequencer, presets and expression modes released in 2015. The Nano Pulsar instead descends from the Pulsar and Stereo Pulsar line, adding a Volume knob the larger Pulsar lacked.
Can I use the Nano Pulsar in mono?
Yes. The Mono/Left output jack works on its own, and Electro-Harmonix recommends it for mono use so the Shape knob's waveform descriptions correspond to what you hear. The Right output jack can also be used alone, but with the Shape waveforms reversed.
Sources (10)
- Nano Pulsar, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
- Add throb and wobble and save 'board space with Electro-Harmonix's Nano Pulsar Variable Shape Stereo Tremolo, MusicRadar, 2022-03-08
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar Stereo Tremolo, Delicious Audio, 2022-06-29
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar review: Is this the best-value stereo tremolo pedal ever?, Guitar.com, 2022-05-17
- Stereo Pulsar, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com), 2025
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar Stereo Tremolo Demo, Premier Guitar, 2022-06-29
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar review, Guitar World, 2023-10-25
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar Review, GuitarPlayer, 2022-08-19
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Pulsar Guitar Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-08-25
- The 9 Best Tremolo Pedals for Any Budget: Vintage Pulses and Modern Vibes, gearnews.com, 2025-12-22
