The Hamstead MKII Signature Analog Tremolo is an all-analog tremolo pedal from Hamstead Soundworks, a company based in Cambridgeshire, England1. It takes the tremolo circuitry from the company's Artist +RT series amplifiers and packages it in pedal form12. The MKII is the updated version of the 2016 Signature Analog Tremolo, which first brought that amp circuit to a pedal3.
The pedal is an all-analog design by Peter Hamstead, including the waveform creation itself, rather than using a digital processor to generate the modulation2. It provides tremolo and boost, with 10dB of boost available, and Guitar World's reviewer found it "displays none of the typical perceived volume drop when the effect is kicked in"3.
Three waveforms: Sinewave, Classic and Triangle
The MKII offers three modulation modes, selected by the Modulation Mode switch23.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Sinewave | Hamstead's Signature mode, a true sinusoidal waveform the maker describes as "the cleanest, smoothest and most musical sounding tremolo"2 |
| Classic | A more vintage feel, replicating the tremolo sounds of vintage amplifiers and records from the 1950s onward; the authentic sound of output bias tremolo23 |
| Triangle | New for the MKII; more natural sounding than the name suggests, and particularly useful with the Shape control2 |
Guitar World's reviewer Trevor Curwen found the Sinewave mode "buttery smooth, melding naturally with your tone", and noted that the Triangle waveform "is capable of sawtooth and reverse sawtooth patterns with the Shape knob in play"3.
"Signature is Hamstead's own true sine wave tremolo and it sounds gorgeous: smooth in its undulation with plenty of music."
The controls
The control set consists of Depth, Speed, Gain, Shape, a Modulation Mode switch, an internal Power Up mode dipswitch and the bypass footswitch3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Sets tremolo speed across a range of 0.4 to 15Hz; can also be controlled by an external expression pedal, or by high/low speed switching23 |
| Depth | Sets the level of the effect, from subtle modulation movement through to aggressive side-chain style pumping volume2 |
| Gain | Sets the level of the built-in boost, up to 10dB3 |
| Shape | New for the MKII; tilts any of the waveforms left or right2 |
| Modulation Mode switch | Selects Sinewave, Classic or Triangle23 |
The Shape knob has no effect in its notched central position; turned left or right it skews the tremolo waveform in that direction. In Triangle mode it creates up and down sawtooth waveforms, and in Classic mode it can accentuate the thump of output bias style tremolo23.
Curwen found the Speed and Depth ranges well judged: "From a slow deep throb to a fast shimmer, the Depth and Speed knobs give you a great range", and noted that "the speed can be placed under the control of an expression pedal for changes on the fly"3. MusicRadar's review of the original similarly praised "the thoughtfully chosen ranges of the Speed and Depth knobs"4.
Switching is handled by an optical OptoKick footswitch from TheGigRig, which Hamstead chose for silent and reliable switching2.
History and versions: from the Artist +RT amps to the MKII
The circuit's lineage goes back to Hamstead's amplifiers. The RT in Artist +RT denotes reverb and tremolo, and the tremolo circuit from the Artist 20+RT amplifier first found its way into stompbox form in 2016 with the Signature Analog Tremolo, with a few extra features added34. The MKII takes that same Signature 'Sinewave' circuit straight out of the Artist +RT series amplifiers2.
The MKII differs from the original in several ways3:
- A smaller footprint, in a pedalboard-friendly format31
- No extra footswitch for the boost circuit, though the boost itself remains3
- A Control input3
- A third waveform, Triangle23
- A Shape control23
The original Signature Analog Tremolo appeared in 2016, when Hamstead Soundworks first put the tremolo circuitry from its Artist +RT series amps into a pedal3. The tremolo circuit itself comes from the Artist 20+RT amplifier, where RT denotes reverb and tremolo, and reached stompbox form with a few extra features4. The original pedal was an all-analog design by Peter Hamstead2.
What reviewers said
Published reviews of both the MKII and the original Signature Analog Tremolo appeared in the guitar press, and their verdicts are quoted in the sections above34.
Videos
Eirik Stordrange
HarryAndAGuitar
Do Noise
Questions
Does the Hamstead Signature Tremolo cause a volume drop when switched on?
No. Guitar World's reviewer found the MKII displays none of the typical perceived volume drop when the effect is kicked in. That is a common complaint with some tremolo circuits, where the average output level falls as the depth increases, but Hamstead's design avoids it.
What does the Shape knob do on the Hamstead tremolo?
The Shape control is new for the MKII. It has no effect in its notched central position, but turned left or right it tilts or skews the tremolo waveform in that direction. In Triangle mode it creates up and down sawtooth waveforms, and in Classic mode it can accentuate the thump of output bias style tremolo.
What is output bias tremolo?
Output bias tremolo is a vintage amplifier design in which the effect works on the output stage rather than cutting the signal after it. Hamstead's Classic mode is voiced to deliver the authentic sound of output bias tremolo as found in some vintage amps, with a thump the Shape control can accentuate.
Is the Hamstead MKII tremolo smaller than the original?
Yes. The MKII has a smaller footprint than the original 2016 Signature Analogue Tremolo and a pedalboard-friendly format. The trade-off is that it loses the extra footswitch for the boost circuit, though the boost function itself remains, with 10dB of gain on tap.
Does the MKII still have the boost footswitch?
No. The MKII loses the extra footswitch the original had for the boost circuit. The pedal still offers boost and tremolo, but the boost is no longer independently switchable from its own footswitch; the single OptoKick footswitch handles bypass switching.
Sources (4)
- Hamstead MKII Signature Analogue Tremolo, Delicious Audio, 2021-04-15
- Signature Tremolo, Hamstead Soundworks
- Hamstead Soundworks Signature Analogue Tremolo MKII review, Guitar World, 2021-02-10
- Hamstead Soundworks Signature Analogue Tremolo review, MusicRadar, 2016-10-13
