The Humanoid Pedals Psychosis Tremolo Overdrive is a combined tremolo and overdrive pedal, built around a simple idea: a tweed-sounding overdrive with tremolo built into one enclosure. Humanoid Pedals describes it as "the result of wanting a Tweed-sounding overdrive with tremolo built in!"1 For a player, that means one pedal covering two jobs that often sit side by side on a board, with the tremolo voiced to work with the drive rather than against it.
Sound and circuit
Pedal of the Day's review describes the overdrive side as a "very sweet and warm tweed voiced overdrive that has grit with note clarity and very dynamic as a response to your playin[g]". That character is achieved, the review says, with hand selected JFET transistors, the transistor type often used where an amp-like feel is the goal. If you are comparing it against the drive pedals on the Overdrive Pedals page, the tweed voicing places it closer to a cranked low-wattage amp character than a mid-humped overdrive design1.
The tremolo is not an afterthought bolted on the end. It is added in the last gain stage, similar to the ones used in what the review calls the famous Heart Throb and EA circuits, which puts the wobble inside the gain structure rather than after it.1
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Output level, gain and tone | Standard overdrive controls1 |
| Speed | Adjusts the tremolo speed1 |
| Depth | Adjusts the tremolo intensity1 |
| Master volume | Compensates for the slight volume decrease when blending in tremolo1 |
The tremolo is always on, even when the effect is not engaged, and its running speed is shown by the right LED's blinking status. The Speed knob sets that rate and the Depth knob sets how strong the wobble is.1
Because the tremolo runs at all times, the right LED blinks at the tremolo speed whether or not the effect is engaged. There is a slight volume decrease expected when blending in the tremolo, so the review advises using the master volume knob wisely.1
Build and switching
The pedal comes in a white powder coated aluminum enclosure with yellow LED status indicators and true bypass switching.1 For context on the tremolo half of the design, see Tremolo Pedals, and Humanoid Pedals' The Entity for another pedal from the same maker.
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Psychosis on 8 June 2023. Its verdict on the pairing was positive1:
"Again, the combination of tremolo and overdrive found here in the Humanoid Pedals Psychosis"1
The review's overall take was that the combination of tremolo and overdrive found in the Psychosis is just wonderful overall.1
Videos
Pedal of the Day
Boring Gear Reviews
Scott Wharton's Guitarnivore
Questions
Is the Humanoid Pedals Psychosis true bypass?
Yes. The Psychosis uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your guitar signal passes through without going through the overdrive and tremolo circuitry. Pedal of the Day's 2023 review notes the true bypass switching alongside the pedal's white powder coated aluminum enclosure and yellow LED status indicators.
Is the tremolo always on in the Psychosis?
Yes. The tremolo section runs at all times, even when the effect is not engaged. You can tell because the right LED blinks at the tremolo's speed whether or not the pedal is switched on. The Speed knob sets that rate and the Depth knob sets the intensity of the wobble.
What does the master volume knob do on the Psychosis?
The master volume knob is there to compensate for a slight volume decrease that happens when you blend in the tremolo. Pedal of the Day's review advises using it wisely for that purpose, since bringing the tremolo into the mix can pull the overall level down a little.
What transistors does the Psychosis use?
The Psychosis uses hand selected JFET transistors. According to Pedal of the Day's review, those transistors are how the pedal achieves its sweet, warm tweed voiced overdrive with grit, note clarity and a dynamic response to your playing style.
Can you use the overdrive without the tremolo?
The tremolo circuit is always running in the background, indicated by the right LED's blinking speed, but the effect itself can be left unengaged. The master volume knob exists to compensate for the slight volume drop when you do blend the tremolo in, so the overdrive can be used on its own.
Sources (1)
- Humanoid Pedals Psychosis Tremolo Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2023-06-08
