Ibanez mini Tremolo

Tremolo is one of the oldest guitar effects, and a mini format puts it on a crowded pedalboard without taking up much room. The mini Tremolo sits in a downsized enclosure, and Guitar.com's launch report described the two Ibanez mini pedals of 2020 as offering "a bare-bones layout of one main control"¹. Later coverage filled in the full control set, which is where the details below come from.

What it does

Tremolo modulates the volume of your signal up and down at a speed you set, from a slow, gentle swell to a fast stutter. The mini Tremolo gives you three controls for that, plus one internal adjustment:

MusicRadar's Rob Laing called the pedal "a fresh take with wave, depth and speed controls" and noted the internal trimpot, which addresses a common complaint about tremolo pedals: at deep settings the effect can make the pedal seem quieter overall, and a level trim lets you compensate⁴. Guitar.com's report framed the depth control as the main control of the bare-bones layout¹, while gearnews listed the three knobs as Wave, Depth and Speed³; the two reports describe the same control set from different angles.

Where it came from

Ibanez announced the Tremolo Mini as part of its NAMM 2020 lineup together with the Flanger Mini and the Echo Shifter, three new launches that included two mini models and a welcome return². At the time of the launch reports, pricing and availability were listed as to be announced¹, with the pedals expected later in the year and prices to be confirmed². As one reviewer noted, "it's not clear whether the Tremolo Mini is based on an existing pedal - potentially the Soundtank Tremolo - or features" a new circuit⁵.

How it compares with other mini and compact tremolos

The mini Tremolo's control set is straightforward compared with some other compact tremolo pedals of its era. Where Ibanez gives you wave shape, depth, speed and an internal level trim, other makers approached the same problem differently⁴³:

• The ZVex Tremolo Probe replaces knobs with a touch plate you tap with your foot, producing tremolo in time with your foot's movement⁶.
• The Subdecay Vagabond Tremolo puts its volume compensation on the outside, with a dedicated external volume knob to make up for perceived volume loss, where the Ibanez hides its level trim inside the enclosure⁷.
• The HardWire TR-7 Tremolo/Rotary takes a multi-function approach, with one modify knob that changes jobs depending on the selected mode⁸.

The internal trimpot on the Ibanez is aimed at the same volume-drop problem as the Vagabond's volume knob, with the trimpot helping to prevent volume loss that can occur with tremolo when using deeper depth settings, and the Vagabond's dedicated external volume knob helping to make up for perceived volume loss. The Ibanez keeps its front panel to Wave, Depth and Speed knobs, while the Vagabond offers an external volume knob. For a player who wants a set-and-forget mini tremolo, that keeps the controls minimal; for a player who adjusts volume on the fly, an external knob is the more convenient arrangement⁴⁷³.