The Lastgasp Art Laboratories Flikrrr is a tremolo pedal, but an unusual one: Guitar Pedal X describes it as a "glitch/modulation tremolo without Rate / Speed control". Nearly every tremolo pedal has a knob that sets how fast the volume chops in and out, and the Flikrrr leaves that out entirely. What it gives the player instead is a Shape control that changes the character of the flicker itself, sweeping from a smooth sine wave to a hard square wave1.
Controls and sound
The Flikrrr keeps things to three knobs, and none of them sets a speed1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Level | Sets the overall output of the pedal1 |
| Depth | Sets how strong the tremolo effect is1 |
| Shape | Sweeps the flicker from Sine to Square Wave1 |
Guitar Pedal X's reviewer, Stefan Karlsson, described how the Shape control changes the feel of the effect: with it fully clockwise the flickering is "harder, more cutting and more prominent", while over on the Sine side it is smoother and slightly more subtle1. In other words, the player shapes the texture of the chop rather than its tempo, which is what sets the Flikrrr apart from conventional tremolo pedals.
What reviewers said
Karlsson's verdict in the May 2024 Guitar Pedal X review was that the pedal is genuinely interesting but limited in scope1:
"As it is, it's a really cool effect - but really very one note - as all you can really do here is vary the intensity of the effect."
That is the trade-off of dropping the rate control: the Flikrrr does one thing, and the player works within it1.
Price and availability in the USA
As of May 2024, the Flikrrr was priced at $228 USD direct from Lastgasp Art Laboratories, and was also available from Perfect Circuit in the USA1. Guitar Pedal X also listed it at €219 at Effekt Boutique in Germany and at £179 from Joe's Pedals in the UK, for players buying from Europe1.
Videos
Matthew Syres
Matthew Syres
Questions
Why does the Flikrrr have no speed knob?
The Flikrrr is designed as a glitch/modulation tremolo without a Rate or Speed control, which Guitar Pedal X notes is very rare for a tremolo pedal. Instead of setting a tempo, the player uses the Shape control to sweep the character of the flicker from Sine to Square Wave, and Level and Depth to set how strong the effect is. The result is a pedal where you vary the intensity and hardness of the flicker rather than its speed.
How much does the Lastgasp Flikrrr cost in the US?
As of May 2024, the Flikrrr was listed at $228 USD direct from Lastgasp Art Laboratories, and it was also available from Perfect Circuit in the USA. For comparison, Guitar Pedal X reported it at €219 at Effekt Boutique in Germany and £179 at Joe's Pedals in the UK.
What did Guitar Pedal X say about the Flikrrr?
Reviewer Stefan Karlsson called it a really cool effect but really very one note, since all you can really do is vary the intensity of the effect. He also described how the Shape control changes the sound: fully clockwise the flickering is harder, more cutting and more prominent, while on the Sine side it is smoother and slightly more subtle.
Sources (1)
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-05-08