The Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper 3 is an all-analog tap tempo tremolo and step sequencer pedal. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as having an all analog signal path, with the LFO rate set by tap tempo requiring two or more taps, and credits its sound to a fast response analog VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier), a four stage pattern sequencer, and custom waveform recording1. It sits in the tremolo family, but the sequencer side pushes it well past a standard amplitude wobble.
What it does to your sound
As a tremolo, the Goatkeeper 3 modulates your volume with an analog LFO, tapped to tempo like a delay. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found that beyond the standard tremolo work, "it makes for one bad-ass tremolo pedal on it's own, for yet another option to use on stage or in the studio"3. The same review describes the range of sounds this way:
"The sounds this pedal creates can be both tone enhancer-type sounds, or completely wild and out-of-this-world electronica-type beats, blips, pulses, ebbs and flows."
The sequencer is what separates it from ordinary tremolo pedals: a four-step pattern that multiplies the LFO's rate, with each step able to behave differently, so the pedal can chop, stutter and pulse in rhythm rather than simply swell31.
Controls and features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tap tempo | Sets the LFO rate with two or more taps1 |
| Four-step sequencer | Multiplies the LFO's rate by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 or 163 |
| Step modes | Each step can be set to rest, full amplitude, or random1 |
| Waveforms | 11 available: six standard and five user creatable and savable3 |
| Waveform recording | The depth knob or the expression/CV input can be used as the source for waveform recording1 |
| Presets mod (optional) | Adds four presets that cycle when tapping the preset switch1 |
| External sync input | Syncs Goatkeeper to an audio click track3 |
The presets mod was optional, so not every one of the 25 pedals made will have the four-preset switching. The expression/CV input also means the pedal can respond to expression pedals as the waveform recording source1.
History, rarity and what reviewers said
The Goatkeeper 3 was the third and final version of the Goatkeeper, limited to just 25 pedals according to Pedal of the Day3. The same 2016 review reported that Lightfoot Labs appeared to be done making pedals, and the site's 2023 revisit of the GK3 Tap Tremolo/Sequencer described it as "a rare, out-of-production and highly sought-after pedal"23. That 2016 review also noted used examples were going for about $600 at the time3.
Pedal of the Day featured the pedal in September 2016 and reviewed it that October, and its verdict on the tremolo side was that it stands on its own for stage or studio use34. With so few units built and the maker no longer producing, finding one today is difficult and, as the 2023 write-up puts it, expensive2.
Videos
David Fisher (tibbon)
Eli Friedmann
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Is the Goatkeeper 3 true bypass?
Pedal of the Day's review describes the Goatkeeper 3 as using relay bypass with momentary footswitches. Relay bypass switches the signal with a relay rather than a simple mechanical switch, and it is generally counted among the bypass styles players look for when they want the pedal out of the signal path completely when off.
Can the Goatkeeper 3 sync to a click track?
Yes. The pedal has an external sync input that syncs the Goatkeeper to an audio click track, according to Pedal of the Day's review. That means the tremolo or sequencer pattern can be locked to a tempo source fed into the sync input rather than tapped in by foot.
How many Goatkeeper 3 pedals were made?
Pedal of the Day reports that the Goatkeeper 3, the third and final version of the Goatkeeper, was limited to just 25 pedals. That small run is a large part of why the pedal is hard to find now.
What power supply does the Goatkeeper 3 need?
The Goatkeeper 3 runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 75mA, according to RockBoard's PedalPedia listing. Check that your supply can deliver the current on the outlet you plug it into.
How much is a used Goatkeeper 3 worth?
Pedal of the Day's 2016 review noted that used Goatkeeper pedals were going for about $600 at that time. The pedal is out of production and described as highly sought-after, so used prices have been high.
Is Lightfoot Labs still making pedals?
No. Pedal of the Day reported in 2016 that Lightfoot Labs appeared to be done making pedals, and repeated in 2023 that the Goatkeeper 3 GK3 in all its versions is out of production and a rare, highly sought-after pedal.
Sources (4)
- Goatkeeper by Lightfoot Labs, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper 3 GK3 Tap Tremolo/Sequencer, Pedal of the Day, 2023-05-16
- Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper 3 Analog Tap Tremolo/Sequencer, Pedal of the Day, 2016-10-11
- Lightfoot Labs Goatkeeper 3 Analog Tremolo Sequencer, Pedal of the Day, 2016-09-17
