The Mu-Tron Ripper is an envelope filter pedal from Mu-Tron, the brand revived by original designer Mike Beigel. The maker announced it on 5 August 2021 as available in its store, alongside the Tubetron overdrive. An envelope filter sweeps a filter in response to your playing dynamics, the effect behind classic funk quack, and Mu-Tron describes the Ripper as "a simple but effective and versatile envelope filter"1.
What it does
The Ripper tracks your attack and opens or closes its filter accordingly, which is what gives an envelope filter its expressive, touch-sensitive character. Mu-Tron frames it as an instrument-agnostic pedal: "Whether it's guitar, bass, clavinet, or synths, the Ripper will help you get the funk out"1. That makes it a candidate for players who want the Mu-Tron filter sound on a pedalboard that also carries a bass or a keyboard rig, without needing separate dedicated units.
The Ripper in the Mu-Tron range
Mu-Tron positions the Ripper as the straightforward option in its current filter lineup. The maker's own words on the comparison1:
"Although the Ripper has fewer bells and whistles than its big brother the Micro-Tron IV, this pedal still packs a mighty quack that is amazingly expressive and fun to play."
So the trade is features for simplicity: the Micro-Tron IV is the fuller-featured sibling, while the Ripper keeps the core envelope filter response. Players who want more control over the filter's behavior can look at the Micro-Tron IV or the Micro-Tron III; those who want the quack with fewer knobs to manage are who the Ripper is aimed at1.
Availability
Mu-Tron announced the Ripper on 5 August 2021 as "available now in our store", together with the Tubetron overdrive1. The same update noted that the Tremu-tron tremolo pedal was close to production and next for release1.
Questions
What instruments does the Mu-Tron Ripper work with?
The maker says the Ripper works with guitar, bass, clavinet, or synths, and describes it as a way to get the funk out of any of them. It is an envelope filter, so it responds to how hard you play, producing the automatic wah-style quack associated with funk and similar styles.
How does the Ripper compare to the Micro-Tron IV?
Mu-Tron describes the Ripper as having fewer bells and whistles than its big brother, the Micro-Tron IV. In other words, it is the simpler pedal of the two, but the maker says it still packs a mighty quack that is amazingly expressive and fun to play.
Sources (1)
- Mu-Tron Summer News Update 2021, Musitronics Mu-Tron, 2021-08-05
