Pigtronix Ringmaster

The Pigtronix Ringmaster is an analog ring modulator pedal for guitar and bass, announced by Pigtronix in January 2018 and shipping from that April at a retail price of $249¹². Pigtronix describes it as a ring modulator, harmonizer and tremolo in one box, built around an analog multiplier circuit and offered in two modes: Ring Mod and Tremolo¹³.

Ring modulation is created by merging the audio signal from your instrument with an internally generated waveform known as the carrier. The ring modulator multiplies the notes you play by that carrier and outputs the sum and difference of the frequencies, which is what gives the effect its metallic, bell-like, synthesizer character². Delicious Audio's coverage put it plainly: the Ringmaster "opens the door to a wide array of unique synthesizer tones"⁴.

What the Ringmaster does

The Ringmaster expands on the "Intelligent Ring Mod" found in the original Pigtronix Mothership pedal, turning that circuit into a standalone unit¹⁷. Beyond basic ring modulation, it adds LFO and Sample + Hold modulation sources, pitch-following tremolo, and wave shaping for both inputs to the analog multiplier circuit¹.

The pedal also accepts an external carrier injected into the multiplier, which Pigtronix says enables cross-modulation of multiple instruments: two players can feed each other's signals into the multiplier and modulate one against the other¹.

Ring Mod and Tremolo modes

In Ring Mod mode the carrier oscillator runs at audio-rate frequencies, producing the classic sum-and-difference output. The Trem function divides the rate of the carrier oscillator down into the LFO range, turning the same circuit into a tremolo⁴.

The tremolo side has a trick of its own. When combined with the Follow function, the tremolo speeds up as the pitch of the input signal goes up, tracking the notes you play⁴. Guitar.com's news coverage described the result: "when you combine this with the 'Follow' function, the tremolo will automatically speed up as you play higher notes"³. Pigtronix's documentation notes this tracking works best with monophonic playing, so single lines follow cleanly while chords are not the tool's home ground⁴.

Controls

Power and connections

On the connection side, alongside the instrument input there is an external carrier input for cross-modulation¹. The modulation CV output jack sends 0 to 5 VDC², and Pigtronix says this quarter-inch output can be used as an expression controller for other pedals, naming the Mothership 2 pedal as an example, or for any synthesizer that allows external CV control⁴. That makes the Ringmaster usable as a controller as well as an effect: its modulation sources can sweep parameters on other gear in real time.

Where it came from

Pigtronix unveiled the Ringmaster around NAMM 2018, with preorders being taken for April delivery¹. MusicRadar reported the April release and the $249 USD retail price², and Guitar World's announcement gave the same price and timing⁷. The circuit is not a fresh design but an expansion of the Intelligent Ring Mod section from the earlier Mothership pedal, offered as its own pedal for players who want that sound without the Mothership's full synthesizer voice¹⁷. The Stompbox Book later listed the Ringmaster among "other well-regarded ring mods" in its history of the effect⁸.

What reviewers said

Guitar.com reviewed the Ringmaster in January 2019, rating it 7/10⁶. The reviewer's summary was mixed but positive on the concept:

The same review flagged a practical complaint: the tiny dot markers on the outer controls are virtually impossible to see, which makes settings hard to read on a dark stage⁶. The review also recorded the UK price at the time, £299, and the pedal's dimensions of 116 x 72 x 55mm⁶.

The overall picture from published coverage is consistent: a genuinely analog ring modulator with unusual extras, the pitch-following tremolo and the CV output chief among them, that rewards players willing to spend time with it⁵¹⁴.

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