The Pro Tone Pedals DBH Tremolo is a tremolo pedal developed by Pro Tone Pedals together with rockabilly guitarist Danny B. Harvey, best known as the guitarist for the super group The Head Cat. It is an all-analog design built around a Vactrol opto-isolator, the light-dependent circuit approach that Pro Tone Pedals says provides lush tones similar to those found on vintage American made amplifiers of the '40s and '50s. The pedal was announced with a list price of $2491.
What it does
Tremolo modulates a note's volume up and down, and an opto design does it with a light-sensitive element rather than an electronic gain stage, which is how the tremolo circuits in old American amplifiers worked. Pro Tone Pedals describes the DBH as delivering that vintage amp character, from slow swells to rapid stutter. An LED indicator on the pedal pulsates with the tremolo speed, which makes setting the tempo to a song straightforward on stage1.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed | Rate of the effect, from a slow swell to a rapid stutter |
| Depth | Controls the amount of dip, from an imperceptible dip in volume to a remove-the-air-from-the-room throb |
| Space | Adjusts the space between volume swells |
| Volume | Overall boost or cut |
| Internal trim | Internal trim control to fine tune your speed settings |
The internal trim sits inside the pedal rather than on the top panel, so it is a set-and-forget adjustment for dialing in the speed range that suits your playing1.
Designed by Danny B. Harvey
The pedal is a signature collaboration: Pro Tone Pedals and Danny B. Harvey teamed up to develop it, and it carries his initials. Harvey's rockabilly background fits the pedal's stated aim of reproducing the tremolo character of 1940s and 1950s American amplifiers1.
The DBH Tremolo was announced in October 2010. It runs on a standard 9V battery or a BOSS style adapter with a negative tip, the same center negative polarity as most pedalboard supplies, and is backed by a 5 year warranty1.
For more on how this kind of effect works and how it compares with others, see Tremolo Pedals.
Videos
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Questions
Does the Pro Tone DBH Tremolo run on a battery?
Yes. Pro Tone Pedals states the DBH Tremolo operates on a standard 9V battery, or it can be powered from a BOSS style adapter with a negative tip. That makes it straightforward to run on a standard pedalboard supply or on battery power alone.
Is the Pro Tone DBH Tremolo true bypass?
Yes. The pedal is described as 100% true bypass for noise free operation, so when it is switched off your guitar signal passes through without the pedal's circuitry loading it down.
What power supply does the DBH Tremolo need?
The DBH Tremolo runs on a standard 9V battery or a BOSS style adapter with a negative tip, the same center negative polarity used by most common pedal power supplies. No other power requirement is listed for the pedal.
What does the Space knob do on the DBH Tremolo?
The Space control adjusts the space between volume swells. Working alongside the Speed control, which sets the rate of the effect, it shapes the rhythm of the tremolo's rise and fall rather than its volume or depth.
Where is the Pro Tone DBH Tremolo made?
Pro Tone Pedals states the DBH Tremolo is hand made in the USA.
What is the warranty on Pro Tone Pedals?
The DBH Tremolo comes backed by a 5 year warranty from Pro Tone Pedals.
Sources (1)
- Danny B. Harvey Signature Tremolo by Pro Tone Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-26