The Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter Stereo Tap Tremolo is a tremolo pedal built around tap tempo: you tap out a speed, then refine it with ratio controls and shape the pulse itself with wave and shape knobs. It is the newer, more compact version of Seymour Duncan's original SFX-07 Shape Shifter, keeping the same functionality and controls while adding stereo outputs and a channel phase knob that modifies the synchronization between the two outputs1.
What it does and how it is controlled
The Shape Shifter's core workflow is tap tempo. You tap out a tempo, which can then be modified with the ratio controls: in the ratio setting you can create subdivisions (1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1) of whatever tempo you tap in1. On the original SFX-07, Guitar World explained what those ratios produce: "The 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 settings generate quarter, eighth, triplet and 16th-note tremolo effects, respectively"3.
The wave knob selects three basic wave shapes, sine, triangle, and square, and allows blending between them1. The Shape control governs the rise and fall of the tremolo's pulse; Vintage Guitar's Dan Forte described its behavior on the SFX-07: "The Shape controls the rise and fall of the tremolo's pulse. At 12:00, it decays at the same speed as it increases"4.
From the mono SFX-07 to the stereo version
The original SFX-07 Shape Shifter was a mono tap tremolo, made in Seymour Duncan's view to reproduce the rich classic tremolo sound of vintage fifties tube amps, and described by Vintage Guitar as covering "a wide range of true vintage amp tremolos as well as more modern, even radical, effects"4. It was not stereo: Guitar World's 2008 review put it plainly, "If you want stereo panning tremolo you'll have to look elsewhere"3.
The newer Shape Shifter keeps the same functionality and controls as the original but adds the stereo feature and the channel phase knob1. Premier Guitar's reviewer summed up what the redesign offers:
"Huge range of tremolo tones and shape-sculpting options."
The SFX-07's tap tempo was already a highlight. Dan Forte wrote in Vintage Guitar: "The Tap Rate control is one of the 07's hippest features, especially in Ratio mode"4.
Prices
| Version | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shape Shifter Stereo Tap Tremolo | $229 street | Premier Guitar, 20211 |
| SFX-07 Shape Shifter | $225 MSRP | Premier Guitar stompbox roundup2 |
Videos
Guitar World
ProGuitarShopDemos
Sweetwater
Questions
Is the Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter stereo?
Yes. The newer, more compact Shape Shifter adds stereo outputs, and a channel phase knob that modifies the synchronization between the two outputs. The original SFX-07 Shape Shifter was mono only; Guitar World's 2008 review noted that players wanting stereo panning tremolo would have to look elsewhere.
What tap tempo subdivisions does the Shape Shifter have?
You tap in a tempo, then the ratio controls create subdivisions of it. The ratio settings are 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1, which Guitar World described as generating quarter, eighth, triplet and sixteenth-note tremolo effects respectively.
What is the difference between the SFX-07 Shape Shifter and the new Shape Shifter?
The newer Shape Shifter is a more compact pedal that retains the same functionality and controls as the original SFX-07, but adds a stereo feature and a channel phase knob that modifies the synchronization between the two outputs, according to Premier Guitar's review.
How much does the Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter cost?
Premier Guitar's review of the stereo Shape Shifter listed a street price of $229. The earlier SFX-07 Shape Shifter carried an MSRP of $225, according to Premier Guitar's roundup of stompbox reviews.
Sources (4)
- Seymour Duncan Shape Shifter Stereo Tap Tremolo Review, Premier Guitar, 2015-08-21
- Stomp on This! 28 Stompboxes Reviewed, Premier Guitar, 2008-10-15
- Seymour Duncan SFX-07 Shape Shifter, Guitar World, 2008-04-28
- Seymour Duncan SFX-07 Shape Shifter, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2010-02-02
