The Source Audio Mission of Burma Tremolo is a limited edition tremolo pedal built around the company's Vertigo Tremolo, developed with Mission of Burma guitarist Roger Clark Miller and sold exclusively through The Music Emporium at a list price of $2491. Its purpose is specific: to recreate the sound of Miller's custom Vacu-Trem pedal, a rare unit that produced, in Premier Guitar's words, "a hard chopping wave shape with a tremolo speed well beyond that of standard amplifier tremolos"1.
What it does
The pedal exists to match the Vacu-Trem, the signature effect Miller used with Mission of Burma. Source Audio described working "side-by-side with Roger to perfectly match the Vacu-Trem sounds in the special edition" Vertigo1. Delicious Audio's write-up of the original circuit behind that sound notes it "featured a hard chopping wave shape with above average tremolo speed"2, which is what sets this tremolo apart from the gentler amplitude modulation of most amplifier tremolo circuits.
Because it is a version of the Vertigo Tremolo, it keeps that pedal's core design: three tremolo voicings, stereo input and output for what Source Audio calls "deep and wide stereo modulation"4, and deep editing through the company's free Neuro app2.
The three modes
The Mission of Burma edition carries three tremolo modes, each named for and voiced after a Mission of Burma song2:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Trem | Voiced after the band's song "Tremelo"2 |
| Secrets | An accelerated tremolo capturing the effect on the opening notes of "Secrets," with speeds as high as 50Hz2 |
| Two | Recreates the effect on the song "Trem Two"2 |
The Secrets mode's 50Hz ceiling is well beyond the speed range of a typical amplifier tremolo, which is the point of the Vacu-Trem match12.
The Rotationary RCM preset
Alongside the modes, the pedal ships with a preset called "Rotationary RCM" on its second bank2. The initials are Roger Clark Miller's, and the preset is one of the Burma-specific voicings that separate this edition from the stock Vertigo. Like recent Source Audio pedals, this version of the Vertigo "can be edited in depth via the company's free Neuro app"2, so the presets and modes can be adjusted beyond the front-panel controls.
History and how it differs from the standard Vertigo
The Mission of Burma Tremolo is a tremolo pedal that Source Audio released in a collaboration with the Music Emporium, described as "a one-of-a-kind pedal"1. It sits alongside the standard Vertigo Tremolo in the lineup, and players comparing the two should note that the details below cover the Mission of Burma edition specifically.
The Mission of Burma edition, released in September 2023, takes that same platform and retunes it around Miller's Vacu-Trem12. The differences are the Burma-specific modes and presets, the collaboration itself, and the distribution: the standard Vertigo sold through normal dealers, while this version was available only at The Music Emporium1.
This is a limited edition pedal sold exclusively through one retailer, The Music Emporium, at $2491. Once the run sold through, it would only be findable secondhand.
Questions
Where can I buy the Mission of Burma Tremolo?
The Mission of Burma Tremolo was a limited edition pedal sold exclusively at The Music Emporium, a retailer that worked with Source Audio on the release. Because it was a limited run available only through that one store, it may not appear at other dealers, and anyone looking for one today would need to search the secondhand market or check whether The Music Emporium still has stock.
How much does the Source Audio Mission of Burma Tremolo cost?
Premier Guitar reported the limited edition Mission of Burma Tremolo at a list price of $249 at the time of its release in September 2023. As a limited edition sold through a single retailer, its price on the used market may differ from that figure.
What modes does the Mission of Burma Vertigo have?
The Mission of Burma edition of the Vertigo carries three tremolo modes: Trem, voiced after the band's song "Tremelo"; Secrets, an accelerated tremolo capturing the effect on the opening notes of "Secrets," with speeds as high as 50Hz; and Two, which recreates the effect on the song "Trem Two."
What is the Rotationary RCM preset?
Rotationary RCM is a preset on the second bank of the Mission of Burma LTD Edition Vertigo. The initials refer to Roger Clark Miller, the Mission of Burma guitarist who worked with Source Audio on the pedal, and the preset is one of the Burma-specific voicings that distinguish this version from the standard Vertigo Tremolo.
How is the Mission of Burma Tremolo different from the standard Vertigo Tremolo?
The Mission of Burma Tremolo is a limited edition of the standard Vertigo Tremolo, made with Roger Clark Miller to match the sounds of his rare custom Vacu-Trem pedal. It adds Burma-specific modes and presets, including the Rotationary RCM preset, on top of the Vertigo's three tremolo voicings, stereo input and output, and Neuro app editing.
Sources (4)
- Limited-Edition Vertigo Tremolo by Source Audio, Premier Guitar, 2023-09-07
- Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo Mission Of Burma LTD Edition, Delicious Audio, 2023-09-07
- Source Audio Vertigo Tremolo, pedal-of-the-day.com, 2016-02-01
- Vertigo Tremolo, Source Audio
