The VFE Old School is an all-analog tremolo pedal from VFE Pedals that, in the maker's words, "recalls the luxurious tremolo sounds of vintage tube amps"1. It is derived from a tremolo circuit from the 1960s that VFE describes as rich sounding but feature-limited, and the company extended the range of both the speed and depth controls1. On top of that base circuit, VFE added two unusual features: a starve circuit that adds grit and chop to the tremolo, and a dynamics circuit that adjusts the speed or depth of the effect based on how hard you play2.
What the Old School does
Tremolo, the rhythmic variation of a signal's volume, was built into many vintage amps before being displaced by phaser and chorus in the 70s and 80s, then returned by the end of the nineties4. The Old School aims squarely at that vintage amp character. VFE says the pedal is "derived from a rich sounding, but feature-limited tremolo circuit from the 1960s," with extra range added to both speed and depth controls2.
What sets it apart from a straightforward vintage reissue is the pair of added circuits. One starves the circuit to add grit and chop, letting the tremolo push into crunchier territory; the other ties an envelope follower to an optocoupler so the speed or depth responds to your playing dynamics2. A 2014 Pedal of the Day review by Mike B summed up the pedal's appeal:
"it sounds like you're playing through a $4,000 vintage amp, but with more features and more reliability"3
The same review noted the Starve control's crunch and crackle as "pretty unique and welcome in a tremolo pedal"3.
The controls
The Old School carries external controls for speed, depth, voice and level, plus a sensitivity mini knob and a mode toggle, with several internal adjustments underneath213.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| RANGE | Sets the range of the speed control1 |
| VOICE | Sets the bass response at the louder end of the sweep: up is full bass, throbbing tremolo; middle is smooth, mid-focused; down is bright, fluttering1 |
| DEPTH | Sets the depth of the tremolo; fully counterclockwise removes the tremolo and leaves a clean boost2 |
| Speed | Sets the tremolo rate, from very slow upward3 |
| Sens | Mini knob that adjusts the sensitivity of the effect3 |
| Level | Output level; usable as a clean boost with the tremolo off3 |
| Mode toggle | Three positions: "S" makes the tremolo accelerate the stronger you play, "D" makes the depth decrease, middle position is no effect3 |
Inside the pedal there are two further adjustments:
- BUFFER/TRUE: an internal switch that selects between buffered and true bypass switching1.
- LED: an internal trimpot that affects the brightness of the LED indicator1.
The pedal also has a DUALMODE momentary function. To activate or deactivate momentary mode, wait 3 seconds, then press tap, tap again, and hold the footswitch for 3 seconds1. In momentary mode the effect engages only while the footswitch is held.
Power: 9V to 15V, with a 22V audio path
The Old School accepts 9V up to 15V through the industry-standard 2.1mm pin, 5.5mm barrel, negative-tip power supply1. Inside, the circuit runs the audio path at a higher voltage than the supply: the NE555 timer IC is used as a charge pump to create around 22V as the supply on the audio path2. The 2014 review called this Extended Headroom, up to 22V3. For a player, that means more clean sweep at the loud end of the tremolo cycle than a standard 9V circuit would give.
History and versions
The Old School has its roots in the EA tremolo, with what the manual calls "some terrific additions": a JFET input buffer, the pumped-up voltage on the audio path via the 555 charge pump, the envelope follower tied to an optocoupler, and a pot to change the wave shape2.
After the finished pedals were discontinued, the circuit found a second life in the DIY community. The PCBs are the actual boards used in the discontinued VFE line, provided for DIY builders2. In July 2018, the Guitar FX Layouts blog published a vero layout for the Old School Tremolo, and builder Alex verified it working in July 2018, reporting that it "sounds and works exactly as it should"5. The layout specifies the NSL-32SR3 optocoupler5, requires 49 cuts on the vero board5, and is rated Difficult5, so it is a build for someone with some experience. Reflecting on the circuit, Alex wrote:
"it works well and is a very fun, useful circuit (less quirky than the Blue Warbler, which is also fun in a similar way)"5
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Mike Hermans
JetCityMusic
Questions
Is the VFE Old School true bypass?
It is selectable. An internal switch called BUFFER/TRUE lets you choose between buffered and true bypass switching, so you can set it to suit the rest of your pedalboard. A 2014 review described the pedal's switching as TrueSoft Bypass, VFE's own bypass implementation.
Is the VFE Old School discontinued?
Yes. The Old School was part of a line of VFE pedals that was discontinued, and the printed circuit boards were released for DIY builders only. VFE Pedals has also stated it will close down at the end of 2026, while continuing to offer repair service for out-of-warranty products indefinitely.
Can I still build a VFE Old School Tremolo as a DIY kit?
Yes. The PCBs are the actual boards used in the discontinued pedals and were provided for DIY use. A vero layout was published on Guitar FX Layouts in July 2018 and verified working, though it is rated Difficult, with 49 cuts on the vero board.
What optocoupler does the VFE Old School Tremolo use?
The DIY layout published on Guitar FX Layouts specifies the NSL-32SR3 optocoupler. The circuit ties an envelope follower to this optocoupler, which is how the pedal can make the tremolo speed or depth respond to how hard you play.
Can the VFE Old School be used as a clean boost?
Yes. Turn the Depth control all the way counterclockwise and the tremolo effect is removed, leaving what the manual calls a great-sounding clean boost. The 2014 Pedal of the Day review confirmed the Level knob works this way with the tremolo off.
How do I turn on momentary mode on the VFE Old School?
Wait 3 seconds, then press tap, tap again, and hold the footswitch for 3 seconds. This DUALMODE sequence activates or deactivates momentary mode, where the effect engages only while the footswitch is held down.
Sources (5)
- Old School, VFE Pedals
- Microsoft Word, madbeanpedals.com, 2019
- VFE Pedals Old School Vintage Tremolo, Pedal of the Day, 2014-11-23
- optical tremolo, Anasounds, 2026-03-26
- Guitar FX Layouts: VFE Old School Tremolo, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2023-07-20