November 2000

FLIP YOUR RIG - GUYATONE FLIP SERIES VT-X TUBE TREMOLO

By Tom Beaujour

Back in the Fifties, Tremolo was a common feature on most amplifiers. Zoot-suited Rockabilly cats and sun-drenched surf kings used it almost reflexively, tastefully applying subtle amounts of warble to their guitar tones.

Fast forward to 1988, when guitarist extraordinaire Johnny Marr forever changed tremolo's place in the pantheon of guitar effects, applying it to his instrument in rhythmic waves that propelled the Smith's unforgettable hit "How Soon Is Now?" Suddenly, tremolo was a deadly weapon, an effect that when used correctly could be more lethal than even the gnarliest fuzzbox. Need more proof? Take a listen to Radiohead's 1995 landmark The Bends (Capitol).

Unfortunately, many tremolo pedals available today err sadly on the side of subtlety. Guyatone's stereo Flip Series VT-X Tube Tremolo is, however, an entirely different affair. Powered by a sturdy, 12-volt DC external adapter and housed in a bulletproof 1/16-inch steel chassis, the unit is designed to survive a lifetime of use and abuse. Thus, there's little risk that the 12AX7WA tube that gives this orange monster its juice will be reduced to mincemeat.

The Flip, with its warm, thick tone, excels in virtually all tremolo applications, but its true vocation is producing raw, throbbing gristle. It features controls for Speed, Intensity and Tone, as well as an Emphasis switch that knocks the effect into a vicious square-wave chop. Thus equipped, the Flip has no difficulty recreating Marr's magic stutter at any speed, even when the effect is feeding the front of a fully overdriven Marshall.