Guyatone GST-C04 Optical Tremolo

The GST-C04 dubbed the 'Ultrem' measures 120(W)x188(D)x55(H)mm so it's larger than your typical stomp box however, well worth it as you'll find out.

I'm a professional guitarist/instructor with 18 years teaching experience. I'm a C.F. Martin Professional Artist and endorsed by a few companies including Godlyke Distributing, which is how I acquired this effect pedal.

I use the Ultrem as an overdrive as well as a tremolo unit. It's very versatile to handle my equally demanding versatile schedule.

I received the Ultrem from Godlyke Distributing to review and use for my gigs. The unit lists for $395.

<a href="http://www.godlyke.com">http://www.godlyke.com</a>

The Ultrem is hands down the best tremolo I've used. The best part of that statement is that it's the best for a couple reasons - sound and versatility.

The signal path is totally analog providing a warm, organic sound reminiscent of amps from yesteryear but adds a variety of useful control features that set it apart from any other stompbox on the market.

After about 15 minutes I had most of the features under control however, when I first plugged my guitar in I was working with a rich tremolo. It didn't take long to dial in the 6 wave forms that included: triangle, saw-tooth, reverse saw-tooth, and 3 square waves. With all this versatility it was possible to create smooth tremolo effects as well as a more modern chopper effect.

The Ultrem also included 6 modes of use so the user can apply this pedal to many situations. For example, you can connect an expression pedal to control the speed, depth, volume, and waveform. This is great when you're playing rhythm and want a quick burst of tremolo or during a solo by changing the rate or waveform depending on your phrase.

I find the Ultrem to be very important to my rig because I use it as a separate overdrive for certain songs and a tremolo unit for others. The Saturation knob is very musical as it can range from a subtle break up to a pure, organic overdrive. I'll usually set this for a slight break up for rhythm playing.

The unit also features: a blend on/off switch, tap tempo footswitch, pan switch with stereo outputs, tap/pedal switch, which selects quarter, eighth, or sixteenth-not pulses, and an expression pedal input.

The only negative feature on the Ultrem is a slight bump in volume when it's engaged. This is a small quibble given the features this unit offers. I simply adjust the volume with my guitar volume knob.

The Ultrem is constructed using a metal housing and vintage style footswitches. The knobs turn very smoothly and the smaller knobs have a textured feel for better control. The min-toggle switches also have a solid feel to them. Guyatone has done a marvelous job with this pedal all around.

If you're looking for an overdrive unit and a high-end tremolo you need to test drive the Ultrem from Guyatone. All the main features are clearly labeled and accessed on the top of the pedal for great sounds out of the box. A little digging will yield unlimited possibilities in this great sounding pedal.

<img src="http://www.musicgearreview.com/dbpix/Ultrem.jpg" />

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com