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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink SurfyTrem DIY builds and FAQ's

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I'm considering seeing if I can get someone to assemble the reverb and trem combo in the style of a tank - I already have a Gomez and Texotica but I like the idea of both trem and reverb combined into one...

I already have trem on my 61 Showman - is trem on the amp and the reverb over-kill? Would it sound alright? Never had two trems going at once....

I built a Surfy Reverb/trem unit. Mostly, I built both into the same box because I could, but also because I have times where I travel by plane to a gig, and I have to use a backline amp that might not have a tremolo. And, the Surfy unit is smaller and easier to pack than a full sized tank, which doesn't seem that big until you try to stuff it in a suitcase.

Last weekend, we played a gig where the promoter supplied the backline. And the contract stated we had to use it. But, I took my '63 Bandmaster combo, and my surfy box, knowing that if I did really HAVE to use the provided backline amp, I wanted good reverb, but also good trem.

In the end, I used my amp, and the surfy unit, and the trem on both at different times during the show. It worked great.

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

Last edited: Oct 06, 2017 12:48:25

I love my surfy trem and have been getting great tone with and without the trem on so i have 1 question when effect is off does it make your guitar tone sound more like it is going through a 60s fender amp?

Hi LinkJR
The internal filters are very similar to the filters used in 'vibrato' channel of the Showman amp. But I would NOT go as far as to say that you can replicate the sound Wink

Last edited: Oct 14, 2017 12:39:37

I have experimented with a few things with the surfy trem just recently. What I wanted to do is create a bit of boost when the pedal is engaged. The best way to do this is to run the pedal with true bypass switching and max out the internal volume control. After boosting the internal and testing I then pulled the trem out of the signal chain to represent true bypass. What happened to my overall tone was very distinct. I immediately had less drip from my tank and an overall loss of the tone I have had since putting the trem in my signal chain several months ago so the pedal remains intact.

I experimented with boosting in front and found the EP Boost actually reduced the overall effect of the trem and tried the Super Badass which punched up the effect of the trem. When playing live I don't use the trem all that much but when I do I want it to cut through the band mix and stand out. The right boost very much accomplished that. Whatever Bjorn did in the filtering process of the circuit is very musical. I wouldn't want to be without!

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Last edited: Dec 18, 2017 06:39:38

stratdancer wrote:

I experimented with boosting in front and found the EP Boost actually reduced the overall effect of the trem and tried the Super Badass which punched up the effect of the trem. When playing live I don't use the trem all that much but when I do I want it to cut through the band mix and stand out. The right boost very much accomplished that. Whatever Bjorn did in the filtering process of the circuit is very musical. I wouldn't want to be without!

I've found this exact thing. Has to do, I think, with the low-mid bump the EP Boost gives, even if turned down all the way. As good as it is, it is certainly not a completely transparent boost. I actually use it much less now & use (when at room volume) that exact MXR pedal, the SuperBadAss distortion which has phenomenally good tone controls.

I have one of the original assembled Surfy Trem pedals (from the SJSF that Lorenzo sent me) and have not played with anything internally, gain-wise & wouldn't know yet what I'm looking for anyway. With the MXR barely cracked (as to Gain) and the SurfyTrem BrownFace controls both at 9:00 it is a great way to get a good sound in a hurry at room volume - something unneeded if I was able to crack the Vibrolux up to 4 or more, which is lovely also. I definitely think the Surfy Trem lends a color to the sound even at very low intensity levels, and in a good way.

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

A very good way! I was really shocked when I fired up the amp after removing the surfy trem as in "what just happened?" I went through every setting in my signal chain to see if something was wrong. I reset the the surfy trem and put it back into the chain and that lush, warm tone was back.

I have for a long time now set my Super Badass as a boost with the output almost maxed and the distortion at about 1/2. It's a big boost with just a little bit of grit. I find it to be very touch sensitive so if I back off my picking attack I get a nice bright boost with very little grit or I can dig hard and open things up a bit.

The EP Boost is continuously being pushed aside. I wish the dip switches would provide relief from that darker image.

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

i am in the beguin of rehousing my surfy bear and puting the surfy trem with
a question is the surfy trem with the pot at 0 color the sound ? or like an amp no change of sound
i am hesitate to put a switch for activation ?,but it could be more user friendly cause if you use the switch and activate it, the trem will be set up
also as i have the old board for surfy bear ,my new housing will be half of the older but not as small as i want it idealy ,but i will put the power supply in and i can bring in a my bag for cable (one thing less to carry for rehearsal cause i have only 2 hands and it weight more than my quilter head )(and i recycle my old chassis with )
need to do some routing for corner and cut 2 boards for the up and the down

![image](https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/sg101.user.photos/bCryqsn8RzKmbiVJ01ieEw.JPG

Finally du to time and it beguin to be long and i need for the rehearsal of thursday i have put in my old enclosure ,at first it sound cool ,but i haven't try it really cause i have some debug to do ,du to pan rca bad mounted (nice noise !!!),a power connector old and needed to be change ect
....
the more than bug me is my drillingg one pot came very bad

image

Last edited: Feb 04, 2018 13:55:05

ludobag wrote:

a question is the surfy trem with the pot at 0 color the sound ? or like an amp no change of sound

Hi Ludo!
it looks good Smile
Regarding your question, the trem circuit affects the sound very little with intensity at 0. I think you should try it and check yourself.

Thanks Mister Bear
will try at rehearsale to be sure ,but i find the surfy trem added after the reverb change a little the overall sound of the surfy bear ,not in bad way in fact it tames the very hight and warm up the reverb when not engaged
i have try the 2 modes and i have a big preference for the brown ,it is similar to my vibratrem marshall that i use in vibrato mode more than in tremolo mode
i find the black mode is more for rythm when pushed up and it is fun it cut the sound in part
Ludo

Try it at rehearsale !love it , make me sound bigger
just a phone recording ,play it loud to hear it well ,push vlc to 130 %
and hear

i have a need for now i need a footswitch to activate it and cut it rather than the on off normal swicht i have on the panel
i remember Bjorn said the switch need to be sheild ,i have a keyboard switch that i can use ,but i don't know if it is sheild ?(or if i made a box with a dpdt switch an instrument cable with 2 conductor + sheild will work ?,i need only fews cm (20 cm long ,my rca cable is normal one is rca cable are sheild ?)
and i need it to be if i forget the footswitch to be off ,and still use my hand switch ,how to install it ? ,the chassis jack need to be parallel to my hand switch ?

edith :sorry it seems i have confuse the surfy bear and surfy trem ,at first seeing no need to have a sheilded wire for the switch ,will look at first to move my hand switch to made it easyer to move with my foot ,lol

Last edited: Feb 09, 2018 09:46:38

Sounds awesome Ludo!

Shielding is no problem if you use a metal chassis.

Thanks Bjorn
need to made a switch my keyboard one is momentary (sustain pedal)works also but need to have the foot on always and less easy to move with
i think i have a normal one (amp canal change) need a female jack ,a pactch cable and i am done
Best Ludo

that power supply showed up the other day. it is significantly smaller than I expected. I'm going to re-house my whole SB setup, so this could take some time.

Better sound with a real recorder
and since yesterday a footswitch to engage the trem
it is the keyboard sustain pedal at this time ,it apply the trem when you put the foot on only ,i will buy a normal switch soon ,cause i can't find my old one ?

image

I got one! I just finished my Surfy bear kit and I have sound, tone, and mix but I don't have dwell. I get a crash when I thump my tank but no been in my amp. I tried flopping the RCA cables and the weird part is I get crash both ways but still no been in the amp. Anyone? I'm at a complete loss and would appreciate any help, thank you much@

....no verb in the amp.

Could you post some pictures of the board, pots and connectors?

I appreciate the responses and am glad to announce I figured out my fubar! And this this sounds great! Scoop much better than any pedal I've tried. I am a Surfy bear gan,lol
image
image

....and I hate auto text correcting, lol

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