I’m definitely looking for more of a real-time wah-style effect. I think, on the Hog, it is referred to as ‘step bend’. I would essentially like to use an expression pedal in exactly the same way you would use a Bigsby.

Thanks

Here’s the situation, as I see it: I have probably owned about 40 different guitars in my lifetime, and those guitars have encompassed nearly every type of tremolo bar available. I’ve had Floyds, Kahlers, Bigsbys, Fenders, Wonderbars, a Trans-Trem, and a Stetsbar, and in ALL cases, the tremolo has been problematic, at best, and at worst, a tonal, tuning or installation nightmare. I love the effect, but I hate the device. I have even installed a Hipshot Tremsetter on a Strat, and there were still problems. I’ve seen countless, beautiful guitars, defaced with routed cavities and post holes. Also, anytime you add a tremolo to a hardtail instrument, it alters the tone. If you put a Bigsby on a Tele, it no longer sounds like the same Tele. If you put a Floyd Rose Tremolo on a Les Paul, it no longer sounds like it once did. The only tremolo I’ve used that had minimal effect on the tone of the original instrument, was the Stetsbar, but that is only if the guitar you started with had a Tun-o-matic tailpiece, so that it is an unaltered fit. This doesn’t even get into tuning issues, locking nuts, neck shims etc… It would be nice just to remove the effect from the guitar entirely, and put it in an expression pedal. That way, your guitar will stay in tune like a hardtail, and always sound like your guitar should sound. Digitech tried it with the Whammy pedal, but it sounds terrible with regard to chord polyphony, and splits duty with trying to be a harmonizer as well. I envision a pedal whose sole purpose is to eliminate the need for a tremolo bar. Period. It could even have preset pitch modes for well-known tremolo models, that allow the range of the pedal to simulate the range of the bar. Oh, Effect Gods…Hear my Plea!

Wow…Julian…I think you’ve nailed this one. I hadn’t even looked at the Ring Thing, due to my preconceived notions of a ring modulator, but, it seems to do exactly what I’m talking about. Thanks so much. I will have to look into the Hot Hand more closely, but I’m definitely looking to try out the Ring Thing. Damn, this will let me play the way I like on any of my guitars! Too cool! Thanks to you and EH Man for your insights on this!