Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

HardWire TR-7 Tremolo/Rotary Pedal Review

The TR-7 includes seven tremolo and rotary modes: Tremolo, Opto Tremolo, Bias Tremolo, Duo Tremolo, Rotary, Vibrato, and VibroPan


Download Example 1
Clip recorded with a Performance Strat-style guitar into a Peavey JSX head mic'd with Sennheiser mic into Garage Band
The TR-7 Tremolo/Rotary is the newest addition to the HardWire extreme performance series. It’s a stereo tremolo, rotary, and vibrato pedal that offers a variety of sounds ranging from traditional style tremolo, to a rotary cabinet simulator. It also features true stereo I/O, allowing for complex connections, creative flexibility, and trippy sounds.

The Basics
This tough little unit features seven effects: Tremolo, Opto Tremolo, Bias Tremolo, Duo Tremolo, Rotary, Vibrato, and VibroPan. It’s true bypass and features constant high-voltage operation for top-notch tonal quality and noise reduction. You also get an assortment of handy accessories including glow-in-the-dark gaffer’s tape for your pedalboard, a Stomplock knob guard to keep your pedal settings intact, and a hook & loop pad to fasten the unit to your pedalboard. It powers up with a 9-volt battery or adapter.

The four heavy duty knobs keep things simple: Speed controls the speed of the effect, Depth controls the intensity, and Modify controls various settings depending on which effect is in play. The Type knob allows you to select any of seven effects. It also features two inputs and two outputs so you can add a second guitar or amp. Tap Tempo can also be engaged.

Shakin’ All Over
I ran this unit through the effects loop of my Peavey JSX head using my Performance custom strat-style guitar. I immediately sought Uni-Vibe sounds. I wasn’t expecting a lush, liquid blanket, of pure old-school analog heaven, but the sounds I got were very disappointing—a cold and digital sounding facsimile. The same could be said for the Rotary setting, which is designed to emulate a Leslie rotary speaker cabinet. It wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t very inspiring. It lacked the lush warmth of other pedals that do a better job of emulating that sonic territory and made me wish for the real thing.

The other settings, which offered various wave patterns of tremolo and vibrato effects sounded much better. The Opto Tremolo, which imitates the circuit found in vintage Fender amps, and the Bias Tremolo, which is based on the Vox sound were very satisfying. Surf and rockabilly cats would surely appreciate having so many tweakable sounds at their disposal. The stuttering rhythm effect on the Duo Trem setting was very cool, and I was able to finally nail my James Bond guitar sounds from the VibroPan setting. From subtle to twisted, I can’t imagine anyone not finding lots of hip and usable settings to choose from.

The Verdict
The tremolo and vibrato sounds on the TR-7 are great, and the Uni-Vibe and Leslie sounds aren’t so great. It gets you in the ballpark, but those with educated ears will have issues and should look elsewhere. Tremolo freaks will surely dig it, though the lack of a knob to control the level of the effect might be a concern to some.
Buy if...
tremolo is your life.
Skip if...
you require deep Uni-Vibe sounds.
Rating...


Street $189.95 - HardWire - hardwirepedals.com

Tone Games 2010, Bonus Levels: 10 More Stompboxes Reviewed
Next up: Jam Pedals Rattler+

There's a lot of musical gold inside the scales.

Intermediate

Intermediate

• Develop a deeper improvisational vocabulary.

• Combine pentatonic scales to create new colors.

• Understand the beauty of diatonic harmony.
{'file_original_url': 'https://roar-assets-auto.rbl.ms/documents/11372/OneChordVamp-Jul21.pdf', 'id': 11372, 'media': '[rebelmouse-document-pdf 11372 site_id=20368559 original_filename="OneChordVamp-Jul21.pdf"]', 'media_html': 'OneChordVamp-Jul21.pdf', 'type': 'pdf'}

Improvising over one chord for long stretches of time can be a musician's best friend or worst nightmare. With no harmonic variation, we are left to generate interest through our lines, phrasing, and creativity. When I started learning to improvise, a minor 7 chord and a Dorian mode were the only sounds that I wanted to hear at the time. I found it tremendously helpful to have the harmony stay in one spot while I mined for new ideas to play. Playing over a static chord was crucial in developing my sense of time and phrasing.

Read MoreShow less

The high priest of prog-metal guitar, John Petrucci, is still finding new territory on his instrument.

Photo by Mark Maryanovich

The legendary progressive-metal guitarist details the darkness—and the renewed camaraderie—that led to his band Dream Theater’s 16th full-length record, Parasomnia.

Some very important events happened in John Petrucci’s life in 2024. He celebrated an enormous milestone with his bandmates in prog-metal behemoth Dream Theater: They’ve been a band for 40 years. Many bands aren’t destined to last a single decade, let alone four. It’s a titanic personal and artistic achievement. And yet, that anniversary paled in significance next to another major development: The band wrote and created a new full-length record with founding drummer Mike Portnoy, who had been absent from Dream Theater since 2010.

Read MoreShow less

Fifteen watts that sits in a unique tone space and offers modern signal routing options.

A distinct alternative to the most popular 1x10 combos. Muscular and thick for a 1x10 at many settings. Pairs easily with single-coils and humbuckers. Cool looks.

Tone stack could be more rangeful.

$999

Supro Montauk
supro.com

4
4
4
4

When you imagine an ideal creative space, what do you see? A loft? A barn? A cabin far from distraction? Reveling in such visions is inspiration and a beautiful escape. Reality for most of us, though, is different. We’re lucky to have a corner in the kitchen or a converted closet to make music in. Still, there’s a romance and sense of possibility in these modest spaces, and the 15-watt, 1x10, all-tubeSupro Montauk is an amplifier well suited to this kind of place. It enlivens cramped corners with its classy, colorful appearance. It’s compact. It’s also potent enough to sound and respond like a bigger amp in a small room.

Read MoreShow less
- YouTube

Watch the official video documenting the sold-out event at House of Blues in Anaheim. Join Paul Reed Smith and special guests as they toast to quality and excellence in guitar craftsmanship.

Read MoreShow less