Hotone’s Skyline Opto Tremolo dishes out modern warble in an extremely tiny footprint. It’s a perfect micro-pedal for the guitarist who likes to travel light without leaving essential effects at home. It includes the controls you might expect (speed, depth, color) plus a hard switch for more stuttering effects. It can cover much stylistic ground, from the classic “Born on the Bayou” setting to the pulsing chords of R.E.M’s “Crush with Eyeliner.” The controls lose some mojo at subtle settings, but the hard switch compensates for any volume loss. The sweet spot, though, is brisk settings with the hard switch engaged. (Think Pink Floyd’s “Money.”)
Test Gear: Fender Stratocaster, Ruokangas Mojo, Fender ‘65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, 65Amps Empire
Ratings
Pros:
Shockingly small. Responsive depth control.
Cons:
Can’t run on batteries. Lacks convincing vintage tones.
Street:
$79
Hotone Opto Tremolo
www.hotoneaudio.com
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