Members Elliott Damage Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Ok...long story short. I ordered a Pentavocal, got it and decided it wasn't for me (not a bad pedal at all). The fine folks at Tonefactor let me swap it. I wanted either a Semaphore or a Subdecay Quasar. I flipped a coin (literally, best two out of three) and Semaphore won. Quasar will come soon. On to the Semaphore. Pros: waveshape options make this the most versatile tremolo i've ever used. It goes super fast to ridiculous slow. The triangle settings are great and here's why: they actually modulate your tone. not just volume up and down it actually shifts your tone in a very pleasant and brownface fender type of way. Sounds as good as the Swamp Thang that I sold (which was an incredible pedal that i regretted letting go until now). It does the brownface type of trem i wanted so bad. Thats just the tip of the iceberg. The square settings are absolutely hypnotizing. Seriously dizzifying, if that is a word. from subtle all the way to synthy. This is the first tremolo i've played that is good at subtle. I don't feel the need to dime the depth all the time. It goes deep enough to be usable on pretty fast settings. The tone isn't as affected as much as the triangle settings making for a clearer more thumpy tremolo. In a word, great. I don't know how it could get warmer, prettier, smoother, deeper....it covers it all. Also, its great looking, i love the paint scheme. Plus the volume control can go from cut to unity to boost and beyond. Cons: some may not like the subtle tone modulations. it happens to be exactly what i wanted. I was seeking tube trem sounds and then more and i think it sounds incredible. i think 'mojo' is the buzz word i'm looking for. (i'm even putting good stuff in the cons section).Con #2: Its small. If you're not carefull you can hit the knobs (its not super easy to do so, but its possible). It will have to be velcroed down so it doesn't slide around. Overall: I love it. Best tremolo i've had the pleasure to play. Completely professional sounding, warm and amazing trem. It looks good and sounds good. Hopefully it will be a staple of my rig for a long time. As compared to the Swamp Thang, my previous favorite trem, it gets extremely close to that sound if not completely nailing it and then some. The Swamp Thang would be my number two for sure, its also a great pedal. I hope that covers it all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 come on now, this took a long time to write!!! :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fourth Floor Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Cool. I found it highly versatile too. Like it did all the things my VL trem did but so much more. Inspiring even. I got about 25 replies to my Semaphore review. hang in there. Maybe some clips would get us all hot. Hurry and get a Quasar now! On my list too unless I snag a PH1r. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leftside Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Fourth Floor Cool. I found it highly versatile too. Like it did all the things my VL trem did but so much more. Inspiring even. I got about 25 replies to my Semaphore review. hang in there. Maybe some clips would get us all hot. Hurry and get a Quasar now! On my list too unless I snag a PH1r. First you get my semaphore... now you want my PH-1r too? NEVER! It's MINE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members booher Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 i've seen it on ebay and read the reviews here, but I just can't afford a nearly $200 trem :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Marshall Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by booher i've seen it on ebay and read the reviews here, but I just can't afford a nearly $200 trem :/ In some ways, i would agree with you. If it were just a "normal" tremolo I would totally agree with you. In truth, it is the first trem i have ever considered buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members booher Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Brian Marshall In some ways, i would agree with you. If it were just a "normal" tremolo I would totally agree with you. In truth, it is the first trem i have ever considered buying. unfortunately that much money is a serious investment to me. Especially considering that I'm not even in a band and have a hell of a time trying to even put together a piece of my own music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seifukusha Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 id love to play it.really! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by seifukusha id love to play it.really! all i can say is that its really nice and was worth every penny. now i gotta get a quasar to go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Demented Avenger Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 I think I want a Swamp Thang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Great Waldo Pepper Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Brian Marshall In some ways, i would agree with you. If it were just a "normal" tremolo I would totally agree with you. In truth, it is the first trem i have ever considered buying. Damnit Brian... Sometimes I think you say stuff just cause you like seeing me slammed over here. Of course you want a Semaphore cause you were responsible for recomending a quad that doesn't wanna suck a volt off a battery every 30 minutes. Thanks for the reviews so far guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Great Waldo Pepper Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by booher unfortunately that much money is a serious investment to me. Especially considering that I'm not even in a band and have a hell of a time trying to even put together a piece of my own music. Makes sense to me. I wish I could bring the price down. But there are other cool tremolo's in the $100, I am just unable to play in that league. Which reminds me. I do have a Boss tremolo that has gone pretty much unused. If you're really in the market for a tremolo I would be more than happy to sell it to ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agentcooper2001 Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 there are quite a few good tremolo pedals out there; the Sherlock Tremit, the Swamp Thang, the SupaTrem. There are only a small handful of great tremolos that I've heard: the Toneczar PowerglideFrantone VibutronSemaphore The Vibutron sounds as good or maybe a tad better than the Semaphore at traditional Fender style tremolo. In choppy mode and everything else, the Semaphore is better. I loved the shape knob on the Semaphore too. Way more features than the Vibutron and a volume knob too! I sold mine too soon, because I thought the Vox AC-30HW would be the amp for me and it had built in trem. (the amp was good, just way too jangly for me) If I don't get the Trem Cat from Bad Cat, I'll be re-buying the Semaphore. Catalinbreads customer service is second to none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 4Kenoath Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by agentcooper2001 I sold mine too soon, because I thought the Vox AC-30HW would be the amp for me and it had built in trem. (the amp was good, just way too jangly for me) If I don't get the Trem Cat from Bad Cat, I'll be re-buying the Semaphore. Catalinbreads customer service is second to none. I thought you said you weren't going to sell the Semaphore until you knew the Vox would hit the spot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members danfisher Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 sounds nice.. i'll have to pick one up one of these days... i've played almost everything out there and the Keeley modded TR2 is the best sounding so far for all of the reasons you mentioned in the review... perhaps the Semaphore could give it a run for it's money! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fourth Floor Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by booher i've seen it on ebay and read the reviews here, but I just can't afford a nearly $200 trem :/ A new VL tremolo is $429 on the shelf here in Australia. You might snag one for $350. A new tremit is $235Au street price and that's what I paid for my Semaphore secondhand from Leftside. $179US is around $275aussie. so it's not too much down here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TDLock Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Fourth Floor $179US is around $275aussie. so it's not too much down here. Yeah, it's great that you can pick up boutique stuff on the web for the same price or cheaper as some of the mainstream gear over here. I'll probably get a Semaphore in a week or so, Quasar too, (they sound awesome). I want to get one the Blackstar distortions too to replace my much maligned MT-2.Anyone heard anything 'bout the Blackstar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brian Marshall Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by catalinbread Damnit Brian... Sometimes I think you say stuff just cause you like seeing me slammed over here. Of course you want a Semaphore cause you were responsible for recomending a quad that doesn't wanna suck a volt off a battery every 30 minutes. Thanks for the reviews so far guys. sounds like you need a day off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Jakeowen I think I want a Swamp Thang. its a great pedal. i will say that the semaphore is a step better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gregovertone Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 currently, i havekeeley tr2dunlop ts1 (big purple one) i dont run a stereo rig, so the panning of the ts1 isn't a reason to keep it. i like the keeley a ton. it sounds great. but it doesn't have the options of the semaphore, which are very enticing. im considering either the semaphore or pentavocal. what made you keep the semaphore over the red witch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gregovertone Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 also.....where on the pedal is the power jack? i couldn't tell in the pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by gregovertone what made you keep the semaphore over the red witch. The Red Witch didn't have enough character for me. It wasn't deep enough, it only has two waveshapes which don't sound that different and there is no LED to tell them apart. The 5 position selector switches between different EQ settings which I didn't like. I hoped that it would be different LFO shapes but its just an EQ. It sounds nice but didn't do enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 3, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by gregovertone also.....where on the pedal is the power jack?i couldn't tell in the pics on the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shblay Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 your review pushed me over the edge to buy a semaphore. Just ordered from tonefactor today. can't wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Elliott Damage Posted November 4, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Originally posted by Shblay your review pushed me over the edge to buy a semaphore. Just ordered from tonefactor today. can't wait. sweet. i should get commission! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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