The Monument’s harmonic
tremolo mode offers up
something a little different,
but familiar to the tremolo
connoisseur. Walrus
modeled the harmonic
circuit after the one found in
Fender’s iconic “Brownface”
amplifiers. The circuit
design differences between
the two modes elude this
reporter, but he can report
that he liked what he
heard. Walrus says that the
harmonic mode splits the
signal into two channels,
one for a hi-pass filter and
the other for a low-pass
filter. Then, a low frequency
oscillator modulates each
of these signals. However,
the LFO modulates the
signals so that they are 180
degrees out of phase. All
of this technical talk might
bore the general reader,
but the results will not.
The Monument’s harmonic
tremolo is akin to this
reporter’s beloved Uni-Vibe,
provided that the latter is
not in full-on psychedelic
mode.
The harmonic mode
provides a rich, throbbing
sort of vibrato that is
never harsh, even in
the sharper square and
Monument/randomized
square wave settings.
Constant swelling,
undulation which pleases
the Vibe lover, will emerge
from the unit. In sine wave,
in particular, the high depth
and moderate rate settings
could easily double or fill in
as a vibe effect should the
need for such a thing arise.
However, the “sharper”
modes offered similarly
ear-pleasing and curiously
distinct tweaks to the classic
vibe sound.
The Monument offers
built-in tap tempo control,
but—somewhat strangely,
I might add—the pedal
also features a quarter-inch
jack input for an external
tap tempo switch. Perhaps,
depending on pedal
placement, this alternative
tap tempo would come
in handy. The Monument
also features an input jack
for a standard expression
pedal. The pedal can be
used to adjust the rate of
the effect only, it seems.
Perhaps in future iterations,
the Monument will allow
for depth control via the
expression pedal.
Also, the pedal features
four beat division options:
quarter note, triplet, eighth
note, and sixteenth note. I
have to admit that I found
adjustments to the division
knob to be tricky. It seemed
I had to occasionally adjust
the rate knob to reset the
div control or to get it to
actually produce the beat
division that the knob
indicated.
Whether readers are fond
of the outdoors or in search
of the sublime—albeit, in
the form of a pedal—they
ought to consider Walrus’s
Monument. Now, I wonder
what would happen if
someone set up an amplifier
in Monument Valley
and played through the
Monument pedal.
WHAT WE LIKE
Tremolo whose undulations
mimic the rise and fall of the
sublime Monument Valley;
luscious harmonic tremolo
which is reminiscent of a
Uni-Vibe.
CONCERNS
I felt that precise
adjustments to the Division
knobs were tricky.
ToneReport.com
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