tc electronic Pipeline Tap Tremolo

Handling: This is a pedal from TC's TonePrint line-up, and comes in the usual excellent package - robust case, nicely sized, easy to open, soft footswitch, easy to get on a pedal board. None of this is specific to this pedal, but clearly TC put some effort in to making these pedals very easy to own and use. That said, one minor complaint - having the tap tempo on the bypass switch means having to press and hold the switch first, which kind of interrupts my flow.

Features: Just considering the pedal alone, it's already a very flexible - selectable LFO waveform and timing subdivisions already offer a lot, but the ability to boost the level is really nice. I like to get my amp just on the edge of break-up, and you can use this level control to get the tremolo working exactly around this point - the effect is then less of a volume modulation, and more of pulsing harmonics. If all that's not enough, then you've got tone prints and the whole editor. Don't let the surf green colour of the pedal fool you - this is a very flexible tremolo with all the vintage tones, and plenty of scope for modern creativity too.

Sound: True-bypass when its off, and very transparent when its on - whatever you send in just gets its volume modulated, but not otherwise coloured. Seems to have a lot of headroom, and running after a boost or OD pedal doesn't cause any issues for me.

This pedal definitely rewards exploring different settings, but I found myself going back to the vintage LFO, 16th note-ish, and the depth dialed quite back - then just leave it on all the time. It provided a nice movement to my tone, gently pumping the harmonics around that breakup point, without being in your face, or changing my tone, or getting tiring like, (for example) chorus can.

Unexpectedly, one of my favorite pedals, and a real bargain at this price.

No disappointment! This lovely pedal offers what I was looking for.
Vintage is important to me as well as being able to bring a more "contemporary" feel to some of my compositions.
The pedal reacts well also with electro-acoustic guitar.
I am quite fond already of it and the possibility to create and preserve personal tone prints with the app. That "plus" which makes of this tremolo, one to add to your effects collection. I am also glad that I can change the pedal from True-bypass to Buffer too.
Overall, I really don't care if it is a inexpensive pedal because there is in fact nothing "cheap" about it.

great tones , easy use , and toe print options very handy

two small things i would suggest if there is ever an update .

i found i have to have the volume quite low ( around 10 o clock) otherwise it's overpowering ( seems to add a lot of bass) I know they tried to counteract the perceived volume drop but it seems a little bit too much for me

the other thing is the tap tempo LED - it would be nice if this was above the toneprint switch ) or near that area) as I sometimes fin myself covering the LED with my foot when i'm trying to go into tap mode and not always sure if i'm in the correct mode without some head tilting

overall , great trem pedal at a great price - i'm falling in love with all TC products

This is a great pedal and with a lot of features. All spot on. I play psych and surf rock and this thing serves very well both genres. I use this when I don't have my trusty Fender Princeton and I think that this tremolo pedal isn't a compromise. I don't use all the features, I don't use the tap function but one time I did worked really well. The pipeline tremolo adds a bit of volume even when the volume potentiometer is completely off, but this isn't much of a problem. I like when I tap on this thing to give me a little bit of boost. All in all just a great peral that apprches even an old fender amp's tremolo. Get it and you won't regret it.