+Uncle Doug wait a second Doug - I had Star Trek soundtrack and other infamous twangs as being Fender Dimension IV boxes - or Magnatone 280 - but perhaps this thing & Danelectro baritone guitar would explain all? think they also used a Fender bass, but whatever, the tremolo they had was mighty
Billy Gibbons tells a tale of using two separate DeArmond electromechanical tremolos at one time, set at slightly different speeds, so they rhythmically went in and out of phase. Toss in a baritone guitar tuned about 4 steps down, a Fender Twin Reverb with VC at 11, and I think the Cal Tech seismographs would register the result.
I'm an electrical engineer, and I design and build custom guitar FX pedals.... you're skill and attention to detail are on a whole other level. I'm absolutely impressed beyond words.
@@UncleDoug I make a tremolo circuit using several BJT transistors. I've also built some in the past, on request, using LFOs- I made a Lovetone Warbler for a guy once. That thing is a crazy awesome circuit, if you've ever seen one. Keep up the awesome work!
I love it. The way it works, the way it looks, the way it sounds. I wish I had your fabrication skills but I don't. I can however appreciate the simple beauty of a device like this tremelo. You ever thought of offering these for sale. If you did I would buy one!
+WorldClassSound Thanks so much, WC. Don't sell yourself short.....if you really want to develop new abilities, keep an open mind and focus on gaining new skills and knowledge. It takes some time and effort, but anyone can do it, if properly motivated. I do sell hand-made amps and devices from time to time, but the prices are dictated by the time, effort, and skill required for their construction.....i.e. not cheap. If you have any serious purchase inquiries, please address them to me by private message. Thanks :)
Hi Doug, Great job building the DeArmond Tremolo unit. I actually worked for Rowe Industries music department in the mid 60's. Rowe Industries built all of the DeArmond line of music pickups , amps, etc. I actually used to build the Model 60-B tremolo units by the dozen. You hit the nail on the head building that unit, very interesting. Great video !!
***** Wow....high praise indeed, DW, especially from someone with your experience. Thanks so much. Rusty and I are glad you enjoyed the video and liked our little homebuilt tremolo :)
So cool! No electronics...all mechanical. You do nice machine work and fabrication. I used to work on machinery in factories and you brought back memories for me with the lathe and bronze bushings, etc....I probably installed thousands of those bushings! Nice job!
Uncle Doug, I seen your post about this on Facebook (which I have been temporarily banned from participating in) and had to come here just to comment of the beautiful work you have done on this tremolo unit. I hope one day to even have 25% of the wisdom you hold! If I hadn't spent $500 in transformers for a project just moments before seeing your post, I would be purchasing this from you. Maybe one day the next owner will sell it, and I'll happen to be in the right place at the right time. I hope someone who absolutely loves this unit will get many years of enjoyment from this beautiful work!
I gotta say your videos are some of my favorites to watch. Even though I don't yet completely grasp every concept. It's sort of meditative to watch you build.
+Attack Of The Pacifists Thanks, AP. If you watch and think carefully about the explanations, in time they will make more and more sense. Best of luck :)
That should be a product it's so beautifully made. Most homemade things are just toshed together but the workmanship and finish on this tremolo is absolutely superb !
Really outstanding craftsmanship Uncle Doug!! You make this truly an art, and you excel at it. This video, as all the others, is a little jewel. Thanks for sharing!! Cheers!
Each time I view your videos I am pleased to see such interesting content. Your work is first class and has put me on a path towards my own attempt at amp restoration. Doug, I think you are the standard in the field and prove that with each new video offering. Thank you. Howard Vose
Howard, I really appreciate your very kind appraisal of my work. Viewers like you make it all worthwhile, and I will do my best to live up to your expectations. Good luck with your restoration project, and please feel free to contact me if you ever need any advice or help.
I particularly get a kick from the alchemic transformation of a bundle of scrap parts into something amazing that can be put to creative use. It moves, it sings, it's alive!
+demantoid You're welcome, DT. I made another EM Tremolo using a completely different and original design, which you may also enjoy: czcams.com/video/lNJzm7dwf9w/video.html This was posted on another YT channel before I had my own.
You're work is inspiring. I throw away so many small motors, transformers, solenoids, actuators, blowers, pumps, limit switches etc... that COULD be used to create something different, but I simply lack the knowledge or imagination. Besides, my garage is already filled with misc parts. I'm a maintenance mechanic, but anything that breaks either gets fixed or tossed for a new unit because we have to be running. Love these types of gadgets. Reminds me of those functional model hit and miss motors that you can put together. The mini steam engines are great too.
Fabulous video Uncle Doug - and outstanding craftsmanship !! I'd love a tour of your garage - smile. And I was very surprised at the great sound it produced !! Certainly not because of your construction - but because it was hard for me to imagine that sloshing water could produce such a marvelous and clean effect - grin !! As always - thanks for the education and the entertainment !!
You're welcome, Donald. The gentle wave transitions that come from the liquid grounding of the signal make the tremolo effect more pleasant, in my opinion, than the sharper cutoff of an electronic circuit. I'm really glad to hear that you like it too.....thanks for watching !!!
Thank you for the education! I found you because I was curious about how these things worked! Good ‘ole Yankee ingenuity! What you do is what I hope to do in my next life!
+Bob Rodriguez You're welcome, Bob. Don't wait for your next life.....start doing what you really enjoy in this one, just in case the rumors about the "next life" turn out to be false :)
Fantastic work,you made this with mechanic components,real sound and no electronic tremolo,you are a good creator of finish style music sound equipment.✨🎶🎵🎶✨💫
Thanks, BB. I made another one a couple years ago based on the same copper tank and electrode principle, but with a completely different drive mechanism. It's featured in a couple videos on my channel and on ElPaso TubeAmps channel. I think you might find it interesting :)
awesome doug! i wish to someday have a shop like yours. such nice attention to detail, like the wheel bearing and cotter pins on the arm shaft there. very impressive!
Thanks, Tom. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. You should start building your shop as soon as possible......it's a great, inventive way to spend time :))
Way cool project with wonderful results. Very interesting video. I appreciated the education in tremolo design and function. Rusty doesn't seem to share in your creative enthusiasm.
Thanks so much, GB. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Rusty is quite old and a little hard of hearing, so he probably thinks I am telling him to "leave" the workshop, not help "clean it up".....or at least that's what his attorney claims :)
WOW! So cool, Uncle D! You explain things so easily and clearly! I feel like I could build one myself on a cold/rainy weekend! Except for the tools and parts and sizing and know-how! That's why you is my new electronics uncle!
Thanks, Bob. We all had to start somewhere, and in most cases a strong interest in amplifier circuitry (as you seem to have) is a great place to begin.
I clicked the box in your vid to see the build on your little tube amp, but it didn't seem to load a URL. I also have a vintage tube PA system amp I want to make a guitar amp out of. Could use some advice. TIA
I'm not sure about the amp build link, Bob, but I have posted several videos showing how to convert PA amps to guitar use. Hopefully, they will be adequate for your needs. Good luck with your project.
Good old American garage workshop technology! Excellent job sir. The unit looks and sounds beautiful. I had to subscribe, I just wish I had the space to work on projects like this. Thank You
sa230e Thanks so much, SA. I agree with you.....to me the EM tremolo is smoother and more "natural" (as you say) than the somewhat "synthetic" electronic trem.
H again Uncle Doug; another excellent video, thank you very much. I was about to ask why windex instead of water, and then I watched the "home made electromechanic tremolo" at El Paso Tube Amps channel, you give the answer to my question on that video. I assume that you chose distilled water because of its higher resistivity. I have seen an electrical control panel get douched with hot high purity water due to a faulty WFI valve, after we dried it, everything worked just fine, the water was about 5 megohms coming out of the still (our spec was +12 megohms). Anyway, everybody should watch the other video, that final version of this device with your brand on it is a beauty to be admired, extremely nice; I think it is a hydro-electro-mechanical device. I really enjoy your videos, keep making them please; I'll give Coupe a bone on behalf of Rusty this time.
You're welcome, Alex. Rusty and I really appreciate your kind words in reference to our videos and EM Tremolos. I have since gone back to Windex solutions (at varying concentrations) to achieve greater volume excursion. The distilled water's resistance decreased with time, possibly due to the leeching of copper ions from the tank. Thanks for your input :)
This tremolo unit is simply amazing to me. I wish I had one. thanks for the amazing, interesting and informative videos. please keep making them. say hi to Rusty for me......
+Nick Cos Thanks, Nick. If you liked this one, you may also like a completely different style that I built several years ago. Please see my video comparing it (EM Tremolo) to a tube-style purely electronic Tremolo.
Hi Doug, I’ve been chipping away at my own mechanical tremolo since seeing this. I used a small dc motor with a pulse width modulator for speed control. I’ve got it enclosed in a very compact Hammond 1590B case with the canister extended out of a hole in the top. Mechanically it’s pretty much up and running but I can’t find any information on what to do with the guitar input and ouput signal. Any chance you would share the diagram of the wiring and potentiometer value for the intensity/depth?
Eventually everything I build is for sale, Cat, but at prices that are commensurate with the amount of design, materials, and work required to create them. If you're interested in an item or two, send me a private message.
This is great. As an effects hobbyist and a mechanical engineer, I have a certain affinity for mechanical based effects. I found this video after reading about the Dearmond trem. Great work, I look forward to watching more.
Thanks, Ben. Here is a video I made a while back featuring a different design for the DeArmond-style EM Tremolo: czcams.com/video/lNJzm7dwf9w/video.html I think you might like it :)
What a superb em. Trem unit gorgeous to look at and wonderful to hear I recall a neighbor of mine had a trem box that used two variable caps spun by a motor. roto vibe? Have never seen another. Congrats from Dave
+David Salny Thanks so much, Dave. I really like EM Tremolos and enjoy coming up with strange designs and fabricating them from scratch. I have also made a very different style, and have posted a video "EM vs Tube Tremolo" on my channel. To be honest the EMT featured in this second video may be more visually impressive than the one in the video you just watched.
Just a thought, if you add another grounded cap to the other end of the tank, you would get attenuation on the return stroke as well, double the frequency of your tremolo. you could add a switch to that ground to have both speed options. I'm not a guitarist, I've never even seen something like this before, but I found it interesting. Beautiful work.
Thanks so much for your kind words. The idea of adding a second electrode to the rear of the tank is a good one.....I may well try this in hopes of doubling the tremolo frequency without having to double the speed of the drive mechanism.
Thanks, Tim. This idea was created way back in the 1940's......when engineers worked without computer-assisted design programs. All the more impressive.
Uncle Doug I have watched pretty much every one of your videos and this video impressed me most. You should make a self contained tube ran harmonic tremolo!
Very nice tremolo, since jet, i did not know that there are mechanical tremolos around. I´ve done some VCA-based tremolos, but this sounds very good as well, so I may do a similar thing some day.... Thanx so much for point a light on this old technique! It reminds me of my old hammond electro-mechanical organ, its vibrato is mechanical as well....:)
You're welcome, TC. I'm glad you found the video to be interesting. When I was a kid, a guy who lived across the street had a Vibraphone and would play it occasionally for people in the neighborhood. It looked like a xylophone, but had tuned brass tubes hanging beneath each note/bar, with electrically-powered butterfly valves spinning in each tube. The result was a subtle but beautiful tremolo effect. I guess it stuck with me, because I still love the sound of a good tremolo :)
As a kid I achieved a similar effect with an LDR in the signal path and a flashing light. Your little machine is beautiful, I think the Windex not only helps the conductivity but also stops the water getting cloudy with bacteria growth. I guess you could add another plastic end piece and probe in the other end of the tube if you wanted faster tremelo! (ie both probes in parallel). Well done on a well engineered mechanism.
Thanks so much. I think you're right about the Windex. I have considered adding some mercurochrome (a mercury-based anti-bacterial agent) to the water for the same purpose(s).....but have had some difficulty finding any. When I was young, my mother would douse all my cuts with it (much to my displeasure) but I guess the modern fear of anything containing mercury put an end to it. Your idea about two probes, one at each end, is a good one. EM tremolos tend to be rather low frequency, so perhaps this could speed it up a bit.
Uncle Doug I post your videos on the FB group "Eric´s guitar corner" creates quite a stir, tell Rusty my cat Ozz says hi lol Keep ém videos coming plze - \m/
mudylafeet Thanks for publicizing our videos, Mudy. More are definitely on the way, and I hope you the lads enjoy them. Rusty says that Ozz is always welcome to visit the workshop, especially if he brings some ground sirloin and Perrier :)
I also took your advice and found a couple of organs on Craigslist, I can't wait to check out the amps and speakers in them. I hope to do a conversion and put it into a cabinet. Howard Vose
Good luck with your project, Howard. The easiest amps to convert are the smaller ones used to drive reverb tanks (AO35 and 44). Conversion schematics are easily obtainable on the Internet. The large amps, i.e. with four 6L6's are more challenging because they are generally "power" amps, and lack any built-in pre-amp circuit, which is challenging to provide if you have little or no experience. However, they are worth getting, if only for the parts.....transformers, tubes, sockets, etc. The speakers are often quite high quality (Jensen, etc.) and definitely worth getting. You should familiarize yourself with speaker manufacturer codes so you can identify them easily.
Now I'm inspired... big time! I only got a wood lathe but who says you can't use wood for the spindle and the wheel? Oh, and the arm, I've been waiting for a reason to get the wax out and start carving (for bronze investment casting). I watched the other one too, the second rendition maybe, where the speed control is on the motor. Light dimmer circuit? Which reminds me that I've used one to control a wood burner ( 2V at big amps into some nichrome) and I used a light dimmer circuit with a triac but was never sure how to wire it (I've since found an actual early dimmer with what I need but I'll still go back into the circuit I built and try and fix it). That idea came from a guy breaking apart microwave transformers and heavin' the high frequency winding and then rewinding for low voltages and making arc welders (18V). Cheers Uncle Doug, more beaitifully profound stuff!
@@UncleDoug what part of the country are you located at? I’m in Evansville, Indiana. The reason I ask is that my father was really into electronics and building and fixing old guitar amps from the 60’s up until his passing in 2012. He left me a huge amount of old guitar amps, boxes of capacitors, crystals, reostats, heat sinks, transformers and God knows what else. Basically anything and everything to do with repairing guitar amps and some cb radio stuff along with a whole ham setup that I haven’t the slightest clue what to do with. I never really got into the repair of electronics growing up as I focused on automotive repair. Long story short, I have enough vintage parts new and used from the 60’s on up that will fill a 12’x15’ room that’s not being used. If you was close enough to Evansville Indiana I’d like to show you what all I had to see if you might be interested in it. Nobody messes with that stuff anymore these days it seems like so I’ve just been holding onto everything until I find the right person that would know what to do with it all. If it was up to my brother he would’ve trashed every last bit of it so I’m glad I was able to salvage everything and get everything boxed up. If not you, then maybe someone else reading this that lives within the area might be interested. I’m not trying to get rich off the stuff, I would like to see it go to a place where the parts will get used or just go to a place where they will know what to do with it all. Thank you for your time, and to you sir I say all the best!
@@theautodidacticman_ Sadly, I am quite a ways away from you, AM.....in West Texas. If you would send a message to my FB page: Uncle Doug's Vintage Amps including your email address, I could share this info with thousands of followers, some of whom may live near you. I wish you had a list of the old amps in the collection. Jack and I would pay for packing and shipping of any that would make good video subjects.
@@UncleDoug maybe in the next week or so I’ll be able to get over to my other house where I have all of that stuff stored. I’ll take a lot of photos so you can get an idea of what all he left me. There’s two things I’m going to keep out of everything and that’s his fender Stratocaster and a old silver banjo he had. I think the fender is a 1963 model but I’m not for sure. It’s almost in pristine condition too. I’ll be getting ahold of you shortly though and thank you for your time today. All the best!
Really fascinating. And a nice sounding tremolo, too! Not sure it would travel well for gigs. I supposed you'd have tailor some sort of case for it. Amazing work, though. Thank you for posting this and showing off your amazing mechanical talent!
Ok, my mind is officially blown away. This has to be the best effects unit I've ever seen for a guitar. Sounds amazing.
Wow, thanks so much, James :)
this is the kinda guy I want to be. " I can make that" kinda guy. I love your videos. and your dog.
+J'llysa Dobson Thanks so much, JD :)
Superb device, very nicely engineered. Never knew how they worked.
+RODALCO2007 Most tremolos are electronic, Rod. This one is electromechanical, based on the first EM trem built by DeArmond in the late 40's.
+Uncle Doug wait a second Doug - I had Star Trek soundtrack and other infamous twangs as being Fender Dimension IV boxes - or Magnatone 280 - but perhaps this thing & Danelectro baritone guitar would explain all? think they also used a Fender bass, but whatever, the tremolo they had was mighty
Billy Gibbons tells a tale of using two separate DeArmond electromechanical tremolos at one time, set at slightly different speeds, so they rhythmically went in and out of phase. Toss in a baritone guitar tuned about 4 steps down, a Fender Twin Reverb with VC at 11, and I think the Cal Tech seismographs would register the result.
I'm an electrical engineer, and I design and build custom guitar FX pedals.... you're skill and attention to detail are on a whole other level. I'm absolutely impressed beyond words.
Wow....thanks so much, B. We really appreciate it :)
@@UncleDoug I make a tremolo circuit using several BJT transistors. I've also built some in the past, on request, using LFOs- I made a Lovetone Warbler for a guy once. That thing is a crazy awesome circuit, if you've ever seen one. Keep up the awesome work!
@@Blinkerd00d Thanks, Blinker. Will do :)
Holy smokes, is there nothing this cat can't do?! Fabricating parts... I'm impressed☺
Thanks, Glen :)
I love it. The way it works, the way it looks, the way it sounds. I wish I had your fabrication skills but I don't. I can however appreciate the simple beauty of a device like this tremelo. You ever thought of offering these for sale. If you did I would buy one!
+WorldClassSound Thanks so much, WC. Don't sell yourself short.....if you really want to develop new abilities, keep an open mind and focus on gaining new skills and knowledge. It takes some time and effort, but anyone can do it, if properly motivated. I do sell hand-made amps and devices from time to time, but the prices are dictated by the time, effort, and skill required for their construction.....i.e. not cheap. If you have any serious purchase inquiries, please address them to me by private message. Thanks :)
Hi Doug, Great job building the DeArmond Tremolo unit. I actually worked for Rowe Industries music department in the mid 60's. Rowe Industries built all of the DeArmond line of music pickups , amps, etc. I actually used to build the Model 60-B tremolo units by the dozen. You hit the nail on the head building that unit, very interesting. Great video !!
***** Wow....high praise indeed, DW, especially from someone with your experience. Thanks so much. Rusty and I are glad you enjoyed the video and liked our little homebuilt tremolo :)
Thanks for your videos. I have learned a lot from them and appreciate the posts.
Another video enjoyed by another very satisfied viewer!
Extremely informative and inspiring!! Thanks Doug!!
You're welcome, Brandon. Rusty and I are glad to hear that you enjoyed the video :) ^. .^
Fascinating video UD: I love the way you combine theory and practical, and explain things so clearly.
Glad you liked it, PW :)
So cool! No electronics...all mechanical. You do nice machine work and fabrication. I used to work on machinery in factories and you brought back memories for me with the lathe and bronze bushings, etc....I probably installed thousands of those bushings! Nice job!
Thanks, 74D :)
Uncle Doug, I seen your post about this on Facebook (which I have been temporarily banned from participating in) and had to come here just to comment of the beautiful work you have done on this tremolo unit. I hope one day to even have 25% of the wisdom you hold!
If I hadn't spent $500 in transformers for a project just moments before seeing your post, I would be purchasing this from you. Maybe one day the next owner will sell it, and I'll happen to be in the right place at the right time.
I hope someone who absolutely loves this unit will get many years of enjoyment from this beautiful work!
Thanks for your very kind words, KE. I will be posting its big brother in the near future.
very cool video.....nicely done....clear, exact and done with a love of what you are doing
Thanks so much, Rusty :)
That is so cool. Loving the vintage amp stuff. You get a subbie for this one. Good job.
Thanks, PV.....and thanks for subscribing :)
Amazing workmanship, very compact design and incredibly sounding little gizmo. Thank you very much Uncle.
You're welcome, LS.
The mechanics are just beautiful - thanks Uncle Doug.
Thanks so much. I'm glad you like it, Uncle Dave ;))
Bocoup respect. Very well constructed and performed quite well. Thanks for sharing the build and even more, the demo of the final product!
You're quite welcome, L1. Rusty and I really appreciate your kind words. Thanks for watching and commenting :) ^. .^
Beautiful build,Uncle Doug!Nice sound,as well!
Thanks, Charles.
It is simply beautiful...such a nice machine!!!! Awesome audio.
Thanks so much, Al :)
Your building skills are amazing, thanks for uploading this great stuff.
You're welcome, Nixo, and thanks for posting such a kind and supportive comment. Rusty and I really appreciate it :) ^. .^
I gotta say your videos are some of my favorites to watch. Even though I don't yet completely grasp every concept. It's sort of meditative to watch you build.
+Attack Of The Pacifists Thanks, AP. If you watch and think carefully about the explanations, in time they will make more and more sense. Best of luck :)
Nice a piece of work.That is one fine sound Wet tremolo.beautiful
Thanks, Stephen :)
This is why I subbed to your channel the mind blowing things you build 👊
Thanks for subscribing and watching, TC. As an old lab tech, I recognize your screen name and raise you 8 T. brucei ;)
That should be a product it's so beautifully made. Most homemade things are just toshed together but the workmanship and finish on this tremolo is absolutely superb !
Thanks so much, SS. Rusty is an excellent machinist :)
Truly from scratch. and sounded great ! like all your videos.. I enjoyed it.
Thanks, Jason :)
R.I.P. Rusty we all miss you : )
Yes, we do, CL. Thanks.
this is... beautifully done.... wonderful work
Thanks, Enrico.
Really outstanding craftsmanship Uncle Doug!! You make this truly an art, and you excel at it. This video, as all the others, is a little jewel. Thanks for sharing!! Cheers!
You're welcome, Bruno. Thanks for the very nice comments :)
I may have said this before, but I'll say it again. This isn't just a temello, it a work of art....
Say it as often as you like, TG.....we always enjoy hearing nice comments :)
Doug.... nice job on this DeArmond tremolo! It looks and works like a Champ!!
Thanks man!!!
David
You're welcome, Dave. I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Wonderful! Very inspirational. The tremolo is to die for.
Warren Sampson Thanks so much, Warren......glad you liked it :)
This is fantastic!!! woooooow!
Subscribed!!!
Welcome aboard, GF. I'm glad you like it :)
Loved it! Your skills as a fabricator are top notch!👍🍻
Thanks, Norman. Glad you enjoyed the video :)
Spectacular Uncle Doug!
Thanks!!! Glad you liked it, Alex.
Each time I view your videos I am pleased to see such interesting content. Your work is first class and has put me on a path towards my own attempt at amp restoration. Doug, I think you are the standard in the field and prove that with each new video offering. Thank you.
Howard Vose
Howard, I really appreciate your very kind appraisal of my work. Viewers like you make it all worthwhile, and I will do my best to live up to your expectations. Good luck with your restoration project, and please feel free to contact me if you ever need any advice or help.
I particularly get a kick from the alchemic transformation of a bundle of scrap parts into something amazing that can be put to creative use. It moves, it sings, it's alive!
You have an interesting (and accurate) viewpoint, MZ. Thanks for sharing :)
Dear Uncle Doug,
That has to be the most AWESOME 1940's DeArmond Tremolo I have ever seen! Way To Go on the build and final result!
Thanks so much, Clifford :)
that works so nice. I am going to try to make one my self. thanks Doug love you vids
+demantoid You're welcome, DT. I made another EM Tremolo using a completely different and original design, which you may also enjoy: czcams.com/video/lNJzm7dwf9w/video.html This was posted on another YT channel before I had my own.
Thanks, subbed!
I don't know which is more beautiful, the elegance of your design or your guitar chords.
This is some inspiring work.
Thanks, BB. I really appreciate the kind appraisal :)
It sound so nice, very organic. You have serious and fantasctic manufacturing skills Uncle Doug...
Thanks, Victor :)
Very cool effect, kudos!
Thanks, Jeff :)
That my friend is cool as cool gets. Very impressed 👍👍
Thanks, OG :)
fantastic machining work ! Thanks for the lessons !
You're welcome, WK.
Once again, great job! You're a real engineer, because the term comes from "ingenious", so you are a great, evil genius. Congrats again, Doug!.
Thanks so much, FW :)
You would have been a great electronics shop teacher back in my day (1960).
Thanks, Neil.
Just GREAT work ...
Amazing sound!
Thanks, Lea :)
I’m always amazed with your knowledge and skills
Thanks, Ray. You could do it too......it just takes some study and practice.
You're work is inspiring. I throw away so many small motors, transformers, solenoids, actuators, blowers, pumps, limit switches etc... that COULD be used to create something different, but I simply lack the knowledge or imagination.
Besides, my garage is already filled with misc parts.
I'm a maintenance mechanic, but anything that breaks either gets fixed or tossed for a new unit because we have to be running.
Love these types of gadgets. Reminds me of those functional model hit and miss motors that you can put together. The mini steam engines are great too.
Thanks, John.......glad you like the creations :)
Fabulous video Uncle Doug - and outstanding craftsmanship !! I'd love a tour of your garage - smile. And I was very surprised at the great sound it produced !! Certainly not because of your construction - but because it was hard for me to imagine that sloshing water could produce such a marvelous and clean effect - grin !! As always - thanks for the education and the entertainment !!
You're welcome, Donald. The gentle wave transitions that come from the liquid grounding of the signal make the tremolo effect more pleasant, in my opinion, than the sharper cutoff of an electronic circuit. I'm really glad to hear that you like it too.....thanks for watching !!!
Awesome project!
Thanks....glad you liked it :)
Beautiful work.
Thanks, CW. Glad you liked it :)
wow - that sounds fantastic. Awesome!
Thanks, WB. Glad you like it!
Great stuff! Keeping the ancient tech alive .
+RingwoodLive Thanks, RL :)
Thank you for the education! I found you because I was curious about how these things worked! Good ‘ole Yankee ingenuity! What you do is what I hope to do in my next life!
+Bob Rodriguez You're welcome, Bob. Don't wait for your next life.....start doing what you really enjoy in this one, just in case the rumors about the "next life" turn out to be false :)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_DeArmond
Amazing build great video..
Thanks, 407.....glad you liked it :)
It's a beauty, a work of art.
Just found you out, Uncle Doug. Subscribing right now.
Cheers from south Brazil!
Thanks so much, BB. Welcome to our channel. Thanks for subscribing.
Brilliant, thanks for posting this.
You're welcome, Michael....and thanks for posting such a nice comment :)
Beautiful craftsmanship and very nice sound. With the first strum I had CCR going in my head.:)
Greetings, BT. Any project that conjures up thoughts of CCR can definitely be considered a success. Thanks !!! :)
You seem to love what are you doing ! Lovely video
Thanks, Paulius. I've always enjoyed building things, and since I retired a few years ago, I now have the time to pursue the hobby full time.
Fantastic work,you made this with mechanic components,real sound and no electronic tremolo,you are a good creator of finish style music sound equipment.✨🎶🎵🎶✨💫
Thanks, Gerhardt :)
Amazing Doug. I have never seen anything like this.
Thanks, BB. I made another one a couple years ago based on the same copper tank and electrode principle, but with a completely different drive mechanism. It's featured in a couple videos on my channel and on ElPaso TubeAmps channel. I think you might find it interesting :)
awesome doug! i wish to someday have a shop like yours. such nice attention to detail, like the wheel bearing and cotter pins on the arm shaft there. very impressive!
Thanks, Tom. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. You should start building your shop as soon as possible......it's a great, inventive way to spend time :))
Nice workmanship and a sweep effect ;)
Thanks, Tony. I'm glad you liked it :)
Way cool project with wonderful results. Very interesting video. I appreciated the education in tremolo design and function. Rusty doesn't seem to share in your creative enthusiasm.
Thanks so much, GB. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Rusty is quite old and a little hard of hearing, so he probably thinks I am telling him to "leave" the workshop, not help "clean it up".....or at least that's what his attorney claims :)
Absolutely fantastic...!
+Mr. Archonta Thanks, Mr. A :)
Nice job Rusty!
Arf !! (Which means "Thanks, Old Fart", in Dogese :)
WOW! So cool, Uncle D! You explain things so easily and clearly! I feel like I could build one myself on a cold/rainy weekend! Except for the tools and parts and sizing and know-how! That's why you is my new electronics uncle!
Thanks, Bob. We all had to start somewhere, and in most cases a strong interest in amplifier circuitry (as you seem to have) is a great place to begin.
I clicked the box in your vid to see the build on your little tube amp, but it didn't seem to load a URL. I also have a vintage tube PA system amp I want to make a guitar amp out of. Could use some advice. TIA
I'm not sure about the amp build link, Bob, but I have posted several videos showing how to convert PA amps to guitar use. Hopefully, they will be adequate for your needs. Good luck with your project.
very very good vintage sound...Great
Thanks, DS :)
Brilliant. Great job!
Thanks so much, Kevin :)
Good old American garage workshop technology! Excellent job sir. The unit looks and sounds beautiful. I had to subscribe, I just wish I had the space to work on projects like this. Thank You
Thanks so much, 718.....and thanks for subscribing :)
great video i enjoy every minute
Glad to hear it, Pedro :)
Good job, Uncle Doug !!
Thanks, Kal. It's always good to hear from you :)
I think that's nicest sounding tremolo I've ever heard. Sounds much smoother and more natural than tube tremolo.
sa230e Thanks so much, SA. I agree with you.....to me the EM tremolo is smoother and more "natural" (as you say) than the somewhat "synthetic" electronic trem.
H again Uncle Doug; another excellent video, thank you very much. I was about to ask why windex instead of water, and then I watched the "home made electromechanic tremolo" at El Paso Tube Amps channel, you give the answer to my question on that video. I assume that you chose distilled water because of its higher resistivity. I have seen an electrical control panel get douched with hot high purity water due to a faulty WFI valve, after we dried it, everything worked just fine, the water was about 5 megohms coming out of the still (our spec was +12 megohms). Anyway, everybody should watch the other video, that final version of this device with your brand on it is a beauty to be admired, extremely nice; I think it is a hydro-electro-mechanical device. I really enjoy your videos, keep making them please; I'll give Coupe a bone on behalf of Rusty this time.
You're welcome, Alex. Rusty and I really appreciate your kind words in reference to our videos and EM Tremolos. I have since gone back to Windex solutions (at varying concentrations) to achieve greater volume excursion. The distilled water's resistance decreased with time, possibly due to the leeching of copper ions from the tank. Thanks for your input :)
This tremolo unit is simply amazing to me. I wish I had one. thanks for the amazing, interesting and informative videos. please keep making them. say hi to Rusty for me......
+Nick Cos Thanks, Nick. If you liked this one, you may also like a completely different style that I built several years ago. Please see my video comparing it (EM Tremolo) to a tube-style purely electronic Tremolo.
Hi Doug,
I’ve been chipping away at my own mechanical tremolo since seeing this. I used a small dc motor with a pulse width modulator for speed control. I’ve got it enclosed in a very compact Hammond 1590B case with the canister extended out of a hole in the top. Mechanically it’s pretty much up and running but I can’t find any information on what to do with the guitar input and ouput signal. Any chance you would share the diagram of the wiring and potentiometer value for the intensity/depth?
This is just too cool! I wish these were for sale!
Eventually everything I build is for sale, Cat, but at prices that are commensurate with the amount of design, materials, and work required to create them. If you're interested in an item or two, send me a private message.
This is great. As an effects hobbyist and a mechanical engineer, I have a certain affinity for mechanical based effects. I found this video after reading about the Dearmond trem. Great work, I look forward to watching more.
Thanks, Ben. Here is a video I made a while back featuring a different design for the DeArmond-style EM Tremolo: czcams.com/video/lNJzm7dwf9w/video.html I think you might like it :)
Wow this is amazing!
CaterpillarsTV Thanks :)
And I thought I had seen it all ! A Windex based electronic device? This has got to be the farthest thing away from Field Effect Transistor. Amazing!
It's stone age electronix, Jim :)
Beautiful it all its primitive glory! Well-done.
Thanks, Chris :)
Well done!
What a superb em. Trem unit gorgeous to look at and wonderful to hear I recall a neighbor of mine had a trem box that used two variable caps spun by a motor. roto vibe? Have never seen another. Congrats from Dave
+David Salny Thanks so much, Dave. I really like EM Tremolos and enjoy coming up with strange designs and fabricating them from scratch. I have also made a very different style, and have posted a video "EM vs Tube Tremolo" on my channel. To be honest the EMT featured in this second video may be more visually impressive than the one in the video you just watched.
Just a thought, if you add another grounded cap to the other end of the tank, you would get attenuation on the return stroke as well, double the frequency of your tremolo. you could add a switch to that ground to have both speed options.
I'm not a guitarist, I've never even seen something like this before, but I found it interesting. Beautiful work.
Thanks so much for your kind words. The idea of adding a second electrode to the rear of the tank is a good one.....I may well try this in hopes of doubling the tremolo frequency without having to double the speed of the drive mechanism.
@Danny Knapp, you are right
I am blown away. That is so cool.
Thanks, JL. I guess I have some Rube Goldberg DNA somewhere in my genome :)
Uncle Doug But Rube Goldberg contraptions had way too many unnecessary parts! :-)
You're right.....I guess I am a "minimalist" Rube Goldberg :)
Really cool uncle doug!!!
Thanks, TM.
This Is great! . It amazes me how you can build this stuff. What’s more amazing is how the guy’s who invented this mind worked😳
Thanks, Tim. This idea was created way back in the 1940's......when engineers worked without computer-assisted design programs. All the more impressive.
Uncle Doug I have watched pretty much every one of your videos and this video impressed me most. You should make a self contained tube ran harmonic tremolo!
Thanks, Chaseth. I'll keep your suggestion in mind.
Fantastic to see this video,
Thanks, Eddie :)
Very nice tremolo, since jet, i did not know that there are mechanical tremolos around. I´ve done some VCA-based tremolos, but this sounds very good as well, so I may do a similar thing some day....
Thanx so much for point a light on this old technique!
It reminds me of my old hammond electro-mechanical organ, its vibrato is mechanical as well....:)
You're welcome, TC. I'm glad you found the video to be interesting. When I was a kid, a guy who lived across the street had a Vibraphone and would play it occasionally for people in the neighborhood. It looked like a xylophone, but had tuned brass tubes hanging beneath each note/bar, with electrically-powered butterfly valves spinning in each tube. The result was a subtle but beautiful tremolo effect. I guess it stuck with me, because I still love the sound of a good tremolo :)
(7:00) I knew my mother in laws pitcher frame would come in handy one day. thanks, for the inspiration, and great video.
Thanks, Franky. Rusty and I are glad you liked it :) ^. .^
As a kid I achieved a similar effect with an LDR in the signal path and a flashing light. Your little machine is beautiful, I think the Windex not only helps the conductivity but also stops the water getting cloudy with bacteria growth. I guess you could add another plastic end piece and probe in the other end of the tube if you wanted faster tremelo! (ie both probes in parallel).
Well done on a well engineered mechanism.
Thanks so much. I think you're right about the Windex. I have considered adding some mercurochrome (a mercury-based anti-bacterial agent) to the water for the same purpose(s).....but have had some difficulty finding any. When I was young, my mother would douse all my cuts with it (much to my displeasure) but I guess the modern fear of anything containing mercury put an end to it.
Your idea about two probes, one at each end, is a good one. EM tremolos tend to be rather low frequency, so perhaps this could speed it up a bit.
Very entertaining! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, BB.
Sounds awesome
Thanks, Tim.
Wow! That is crazy awesome, even if it didn't work it looks cool. I can't believe Rusty didn't help.
Thanks, Steve.....and it really does work :) Rusty was involved, behind the scenes, in virtually every step of its creation......in between naps :)
Absolutely Fantastic!!!
Thanks, Mudy. I'm glad you enjoyed the video :))
Uncle Doug I enjoy all of your videos Sir ! :)
Thanks for the support, Mudy. Rusty and I really appreciate it ^. .^
Uncle Doug I post your videos on the FB group "Eric´s guitar corner" creates quite a stir, tell Rusty my cat Ozz says hi lol Keep ém videos coming plze - \m/
mudylafeet
Thanks for publicizing our videos, Mudy. More are definitely on the way, and I hope you the lads enjoy them. Rusty says that Ozz is always welcome to visit the workshop, especially if he brings some ground sirloin and Perrier :)
I also took your advice and found a couple of organs on Craigslist, I can't wait to check out the amps and speakers in them. I hope to do a conversion and put it into a cabinet.
Howard Vose
Good luck with your project, Howard. The easiest amps to convert are the smaller ones used to drive reverb tanks (AO35 and 44). Conversion schematics are easily obtainable on the Internet.
The large amps, i.e. with four 6L6's are more challenging because they are generally "power" amps, and lack any built-in pre-amp circuit, which is challenging to provide if you have little or no experience. However, they are worth getting, if only for the parts.....transformers, tubes, sockets, etc.
The speakers are often quite high quality (Jensen, etc.) and definitely worth getting. You should familiarize yourself with speaker manufacturer codes so you can identify them easily.
Now I'm inspired... big time! I only got a wood lathe but who says you can't use wood for the spindle and the wheel? Oh, and the arm, I've been waiting for a reason to get the wax out and start carving (for bronze investment casting). I watched the other one too, the second rendition maybe, where the speed control is on the motor. Light dimmer circuit? Which reminds me that I've used one to control a wood burner ( 2V at big amps into some nichrome) and I used a light dimmer circuit with a triac but was never sure how to wire it (I've since found an actual early dimmer with what I need but I'll still go back into the circuit I built and try and fix it). That idea came from a guy breaking apart microwave transformers and heavin' the high frequency winding and then rewinding for low voltages and making arc welders (18V). Cheers Uncle Doug, more beaitifully profound stuff!
Thanks, Sean. Good luck with your project.
totally Awesome! thanks for posting! 😀👍
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it, GG.
Awesome video!
Thanks, AM.
@@UncleDoug what part of the country are you located at? I’m in Evansville, Indiana. The reason I ask is that my father was really into electronics and building and fixing old guitar amps from the 60’s up until his passing in 2012. He left me a huge amount of old guitar amps, boxes of capacitors, crystals, reostats, heat sinks, transformers and God knows what else. Basically anything and everything to do with repairing guitar amps and some cb radio stuff along with a whole ham setup that I haven’t the slightest clue what to do with. I never really got into the repair of electronics growing up as I focused on automotive repair. Long story short, I have enough vintage parts new and used from the 60’s on up that will fill a 12’x15’ room that’s not being used. If you was close enough to Evansville Indiana I’d like to show you what all I had to see if you might be interested in it. Nobody messes with that stuff anymore these days it seems like so I’ve just been holding onto everything until I find the right person that would know what to do with it all. If it was up to my brother he would’ve trashed every last bit of it so I’m glad I was able to salvage everything and get everything boxed up. If not you, then maybe someone else reading this that lives within the area might be interested. I’m not trying to get rich off the stuff, I would like to see it go to a place where the parts will get used or just go to a place where they will know what to do with it all. Thank you for your time, and to you sir I say all the best!
@@theautodidacticman_ Sadly, I am quite a ways away from you, AM.....in West Texas. If you would send a message to my FB page: Uncle Doug's Vintage Amps including your email address, I could share this info with thousands of followers, some of whom may live near you. I wish you had a list of the old amps in the collection. Jack and I would pay for packing and shipping of any that would make good video subjects.
@@UncleDoug maybe in the next week or so I’ll be able to get over to my other house where I have all of that stuff stored. I’ll take a lot of photos so you can get an idea of what all he left me. There’s two things I’m going to keep out of everything and that’s his fender Stratocaster and a old silver banjo he had. I think the fender is a 1963 model but I’m not for sure. It’s almost in pristine condition too. I’ll be getting ahold of you shortly though and thank you for your time today. All the best!
@@theautodidacticman_ Thanks so much, AM. Take good care of that guitar.....it's worth a fortune.
Really fascinating. And a nice sounding tremolo, too! Not sure it would travel well for gigs. I supposed you'd have tailor some sort of case for it. Amazing work, though. Thank you for posting this and showing off your amazing mechanical talent!
You're welcome, Bob. Thanks for your nice comments :)