Description
The Tremulus Lune by Commonsound is one of the coolest, simplest, most easily modifiable optical tremolo circuits around, which was precisely the reason why I attacked this project early on in my DIY pedal-building game. It’s easy to build, easy to modify, has a low parts count, and has a very easy-to-debug schematic full of all kinds of features. I am really the kind of musician that likes having many features and a wide range of options to choose from, enabling me to modify my sound for one style or instrument, and using the same piece of hardware for something completely different. So the Tremulus was perfect for me.
At its core, the Tremulus Lune is basically two modules interacting to produce a single effect. The first module is a simple input and output buffer centered around the TL072 dual op-amp, with a light-dependent resistor (LDR) stuck in between them. The second module is a low-frequency oscillator (LFO) that controls how light is emitted from an LED. The LED lights up at the speed, depth, and waveform governed by the oscillating voltage of the LFO, which interacts with the LDR in the buffer module, thereby proportionally controlling the amount of signal being let through or resisted by the LDR from the input buffer to the output buffer. Thus, the relationship between the oscillating LED and the LDR used to modulate the volume envelope of the input signal is what makes this an optical tremolo.
Tremolo parameters are really fun to tweak, and in my opinion deserve the freedom that knobs allow for continuous modification. Speed and Depth are an obvious must for any tremolo. Symmetry and Smoothness I believe are also necessary, because they allow you to shape the tremolo volume envelope to anything from a sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waveforms. Spacing gives you extra control over the pulsewidth, which if that’s your thing, gives you an extra dimension of musicality from the circuit itself (letting you cross over into a sort of analog granular synthesis territory). Finally, a Gain control is crucial, as tremolo circuits by nature typically create the perception of outputting signal volume that is lower than unity—while this is not entirely true, a little extra gain helps compensate for this perception and is particularly useful when tweaking all of the other parameters.
This version of the Tremulus Lune was based on Commonsounds revision v2.4.1 of their schematic. For more history and information about the original Tremulus Lune, check out the Commonsound website. They also include information about mods and tweaks that you can use to modify this circuit.
Note that this is the price only for the circuit board. You will need to source your own parts.
Return Policy
I gladly accept returns and exchanges.
Contact me within: 7 days of delivery
Ship items back within: 14 days of delivery
I do not accept cancellations on custom orders.
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
I cannot accept returns or exchanges for custom or personalized orders
unless the item arrives damaged or defective.
Conditions of Return:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Shipping Information
Processing Time:
Depending on availability, the time I need to prepare an order for shipping varies. For custom builds, please allow 3-4 weeks lead time. For finished builds, please allow 1-2 weeks for processing.
Estimated Shipping Times:
Eco Post: 7–5 business days estimated distribution time for most destinations (see below), 10–12 business days estimated distribution time to Australia and Hong Kong.
Registered Mail: 4–8 weeks
I will do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but cannot guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
*** UPDATE***
Postal systems around the world appear to still be adapting to the global impact of COVID-19. This means that shipping times may be longer than we had previously been used to. I ask that you please be patient while we track the status of your package together.
Shipping Methods:
I ship out all pedal orders via Eco Post. This method is typically quicker than Registered Mail (advertised estimation is 7–5 business days, but due to the current situation has been known to take a bit longer, depending on the country), and it also features computerized tracking and proof of delivery.
This method is available in the following countries: Austria, Australia, Italy, Ireland, the United States, Belgium, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, South Korea, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Greece, Japan, Norway, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Finland, France, Canada , Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Russia.
For PCB orders, you can choose between Eco Post and Registered Mail.
Customers living in Israel can arrange for Local pickup, just contact me for arrangements.
Customs and Import Taxes:
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I am not responsible for delays due to customs.
Warranty
Each Carcharias Effects pedal is hand-made by one person in his home workshop who loves making music, and making things that make music. Every purchase you make enables me to continue making more pedals, so your support is very much appreciated. That said, I take responsibility for the build quality of every pedal I make comes, and offer a 24-month warranty on each one, not covering normal wear-and-tear or abuse.
All the PCBs that I sell on this site were designed personally by me, but the fabrication is outsourced to third-party PCB fabrication services. Once they are designed, I order them in relatively small batches. I personally test every batch that I receive; however, as I am a strong believer in minimizing waste, there are cases in which I may sell perfectly functioning PCBs that might have some design flaw. I take responsibility for these design flaws (if any) and will specify their fixes or workarounds in the product's specific build document.
If you should encounter any issues with your product, please feel free to reach out to me via the contact form on this website. As I am based in Israel, I understand the inconvenience added by international shipping, and so I will be happy to assist in troubleshooting with you any problems before resorting to international shipping in case a repair needs to be made.
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