Boss · TR-2 · 1997–present

Boss TR-2 Tremolo

Boss introduced the TR-2 in 1997 as a simple analog tremolo with three knobs. Rate goes faster than Boss's older PN-2 could, Depth sets how far the volume dips, and Wave shapes the pulse from a smooth triangle to a choppy square. That covers everything from a gentle, amp-style throb to a hard stutter. Billie Joe Armstrong used one on Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Tom Morello used it on Like a Stone and Gasoline. The stock pedal has one known weakness. Analog Man says it loses some volume and tone when it's on, and he sells a mod that makes it stronger without adding hiss. He also says the TR-2 moved to a surface-mount board around 2021. Older Taiwan-made units, with metal around all four sides of the power jack, are the ones shops can still mod. If you'll leave it stock, any working TR-2 will do. If the volume drop bugs you, buy an older unit to mod, or one with a proven mod already done.