“Hypnotic and mesmerizing”: Crazy Tube Circuits’ White Whale is an all-analog reverb/tremolo pedal based on classic Fender amps – and it just got a serious upgrade

Crazy Tube Circuits has revamped its White Whale stompbox – an all-analog, real spring reverb and tremolo pedal. 

Inspired by the effects built into ‘60s American amps (ie, classic Fender combos), the pedal has been given a host of new tonal flavors. It’s also re-wired the two effects to run independently, making for a more diverse and usable pedal.

The upgraded unit now packs three reverb qualities – a short to medium two-spring reverb tank; a livelier medium to long two-spring, replicating the ‘verbs lurking in vintage 'black panel' amps; and a long three-spring assembly. 

The power amps driving the reverb springs have also been upgraded, allowing for increased headroom and a wider frequency response. In addition, a “delicately tuned circuit” is in place to emulate the tube and output transformer saturation on higher dwell settings.   

The reverb’s Tone parameter now only affects its wet sounds, creating “drippy or smooth” tones, while Mix blends the desired amount of wet sounds on top of a guitar’s dry signal. 

A volume control capable of a 20db boost has also been added to ensure the effect never gets lost in the mix. 

On the tremolo side, players can choose between harmonic, and optical and tube-bias flavors. The “hypnotic and mesmerizing” harmonic tremolo is said to channel the essence of the brown and blonde-era American amps of the era. 

The amplitude-based modulation (optical and tube bias) tremolo, meanwhile, shifts between volume levels for two very different sounding effects.

The range of the tremolo has also been extended to what Crazy Tube Circuits deems “modern standards”, adding in a separate volume control to boost the signal, “even in the hardest throb settings”. 

With the effects now running independently from one another, the user can pick their preferred running order – a nifty personalization feature that its single-circuit predecessor lacked.  

The pedal is housed in the same compact sizing (2.7" x 5" x 3"), meaning it’ll fit snugly onto most pedalboards, with each effect getting its own footswitch and status LED.

It’s the Greek firm’s first new creation since delivering the sound of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here with its Hi-Power pedal, and improving (and shrinking down) its ‘80s-style reverb and modulation pedal, the Sidekick Jr.

The post-glow-up White Whale pedal costs $359. It is available directly from the Crazy Tube Circuits website and ships worldwide.