History of Guitar Tremolo

DeArmond Tremolo Control model 601 DeArmond model 601, back view The speed control slides the rubber-edged wheel along the tapered pin. At the far, narrow end of the pin, the wheel rotates more slowly. This is, roughly, the assembly of the canister. (Some do not have the window opening in the brass.) On some units, a second rubber washer may have been used instead of the rubber gasket shown at top. Filling the canister halfway means adding 1.5 ml of Windex. Filling the canister may require bending the needle on the syringe. If bending is necessary, insert a guitar string into the needle first, to prevent it from kinking. (This photo shows a plastic bottle with a needle tip, not a syringe. A syringe is preferred because it allows fluid to be added and removed accurately.)	The History of Guitar Tremolo The first recorded tremolo guitar? I'm looking for the earliest recorded example(s) of tremolo guitar. It would likely date to the late 1940's. This may have been recorded through some of the first tremolo amps, or with a DeArmond unit. My early examples so far include things like Muddy Waters' Flood. But that was recorded in the mid-1950s. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this page for more info. I have a lot of info on early tremolo devices and amp circuits – I'll add to this page soon. I'm compiling all the information I can find, so if you have anything that may help, please let me know. Dan Dan Formosa (email me here)

DeArmond Tremolo Control model 601

DeArmond model 601, back view

The speed control slides the rubber-edged wheel along the tapered pin. At the far, narrow end of the pin, the wheel rotates more slowly.

This is, roughly, the assembly of the canister. (Some do not have the window opening in the brass.) On some units, a second rubber washer may have been used instead of the rubber gasket shown at top.

Filling the canister halfway means adding 1.5 ml of Windex.

Filling the canister may require bending the needle on the syringe. If bending is necessary, insert a guitar string into the needle first, to prevent it from kinking. (This photo shows a plastic bottle with a needle tip, not a syringe. A syringe is preferred because it allows fluid to be added and removed accurately.)

The History of Guitar Tremolo

The first recorded tremolo guitar?

I'm looking for the earliest recorded example(s) of tremolo guitar. It would likely date to the late 1940's. This may have been recorded through some of the first tremolo amps, or with a DeArmond unit. My early examples so far include things like Muddy Waters' Flood. But that was recorded in the mid-1950s.

Meanwhile, stay tuned to this page for more info. I have a lot of info on early tremolo devices and amp circuits – I'll add to this page soon.

I'm compiling all the information I can find, so if you have anything that may help, please let me know.

Dan

Dan Formosa
(email me here)