Today’s review is quite special for me because I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite pedals of all time – Walrus Audio Julia. I’m sure that you all heard some positive stuff about that gear!
Although it’s quite expensive, Julia has everything you need from a chorus & vibrato pedal. It’s versatile as hell and is perfect for dream pop, indie, alternative rock, shoegaze and so on. Definitely worth every cent.
I have to admit that I’m a bit obsessed about gear made by this brand, but I’ll try to make this post unbiased. I also recorded a few sound samples for you so even if you have mixed feelings about it, this stuff should help.
Let’s start with a quick sound demo (I used the awesome Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster and a bit of reverb).
About Walrus Audio Julia
Julia is a high-quality hand-wired analog chorus and vibrato pedal suitable for all guitar nerds out there. This stuff is often used by pros, so if you’re playing gigs (or producing music), it may significantly improve your sound. But even if you’re just playing in your bedroom, it will surely give you a lot of fun.
It’s probably one of the best purchases that I made in the last few years. I think that it significantly boosted my creativity and it pushed me to work more on my skills.
Features
As you can see on the photos, it’s a pretty simple effect. There are just four controls and one tiny switch. That includes:
- Rate
- Depth
- Lag – which basically allows you to change the character and type of your chorus
- D / C / V (Dry, Chorus and Vibrato) – which allows you to crossfade all of these things (from dry to wet)
- and the LFO wave shape switch (just two of them are available – sine and triangle)
The 100% analog circuity makes this effect sound awesome, especially when you pair it with a good guitar and a good (ideally tube) amp. And trust me, the amount of tonal possibilities with these couple of knobs is just inimitable.
Build Quality
Julia is built very well – in the end, it’s not a cheap Chinese-made effect. It’s not surprising though, because all Walrus pedals are like that. This brand manufactures all of their gear in the USA, so their quality is ALWAYS on point.
It feels very solid, so I’m sure that even if you would drop it, it wouldn’t get hurt. Don’t try this at home though and don’t throw it at walls just to see if it would make it! The point I’m trying to make is that it’s just a sturdy piece of gear.
It comes without power supply, so you’ll have get it separately. That’s pretty normal though – pedals usually come without that stuff.
Sound Samples
I managed to record a few sound samples for you guys! It’s all pretty basic, but I think it shows how unique this pedal is. So grab your headphones and check out everything below.
I honestly can’t decide which sound is my favorite. I love the classic 80s chorus, but at the same time, I love to explore some new territories with it as well. It’s just so fun to play around with!
Sample 1 – Mid Settings (All Controls)
Sample 2 – Maximum Rate
Sample 3 – Maximum Depth
Sample 4 – Classic Chorus
Pros And Cons
In my opinion, this effect has far more pros rather than cons. I can’t really think of any major disadvantages, but there’s one important thing that you should keep in mind.
Advantages
- extremely versatile
- unlike any other pedal of this type
- feels very solid, so it will be hard to break it
- the artwork looks fantastic
Disadvantages
- very expensive in comparison with other chorus pedals
- the flashing light can be annoying!
Julia has one weird feature – when it’s on, one of the lights on it keeps flashing. I have no idea if there’s a way to turn it off, but if there is – please let me know in the comments. It’s not a huge issue but it would be nice to have the ability to turn it off somehow 🙂
Also the price can be an issue for some people, but on the other hand, once you get it, it will probably last you for years to come. I’m in love with my Julia, so I don’t really know if it’s even possible to replace her in my pedalboard in the future.
Here’s a video of how this flashing thing looks in real life. Kind of annoying but it has its own charm I guess.
Specifications
If you’re the kind of guy who wants to know absolutely everything before the purchase, here’s a little table with all the relevant info. Most of you probably don’t need it, but I’m sure there’s someone who will find it useful.
| Analog/Digital | Analog |
| Effects | Chorus, Vibrato, Effect Blend, LFO Shape |
| True Bypass | Yes, Clickless Switching |
| Power Source | 9V DC |
| Power Usage | 30mA |
| Dimensions | 2.3″ x 2.9″ x 4.77″ |
| Inputs | 1 x 1/4″ |
| Outputs | 1 x 1/4″ |
| Manufactured in | United States |
Walrus Audio Julia vs Julianna
As I mentioned earlier, Walrus Audio also created the Julianna, which is a bit more advanced. It has a few extra features, but in my opinion Julia is already extremely versatile. So I’d say that if you have the money, grab the newer version, but you’ll still be amazed by the older model anyway.
Want to learn more about Julianna? Check out the official video here or below. You will immediately notice that it has a few more controls, but generally it’s very similar.
My Thoughts After Using It For A Few Years
I bought this pedal around two years ago and it quickly became one my of favorite chorus effects throughout my entire ‘career’ as a band member and guitarist. I used it for several live shows and it always sounded awesome.
I just love the amount of tones that you can get with this thing. You’re into classic 80’s chorus? You got it. Or maybe you’re into Frusciante-like vibrato tone? Gotcha. Even if you want to create some unusual, weird and unexpected chorus sounds – this pedal will be perfect.
So honestly, I can 100% recommend this pedal to anyone who’s looking for a high quality chorus effect. I know that the market is full of cheaper gear, but trust me – this is one of these pedals that you won’t find anywhere else.
Final Summary
Thanks for checking out today’s post! I hope that you took some time and you checked out the sound samples that I recorded for you.
If you end up with getting it and adding it to your pedalboard, give me a shout in the comments down below. I’m sure that other readers would love to hear your thoughts about it.
I also want to invite you to read more of my gear reviews – whether you’re looking for a new guitar, amp or pedal, there’s a high chance that I tested it out.
