Best Vibe Pedal? [Archive]

fuzzyguitars

08-16-2005, 06:14 PM

I too have been looking for a vibe pedal.

Choices are:

Dunlop uni vibe
Voodoo Labs vibe
Fulltone mini dejavibe
Prescription electronics Vibe
KR megavibe
Foxroxx CC Provibe
Lovetone vibe
Sweetsound mojovibe and ultravibe and mofoaux vibe
Roger Mayer voodoo vibe and voodoo jr.
BJF Vibe

I don't know all the real namesof the vibes listed above.. but you get the picture.

There are a couple of others that are I may have forgot to mention.

The lovetone vibe sells for 125 bucks new and sounds great. Doesnt have led, ac or much adjustability but for a one trick pony those clips on their site sound awesome.

I think that a used voodoo labe vibe is also a bargain winner.

I hear that the KR Megavibe is pretty awesome too but it runs on 12v so I passed on that. A plus for it allows for expression pedal.

I passed on the dejavibe because people have told me that it is not as "thick" as some of the other vibes. I also think that it does not allow for expression pedals.

the mayer stuff looks cool but is really expensive at over 400 bucks!

I didnt see a lot of recent stuff on the prescription electronics one. The write ups I saw were mostly old reviews. now these list for 399. Cheapest I saw on the net was for 279.00. I know that the early ones had sweetsound pc boards identical to sweetsound uni vibes!

Playes the dunlop stuff and thought it was allright,,, didnt knock my socks off.

Sweetsound is coming out with a cheaper vibe. I think it will be called the mofaux or something like that. I think it is pretty similiar to the lovetone vibe except that it will have ac power.

Oh yeah, before I forget. Which vibe did I end up getting?
I am going to go ahead and get the sweetsound mojo vibe.
My reasons?

Clips sound awesome and , "Right there."
runs off 9v so I can use my voodoo labs PP2 or Juicebox
is able to use expression pedal if I so choose.'
small footprint.
seems to be liked a little more by the "Jimi/Trower vibe purists" than the other vibes.

I ended just buying one today from Soul Cactus Sound for 250 plus shipping. I found this out on Gbase mall. Otherwise most places sell em for 269 plus shipping.

cheers

fuzzy

drjenkins

08-16-2005, 06:29 PM

Wow...thanks for all that!!!:dude Good info for sure. Im off to check out the suggestions!

Thanks again
Dave

slowburn

08-16-2005, 06:41 PM

I just bought a lovepedal MAGICboy vibe. "inspiration in a little black box" if I can quote a fellow GP'er... I have no other experience with any sort of vibes AT ALL, and I have no plans to experience any other either, take that for what it's worth. a used microvibe would be the best value for sure, but if you're strictly looking at new, the MAGICboy is hard to beat for the money, if the lack of LED or AC tap doesn't bother you. if it does, then a new voodoolab or a new sweetsound mofaux vibe both go around $150 so I hear...

guitaradoptions

08-16-2005, 06:41 PM

MOJO VIBE!

dinrodef

08-16-2005, 06:44 PM

Vibe is one of my favorite effects. I've tried a lot in the past few years and own a sweet sound ultra-vibe and moogerfooger phaser with great results.

But recently I got turned on to the Eddie Van Halen Phase 90. That little box really kicks butt for emulating a vibe and I actually like it better than the sweet sound now.... Of course the EVH phase cannot be used with a foot controller... but the dial on the pedal is pretty easy to move with your foot if that's your thing

Give it a try before you pluck down hundreds of dollars on a "boutique" vibe pedal. You might be pleasantly surprised. Every once in awhile a great sounding mass produced pedal comes along and the price is definately reasonable

drjenkins

08-16-2005, 06:57 PM

Originally posted by dinrodef

Give it a try before you pluck down hundreds of dollars on a "boutique" vibe pedal. You might be pleasantly surprised. Every once in awhile a great sounding mass produced pedal comes along and the price is definately reasonable Exactly what I want to avoid. I dont want to buy "pedal X" and find out a mass-produced pedal does the same job or better. May not be the case, but I want to exhaust all the options.

fuzzyguitars

08-16-2005, 07:11 PM

Originally posted by dinrodef
Vibe is one of my favorite effects. I've tried a lot in the past few years and own a sweet sound ultra-vibe and moogerfooger phaser with great results.

But recently I got turned on to the Eddie Van Halen Phase 90. That little box really kicks butt for emulating a vibe and I actually like it better than the sweet sound now.... Of course the EVH phase cannot be used with a foot controller... but the dial on the pedal is pretty easy to move with your foot if that's your thing

Give it a try before you pluck down hundreds of dollars on a "boutique" vibe pedal. You might be pleasantly surprised. Every once in awhile a great sounding mass produced pedal comes along and the price is definately reasonable

i have an evh phaser as well..

i didnt think that it sounded much like a vibe at all. although i will admit that vibes do have some phase to them!

what are you is the rig and signal path and settings please and i will give it another shot!

I am always willing to save some dollars, especially since i already own the EVH!

ABKB

08-16-2005, 07:22 PM

To add to this, Boss is coming out with one of the dual pedal vibe pedals
http://namm.harmony-central.com/SNAMM05/Content/Boss/PR/RT-20-rotary.html
Will probably be about 200, but you can get the expression pedal with it and it will have multiple settings. Since it's Boss it probably will not be true bypass, but the clips sound pretty cool. I will be looking at this thing when it does come out, which should be soon if not already.

slowburn

08-16-2005, 07:22 PM

I've never heard the EVH MXR Phaser, but if this is it:

http://www.suncreekmusic.com/product_info.php?products_id=596

at $130 it's the same price as the Lovepedal vibe. (for the guy that doesn't already have it). if I had to choose, I'd go with the lovepedal since it's actually going for the vibey sound whereas the mxr phase 90 is not geared towards vibey sounds or they would have named it the EVH MXR Vibe 90... but that's just my opinion...

Mastervolume

08-16-2005, 07:34 PM

I have owned the

Mojo 2x
Deja vibe - white and gold
Mini Deja
Deja2
Dunlop (all 3 versions)
Lovepedal
and now own a Prescription

It is as big as a house and needs 12v AC (but then so does my retro-sonic chorus so they can share) but it has THE tone. Doesn't seem to screw up my signal like the mini deja and the mojo.

I am moving stuff off and around to make a permant (that means three weeks or longer:rolleyes: ) place on my board

dinrodef

08-16-2005, 08:02 PM

Originally posted by fuzzyguitars
i have an evh phaser as well..

i didnt think that it sounded much like a vibe at all. although i will admit that vibes do have some phase to them!

what are you is the rig and signal path and settings please and i will give it another shot!

I am always willing to save some dollars, especially since i already own the EVH!

Sure - everybody has a different rig and will come up with different results. But I like to run my EVH phase in the effects loop of my amp with just a little bit of dirt dialed in and the phaser knob set at about 1:30 or 2:30 for a fast throb and about 10:30 for a slower phase. Since there is the script switch you can make the effect really subtle or thick and overpowering with the push of a button.

I also use a multi-channel amp. IF I were using a single channel class A then I might prefer the transparency of the more expensive boutique pedals.

BmoreTele

08-16-2005, 08:12 PM

I have played the following vibes / almost vibes -

Sweetsound Ultra
Sweetsound Mojo
Foxrox Captain Coconut 2
Dubtronics Vibe
Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe *
Lovepedal Vibe
Red Witch Deluxe Moon Phaser *
Rastop Phaser/Vibrato
H&K Rotosphere
Option 5 Destination Rotation
Adrenalinn *
and a buncha phasers *

* stuff I still have.

My main vibe is the Voodoo Vibe. It gives me a little more cut than the other vibes. Plus excellent tremolo and a cool vibrato too.

I probably would have kept the Lovepedal if it had a power jack.

The Mojo I played had some grounding issues, but I got it at the end of a tour box. It did sound great. That's why I'm keeping my ears open for the release of the MoFaux from Bob Sweet.

The Red Witch can get some very cool throbbing sounds, but it is on the subtle side. My VV can do subtle and wild.

Keep your eyes open. I got mine off the HC Classifieds for about $200.

Anje

08-16-2005, 08:37 PM

I really dig my Sweetsound Ultravibe
has that great Hendrix Vibe for sure, ads a little "fat" and warmth to your sound in the most pleasant way, I've stopped my search for a good vibe with it.

the only downside I see is it's a little big on the pedalboard, but otherwise sounds just great!

I would just be curious to A/B it with a Mojo, some say the Mojo is not as fat/warm, but Bob says they sound about the same to him and that he may even prefer the Mojo ("a little
clearer but thicker at the same time")... go figure, "taste and colors" :)

about the Phase90 thing, I have a couple old block logos that I wouldn't sell for anything (well never say never, but that would definitively be the pedals selling last)
that's true they can sound close to the vibe, but I consider them as a different effect on their own, have both on the board :)

fuzzyguitars

08-16-2005, 09:30 PM

Originally posted by BmoreTele
I have played the following vibes / almost vibes -

Sweetsound Ultra
Sweetsound Mojo
Foxrox Captain Coconut 2
Dubtronics Vibe
Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe *
Lovepedal Vibe
Red Witch Deluxe Moon Phaser *
Rastop Phaser/Vibrato
H&K Rotosphere
Option 5 Destination Rotation
Adrenalinn *
and a buncha phasers *

* stuff I still have.

My main vibe is the Voodoo Vibe. It gives me a little more cut than the other vibes. Plus excellent tremolo and a cool vibrato too.

i think that I would own a voodoo vibe if I could pic one up for about 2 bills as well!

I probably would have kept the Lovepedal if it had a power jack.

The Mojo I played had some grounding issues, but I got it at the end of a tour box. It did sound great. That's why I'm keeping my ears open for the release of the MoFaux from Bob Sweet.

The Red Witch can get some very cool throbbing sounds, but it is on the subtle side. My VV can do subtle and wild.

Keep your eyes open. I got mine off the HC Classifieds for about $200.

fuzzyguitars

08-16-2005, 09:33 PM

Originally posted by dinrodef
Sure - everybody has a different rig and will come up with different results. But I like to run my EVH phase in the effects loop of my amp with just a little bit of dirt dialed in and the phaser knob set at about 1:30 or 2:30 for a fast throb and about 10:30 for a slower phase. Since there is the script switch you can make the effect really subtle or thick and overpowering with the push of a button.

I also use a multi-channel amp. IF I were using a single channel class A then I might prefer the transparency of the more expensive boutique pedals.

well i tried your set up as described into a multi channel amp set up and i have to say that to me it sounds more like a phaser than vibe.

i think to get truly authentic "vibe " tones the pedal should be in before any overdrive or distortion.

Anje

08-16-2005, 09:47 PM

btw, the setup Phase90 -> Vibe can give great sound ;)

wolfpack

08-16-2005, 09:55 PM

Originally posted by Idlewilde
KR mini megavibe

+1

I think it's taking the ultravibes spot on my pedalboard

PlexiBreath

08-16-2005, 11:19 PM

I would want to differentiate vibes into two camps, Univibe clones and all others, both camps being equally valid.

For a Univibe clone the best I've ever heard, and way out in front of whoever is number 2 in my arrogant opinion, is Bob Sweet's UltraVibe, I own a UltraVibe so I can comment on it, I would imagine the MojoVibe is every bit as good but don't have experience with it.

Regarding other vibes, I'm really wanting to try the BJFE Mint Green Vibe, Bjorn's work is masterfull judging by my Little Green Wonder and Pale Green Compressor, I'd like to try this out as a pedal with a mild setting to give a slight and sneaky transparent movement to the amp tone.

fuzzyguitars

08-17-2005, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by PlexiBreath
I would want to differentiate vibes into two camps, Univibe clones and all others, both camps being equally valid.

For a Univibe clone the best I've ever heard, and way out in front of whoever is number 2 in my arrogant opinion, is Bob Sweet's UltraVibe, I own a UltraVibe so I can comment on it, I would imagine the MojoVibe is every bit as good but don't have experience with it.

Regarding other vibes, I'm really wanting to try the BJFE Mint Green Vibe, Bjorn's work is masterfull judging by my Little Green Wonder and Pale Green Compressor, I'd like to try this out as a pedal with a mild setting to give a slight and sneaky transparent movement to the amp tone.

yeah i heard the clips on the musictoyz site and was pretty impressed too.

The bjf honeybee looks real interesting too!

guitaradoptions

08-17-2005, 08:51 AM

Here's full specs, good photos, and a sound clip played by Bob Sweet.
http://www.guitaradoptions.com/prodcat/customer/product.php?productid=18100&cat=&page=

Priestunes

08-17-2005, 09:46 AM

the Lovepedal Vibe was by far the coolest way for me to go, and here's why:
- Sean makes pedals from the heart... thus the company's name.
- It's a simple yet very vintage sounding effect.
- The knob is toe-friendly
- It's small.
- It's adjustable by a trim within; a very sensitive trim capable of altering the tones in a big, big way.

In terms of it sounding like a phaser, I have to pass on that analogy. I'm waiting on the first phaser from Retro-sonic and will post a review as soon as it arrives, but in the meantime I sound like Jimi faking the introduction to Spirit of Radio when using the vibe for that passage. The two pedals alter signal, but not in the same way. I'd go as far as to say that comparing vibes and phasers isn't too unlike comparing flanges and choruses. Each does what it does. Previously I'd tricked myself into thinking I was getting a rich, deep vibe effect out of my Phase 90, but that was before really investigating the world of vibes. There's something a bit more brutal in a vibe than the phaser: something more metalic and throbby. That's my layman's two cents, anyway. The Phase 90 is sold and will be replaced by the Retro-sonic phaser--true bypass, adjustable depth, and a couple of other tweaks.

:)

fuzzyguitars

08-17-2005, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by Pickhead
the Lovepedal Vibe was by far the coolest way for me to go, and here's why:
- Sean makes pedals from the heart... thus the company's name.
- It's a simple yet very vintage sounding effect.
- The knob is toe-friendly
- It's small.
- It's adjustable by a trim within; a very sensitive trim capable of altering the tones in a big, big way.

In terms of it sounding like a phaser, I have to pass on that analogy. I'm waiting on the first phaser from Retro-sonic and will post a review as soon as it arrives, but in the meantime I sound like Jimi faking the introduction to Spirit of Radio when using the vibe for that passage. The two pedals alter signal, but not in the same way. I'd go as far as to say that comparing vibes and phasers isn't too unlike comparing flanges and choruses. Each does what it does. Previously I'd tricked myself into thinking I was getting a rich, deep vibe effect out of my Phase 90, but that was before really investigating the world of vibes. There's something a bit more brutal in a vibe than the phaser: something more metalic and throbby. That's my layman's two cents, anyway. The Phase 90 is sold and will be replaced by the Retro-sonic phaser--true bypass, adjustable depth, and a couple of other tweaks.

:)

+1

Optimus Prime

08-17-2005, 02:36 PM

You might like to take a look at this thread;

http://thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=70283&highlight=Vibe

BBHollowbody

08-17-2005, 03:26 PM

The Roger Mayer is the best I've heard. I've owned a Fulltone for years.

clapointe

08-17-2005, 06:01 PM

I have owned the following:
Dunlop Rotovibe
Dunlop Univibe
Voodoo Lab Microvibe
PE Vibe- Unit
Sweet Mojo Vibe
Foxrox CC-1 Provibe

The Foxrox CC-1 Provibe is my favorite. Also Bob Sweet's Mojo Vibe is a great Vibe clone.

KennyM

08-17-2005, 09:22 PM

Anyone compare any of the mentioned vibes with a Black Cat Vibe?

Kenny M.

DonneR

08-17-2005, 11:51 PM

Any sound has Frequency - Amplitude and Phase among other things ... kind of its XYZ coordinates

Frequency shifting/modulation in called Vibrato

There is Vibrato and there is Univibe .... both are sometimes called 'vibe'...

Real 'Vibrato' involves pitchshifting....

Amplitude modulation ( volume rise and fall) is called tremolo

Phase modulation ( or the relationship between TWO things) is called phasing - you have drop outs in the frequency spectrum as the phase changes..... so you get the flowing peaks and frequency valleys as the phase is changed ( same with two out of phase pickups)

a Univibe is a phase shifter variant in its 'chorus' setting and then has pitch shifting vibrato in the vibrato setting (duh)

The signature sound that most of us would say 'OH THATS a Vibe !!' is the wobbly phase shifter sound in the chorus setting of a vibe....

a Univibe is mostly a phase shifter with a touch of pitchbending for the 'wobble'

as a distortion device creates more harmonics , vibes are much more fun into a distortion device - and give a chewy vocal 'vibe' to a solo ---

:cool: :co

zoooombiex

08-18-2005, 08:17 AM

Originally posted by Anje
I would just be curious to A/B it with a Mojo, some say the Mojo is not as fat/warm, but Bob says they sound about the same to him and that he may even prefer the Mojo ("a little
clearer but thicker at the same time")... go figure, "taste and colors" :)

i have both and i'll opine that they sound similar, but not the same. bob's description of the difference is pretty on - the mojo is a bit clearer in that when playing clean there is less wash over the notes and better high end retention. but it is also a little chewier in the low-end wobble than the ultra.

i used to prefer the ultra, but now it's sort of a tie between different flavors. the ultra does a great swampy vibe sound and the mojo is very shimmery and clear (probably the clearest of any i've tried).

for reference, the vibes i've tried are:

cc2: very clear and very flexible, but it didn't strike me as being quite as chewy as others and i didn't use the other two pedals.
mayer: another clear & flexible vibe, and has an awesome tremolo and runs off 9v. this was the last to go before i went with the bob sweet vibes - equally good, just different flavors.
mjm: very thick and swampy - a little too dark for me.
mojo: very clear but chewy vibe. small, 9v.
ultra: swampier than the mojo, but still relatively clear.
rx: middle ground between the mojo & ultra, but very large. plays great with distortion.
lovepedal: the lovepedal clips are pretty accurate, but i wasn't taken with how it interacted with distortion.
3 different fulltones (gold, deja'2, custom mini): i couldn't really find much difference between any of the fulltone models, but they were all very nice. it sounds like the wobble is voiced a little higher than the bob sweet vibes and i happened to prefer the sweet voicing. these all have pretty good high end and cut through pretty well.
mega-vibe: very swampy (but not as much as the mjm) - the website clips are pretty accurate IMO.

also, the red witch moon can do a decent vibe on one of its settings. other than that, i think phasers sound very different than vibes, so i'd put them in a different category of comparisons.

DonneR

08-18-2005, 08:22 AM

YEah good point - one big difference is where the wobble is voiced or centered....

some have a jelly belly middle wobble...

and some are doin a booty dance :D

shallbe

08-18-2005, 08:54 AM

I have been through a lot of vibes.

One has never left. An early psychedelic painted PE Vibe unit I bought new from Everly Bros. years ago. Looks like Hendrix painted it and sounds incredible. Sweet, chewy, filled with goodies. Has been on my gig board for many years.

I also have a very good sounding white Fulltone Dejavibe I like a lot. It sounds very Trower-like. I've also found many vibes (esp. some Fulltones) to vary. Most do sound good, but some are great. I did not like the Deja 2 or the Dunlop offerings at all, though.

TheGrooveking

08-18-2005, 03:14 PM

I am sure most people around these parts have read my opinion on vibes, I say go with Sweet Sound and be done with it. Also the early swirl paint job Presciption Electronics had boards made by Bob Sweet of Sweet Sound Electronics, I have one and a few UltraVibes and love them all dearly.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/TheGrooveking/SweetSound.jpg

This is an older photo that only had a few Sweet Sounds in it.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/TheGrooveking/PrescriptionElectronicsSweetSound.jpg

I have a few Voodoo Lab Micro Vibes, the Dunlop UniVibe, Dunlop Rotovibe, Hughes & Kettner Rotosphere, Korg G-4, Fulltone Deja Vibe, Fulltone DejaVibe 2, and I am sure a few others I am neglecting to list.

TheGrooveking

exodus

08-18-2005, 03:32 PM

I love 'vibes as well. I've had the Sweetsound Ultra, Mojo, a deja, a dunlop univibe, a Foxrox Provibe, and a KR Megavibe.

They all have different shades of the same thing... for the most part and it really depends on what you want. The most vintage sounding vibes to me were the Sweetsound and KR vibes. Of those two I went with the KR as it doesn't have as much phase in the signal. The Mojo reminded me of the sound on "Who's that Lady" while the KR reminds me of the entire Hendrix Woodstock tone.

Beatles-1964

08-18-2005, 03:59 PM

I really liked the Lovepedal.

Small footprint coupled with huge sounds

Cheaper alternative.

All plusses in my book.

:)

TheGrooveking

08-18-2005, 08:37 PM

Exodus, I agree, each has it's own personality. That's why I keep them all, in case I have a taste for thick and chewy or airy and light, you know what I mean. I am patiently awaiting the new MoFaux Vibe from Sweet Sound. I am going to get two off the bat and one of those swirl paint job Mojo Vibes. I am puting together another pedalboard, with the smallest, great sounding tone machines I can find. Hey Mr.Sweet.....................

TheGrooveking

Ebbramone

04-04-2013, 06:51 AM

I have no idea why no one has mentioned the Electronic Orange Moon Vibe, or my personal favorite, the DryBell Vibe Machine. The DryBell squeezed four specially made photocells, which are some of the best made, now that they are having them made specifically for them, and put them all inside a MXR sized case! It has an input for a 100k(preferred) speed pedal, and does Hendrix, Trower, Gilmour, and all those wonderful tones of the original '60s Univibe as well, if not better than any I've heard, and I hate adjusting pexals with my toes! Takes very little real estate on your board. Check out the DryBell Vibe Machine demo in YouTube! And while a bit bigger, the Electrinic Orange has that deep throb of the original as well, and is on par with the Drybell, and any vibe mentioned here. Very surprised by their omission!
KC

Stratobuc

04-04-2013, 07:18 AM

For me, its the MJM Sixties Vibe.

HaloMaster

04-04-2013, 07:46 AM

Hey, if you get the chance, mojohand fx has a new vibe coming out called the villinova vibe and it looks sick! Im waiting patiently for it!!! There were some videos in you tube of it from the last namm show!!! Looks real sick!!!!

Sent from my DROID X2 using Forum Runner

ChampReverb

04-04-2013, 08:59 AM

groovemeister

04-04-2013, 09:09 AM

after months of pondering whether or not to buy mjm,sweet sound, prescription electronics or jam pedals vibe clones (was never interested in or even considered the fulltone by the way:rotflmao) i just thought id wing it and pulled the trigger on the vibe baby from classic amps. there is only one crappy you tube demo of this pedal but i can hear something special in this vibe... we shall see - will report back in a month when it arrives