Looking vibe pedal upgrade

[millsart]

I've currently got a Voodoo Lab Microvibe pedal. It does the job and sounds pretty good for the money but I've always felt its a little lacking in terms of that real Uni-vibe "throb"


What would you suggest as the best and thickest sounding vibe pedal out there ?

Deja Vibe ? (though I'm not a Fulltone fan in general)

Mega Vibe ?

MJM Sixties Vibe ?

Mojo Vibe ?

__________ (fill in the blank)



I really don't need a foot controller as I've never really been into adjusting the effect on the fly.

I also don't really want to wait 4 months for a pedal if I don't have to either so that would rule out the MegaVibe in that regard


Remember I'm not going after 100% dead clone either, I want the fullest and thickest throbbing sound.

 

[devastone]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

Kinda depends on how much you want to spend, the Mayer is supposedly pretty good too.

I'll also throw you a curveball, a couple of years ago I bought the VL Micro-Vibe and a Guyatone PS-2 phaser the same day, I took the VL back because the PS-2 has an asymmetrical phaser circuit and sounded more Vibe-like than the VL. The only problem with the PS-2 is that it would bleed through a little when it was off, I only noticed it through really high gain amps, but it was there. Still a great sounding pedal though, I could get some cool Hendrix and Trower sounds out of it.

 

[FAC]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

Following devastone's suggestion...

Do you already own a phaser? If not (or even if you do), check out the Maxon Rotary Phaser. It has a feedback knob that allows you to dial in different frequency emphasis to the phase effect...dialing in negative feedback emphasizes the lower end--with the right depth and rate settings, it does a pretty good "whaaa-whomp, whaaa-whomp univibe-like" effect (throb??). Not a direct clone by any means, but also perhaps more useful in the long run because it is a great phaser, too (not a one trick pony).

It has three modes (4, 6 and10 stage phasing) in addition to the speed, depth, and feedback controls...the middle mode sounds a lot like an MXR Phase 90 to me, while the 4 stage is more subtle and the 10 stage is more complex. It has stereo outs. I thought it was true bypass, but I'm getting conflicting reports...I have not noticed that it sucks tone...

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

As viobe pedals go the Mojo Vibe is hard to beat IMO, the Fulltone gets rave reviews but I don't tend to bone well with Mike's pedals...I do really like the Lovepedal VIBE but Im not sure I'd buy one...

 

[millsart]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

I think the Mojo is the one I'm going to go with. Theres a few dealers who stock it which is a plus over the Megavibe. I'm sure the KR is a great product but I just don't want to wait 12+ weeks, I'm a "get it now" type I guess LOL

For the same money I could get the MJM 60's vibe which seems pretty equal to the Mojo but I'm thinking getting the exp input with the Mojo as an added bonus.


Guy Who Invented Fire was certainly dead on about the Axis Fuzz so he's someone who's advice I really take to heart now.


I've got to agree about Fuller as well. His stuff is well made and pretty fairly priced but I just have an issue with his attitude and marketing. It comes off way to agressive and cocky and just rubs me the wrong way.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

THANKS MAN!

Im not much of a vibe user and don't even have one right now but if I did I'd have the Mojo vibe or the Lovepedal Vibe...

I really like that the Lovepedal is so small!!

FWIW, I also REALLY like a H&K rotospohere but thats a slightly different beast...

 

[J Moose]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

I've got to agree about Fuller as well. His stuff is well made and pretty fairly priced but I just have an issue with his attitude and marketing. It comes off way to agressive and cocky and just rubs me the wrong way.

Fuller may be full of himself sometimes but I dig a lot of his pedals... Good tone. Great construction & he stands behind them... try to say the same thing about any of the cats building $200-300 boxes in their garage. Something goes wrong in a year, where are they? Maybe the stompers covered in epoxy goop. What then? Mike Fuller was one of the first to do the boo-teek pedal thang...

Having said that, I haven't tried his vibe.

I haven't dug the VooDoo Labs though... too watery. Not nearly enough throb in it. Last time I did a shootout I was in desperate need of a vibe for a gig & my options were the VooDoo... the Dunlop & some other thing with chicken head knobs... I picked the Dunlop. It's not bad. There's better but it's serviceable...

My "best" vibe isn't even a vibe...

It's a toss between an old two-knob '70s era Ross Phaser & the "vibrato" on my early 60s Blonde Bandmaster head. If only I could get that Fender in a stompbox... lol But then I'd have the Ross!

 

[Gunny47]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

I have the deja vibe and really really love it. I tried the Mojo Vibe a few times before and loved it as well. I can't say I liked it better, but it was really good, maybe on par for me, maybe a little better, maybe a little worse, couldn't really tell. Both amazing without a doubt!

 

[millsart]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

FAC, the Maxon 350 does look pretty impressive I must admit, sounded really good in the clips I found as well, very lush (though at $300 it should be right lol)

The Sub Decay Quasar looks rather intresting as well.

I actually don't have a phaser either so its an effect I wouldn't mind picking up sometime. I've always rather liked the EHX Small Stone myself as far as phasers go.


I am somewhat intrested in a phaser that can get a bit of a vibe effect happening but at the same time, I'm sure its not going to be really dead on either.

I'm a huge fan of a good throbbing vibe pedal as well so I'd really have to wonder if a phaser would sort of leave me wanting more.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

I don't know of a phase shifter pedal that can cop a vibe feel at all...Best bet is to just save and buy one of each.

 

[millsart]

Re: Looking vibe pedal upgrade

Yeah thats what I've always found to be the best option overall. I mean a vibe and a phaser aren't exactly worlds apart but at the same time, but ive never really seen a phaser that can get that vibey throbbing "heartbeat" to the music, or at slower settings that semi chorus like setting. I'm sure there are some phasers that can get some settings of a vibe pedal if you tweak but not the whole range.


As sort of a sidenote, crazy as it seems, I actually would prefer a more modern sounding phaser that can do that sharp cutting flanger/chorus type tones more than something more vintage like a phase 90.

The last three sound clips sound darn good to me
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Ibanez-PH7-Phaser-Pedal?sku=150294

Ibanez has this $60 one, the PH-7 and to my ears it can get some awesome tones for dub/raggae and funk