Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

J E C

J E C

New member
One of the effects I have been giving some thought to is a Roto Vibe. I like that swirling, sloshing sound that Hendrix and Trower used at times. I haven't looked into it much. I have seen a number of demos of the Jam Pedals Retro Vibe, and think it sounds very good.
So what can you tell me? What do you use or have you used?
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

Thinking of looking for one soon. I believe it's actually the Univibe that Trower and Hendrix used. The difference being that the Rotovibe is in a wah housing and the rate is controlled by the treadle.

I know the effect was an attempt at Leslie cabinet simulation. Currently the Rotovibe is discontinued but you might find a used one. I think Fulltone makes a clone too. If you just want the Univibe, I believe Dunlop still makes it and there are dozens if not hundreds of clones out there.
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

ive owned both a fulltone and voodoo labs microvibe.
You can't go wrong with the voodoo labs. It is a real photocell univibe circuit and it is in a nice small enclosure and runs on regular 9v power. It sounds just as good (or better) than the bigger, more expensive ones.

edit: way back in the early 90s i did some recording with guitar into a real leslie amp/cab. Suffice to say that univibes don't really sound the same ;)
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

If you don't have the $ to invest in the Voodoo or Fulltone, these are great - http://www.cheaperpedals.com/collections/moen-pedals/products/moen-shaky-jimi and http://www.cheaperpedals.com/collections/moen-pedals/products/moen-ul-vb-jimi-zero

I had one of the the bigger ones a few years ago and really liked it. Also, a Phase 45 will get you a similar sound, although more with a more symmetrical sweep than a Univibe, I have a GGG Phase 45 clone on my board that I modded with a switch for standard P45 and a 10:1 asymmetrical sweep for more vibey sounds.

Gibson, I just kept watching the gif in your sig, for some reason it strikes me as seriously warped...
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

Just to clarify, as ThisDyingSoul mentioned, the name "RotoVibe" refers to a pedal Dunlop used to produce that approximated the sound of the Uni-Vibe in a treadle package. Dunlop also purchased the name Uni-Vibe and has produced two versions over the years. The old one (big chrome housing) is a "true" univibe using the photo cells and lamp. The new one (small black enclosure) is not a "real" Uni-Vibe, but a FET based phaser that approximates the sound of it.

At this point, I'd either buy a "real" circuit or a digital copy. Ones to investigate:
Voodoo MicroVibe
Sweet Sound MojoVibe
Fulltone DejaVibe
Drybell Vibe
Korg NuVibe
KR MegaVibe
FoxRox AquaVibe/Captain Coconut

Digital: TC Viscous Vibe

Uni-Vibes are like fuzz pedals, they are very temperamental, sensitive to rig and pickup impedance, other pedals, amps, etc. we can all say what our favorites are, but your rig will be different.
 
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Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

FWIW, the Moen Shakey Jimi pedals are "real" photocell circuits also.

Also, the Lovepedal Pickle Vibe is a very cool pedal, it is an asymetrical phaser circuit, not a "real" photocell circuit (although, the photocell circuit is an asymmetrical phaser also, just a little more "organic" sounding or feeling, YMMV), but it's small and sounds great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwkS3wV_MRw (can't say I would be able to tell the difference between this and a "real" one)
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

gibson175 said:
edit: way back in the early 90s i did some recording with guitar into a real leslie amp/cab. Suffice to say that univibes don't really sound the same ;)
Click to expand...

That's why I said they were an ATTEMPT to emulate the Leslie. Gotta admit though, it's a nice sound even if it didn't quite achieve the sound they set out for.
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

yeah its a nice sound for sure and you are right about what they were trying to achieve.
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

Looks like EHX just got in the game with a couple of Leslie pedals in different form factors:

http://www.ehx.com/products/lester-k

http://www.ehx.com/products/lester-g

For my own part, I have both a DryBell Vibe Machine and a Foxrox Aquavibe.

Both are excellent. They are also pretty pricey, unfortunately. The Dry Bell, to my ear, is more phaser-ey, the Foxrox more chorus-ey, at least how I have them set. I think the Foxrox may have a bit smoother sound of the two. Both designs have the true optical circuit; the Dry Bell does it in a small form factor.
 
Re: Roto Vibes...What can you tell me / educate me about them?

That EHX Lester G sounds pretty good in the vid. Interesting that he was using a guitar tuned to E flat. Wonder if he did that to fatten up the sound?
 
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