Anyone here dig Uni-Vibe (clones included) on bass?

markjazzbassist · #1 03-30-2009, 11:46 PM

I've really been thinking about picking up a uni-vibe. big hendrix fan and big phaser fan. i searched and couldn't find any big review threads or people saying they do or don't like them on bass. i would like to know who has tried it on bass and if it sounds cool.

here are the models i'm thinking about

original vintage uni-vibe (why not)
foxrox aquavibe
sweet sound mojo vibe
mojo hand luna vibe
fulltone deja vibe (not a big fulltone fan though)

I definately want one with an expression pedal to control speed since that's the essence of the original.

JimmyM · #2 03-31-2009, 12:03 AM

I've never done it with an actual Univibe but my old Deluxe Electric Mistress does a hell of a job imitating it. It's a cool effect, but I usually like to blend it with a clean signal on bass to keep it from sweeping the low end too much.

Gashaponcito · #3 03-31-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I've never done it with an actual Univibe but my old Deluxe Electric Mistress does a hell of a job imitating it. It's a cool effect, but I usually like to blend it with a clean signal on bass to keep it from sweeping the low end too much.

speaking of the DEM, besides the Vibe "imitation" what other good sounds you got from it?

bassteban · #4 03-31-2009, 01:29 AM

I love vibes, but really only use it for chordal faux-guitar wanking on the upper frets of my 6, when wankshedding. I wouldn't likely do it live. I am very interested in comparable(to a univibe)pedals though.

JimmyM · #5 03-31-2009, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gashaponcito

speaking of the DEM, besides the Vibe "imitation" what other good sounds you got from it?

Pretty much any flanging sound you can imagine, from a slow and lazy phase shifting effect to full-on rocket sounds. To my ears it gets more extreme and also more mellowed out than any other flanger, and it does it without those annoying pulses like some flangers do. Unfortunately it's gigantic, but that's about the only thing I don't like about it.

bigchiefbc · #6 03-31-2009, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

I've really been thinking about picking up a uni-vibe. big hendrix fan and big phaser fan. i searched and couldn't find any big review threads or people saying they do or don't like them on bass. i would like to know who has tried it on bass and if it sounds cool.

here are the models i'm thinking about

original vintage uni-vibe (why not)
foxrox aquavibe
sweet sound mojo vibe
mojo hand luna vibe
fulltone deja vibe (not a big fulltone fan though)

I definately want one with an expression pedal to control speed since that's the essence of the original.

Mark, I know its not one of the pedals you were considering, but here is a clip I made of the univibe mode on the Boss RT-20, just to give you an idea of the sounds I was getting. The RT-20 has a ramp feature that lets you switch between two speeds, and it also has an exp jack to control speed real-time. In the clip, I just use the ramp feature, and not the exp control. I have my EHX Germanium OD running before it. I should also have a clip of the EHX Wiggler very shortly, as it is on the way to me now.

Clip

Also, if I remember correctly, Mark Olsen has a thread around here where he was demoing a vibe pedal. I don't remember which model though.

EDIT: nevermind, I found it. It was the BBE Soul Vibe he was using.

markjazzbassist · #7 03-31-2009, 09:03 AM

nice sound big chief. i'll have to check that out.

RCCollins · #8 03-31-2009, 09:30 AM

probably not the simplest choice but i just noticed the ehx worm has expression control - how come they never show that in their demos? lame.

McHaven · #9 03-31-2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

probably not the simplest choice but i just noticed the ehx worm has expression control - how come they never show that in their demos? lame.

AFAIK,that's new to the XO Worm.

RCCollins, I will follow and correct you on EHX no matter where you go bwahahah

RCCollins · #10 03-31-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McHaven

AFAIK,that's new to the XO Worm.

RCCollins, I will follow and correct you on EHX no matter where you go bwahahah

well I'm glad about that actually!

Mr. Pickles · #11 03-31-2009, 09:48 AM

Vibe sounds so beautiful on guitar, that I really want it to work on bass. I've been passively looking for a vibe to try as well, but I don't have any actual experience.

The Sweet Sound Vibes are hard to come by as I think Bob Sweet is very ill. I'm not sure they're in production anymore, IIRC.

The Mojo Hand Luna is lovely, from the clips I've heard (again, no direct experience on bass). They're never in stock but I think Brad at Tonefactor can order them with a few weeks of lead time.

Another exciting prospect is the Neptune by Tortuga ( I think that's the brand name - it's the guy who makes the Sasquatch fuzz). Two channels in one unit and channel two is controlled by an optical sensor!

RCCollins · #12 03-31-2009, 09:51 AM

The thing to keep in mind about using vibe on bass is that a leslie cab really only has a spinning horn, the bass speaker doesn't spin. So most vibrato pedals don't affect the low end much.

This can be good or bad. I like it this way myself, but I still think a vibe that could do a bit deeper would be really fun to play with

until i find one i suppose i'll keep using this DOD vibro thang.

ga_edwards · #13 03-31-2009, 09:55 AM

My boss v-wah has a univibe model that sounds quite good (although TBH, I have no idea how it compares to the real thing). I believe the speed is controllable with the expression pedal.

OriginalCrash · #14 03-31-2009, 10:08 AM

Like a few other recommendations on here this isn't one on your list (and I've never played with an actual Uni-vibe) but the LFO side of the Pigtronix EP-1 is pretty sweet. While the good settings on the resonance and intensity knobs rarely carry over from EF to LFO mode, between them and the character knob (plus the standard rate control) you can get a whole host of sounds from lush, subtle 3D to crazy, spacey mind trip. It's a big and expensive pedal so there are probably better options out there if just the Uni-vibe sound is all you're looking for but it absolutely does sound great on bass!

Brian

thekage · #15 03-31-2009, 01:21 PM

Ive got the DOD FX22 Vibro Thang.. Its cheesy but I love it! I wish it had a blend, because it does sweep the low end. But I love using it with a little flanger and some fuzz. We play a Machine Gun cover where I kick that in when we get cranking and its awesome!

SFjonstarr · #16 03-31-2009, 01:32 PM

Bob Sweet passed away on October 24, 2008.

metalmariachi · #17 03-31-2009, 04:56 PM

I've got a Moen Shaky Jimmy.

Does a nice Univibe, not expensive and works well with bass.

MM

James Hart · #18 04-10-2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

The Mojo Hand Luna is lovely, from the clips I've heard (again, no direct experience on bass). They're never in stock but I think Brad at Tonefactor can order them with a few weeks of lead time.

I just emailed a request for one of these for my board.

Mr. Pickles · #19 04-10-2009, 03:44 PM

Let us know how that works out for you, James.

jetofuj · #20 04-16-2009, 06:09 AM

I've just disovered Moosapotamus site and his amazing pedals. There is UniVibe clone among them and the great thing is that you can listen to bass clips:

http://moosapotamus.net/THINGS/univibe.htm