MJM Guitar FX Sixties Vibe

Copy of the famous Univibe (leslie simulator), construction of very good quality, it's serious inside

UTILIZATION

3 buttons; Speed, volume, intensity, switch, chorus / vibrato, a foot switch to activate the pedal, and a handy little loupiote to calibrate the effect on the rhythm of the song
buttons are progressive throughout the race, so nothing to say.

The volume button is anecdotal, it must be put back in if you do not want to have lower volume

I agree with the other reviews, it sounds better to gain pedals, very warm, while placed after fuzz / od, it sounds more frail ... to test, Hendrix put her fuzz before unvibe, maybe for its wild and screaming just sounds

SOUND QUALITY

The sound is to go, the pedal does very well what it is supposed to do, trip 60's / 70's Hendrix, Pink Floyd ...
No need to describe the sound, just listen to the references above, especially the pedal reacts differently depending on the gear used.

OVERALL OPINION

The sound is really top (to store alongside the roger mayer, sweet sound etc ...), good price / quality ratio is unfortunately what to put for a good Univibe.

I would like anyway to get their hands on retrovibe jam pedals that does not seem to sound like the MJM, Roger Mayer, Sweet Sound, Ox vibe

Clone Univibe (according to the manufacturer, an exact copy), handmade in the USA and fully analog with the typical circuit (4 LDR surrounding a flashing bulb).

Volume 1 set, I'll talk ...
1 set speed, big foot usable knob
1 set Intensity
A switch to choose between chorus and vibrato mode
An internal trimpot (bias)
1 jack in / Instrument
1 jack out / amp
A 3PDT switch, the pedal is true-bypass
1 socket power supply (18V power supply required)
1 LED flashing

The pedal is quite large, so it takes a lot of space in a pedalboard (l = 110mm, L = 190mm, H = 65mm), see photo below of my pedalboard.

Very serious and careful construction, quality components (knobs Alpha, Switchcraft jacks, etc.). I opened the box to see the finish is beautiful work ... (Each pedal is numbered / dated / signed).


UTILIZATION

The configuration is not complicated, each volume pot / switch clearly indicates what it is.
The manual is very brief, but ... This is not rocket science either very to use.
Attention, using a power supply DC/18V is required. I have personally taken the recommended Michael JM: Dunlop ECB-04 18 volt

- Volume: we are facing a clone of the Univibe, so it has the advantages and shortcomings of the original ... I explain: the original (the one used by Hendrix, Gilmour and others) also had a volume control, but this one was actually effective than most. If we lowered the volume, there was a loss of volume ... Logic will tell me? and yes, but suddenly you can not use the volume to boost the sound (kind of 12h = same volume bypassed, below = loss of volume, top = boost volume), as does the Fulltone Mini Already Vibe 2 for example.
Michael MJM corrected this by putting a bit of a knob 500k (a knob on the Univibe 250k). This fixes a little this "default" (if one wants to consider it as a fault), but the race exploitable volume knob is between 15h and 18h ​​... the other settings is completely different (see below)

- Speed: running very well-spaced, very sensitive (can be used to walk), fully usable ... changing from one effect to slow trèèèèèès a very fast (at the edge of the chorus). It is also a rare vibe I have tried that allows a slow speed as without loss of effect.
Excellent tip of construction: the volume pot is "inverted", so anti-clockwise = + in + rapid, clockwise = + in + slow. It's very well thought ... the knob located at the far left, and the vibe is rather to place the end of string in a pedalboard, it makes more sense to turn the volume pot with his foot in this way rather than another (you follow me?)

- Intensity: Same as for knob Speed, very well staged and very sensitive over the entire usable range of adjustment. It ranges from a very discreet, just coloring the sound effect "turning point" this extremely organic, liquid ...

In "chorus", and although the effect is "vibe" as we know it in the classics such as "Breathe" by Pink Floyd (slow effect), "Machine Gun", "Villanova Junction" "Fire," "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix (effect rather quickly), "bridge of sights" from Robin Trower, etc..
In "vibrato" effects can be obtained very 60's (especially in the setting fairly quickly), "Cold Shot" by Stevie Ray Vaughan, etc..


SOUND QUALITY

For those seeking an original vibe sound is the pedal you need. Neither more nor less ... it is a clone of exquisite, with sound, its faults and qualities.
The words that come to describe it are: organic, aquatic, hovering, Woodstock!

I think it gives its full potential with single coils ... for now I do not find marriage better than a good old Start ', especially in pickups handle (Hendrix), medium (Trower) and bridge (Gilmour). Intermediate positions suit him too, but the best sound (to my taste) is on the 3 classical positions.

It colors the sound, but in a good sense. I can not tire of using it, especially my trips "flower power / Woodstock", 60's & co.

Very good true-bypass, not to plop engagement. No breath.

Investment: Much ink has been spilled on the placement of a vibe in the chain! different opinions, different theories ... For my part, I prefer the earlier chain, right after the wah, but before the OD, fuzz or distortion. The effect is much more organic, in the end of this chain.
I think each in its own way vibe interacts with other effects.
With my rig, if I end up in a chain, it tends to stifle the OD / fuzz / distortion. At the beginning of the chain, it's all good!

My config:

Fender Start 'Classic 50's (MIM) with Fender pickups 57/62 - Vox V847A Wah (true bypass and increased in Whipple inductor) - MJM 60's vibe - Fulltone OCD (V4) - If Swaptronics BC108 Fuzz Face - head Blackheart Little Giant and BH5H cab Blackheart BH112

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 months now. After testing different placement, it is taped to my pedalboard for good!
I tried / owned quite a few models ago:
- Danelectro Chicken Salad: my first vibe ... surprisingly, very nice especially considering the price ($ 30!), using the same method of LDR + flashing light. But once you have tasted the vibe, it's hard not to move to the next level in terms of quality!
- Univibe Original: living in the USA, I had the chance to try an original ... very good vibe, but hey, speculation is that the rates charged for this pedal is totally outrageous! especially honestly, many original took a shot of old, and have defects (see above on the volume, and not true-bypass).
- Roger Mayer Voodoovibe (not Jr): very good vibe, but again, prohibitive tariff ... (Nearly $ 600!) And also has some flaws.
- Pickle Lovepedal Vibe: very very nice, but too few adjustments. In addition, sounds too "modern" for me.
- SweetSound MojoVibe: it was part of my choice, but manufacturing delay too long.

Value for money: once again, living in the USA, I had more choice, more opportunity to try and get an idea. While the price hurts a little ($ 280), but we are in the presence of a pedal to keep ". So it is a long term investment.
I would do this choice without hesitation.

the +:

- Robust!
- Build quality
- The sound! sound! THE SOUND !!!!!
- Like the original (if that is what we seek! Again, tries a vibe ca ... some like the vintage version, others will turn to other more vibes modern)

the -:

- Distribution
- The price ... yeah, it's not easy to put that price in a pedal, it's understandable.
- Large
- Like the original, so with its flaws (mainly the volume control)