Interesting phase/vibe pedal shootout

[mr_sooty]

Sorry, no audio or video, just my opinions.

Several years ago I bought an EVH Phase 90. The sound is was after was that swirly warble you hear on songs like Pink Floyds 'Have a Cigar' and Pearl Jams 'Given to Fly'. While I like the Phase 90, it was never really that sound. I've been thinking that maybe what I was after was a Univibe, but I've definitely heard phasers that sound closer to the warble in my head.

Today was pretty quiet at the shop so I decided to try out a few pedals to see what would get me closest. The contenders were: Dunlop Univibe ($399), MXR Phase 90 (regular block version - $229), Red Witch Moon Phaser ($419), and Danelectro Cool Cat Vibe ($69.95).

Out of the Phasers, the Red Witch was more what I'm looking for than the Phase 90. The MXR was just too intense and almost sounded like an auto wah. The Red Witch had a bit more warble to it, but still not quite what I was going for.

Onto the vibes, and I'm definitely starting to think a Vibe is more what I'm after. I tried the Univibe in stereo and in mono. In stereo, the Univibe is pretty awesome, really sounds cool, but in mono you have to choose between 'chorus' and 'vibrato' outputs, neither of which sound quite like what I'm looking for. I almost never play with a stereo rig, so this one probably wasn't the answer.

Finally, the Danelectro Vibe. It's an ugly little beast, but I actually I kinda like the surf green finish, because hey, if you're going to go ugly, best to go all the way I reckon. Honestly, out of all of them, this one nailed it the best. Lots of lush swirly warble, pretty much the sound I've been looking for. Plus there are a lot of options to give you more of a leslie effect or a vibrato that sounds a little more like a warped record or something.

My only complaint - apart from the top mounted controls - is that it adds a little boost and a hint of breakup. While this sounds cool, it's not going to be so good if you really want a dead clean effect. Lowering the volume on your guitar helps a bit, but I'd prefer not to have to do that.

Still, at the price, it's hard to argue. These Dano pedals really are great value. I think it'll be replacing my EVH, which is the second longest serving pedal on my board (after my Vox Wah), but has never really been the sound I was looking for. I'm taking the Dano Vibe home for a play this weekend, and if all goes good, the EVH will probably be up on MusicXchange next week. Until then, I'm open to offers.

Again, sorry if you were expecting a video!

[jeremyb]

We had a play with h3x3d's Fulltone Deja vibe last night, sooooo lush, well worth checking out!

[druz15]

Red Witch ftw the Moon Phaser absolutely killed my Nano Small Stone (not surprisingly). Did you have the deluxe one? I think that's what mine is, the tremophase setting is great for vibe'y type phase.

[druz15]

also that smoke and mirrors on Music Xchange looks interesting

[AmpShop]

also that smoke and mirrors on Music Xchange looks interesting

Great pedal! Kind of a switchable phaser and vibe in one box, with something of it's own going on too. Pity I couldn't get more of them.

[Hot_Grits]

Is it a new version of the dano vibe? -I remember reading that they were working on addressing the delay before the effect kicks in and the volume jump. If they have, that's a KILLER pedal for the money. The sound is totally there.

I like the Dano chicken salad even more. Really great pedal, very much in the 'is it a vibe? is it a phaser?' camp.

The red witch is nice, but I found it very subtle. Which could just be my taste in phasers. I used an MXR 90 for years (no surprise there, folks) and really loved the boosty midrangey thing.

Nowadays I have a malekko phaser and a lovepedal pickle vibe. That's a lot of sound for a small spot. If malekko could make a flanger that sounded like an MXR or ADA or Ibanez jet in one of those tiny boxes I'd be a pig in poop.

[Some Bozo]

Voodoo Labs "Micro Vibe" does a nice univibe wa-zhoomm wa-zhooom wa-zhooom sound. It's the only pedal I'm keeping since I got the HD500

[Hot_Grits]

Voodoo Labs "Micro Vibe" does a nice univibe wa-zhoomm wa-zhooom wa-zhooom sound. It's the only pedal I'm keeping since I got the HD500

Yeah, great pedal. Line 6 really struggle with vibe impersonations.

[Some Bozo]

Voodoo Labs "Micro Vibe" does a nice univibe wa-zhoomm wa-zhooom wa-zhooom sound. It's the only pedal I'm keeping since I got the HD500

Yeah, great pedal. Line 6 really struggle with vibe impersonations.

Leslie effect is a bit ropey too, but I think that'll always be a tough one to model.

[Hot_Grits]

Voodoo Labs "Micro Vibe" does a nice univibe wa-zhoomm wa-zhooom wa-zhooom sound. It's the only pedal I'm keeping since I got the HD500

Yeah, great pedal. Line 6 really struggle with vibe impersonations.

Leslie effect is a bit ropey too, but I think that'll always be a tough one to model.

With Leslies the portability argument really takes on new meaning.

I had the tonecore roto-machine briefly. Ewwww.

[Bg]

Not many guitar demos on this baby but B3 and clone wheel players reckon that this is as close as it gets... got to be stereo though

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIfCwo3aD-0[/youtube]

[Some Bozo]

Not many guitar demos on this baby but B3 and clone wheel players reckon that this is as close as it gets... got to be stereo though

That sounds fantastic.

[jeremyb]

The Leslie on the fulltone sounded amazing you could feel the speaker rotating

[AiRdAd]

I've compared the fulltone next to the red witch, and the red witch won for me. easily won.

[mr_sooty]

also that smoke and mirrors on Music Xchange looks interesting

Is it still there? I couldn't find it.