Rainbows and Unicorns are known to be magical, especially in the realm of musical instruments (no duh). But let’s not get caught into rainbows at the moment… Unicorns, yes unicorns can often be found in the wild land of “Hendrix,” but the Unicorn can be tamed and domesticated for much subtler uses too. JHS has produced a modern *Uni-vibe* device which is reviving the nearly “extinct” species. With...
Read MoreThe crew over at Fulltone has been a leading innovator of modern-day effects that precisely emulate some of the most sought-after and classic effects from the 60’s and 70’s, going through painstaking detail to faithfully recreate these incredible sounds and tones. One of these effects is the Uni-Vibe, made famous by David Gilmour and Jimi Hendrix, among others. Fulltone’s Mini DejaVibe captures that sound almost...
Read MoreLet’s face it: a true 60’s Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe is NOT a very viable monetary option for most of us guitarists, as they sell regularly for over $1200. Now, those who can afford them apparently love ’em, and we’ve all heard their sound on numerous classic recordings through the years. Names like Hendrix, Gilmour, Trower and Anastasio immediately spring to mind when mentioning this brilliant effect, and for many of...
Read MoreThe Arctic White Fuzz from Bearfoot FX is a highly approachable fuzz, able to get as dirty and gritty as you want, but never too over-the-top and out-of-control, like some other types of fuzz can do. Volume, Tone and Fuzz control knobs are easily adjustable to suit your tonal needs, with a nice range of sounds available in a small layout and enclosure, perfect for saving space on a pedalboard. The Arctic White Fuzz plays well with...
Read MoreThe Quantum Time Modulator from our friends at Pigtronix is an extremely fun, fairly easy-to-use modulation pedal, with lots of possibilities and sonic exploration to be had. Not your typical chorus pedal, this guy doubles as a sort of Uni-Vibe as well, all with a simple, easily accessible toggle switch. The controls are pretty straightforward, but the ranges in both the Chorus and Vibrato modes are BIG, and will put a smile on your...
Read MoreLoopers. I mean, they’re just so much fun to use, and can be extremely beneficial as a learning and practicing tool. The Phrase Sampler + is my favorite – I know, it’s old, and “outdated”, and doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that some of the newer loopers do, but it is just perfect for my setup. 5 easy-tap buttons that are labeled telling you exactly what each one does, so there’s no...
Read MoreBefore we get ahead of ourselves, let me just brief you on all things ‘vibey’. The Uni-Vibe as used by Hendrix (listen to ‘Machine Gun’), Robin Trower, Stevie Ray and a host of other guitarists is at its heart, a phaser pedal. It uses a different approach than your basic phase 90 type pedal to get its sound such as transistors instead of op-amps and a lamp and LDR’s (light dependant resistors) to control...
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