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So let's settle this Univibe = early leslie/rotary sim?


Josh James

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Ok, so I've been looking to pick up a leslie or rotary sim for awhile. I found a Fulltone MDV which is a univibe clone and in descriptions I have heard that it was first developed to simulate a rotary speaker? Let's hear your thoughts my homie's!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

J

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If indeed you do get one, let us know so we decide if we want one..

I've seen them listed, I always think of Pink Floyd in concert and the Allman Brothers as well..

It crossed my mind, all be it a short one at that, it doesn't take a long time either to cross, But I wondered how good it worked or not..

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Josh James; you will want one; everyone is going to say the same thing; same brand FULLTONE.....It will fit your sound well...

 

And Sparky Scott, you want one two...

 

Let's buy 20 and get a discount ( mine was stolen ).......

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But can it do a rotary/leslie sound? I guess that is my main question..hard to tell from youtube clips!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J

 

Well yes, I don't quite know what you mean...It's not an actual leslie cabinet, I had one years back to play with and through ( didn't gig with the beast ) but it does what it does....Mix it with a chorus and/or flanger and you've got some unique sounds available for you.....Get one, you'll be happy.......

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Ok, so I've been looking to pick up a leslie or rotary sim for awhile. I found a Fulltone MDV which is a univibe clone and in descriptions I have heard that it was first developed to simulate a rotary speaker? Let's hear your thoughts my homie's!

Tone sucker. The Dunlop Uni-vibe is quiet, sea sick, and not a hiss to be heard. Fulltone makes fantastic pedals, but if Ur looking for lush, quiet, and soul...the cheap *** Dunlop Univibe is killer.

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

J

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But can it do a rotary/leslie sound? I guess that is my main question..hard to tell from youtube clips!

 

Somewhat, but not really. The original Univibe was an attempt at making an electronic effect that sounds like a Leslie, but it fell short. What a vibe really is is a phaser with some chorusing in sync with each other and it's also my favorite swirly sounding effect. I've heard good things about the Boss and Hughes & Kettener rotary simulators but never tried one. IMO, the only way to really get that Leslie sound is to use a Leslie; there is just way too much going on with a Leslie cabinet in a room (Doppler effect, reflections, phasing...) to properly capture the effect electronically... at least, so far.

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A lot of bad reviews have steered me from the "Rocky Road" as well as availability. I think I'm going to pick up the Deja' used tomorrow with the power adapter for 140, which is a pretty good deal and more versatile and less real estate on my board vs. my other option the Boss RT-20. Thanks for all the suggestion's, let you know how it "VIBES" with my rig...haha...ha =)

 

 

 

 

 

J

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heres that dunlop univibe in a demo video. sounds pretty good...but honestly i think theres something about this video that might keep your attention away from the tone... [scared]

 

now rebel colonel sanders here claims that it is a combination of a chorus and vibrato that creates its "leslie effect". interesting. one of these univibe pedals are definitely on my list. both fulltone and dunlop seem to have nice ones...

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I had a Fender Leslie 30 years ago... now I have a Boss. It's about as close as I think you'll get, myself. It's not perfect, but you could make a case that the one-speaker Fender cab wasn't either.

 

To really sound like a B3 you need to use a volume pedal too.

 

I really only use mine in an ensemble situation where I want a more or less B3 sound. It works.

 

m

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The Boss is a little cutesy - at least I thought so at first - 'cuz it has little lights that give you a graphic representation of the speed.

 

There are several basic variations you can use, then you can adjust slow speed, fast speed and ramp speed. You can set treble and bass "speakers" separately. That gives a more Leslie-like set of options than a simple stomp box. Mine is set so it pretty much also has a bit of the sort of unconscious "metalic" or "reverby" sorta sound you get from the real thing.

 

I really was conflicted and did a bunch of reading before I ordered mine. I have used it in ensemble situations doing some blues stuff. It does give pretty much a B3 sound, but it doesn't "fill" a room with what you get from the real thing. It might be closer with remote cabs added, but I don't think anything will replace it in a saloon. On stage outdoors... I don't think the real thing has that much advantage.

 

Also, in ways I wish my big mamajamma tube amp were both lighter and had a line out (speaker out ain't enuf, IMHO), 'cuz the trem actually does a decent job of adding to some stuff I do solo, and with an obviously broader sound spectrum bass to treble, that I don't get outa the little amp.

 

So... I used to use the Fender Leslie with the big amp. It sounded very good, but without some of the treble "sound" you get from a real Leslie cab with the treble and bass speakers on a saloon stage on a B3.

 

I guess some of the decision will be whether you want a "very close" emulation, the real thing, or a pedal that mostly does what some tube amp designs had built in, but possibly with a degree of pitch variation as well as volume as on a trem circuit.

 

To really emulate a B3, as I said, the Boss still needs a volume pedal to change the attack into something like a lotta B3 players do on the Hammond. That latter instrument isn't used as much as it used to be, but Steppenwolf used one on some of what's apparently mostly considered "biker" pieces.

 

m

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Being a guy who also restores Hammond organs, I am of the opinion that there are Leslie speaker cabinets, then there's everything else.

 

I have heard good reviews of a device called the "Ventilator", but I haven't heard one in person.

 

For guitar, I use a Leslie 45 cabinet - it's no bigger than most guitar cabs, I can use any amplifier to drive it (within reason, of course) and there simply is nothing else out there that sounds like it.

 

I've never heard a guitar that sounds like a B-3 though - even if you bring all the volume pedals you can find.

 

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