Vibe

[GonePhishing46]

I have to replace the lamp in mine so I thought I'd share some gut shots. Enjoy

[Heady Jam Fan]

Phishin - thats sweet, very neat work they do in there.

I just got my Wilson Haze Vibe today, AB'ed a bit with the Fulltone. They are pretty different, I kinda suspect some of the difference is the fact that the Wilson uses LEDs instead of a bulb, but not a bad change necessarily.

I think Happy mentioned on another thread that a vibe could use tone controls and I have to agree, the tone has been the hardest thing for me to control - often I find my favorite vibe sound, but there is too much bass or treble. I also found that rolling back the wet mix trim on the Wilson darkened up the pedal a bit. Generally, the Wilson has more low-end available and gets thicker/throbbier, while the Fulltone can sometimes get thinner, sometimes too bright or harsh and this seems to change sometimes without pattern while I think I found a slim sweet spot on the Wilson with the wet mix and intensity rolled back just a little. I like the range control on the Wilson better, smoother throw/sweep, but I like the way the Fulltone engages better, it is smoother or more natural, occasionally the Wilson makes a slight noise when turning on and I need to rock my foot back to get enough pressure on the switch. I found the Fulltone a bit more vintage or 'organic'/natural sounding and the Wilson to be a bit more phase-like or something, but I wouldn't say either was 'better' and I am not extremely versed in Vibes, so my adjectives could be incorrect in describing this aspect.

If the Wilson wet mix trim functioned more like I expected (more like a clean blend) rather than getting darker, it would be a winner IMO. If either featured a treble and possibly even bass (the Wilson would benefit more from Bass, both could use treble, the Fulltone needs a treble control more), that would be a winer.

Also, the Fulltone has an internal trim, but it is an Intensity control. There is also an Intensity knob on the outside. They seem to function differently, but I don't know how technically. The internal one seems to have more effect/control over the low-end throb, yet doesn't dial out the top end (as I hoped it would). I wish Fulltone made it easier to understand why there are two intensity controls, not that it would change how I tweaked it, but I like things to make sense, ya know?

Will I try another vibe? Not sure, I love it, probably more than any other modulation, but I still need more time to iron out a few issues. I love the wah enclosure and that might make it worth working out a couple kinks with one of these pedal rather than trying others - it is really easier than a large knob IMO.

Anyway - two great vibes and one picky musician. Can't go wrong with either, hopefully I will update when I get the perfect, magical swirl (not a deep, dark throb that can sacrifice clarity, not a thin top end). Lastly, I should mention, my complaints about the tone really only is noticeable in the very slow settings. Not sure if the 'depth' is diminished or less salient in faster settings.

[Collingslaw]

Can someone explain to me what the difference is between the various non-CAE black cat vibes?  I have seen silver ones like the one in this picture and I have seen black ones.  Both are non-CAE BCVs. 

Thanks

[Happyorange27]

Heady great report. I just went to my Haze Deluxe and finally adjusted the internal trimpot. I went full counterclockwise to see the opposite of default setting. It was much more mellow and I noticed almost no detuning at full depth setting (outside knob). I liked that for a no dirt pedal setting. It was just adding the right swirl to my clean. But in dirt mode I kind of list the swirl intensity. Mind you my vibe is in front of my chain. I went to a halfway position on the internal trim pot and decided to leave it there for now to split the difference.

Again I only played for a minute since I got torn away.
It's my first vibe so I can't compare. I will agree that it's more phasey and less vintagey. It sounded more vintagey on you tube videos but those are not great to judge off of.

Keep on it bro. We will get there.

[Heady Jam Fan]

Yea man, thanks - I had another great and frustrating jam today.

I Fulltone was sounding warmer again, who knows if it will stay that way, but I was loving it today - ended with a Sample In A Jar jam that was soo much fun to play. I also Got the Wilson setup how I like it - I actually ended up moving the trim all the way back clockwise to the stock position because it was too dark the other way. Kevin (Wilson) also got back to me and said it was normal for the trim counterclockwise to make it darker, so that is good for the health of my vibe (and my psyche).

The Wilson has a fuller or less subtle thing going, in some of the settings (not particularly on the vibe, but my whole rig) it was also sounding like a flanger, which was cool cuz that was the one effect I was missing a little after selling my Modfactor.

Today, I liked the Fulltone more - it was in the background, but still making some cool motion in the tune. They are pretty different as far as a discerning musician would say, both are great pedals.

PS - Happy - Kevin said it would not be feasible to add an EQ to the vibe, it would take a lot of R&D and reworking. I just kinda happened to toss that half-baked idea in when I emailed him.

Oh yea, the frustrating part was actually that I was enjoying the Fulltone so much - right after I break down and get another vibe AND I also know there is a good chance it will be too bright the next time I play it!

I also did some other experimenting in my rig, but I will post that in another thread.

[Happyorange27]

Thanks. Call me crazy but a strategically placed potentiometer and a small capacitor in series to ground should serve as a treble control and tame brightness. This is the same mod I did to my Blues Jr. I might just rig something up and create such a mod for the Haze. 

[Heady Jam Fan]

Lol - I kinda figured you would have and idea - to me it sounds theoretically simple, but if I sat down with a soldering iron, I wouldn't know where to start.

It can be hard to find a modulation pedal that doesn't change your core tone too much, or to set one up that way.

[Happyorange27]

I want to thank Gonephishing for sweet pictures above!

[IamWILSON]

Heady, I'm wondering if your fulltone vibe has something loose or screwy goin on inside of it causing you to hear this change?  Or if it could be a bad cable or something?  At first I thought you were getting the big tank DejaVibe2 that I have, but realized your's is the one w/ the slightly smaller enclosure like a wah pedal.  I don't know if Fuller changed anything in the circuitry when he redid the design, but I gotta say that mine has always been really consistent.  And I decided in the end that I didn't even want to open it up and mess with the internal trimpot as I like the tone it gives me. 

[Heady Jam Fan]

You might be right, although he doesn't answer emails, so I don't expect to hear back from him.

[Happyorange27]

BLACK CAT VIBE:
Ok they are finally going to have them ready in a couple of weeks (they say).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MGr1os_Nkk&feature=youtu.be

[Heady Jam Fan]

Sweet, now we need one in a wah enclosure

[fulltone1989]

Maybe it'll have an exp. in on it! Does anyone know if this one has a bulb like the real uni-vibe?

[Happyorange27]

It does have a jack for expression pedal.  I'm ok with a foot rubber knob.  I made the "first 30" list and I will get the pedal for only $299.  I'm excited!

[Heady Jam Fan]

Congrats happy, talk about being on the ball