DryBell Vibe Machine V2

This recreation of the Uni-Vibe manages to be ’board-friendly while still offering all the original’s features alongside added functionality

- Trevor Curwen

The Uni-Vibe occupies a special place in guitar-pedal mythology mainly for its use by Jimi Hendrix, Robin Trower and David Gilmour. A four stage phaser, initially inspired by rotary speaker sounds, the original circuitry with pulsating lightbulb surrounded by four photocells gave it a sound all of its own. It also spawned a slew of ‘vibe’ pedals from a range of manufacturers aiming to emulate those distinctive sounds in various ways.

One of the most respected of these in recent years has been the nicely compact DryBell Vibe Machine, a pedal with analogue circuitry that uses the photocell methodology. This second incarnation, the Vibe Machine V2, adds a bunch of features for extra tonal control and functionality, based on feedback from users of the original.

Speed and Depth knobs adjust your basic toggle-selectable Chorus or Vibrato effect. Chorus is not the chorus effect as provided by chorus pedals but is the signature phasey Uni-Vibe sound, a mixture of effected and dry signal. Losing the dry element for a true vibrato sound, Vibrato is perhaps more generic, but here offers a practical alternative with many musical applications.