Danelectro DJ-15 Chicken Salad Vibrato

Two knobs: Intensity and speed.
Could hardly be any more simple.

The sound actually has nothing to do with chicken.
It is supposed to be a UniVibe clone and is quite good at that for the very little money (in comparison with most of the other vibe/leslie pedals).
I tested it against a VooDoo Labs Micro Vibe and the main difference was that the Micro was noisier and the Dano more intense !
It sounds very much like Dave Gilmour`s guitar on "Dark Side of the Moon" ("Breathe") or Robin Trower on his 70ies records ("Bridge of sighs"). Maybe Hendrix at Woodstock is the prime example.
Clean, you can set the two controls to around 12 o`clock to acchieve a very musical vibe. With distortion (preferably before !) you may need to turn up to maximum depth.
I play this kind of retro stuff in cover bands, so I am grateful to get an excellent UniVibe-imitation for ...
say about 200 bucks less :-)
I`m going to rate it 9, as I know there are still these best-sounding legendary old ones out there that I can`t afford.

Hmmm. Made of plastic, so I wouldn`t dare to step onto it with my whole body weight.

Worth the money. Sounds just good.

2 knobs. enough said

i havent tried leslie or those other "holy grails" of vibrato so i cant compare. i really like it. only one issue, when you step on the button, it makes a very silent click sound out your amp. i think a noice gate would fix this tho...i need to get one too...hmmmm

im really iffy on this. its plastic (thick tho..), small knobs, battery sucker, and sometimes im scared im going to push the switch in under the plastic like those laser pointers. so far no flaws. as long as you dont stom the shit the out of it (which you have no rason to unless youre jumping around like crzy....learn not to), its perfectly alright. try to use a power brick.

cheap. great sound. easy to work with. decent structure. what more do you want?

Two knobs - intensity and speed - self explanatory. No manual supplied or needed.

I run a Ibanez GAX 70 and JS100 into a little Marshall MGDFX15 and various Digitech and Boss pedals. I demoed this pedal straight into the amp. Couldn't get a really good sound with the GAX, but when I switched it over to the JS100, the sound and tone drastically improved (no wonder). The CS is remarkably quiet for a pedal this small, no real noise issues here. Takes a minimal amount of tweaking to coax usable sounds out of it. I bought it mainly to get Bridge of Sighs - Hendrix and Dark Side era Pink Floyd sounds, and this little thing can get them all! I give it an 8, cause nothing is worth a 10.

Read some negative things on its reliability before buying it which made me a little suspect. Decided to take a chance, and so far so good. Only got it last week. It seems these things either work or don't, no middle ground. Gotta be lucky I guess. Don't bother using it with batteries, AC adapter is the only way. I use it with one of those Godlyke adapters.

Bought it online from Music Sales 123. Excellent support and follow-up. Never dealt with Danelectro on this or before. I suppose if it broke, I would try and get it repaired, but for the $30.00, is it worth the hassle?

I play classic rock - Hendrix/Trower/Pink Floyd/Cream - works well with these styles. I got back into playing about two years ago, after a long layoff. Own the Digitech Hendrix, RP300, DF7 and Digidelay pedals. Boss pedals include the Auto Wah, CS2, BF1 pedals. Tried the Dunlop Univibe SC1 - but for $150.00, was too rich for a one dimensional pedal, I mean how many songs are you going to use it with before it becomes too much? The Chicken Salad is great for messing around with, without a huge investment.

Easy to use - two knobs.

OK, if you want to use this thing with distortion or overdrive, you've GOT to put it BEFORE any overdrive pedals in your FX chain. If you're using your amp's overdrive/distortion, plug it directly into your input jack and don't use the FX loop. Clean, it actually sounds pretty good. It's NOT a Univibe, but it gets some pretty nice tones. It's a little whooshy but not bad. If you like the Univibe sound but don't want to shell out the money for one (or a clone), this isn't a bad pedal. I can get some Hendrix/Trower sounds out of it - I don't think it does a very good SRV for some reason...That could just be me. Personally I think it's completely useless when placed after an OD/distortion pedal...Unless you're going for a wild effect.

Be careful, OK? The switch probably isn't as delicate as it appears, but tread lightly anyway. The knobs that Danelectro uses are a joke - they come off pretty easily and they're so small I can see losing one eventually. I'm not using mine anymore but I'd probably get a backup if I depended on it for my sound.

It's not bad. I wish it had more range in terms of speed, but for $30 I've heard worse. I love playing around w/ effects pedals...Been playing for 25 years and I've owned a bunch since I bought my first Ibanez Phaser back in the early 80's. I think Danelectro is awesome for making cheap pedals like this - they're a little flimsy and the sounds aren't always the best, but for a very small investment you can buy something cool without worrying about the price tag if it turns out you don't like it or use it very often. I own the Tuna Melt tremelo and it's GREAT.

Couldn't get much simpler - two knobs!

I absolutely agree with the person posting before me: It's two dimensional and it sucks tone (the highs when activated. It's no fun except when looking for a cheap "some sort of" vibe sound, but it's not good at all for you effect chain, so I can not use it whatsoever.

If you are looking for a decent vibe sound go and buy the Sweet Sound Mojo Vibe (unfortunately you can't buy it in Europe...), if that's too expensive, go with the Rocktron Vertigo! When looking for a leslie kind of sound, the Dano Rocky Road (with modification) is absolutely amazing!

I'm not going to find out - I'm selling this one as soon as possible.

Never used till now.

It's no good - it's as simple as that. Even when looking for a more subtle vibe sound, I recommend the Dunlop Rotovibe and not this little tone sucker!

The wonderful effect that is "vibe" (or, specifically, univibe) is not a complicated effect, but here it is bare bones basic. 2 knobs, neither of which have much sweep. Basically, it's on or it's off, and that's it.

It's below no-brainer level. You actually don't need a brain to use it. Though ears will be useful to hear how underwhelming it is.

Soundwise, this is a just barely usable effect pedal:

IF you have nothing else available, you COULD use this pedal to add a little life and movement to your sound. Most useful on lower, almost-not-there settings, just impressing a little life. Best on guitar. A little too stiff on keys, but some tasty guitar playing brings out the sparse usefulness of this little discount job.

BUT -- if you've heard other (almost universally nicer) vibe pedals, THIS one will blow you away with its inferior and blah tone. First, it's not really THAT vibe sound so obsessively sought. Second it's not organic enough, like a nice modulation pedal should be. Third, for a cheap effect pedal, even if the precious tone isn't there, you should get enough control to make something unearthly or odd out of it, but not so here: the controls are just too limited. Doesn't get REALLY slow or REALLY fast, NO regen, just very middle of the road.

Lastly, it sucks (tone, and, well, in general) in a line of stomp boxes. The best I got from it was used all by itself. Blurry and dull in a line of FX. Actually has a LoFi charm, just not nearly enough to keep it in the mix, for me at least. YMMV.

Technically, it's usable, but offers very little else in any department. Honestly, dimed it sounds really cheap. Used with subtle effect, it is, I guess, OKAY. Most everything sounds better though. Recommended only for those on the slimmest of budgets.

It works. Just not well...

I have a bunch of other mini-pedas by danelectro, and they're all still hanging in there, though I wouldn't go abusing it. BTW, some of their other pedals are great! (see: BLT, Fabtone, Fish & chips)

But who knows what could happen down the road...

Never bothered them.

It's just ok. I got it for free, it's not bad if you have nothing else. I'm kind of a stomp box fanatic, and while some of these low-priced danos are really good, I never use this. Never. It's just not very good. So... what can I say.

Dull, but on a desert island I wouldn't throw it away. If you have a newer amp with built in effects, you've heard the quality you'll get here. Actually recent amps have superior fx, so... try it, you might buy it, you might use it.... and... you'll probably just buy something nicer.

For twice the price, and still quite cheap, you can get a MXR Phase 90. A much better pedal. Actually, for a little more dough, you can get a lot of better pedals. Modulation, when it's good, it's worth it.

Low score, for honesty's sake. Get only if you're in desparate need and have not another cent for a better pedal.

Two knobs, how hard could it be? Although it does bear mentioning that the only way you'll really be able to discern this effect from any other subtle modulation effect. With the intensity past about 1:00, the effect shows its personality a bit more.

I wanted to get a washed-out rotary sound for a decent price, and that's pretty much what I got. I don't think it compares to a univibe by any means, but it is rather effective at getting that dreamy, modulated Hendrix sound a la 'Machine Gune'. However, I wouldn't count on it to trick discerning Univibe fans, because they sound similar but by no means close.

As I mentioned earlier, the sound is rather nondescript until you turn the intensity beyond the 1:00 point. Then it becomes much more pronounced. I suppose you could liken this sound to an extremely mellow chorus or phase, although I hear nuances present in the Chicken Salad that are not typically present in those effects. It oscillates, warbles, and throbs, and it does it without staining your instrument's tone. It adds a lot of transparent color that can be as subtle or pronounced as you want it to be, which makes it a very usable effect.

The thing I like about this series of pedals is that all of the Dano Minis have such strong personalities, far too strong to be likened to any other pedal. The Chicken Salad Vibrato is no exception, and it delivers reasonably unique tones.

Questionable. Right out of the box, the unit seemed a little flighty. I had to coax it a bit to get the effect to engage, but after it turned on it seemed to stay on correctly. I play exclusively in a home studio, so die-hard reliability isn't a primary issue, but I was a bit put off by the fact that it was seemingly on the fritz right out of the box.

*shrugs*

I love the Minis. This pedal makes a really cool and useable rotary speaker sound for just a little bit of dough. If you've wanted to experiment with the Roto/Uni/whatever-vibe sound, check it out.

Remember though, this pedal's sound is too unique to replace any of those devices. I won't be trading my Rocktron Vertigo in for it, but it does make sounds that the Vertigo cannot.

easy to use until it breaks

sounds great until it breaks

i can't depend on it, cause it's broken

i'm outside of warranty. cheaper to buy a new one
than to ship this one back.

this thing sounds great till it breaks.
then it doesn't sound like anything.
just because it's inexpensive doesn't mean it
has to be CHEAP. a/c adapter plug sh!t the bed,
then the whole thing gave up the ghost.

consider this a "consumable" and you'll be fine.
an investment it's not.

no manual, tho sometimes there's a "settings" chart in the box...
nice univibe style effect, i use it just after my wah and before overdrive (boss sod), works real well....but only when hooked to a wart.
mine won't run on batteries for more than a minute or two before it fucks up....if it works at all!!
extreme settings sound ok, most useable sounds seem to be near the center of the pots, ya gotta kinda crank the intensity.
sounds just like Hendrix sometimes... amazing for such a cheap piece of shit!

the sound quality, for the price, is amazingly good...no true bypass, seems to colour some gtrs a little even off.
when the power supply fucks up, it can oscilate in a MOST irritating way....
usually unplugging/replugging the input jack and power supply jack cures it.
nice chewy watery tone, very phasey and acidic.
can sound almost like a leslie a little.
lotta bang for the buck!
it LOVES my Marshalls, sounds a little wek in over driven fenders, but great for nailing that robin Trower Bridge Of sighs tone with a clean amp.
remarkably un-touch responsive....
can modulate feedback real nicely.
adds some high-end presence and a touch of compression when on, prolly cuzza the opto electronics used in the pedal's circuit.
nice box, for a cheap cheesy piece of shit.

yah, reasonably dependable.....until it fucks up, and IT WILL, in my experience....
won't run well on ANY battery i've tried, and if ya do run it with a battery, when it dies, the pedal that appears to use some kinda transistorized bypass switching will sometimes stay like half on or something, so even tho it LOOKS off, it's not.
PAIN INNA ASS!!!
i run it with a wart, ALWAYS....and even then, every couple gigs i gotta mess with it..like alotta othe dano pedals i've tried, will do some weird shit sometimes, like the switching scenario i just described.
but hey the price is right!!
but i wouldn't use this pedal for anything it'll get too much abuse from....
plastic will break, and i've seen some of these dano's circuit boards break internally from over earnest stompers.
gives a whole new meaning to "step and crush"

Called them once, back when i tried one of them fuckin' horrible pastrami diode clippers....
was pickin up radio waves from Mars, and wanted to know if they'd had similar complaints,the sucked, and were rude and arogant, seemed put off that someone would question their shitty circuit design.
i think these things would be far better in a metal enclosure, both for durability and sound, metal would shield thes things from alotta interference.
anyways, i thought their customer support was rather lame.

i play classic rock and blues, gibsons and fender guitars, marshall and fender amps depending on gig and mood.
i actually like this pedal, it's a keeper despite it's flaws.
wish it had a control voltage jack so ya could sweep the mod time like a vibe, but hey, ya can't have EVERYTHING, LOL!!!
sounds good, works ok, very usable tones, and at $9.99, the price was DEFINITELY right!

This pedal is so simple a monkey could use it well.

Here's why I'm writing a review. I can't believe that the review by Anonymous at 11/24/2002 said that it's not a true bypass but it doesn't alter your tone. I LOVED the way it sounded with the vibrato on - just what I was looking for - and dirt cheap. Then I turned it off. Thought something was wrong with my guitar. When I unplugged the pedal went back to my original setup, my guitar tone returned. This pedal ALTERS YOU GUITAR'S TONE even when it's OFF - and I mean a BIG alteration. It will turn a Les Paul into a Kay. Maybe I got a lemon.

I've used it once.

Haven't tried support. Maybe I should.

Great for a studio effect to fill a track, but I can't handle the major tone loss I'm getting.