Fulltone Deja Vibe 2

Pretty obvious how to use the controls, easy to grasp. However the foot control is really hard to dial in at the end of the toe range. Goes from medium speed to really fast in a very short amount of space. Others have commented on this in their reviews.

This pedal sounds great, it really nails that watery, chorus, almost leslie like thing. However I want more of it. I cant get enough of the effect for my taste, even with the intensity set to 10, and Im usually not one to over saturate my sound with effects. Also, I feel theres a small but noticeable volume drop when the pedal is activated. Its odd that this pedal didnt come with a volume control the way the other fulltone univibes do.

Could easily gig without a backup. Super solid construction.

never dealt with fulltone

This is a solid product. However for the price, it just isnt worth it for me. The effect level is just not strong enough, and it can get drowned out while jamming with other people as others have noted. Ive had this effect for a few months now, and I just feel its tying up money that I could use for other equipment. Fulltone almost did it here, but for the price you pay, the drawbacks are just too glaring.

This is a straight forward very easy to use pedal. I bought mine used with no manual no nothing. This is the 3rd vibe pedal that I have owned. The first was the Dunlop which I found to be overpowering and difficult to "tame". The second was the Voodoo Lab MicroVibe which got me in the right zipcode but not to the correct address however, was very easy to use as well. Basically you have an intensity knob on the Dejavibe and you can switch between tremolo and chorus and another switch for Modern/Vintage.

My setup is huge. I own many guitars but mainly gig with a US Strat loaded with EMG DG's, Gibson Les Paul loaded with EMG ZW set, Gibson Flying V with EMG 89 and 81, a Fender "franken"strat loaded with EMG 81/S/S and sometimes I use a Zion also loaded with EMG ZW. So I guess you can say I like the EMG's. I run this into a ton of gear but ultimately it's a Booge Triaxis with Boogie 2:90 in stereo. The Dejavibe runs front end of the chain so far..I will experiment some more but so far I like this spot quite a bit. It's very quiet overall. This is the best sounding vibe I have owned of the 3...mentioned above that I have had. It really does sound very authentic to the Jimi, Trower, Frampton type of thing. It sounds great both in modern and in vintage setting and I find myself playing around with them quite a bit. The single coils seem to sound best particularly in the neck positions of my strats. However, the cover band that I am in plays classic rock to heavy metal and I find myself kicking this on during solos and in some cases it sound great such as the outro triad bit at the end of Bark at The Moon or during the solos to La Grange for example. Not tunes that originally called for this effect but they work well. And herein lies the real deal, the Dejavibe is very musical and inspiring. One of the setting I have had fun with is the Deja and the panner effect of my TC GMajor...very cool sounding almost perfectly emulating the Bridge of Sighs vibe with some great left right ear play. I know this effect is expensive but of the 3 I have had it truly is the one that sounds the best in my ears. I could not be happier. Unlike other reveiws, I find it sits in the mix very nicely not overpowering and not to far behind. If I feel the highs are being cut as other have mentioned, I switch to the modern settings and seems to clean it up. You have to remember, the vibe pedal has a cycling motion by design and when it is on the lower (down) part of the curve it will darken some. Setting the rate faster will re-coop quicker thus allowing you to get the down part of the curve for shorter amount of time. I don't like phasers...owned many and still do, I just think they are to overbearing. This sits very nicely in the mix and is very inspiring to play with. I have spent hours just experimenting with it. Even the band I am in has taken notice and dig it and lets face it, singers and drummers are not always aware of the nuances of an effect such as this but on gigs and at rehearsals I have gotten some compliments on it. You really can't go wrong with the Dejavibe it's as close as I know of that you are going to get authentic old school vibe. On one last note, clean tone vs distorted tones to have an impact, medium distortion tones are very sweet and clean tones also very sweet. It does not necessarily dow well on super overdriven tones but it does add a cool cycle. This is a bluesman's dream vibe.

No idea at this point but it is a tank!

I have never dealt with the company

As stated above I am in a cover band that runs just about every style of rock from the 60's forward. I find this pedal easy to use, sounds very authentic, excellent colors and it sits very nicely in the mix. I think some folks might be running it in strange spots in thier chain. I am using it dead first and really have gotten good results. When I run a compressor in front of it..it gets squashed. I do not use distortion boxes opting for amp overdrive. I also use a Voodoo Proctavia pedal which allows for a full on Jimi style assalt in fact I play Star Spangled Banner at each of our shows using the Dejavibe and the Proctavia...it's pure Hendrix bliss, harmony and chaos all at once. I highly recommend this pedal and would replace it as quickly as possible if I lost it. Nothing gets a 10 so I give it a 9.

Easy to use, Intensity knob, foot switch, and a couple of rocker switches.

I have to take issue with anyone that would go through these reviews and give any product all 10's as some people have.
I bought this new in 01 and I really liked it at the time as it was the first vibe unit I had heard in person. The sound files sounded nice and what drew me to it most was the built in speed pedal.

My issue with the sound quality is that it is not even aproaching a transparent sound on the Chorus setting, but it is much more so on the tremolo setting which I consider useless for the most part so that point is moot. Maybe the effect has faded over time if that is possible because I remember liking it much more when I first bought it but I am now looking at buying other vibe pedals, particularly the PE unit which seems to get good reviews.

I have a 90's strat plus with texas specials that I think is a beautiful sounding guitar through my marshall 50w plexi head and 1960TV cab or through my Reverend Hellhound combo amp. But the Deja'2 sound cuts out a lot of the highs and seems to dull the sound or make it muddy. I didn't notice it as much with the original gold lace sensors that were in the guitar but after installing the texas specials I noticed that a lot of that great sound was lost through the pedal.
It has a rocker switch for modern and vintage but the vintage setting is even darker sounding. The intensity knob works well and changes the sound when adjusted but the built in speed pedal is nearly useless which is disappointing because it was my major reason for buying this very expensive pedal.
My major complaint with the speed pedal is the same as noted in other reviews, as you rock it forward there is very little change in the effect speed until the last 1/4 inch of travel where it ramps up very fast and is almost impossible to adjust accurately which gives you basically from slow to medium to wide open which isn't enough control to get use out of the top end of the speed.

Tremolo isn't very good sounding at all but it is surprisingly transparent compared to the chorus setting and much more of the tone of the guitar comes through though this is worthless to me because I can't stand the sound of the tremolo.

I really can't recommend this pedal to anyone because if you are a tone freak then you will probably be disappointed in the muddiness of the pedal in the chorus setting and if you are not a tone freak than there are much cheaper univibe clones or chorus pedals out there that sound just as good.

I think it is constructed very well and wouldn't be afraid to stand on it. Seems to be made with quality parts and hasn't ever given me any issues as far as reliability is concerned.

Never dealt with Fulltone other than buying the pedal almost 7 years ago.

Overall I'd rate this pedal a mediocre univibe unit at best. If I had it to do over again I wouldn't spend $350 on it.

This pedal is sooo simple to get good sounds out of. You just plug in, turn a knob, press a foot pedal, and you're in Jimi-land.

The manual is straightforward and foolproof.

I LOVE the sounds out of this vibe. You get the Hendrix, Trower thang right there with no problems. It's F'n legit, and I love it!

I use this with 3 amps: '67 Fender Pro Reverb, Matchless DC30, and a Fargen MiniPlex combo. You honestly can't get a bad sound out of this pedal. This thing inspires me to play.

As far as guitars are concerned, the usual suspects: Strats, Teles, Lesters, and more Strats and Lesters...and an ES335 also.

The Deja2 is pretty quiet. It doesn't add any noticeable noise.

Again, it is not possible to get bad sounds out of this pedal. It's my favorite unit so far.

Looks like an Hummer H1, but I can't vouch for it's reliability. I just haven't owned it long enough. I feel very confident of it FWIW.

Haven't needed them on this pedal...but Fulltone support quality is NOT why you buy these pedals...otherwise, you wouldn't buy these pedals.

I can gush about this thing more, but I won't. Basically, it does exactly what I bought it for...BUT, the treadle leaves a bit to be desired. Like others mentioned, it goes from 0-10000 in a micrometer. I wish the slow to fast settings were much more gradual. But the workaround is using your hands to adjust speed...which defeats the purpose of the pedal...should I have got the mini-deja? NO! This thing rocks!!!!!

The Deja Vibe 2 is straight forward and simple to use. Plug in and go.

My favorite artist, those who have been of most influence on me, include, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Jesse Johnson, Eddie Hazel, Mike Hampton, Glenn Goins, Ernie Isley, Eric Gales, Bernard Allison, Buddy Guy, Albert King.. Well I could go on, but Hendrix is at the top. If you are looking for the Band of Gypsies/Woodstock tone-sound, this pedal is a must. My main setup is a 70's Fender Strat, Vox Wah, Fulltone Full Drive II mosfet, Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz, Fulltone Deja Vibe 2 into a Mesa Boogie 4x10 Blue Angel. I have been playing for over 20 years, semi professionally, and this is by far my favorite rig. The Deja Vibe is solid, reliable, and rich. The vibe is deep and can take the tone into some interesting places.

I'd go on a gig without a backup because as much as I enjoy my pedal arrangement, 90 percent of my tone is in my hands and heart. However, I like having the Deja Vibe alot!

Haven't had to call Fulltone.

I play music that is rooted in R & B and Funk and Blues and Rock. I like a sound that comes from a place people have kinda forgotten about. I also own a Gibson Les Paul and a couple of Fender Strats, and use mainly Mesa Boogie amps. I do have a Fender Amp however. Fulltone, Roger Mayer and Vox are my pedals of choice. I think that the only thing I don't like is the vibrato, it's kinda weak and nowhere near a Fender vibrato like on a Twin or Deluxe. Pedals can sometimes get in a musicians way if they rely on them too much. But if you use them and they contribute to painting your sound, your're ok. My current setup including the Deja Vibe allows me to accomplish this.

Very cool options on this, while keeping it simple, for the most part. I'm glad this doesn't have the volume knob, like the old gold one. Bad idea. Who wants to kick on an effect and have the volume be quieter than your regular tone. Great features, easy to use.

This is the best vibe unit I've ever played. I'm sure there are better ones out there for different reasons, whether it's speed control, depth, or what-the-fuck-ever, but these are great. I think most guys play these in their basements, by themselves. These people are never happy with anything because they have no one to play with. I just got back from playing this cranked through a twin reverb. Everyone really dug it. It hangs in with the band and doesn't fall into the background when you switch the effect on. My old gold dejavibe did fall into the background and I sold it for that reason...don't ever buy one of those...total crap. Great for recording, not so great for playing live. This is a great pedal, not worthy of a 10 rating because I could gig without it and be happy.

I'm sure it would last, but all things eventually break down. I'm sure I'll wear out the switch eventually, but I would gig without a backup.

Mike's customer service? As Borat would say, "Not so much." His customer service leaves something to be desired. He's selling enough pedals to have a customer service department.

Make it easy on those of us who buy your expensive gear, Mike. Yes, we're idiots. If we were any smarter we'd learn to make our own pedals and put you out of business, but we're not.

Cool pedal, great options, and good tone. If you're a Hendrix/Trower dork then I'm sorry, oops...I mean buy this pedal. Just try to do something original with it, unless you're doing 10 minute long "Bridge of Sighs" cover songs and you've got to rock out with it.

Pretty straight forward to use, seems best early in the chain, maybe after a wah, but before everything else. As for using it tastefully, that is up to the user, pedal itself is simple.

Sound is exactly what I was hoping for; very convincing uni-vibe sort of thing. Playing through a '68 Deluxe Reverb and/or a JTM45 style amp, with a modded DS-1, Ts9. I have had Rotovibes, and the dunlop version, and this one is a totally different sort of thing. This pedal sounds like a real univibe, which I have never played, but have heard plenty. If you are looking for a versitile chorus/vibrato unit, this is probably not for you; if you are looking for that very unique univibe thing, than it is the best I have heard. I have not tried some of the other like priced pedals often compared, but I like the built in foot control for speed, and I can not imagine that any of the others are much more authentic. They may well be better for what some people are trying to accoplish, but if you are looking for real deal univibe sound, this is a great place to start.

Mine is a 1999 and it seems as though it should be good for another 8 years at least. It is fairly new to me so I will reserve judgement, although this pedal is built extremely well and I would certainly gig without a backup.

Overall I find this to be a great pedal; it does exactly what I hoped it would do, and exceeds my expectations by a fair amount. I have played for about 20 years and have purchased several vibe and phase units over the years; this is the only one that I have tried that does what I want it to do. There are many good vibe and phase units on the market, but if you are looking for that Hendrix/Trower/Gilmour sort of thing, this is a tough one to beat. For what it is worth, I have never felt compelled to submit a review for any other pedal, but this is one of the most accurately advertised pedals I have ever touched and as such I feel a good review is in order. I feel like some of the negative responses are from people who probably should not have spent their money on any sort of univibe style pedal, because it is simply not the "vibe" they are looking for. It is an odd pedal that is probably of very limited use for many players. Think Octavia, sort of a love it or have no use for it kind of thing.

It's dead simple to operate.

If you are looking for something in the Univibe range you will be disappointed. You choices are limited to chorus and vibrato, "vintage" or "modern", and they are equally tepid. I've now owned (past tense) the Deja 2, a Choralflange, a Fulldrive, and a '69 and my complaint is the same with all of them: they are sterile, lifeless, uninspiring pedals. They just have no soul.

I cannot fault the construction of these devices. The build quality is second to none. I think that's where a lot of folks get hung up over Fulltone. It's difficult to reconcile that something so well made could sound so neuter.

I tried to contact Fuller at one point to make some suggestions for improving the Deja 2 and was told, in no uncertain terms, that my input was less than welcome. Very unpleasant.

This is an update to my previous review of this product, model #777.
I had this pedal for near 4 months, and it failed to work. The on/bypass switch simply toggled from bypass, to off. Yes, switching the pedal on just cut all the sound to silence, and no operational light showed on the pedal. How long the pedal had been in the shop for, I cant comment, but it ceased to work after a short while in my hands, in my bedroom.
My '2' rating is based on the faulty pedal.

After contacting the place where I purchased the pedal from, I sent back my faulty pedal, and after month, or there abouts, I recived a brand new DejaVibe2, model #1031 07-05. All seems OK with the pedal. Judging by the other number, it would seem like a date, i.e the old pedal was 2002, 3 years old.
Hopefully this new DejaVibe will last a lot longer than the last.

On/Off stomp style button
Intesity knob
Speed treddle
Flashing speed indicator led
Vibrato/Chorus switch
Modern/Vintage switch
Kettle style power socket (runs off the mains)

The pedal is extremely simple to use. The manual is not needed to understand and learn how to make great sounds witht this pedal. Most parts are self explainatory, but there a few parts that need a little explaining.

Vibrato/Chorus switch: This gives either a setting that sounds like that of Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix etc. That swirling, warm sound, in the chorus mode, or a strange vibrato style sound that bend the notes a little. That is the vibrato mode.

Modern/Vintage switch: This changes the sound character of the pedal. The modern setting gives a brighter, clearer, cleaner sound. This is a useful setting for more moddern styles, and for more high gain amp settings. Vintage provides the warmer, little more organic sounding effect. This sound is closer to Trower/Hendrix.

Model: #777 10-02

This review is based on the pedal running through a Line6 POD2.0 and a pair of Fostex PM0.5 active studio monitors. Various guitars were used, USA Customshop Fender Strat, Texas Special loaded Fender Mexican 50's strat, Tokai LS80f, Ibanez JS6.

The main reason for the purchase of the pedal was the chorus effect, to get a similar sound to that of the guitarists mentioned above, so the Vibrato hardly ever gets used. The pedal does perform amazingly well at getting the right sound. Its a toneful, warm, full, round sound that comes out of the pedal. Vintage and Chorus are the two settings that provide a really amazing tone.

Running the pedal in Modern and Chorus mode, allows us to reach Joe Satriani style sounds, similar to those on 'Crystal Planet'. This sound has a cleaner sound that allows more presence to come through and avoids mudding up the high gain amp setting.

The speed setting on the pedal allows one to go from a quite slow effect, probably more slow than would be needed in most situations, to a fast pace that resembles 'Trundrumbalind' from Joe Satrini's 'Crystal Planet album'. There is aloowances for fine adjustment with the treddle, but feet are normally too clumsy to get exactly the right speed.

Intensity takes us from a subtle, almost hardly noticable effect, to a fully wet, almost insane level of effect. The intesity is useable in all postitions on its rotary pot, though, there isnt a bad position here.

The overall sound of the pedal really does a great job of preserving your guitars tone all the way through each setting. Not really, at any point, does the guitar lose its signature tone. There is no added buzz or hiss, nor is there any loss of volume.

-Comparisons-
This pedal was compared to the Dunlop Univibe UV1. The UV1 did not have the same depth or warmth to the sound as did this one. The sound was a little weak, and uninspiring.
A Roger Mayer VoodooVibe was also compared to the DejaVibe. The VoodooVibe was like a multieffects box. There was a lot of scope for finding new inspiring sounds, but it did tend to sound a little sterile, and a bit square. It didn't seem to want to let the guitar tone through, withought processing it.
A Roger Mayer VoodooVibe Jnr. was also compared, with very similar characteristics to the larger sibling.

This pedal weighs a fair amount. You can see the quality of parts used here, there is a large bolt that holds the treddle, and every part fits tight, and doesn't wobble. Switches are solid as is the intensity knob.
This pedal is built incredibly well, and should last a long time.

The pedal provides the best sound between a Dunlop UV1, and Roger Mayer's VoodooVibe/Jr. The Fulltone is much stronger in build that either the Mayer or Dunlop. The sound is more natural, and warmer than the other two. The addition of the speed treddle will help out live, where as the UV1 will need the separate controller, im not sure if there is a foot controller for the Mayer's.

Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Joe Satrini, Steve Vai...and loads more. This pedal will give the great vibe sound that so many guitarists have used.
Simply amazing.

-note-
The pedal can be run either in the front end, or in the effects loop (if the amp has one). Running in the loop tends to add a little extra clarity to the sound, and sounds a little more hifidelity. I had tried this through a Mesa Boogie amp in the shop. The difference was only subtle.

If you are looking for the 'univibe effect' then listen to as many as you can. There are certainly many on the market, and something a little cheaper than this may give you the sounds you prefer..ie Roger Mayer. If you're looking for authenticity, the Fulltone will not dissapoint you.

Bought from 'Peach Ideas' http://www.peachideas.com/ Braintree, Essex, UK.