Shin-Ei/Companion Univibe

If you put both pots at a hair over 7 and just use the variable footpedal, it is extremely easy to use. Unlike some of the clones, I find that virtually any setting on this thing sounds great, especially with clean tones. With very distorted sounds, it will muddy things up when you put it before the amp, but would probably be fine in the amps effects loop. The variable footpedal is especially nice. It is very effective if you use it kind of like a wa: you can bring it in harder to add some interest to the end of notes, and fade in and out gradually to add an ethereal quality.

It is very quiet. Can't tell whether its in or not most of the time(except when the power switch is off, in which case it will not let the bypass signal through at all). It adds more fullness, so it sounds best on strat type pickups. With high-gain humbuckers, the bridge pickup is probably best.

Unlike the clone attempts, it has a very unique sound. It isn't exactly a rotating speaker, vibrato, chorus or pitch transposer. Its a strange and beautiful combination of all the above. Very rich and natural sounding.

Well, since it was made in the '60s and it still works perfect, except that the power bulb needs to be replaced, I'd say that's rather great!

Don't know, never had to contact them.

I play rock and jazz with an edge. The pedal works well in many styles, even straight ahead jazz. Hendrix used it, Trower, Stevie Ray too. I've been playing since the '60's. I've had many, many effects boxes, too many to list here. Lets just say you'd recognize them and they include many of the classics. This is my very favorite modulating effect (flange, chorus, phase, vibrato). I own Strat, Ibanez and SG guitars, Marshall, Mesa and Fender amps.

After messing about with the myriad of controls on the Roger Mayer unit its great to find that I can set the volume on max (very slight boost) and just play with the intensity and speed controls. The only tricky part is listening to the speed adjustment when operating the pedal.

I've bought and sold lots of effects over the years but none of the have knocked me out like this device. Put through a very clean amp rounding off of the treble is obvious but put through a cranked Marshall (I've only ever put a Fender Voodoo Strat through this)and the sound is heavenly. It took a while to realise that turning the intensity down to half way gives the classic milky phasing sound - but note this is not your corny MXR Phase 90 sound - this is much much more satisfying. Switch the Fuzz Face on and the feeling of control at your finger tips is awesome. Increasing intensity changes the sound completely into a sound thats very modulated but still very true to the guitars sound (it's very difficult to explain!). As for the bypassed sound it is to my ears like a change in eq. (as opposed to the loss you get with say an old Vox Wah) and just adds to the authenticity of the sound and the whole experience. We hear endlessly that the sound from these devices varies. Well I'm not so sure - I bought this without even hearing it and I can't believe I'm just lucky.

As supplied the pedal would not stay up and would keep coming straight out of the bypass position. With some fibre washers it now works perfectly. Also the pedal socket had most of the internal plastic broken and while it worked I felt it was safer to replace it - especially since the replacements look almost identical. Otherwise the PCB has had no work on it and the external condition looks better than most of the ones I've seen photos of.

I don't know how Hendrix kept Machine Gun down to just 13 minutes using one of these things, they are just so satisfying to play. I only have experience of the Roger Mayer unit and while I was grateful to have a copy I have to say that it just cannot compare with the real thing. Sonic fulfillment for the cost of a budget guitar? If you yearn for that sound then buy one of these, pay whatever they ask and once you've got the expense out of the way you will be thankfull that you didn't let the opportunity slip.

vol and intensity knobs with speed foot control and cancelling switch. chorus/vibrato settings. takes some tweaking to attain great sound. interacts with wah differently at different intensity levels

it is, without a doubt, the best sounding hendrix/trower vibe available.bypass is not true but i find only about a 10 or 15 % loss of signal.

these were supposed to have been easily broken. this unit is built like a tank. almost 30 years old

been out of business since early 70's

i know you all have read my previous reviews of vibe units.in each i rate them a 10 ,as they were a 10 at that time. i am still in relentless search for that ultimate trower sound, even he can't make anymore(not with a dejavibe and vox 847, he won't).i won't bore you with all the vibes i have tried but i finally got tired of clone this and clyde that. so i ponied up the 1,000 i needed for a clyde mccoy wah and an original univibe. believe me, everyone was right. ain't nothing like the original for that tone. if you want a guy's sound use what he did for that sound. this unit's oscillation is AWESOME!!!!..got to try one if your a trower/hendrix fan. if you don't have 650.00, then here are the top 3 vibe units to get, in order of the best first and so on:(1) mjm guitar efx sixties vibe unit((REAL CLOSE)250.00 (2)roger mayer supervibe 450.00(3)sweetsound ultravibe 250.00