Sweet Sound Electronics UltraVibe

Very easy to use, it only has three knobs.

The unit has a good sound, but both of mine picks up all kinds of radio frequencies. No matter where I take it, RADIO!!!!

I've had two, they both had lots of radio. The overall sound is ok until the radio kicks in, so it's completely useless for me. It's metal, so it seems like it could last a while.

The customer support is shit. Bob has little staff if any, so you will have to deal a guy who makes this out of his house, garage or whereever. My experience with Bob has no been good.

BEWARE..Once you buy the unit, there is NO REFUND. To me that's bullshit! Believe me, think twice before you deal with a very very small business.

If it were stolen, MosDef I would not buy a new one. Since it's discontinued, there is no support, no speed pedals available not even from Bob, etc. Not a good situation.

As stated in the other reviews the knobs are straight forward and very easy to use. Just plug in and start playing and it sounds great.

This is the most authentic sounding vibe pedal you can purchase (if you can find one). The sound of this pedal is so lush and amazing. I have been playing with this setup.
Custom Shop Robert Cray Strat into the SS Ultra Vibe into a Clark Gainster into a Vibro King amp with 2X12 cabinet. I also use several other strats with Lindy Fralin and Van Zandt pickups in them which sound just as good.
You can emulate Hendrix, Trower, Floyd and SRV without a problem.
I also own a 57 Les Paul that I have yet to try as I am mainly a strat man but I've heard the humbuckers sound just as good.

I would depend on it as it seems to be built very well but I've only had it for about a week so I can't really say. Also the idea of the power cord built into the pedal is great and it doesn't have a wall wart.

Never dealt with Bob Sweet but I've heard good things. I have to send him an email to see if I can come across a speed pedal for this unit.

I don't play out right now but when I start playing out again I would definatley use this pedal. I've owned the Microvibe and sold it and currently own the PE Vibe Unit and the Sweetsound wins hands down. The PE is a good unit but the SS has a much more lush sound to it. I tend to play alot of blues and this pedal can be easily added to the mix and sound good. I lke to collect boutique type of effects and this is one of them. I don't know why Bob Sweet stopped making these and went to the Mojo Vibe but I've heard this unit is better than it.

Take it out of the box and hook it between your guitar and your amplifier. Start by setting the chicken-knobs to '7' and the speed knob to the 2:00 position and play. There's an instructional sheet and text concerning adjustments included. I bought and either gave away or sold many competitor Vibe clones you've probably heard of. Since 1998 I still have my Ultra-Vibe on my pedalboard and a 2nd one in storage. I never want to be without this pedal.

As a fifty-year-old Jimi Hendrix fanatic, in the early 70's, I used the original Shin-Ei (Univox) Uni-Vibes. In 1996, I played through the Sweet Sound Ultra-Vibe for the first time, and was SO pleased it IS the Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe reborn. With the volume set to '7' and intensity set to '7' and the speed knob in the 2:00 position, you have Jimi's Woodstock sound. Set the speed dial a little slower, and you now own the Robin Trower "Bridge of Sighs" / Jimi Hendrix "Machine Gun" sound. Set it faster for a great quality spinning leslie. Press the Vibrato footswitch and set the intensity on '2' and speed knob to the 5:00 position for Jimi Hendrix' "Hey Baby"...on a Strat, set your pickup switch between the middle and bridge pickup. The Ultra-Vibe is totaly free of unwanted noise.

The Sweet Sound Ultra-Vibe is constructed as a low-profile steel box
that is strong far beyond the limits necessary for stomp-box pedals.
The Ultra-Vibe housing might be damaged if run over by a mid-size car, but I sincerly doubt it. All jacks, knobs and footswitches are among the highest quality I have seen and they just don't come loose or break. I have no worries about my Ultra-Vibe giving out durring a show. Like the original 1960's Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe, the Ultra-Vibe is gonna be around a long, long time.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob Sweet online and via telephone when I was shopping for a replacement of my Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe. Bob is a very
pleasant,guitar-playing electronics genious of a man who is very serious about his work. I can't comment on repairs since my Ultra-Vibes never break, but I will suggest that if you're short on pedalboard space, that you instead buy or upgrade to the Sweet Sound 'Mojo-Vibe'.

I began playing guitar as a Beatles fan when I was ten years old (in 1964). Then I heard "Axis, Bold as Love" one day and before long I bought a King Vox Wah, and a Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe. Since then I love to play Jimi Hendrix tunes and write original music influenced by Jimi Hendrix.I also play and record my 'other' music in my home studio using my Roland GR-1 guitar synth for obtaining the hundreds of instrument sounds that I need. When I sold both of my Shin-Ei Uni-Vibes around 1974, I had no idea that there, for the next fifteen years, would not be a Uni-Vibe in site. None! You can well imagine what joy I experienced the first time I played through my first Sweet Sound Ultra-Vibe.

It's good, but it's not super. The sounds rotates, but no evenly, giving it too much of an out-of-tune effect.

I wouldn't rely on it - but then again, I don't depend on it either. I had it fixed about two years ago when it broke down for no apparant reason.

Customer support: none. No response to Email, not even an automated reply.

I play blues and rock. The Ultravibe is nice for the JMH and SRV styles.
I've been playing for 32 years. I own Fender and Gretsch guitars, as well as a Fender Blues Deville amp.
If the Ultravibe were stolen, I wouldn't buy a new one. Because of geographical reasons (I'm a European), I was unable to compare the Ultravibe to competitors, except for over the web.
I purchased a Boss V-Wah the other day. It has a built-in univibe effect, which is almost as good as the Ultravibe, *and* you can control its speed with the pedal, so you don't have to buy a separate speed controller.

twirl the knobs and go-not hard at all...

i don't think there is a better sounding one to buy-the classic throb it can get is just great but it can also be very subtle. no noise-i've tried it with all kinds of tube and SS amps,even right into a computer recording setup...it does sound best with some tubes but works with everything.

solid-the only thing i wonder about is how long the lamp inside(not the LED's) will last...anyone know? the casing is very scratch/ding resistant,as well-mine is the last version made before they were discontinued in favor of the smaller mojo vibe. from the looks of it(and the way it's worked for the last year or so)it's a 10 but time will tell.

no info about this...

can't be beat if you like this kind of thing...it's my only modulation type effect and though i could do without,it would be missed. i've even used it for jazzy gigs on the vibrato setting and it did a nice faux leslie tone-you can use it for any style,really. compared this to a deja vibe and also a micro vibe(both good)but this just has more depth and shimmer at the same time.

Piece of cake.

Pretty easy to get a good sound out of this puppy...just plug it in, set your rate with the big knob, the intensity level and volume and in not time flat it's Machine Gun City.

Man where do I begin?

Sound quality of this thing is amazing. Lush, watery, warm. Just a pleasure to use. I have been singing the praises of the old Boss CE-2 as my main chorus, but I won't even use it anymore. This thing does the job from flowery clean chords to full on Tower of Trower.

I use a Mesa Triple Rec and own four 4X12 cabs loaded with everything from Vintage 30's to 90 Watt Black Shadows and this thing sings through it all. I prefer to use my Strat with it--for obvious reasons--but when I play heavy stuff on my old-ass Ibanez Roadstars loaded with Ceramic pickups, the Ultra Vibe still performs magnificently.

I also use a Teese Picture Wah in front of the Ultra Vibe and the two of them together is just glorious in the Mesa's drive channel Two; just before you hit pulverizing Hell Gain, this SOUND--this goddamned SOUND comes out of your amplifier that is just tone city.

I have had zero problems wit the Ultra Vibe in the eight months or so that I've had it. I was too impatient to wait for the smaller Mojo Vibe, but what the hell. It's built like a tank. A groovy, orange tank. I'd use it at a gig without a backup I suppose...but I travel heavy and have backups for EVERYHTING I own.

Bob Sweet is awesome. Answered my emails promptly and was very helpful. The majors could learn a thing or two from people like him and Geoffery Teese.

It isn't cheap...but as with most things, you get what you pay for. And quality is worth paying for in my opinion.

If this beast was stolen, I nab another one or plunk down the $$ for the Mojo Vibe. I don't know how I went for years without one of these in my pedalboard. I lean heavily on it, thereis no doubt. I'm a stone cold Trower freak and love that fat Strat tone, so this fits the bill quite nicely.'

Even for the heavy dark metal stuff I play the Ultra Vibe still has its uses. It's a damned fine product and worth the money. If you are going to pay a similar price for the Dunlop re-issue, stop and think about this alternative. You'll be happy you did.

I can't say enough good things about this device. If Uni Vibe chorus is your bag, this is the effect for you. If you are thinking about getting one, then you are already aware, I'd imagine, of the reputation this thing has. It isn't smoke and mirrors..this pedal is the real deal.

Bob Sweet made it, I love it, that settles it!

no brainer...no manual needed.

the chorus is way cool,but i like the vibrato as much if not more-it can be less 'altering' to the basic sound...that is,even with the intensity way down the chorus setting shifts the freq's more,for some reason(at least on mine)-i've only tried one other vibe type which was the little voodoo lab,and that seemed to do the same type of thing so i'll assume this is normal...when it's cranked up and throbbing ,i guess it's a non issue! one odd thing: it seems to sound better first in line when used with OD/fuzz,but that could just be my preference...

it's one of those pedals that looks/feels very well made inside and out- it's probably as dependable as any vibe can be,but i haven't had it for more than 8 months or so.

i was emailed the blurb sheet within a day of contacting the builder-very helpful/friendly,even though it was not bought new.

this is really a versatile effect-you can get tons of cool textures out of it in both modes...so far,i've gigged with it thru various fender amps(deluxe,pro,twin)and also direct to protools/ampfarm with great results-i'd get the UV again if i lost mine.

Just like the original Univibe, very easy.

I had 2 original Univibes to compair the Ultra Vibe too, one was wonderful one was OK. And have owned other clones. The Ultra Vibe sounded like the wonderful original vibe, trully amazing vintage sound. The wobble, the focus and quieter than the original. this is the only one I have tried that nails the sound right. There really is no need to get an original, it dos'nt get any better than the Ultra Vibe. I use this with 100 Marshall, 4 by 12 cab, fuzz face, vox wah and 70 Strat.

Mains powered and built like a tank.

Bob Sweet has been more than helpful. I have every confidence in him. Thanks Bob.

I play Hendrix style for near 30 years and would't hesitate in getting another if mine ever got stolen. The only thing I would cange is the pot in the external speed pedal as the taper in it tends to speed up too abruptly

Very,,very easy !! "THE SOUND" is there,is just a matter of how thick
you want it !!

Sound you ask? Oh my f--king god !! Its no lie people,If your looking for the sound of the original uni-vox vibe and better.
BUY THIS PEDAL !! Its the cats ass !! No noise,it sounds so sweet.
Im a total Trower freak !! Bought a lot of vibe pedals,but the rest of them just did not have the sound. My set up is very basic. Heritage 535 semi-hollow body,into a Hughes & Ketner 20 watt tube amp,,,Ullta vibe,,,,,Vox v810 overdrive. Love the 20 watts,,makes every thing sound so sweet,,,run the volume on 8-9,,it sings pure tube heaven !!
Unlike other vibe pedals ,the ultra vibe sounds GREAT with humbuckers!
Awesome pedal !! Thanks to Sweet Sound !!

No prob yet. I trust it gigging w/ out a back up.

Haven`t needed any support yet.

Play Nasty blues style music. This pedal is what ive been looking for,
once again thank you Bob at sweet sound.Like I said ,tried a lot of the vibe pedals.Had the fulltone Deja Vibe for the longest,but it just did not have that sweet original tone ,Like the ultra vibe has.
Only one bad thing i can say,is the price $269.00 new,,but its worth evey last penny !! If you don`t have the cash,,find some thing to sell,your old car,,stove ,,refrigerator,,the wife !! This is a "MUST HAVE" kinda thing ! I speak from the heart people,and im a very picky type of dude! You want the "VIBE SOUND" this is it my friend !!

The Ultra Vibe is not hard to use at all. Everything is straightforward and esy to understand.

The sound is great. I tried most of the other Uni-Vibe clones out there as well as the Dunlop reissue, and the only other box tht I could live with would be the Fulltone Deja'Vibe. The Deja'Vibe has more options and is probably more flexible but to me the Ultravibe hits the nail on the head perfectly... so other variations don't mean a lot to me because I get exactly the sound I'm looking for with the Ultravibe.
The other Vibe boxes didn't do it _at all_ for me.
Also, the UltraVibe has become a 'secret weapon' for me in the studio... playing a Fender Telecoustic through the UltraVibe with speed and intensity all the way down - - - well, try it for a different tone.

Seems totally reliable - no wall wart, solid AC cord.

Can't say enough things about Bob. Great guy!

Only one word... great.