Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe

How easy is it to get a good sound out of this thing? If you know how to plug in a cable, that's all it takes. This is one of the sweetest sounding effects I've ever played -- a deep, organic swirl with a wide range of useable sounds.

The manual is very short, but gives some suggestions for sounds. Not much else is needed, since there are only two knobs, an LED (New for Voodoo pedals and much needed!), input, output, and adapter. In order to access the battery, you have to unscrew the bottom -- not my favorite way of doing things.

Equipment used: Solidbody guitars with EMGs (mostly a Music Man Silhouette custom with HSS setup, hardtail). Old Mesa Boogie amps. I get the best sound using the two single coils at once.

This effect is dead quiet and has pristine bypass.

I've heard this type of effect on a few radio tunes lately.

This is my second Voodoo Labs pedal (the other is a Proctavia). Both are built solidly, both inside and out.

I'm learning not to gig without a backup, but seeing as I paid $135 for this thing, I can't afford two. If this broke on a gig, I'd plug in a phaser, to which this effect is similar.

The folks at Voodoo have responded to my e-mails promptly and were polite and intelligent.

I play many styles of music: country, metal, punk, disco, funk, industrial... The Micro Vibe finds its way into many situations -- more than I thought it would when I first bought it.

I've been playing for 20 years and have used well over a hundred stomp boxes. This one is in my top ten for sure.

If this unit were lost or stolen, I would definitely replace it.

There's so much I love about my Micro Vibe. Like I said, its tone is very organic, and by that I mean that instead of laying on top of my guitar's tone (like, say, a Boss pedal), it gets into my tone. It's like the difference between putting A1 on a steak or marinating a steak for a few days.

I did not compare it to other UniVibe clones. One dealer told me that the Fulltone box is better, but it also costs twice as much. I chose this one not just because of the price, but because the company (Digital Music Corp. is the parent company of Voodoo Labs) provides great customer service and makes consistently great products.

Two knobs, Speed and Intensity.

Using several Strats through a 2x12 Blues Deville. Does sound a lot like a Univibe. Not a whole lot going on till you get Intensity past about halfway. Definitely gives you the later Jimi sound. With speed turned up, you can kinda get the Cold Shot sound, but I'm pretty sure SRV was using a real Leslie to get that sound. Close but no cigar. The thing I didnt like about it was the way it changed the overall tone of the guitar, it sucks all the bass out and makes it sound really midrangey. Sounds decent clean, but with distortion added, gets really muddy. Pretty noisy when used with distortion. Sounds like a phase shifter on steroids. Havent tried the Dunlop model, so I cant compare...

Built like a tank.

No idea.

I've been playing for over 20 years, pro and just as a hobby. I play all styles. I just couldnt see paying 160 bucks for this thing, seeing as you can only use it in very limited situations.. And I couldnt handle the way it nuked my tone. I returned it after playing around with it for a few days.

This pedal only has two knobs (speed and intensity) so it isn't hard at all to use. The only paperwork that came with it was a warranty/registration card; however, you don't need a manual anayway.

This thing is incredible. It's just the thing I've been looking for. I can easily get Hendrix, Trower, SRV, etc. tones from the Micro Vibe in no time. It sounds way more organic and natural/warm sounding than a Univibe, Dejavibe, etc. It's not really a chorus or a phaser effect; if I had to describe it to someone that has never used some sort of "vibe" I would say that it is chorus/phaser/flanger/leslie speaker type of tone. I use it with a Marshall JTM612 and a Fender Blues Deluxe with a Gibson SG Special, SG-X, G&L Legacy, Gibson Les Paul Gem, and an Epiphone Sheraton and all gear sounds great with it. It also sounds very good in conjunction with a delay.

Never had a problem; had it about a year and it hasn't missed a step. I gig without a backup.

Never had to deal with them.

I play classic rock, acid rock, alternative, as well as original material. This pedal is perfect for spicing up my rig and my music. I own about 30 pedals but this one is almost always in my pedalboard. Run, don't walk and get one now.

It doesn't get any easier. The Manual is basic, but if you need a more complex manual your looking for something besides good tone.

I presently am using a Paul Reed Smith CE24 Maple top throught Mesa Studio preamp/Stereo Simul Class-295 power amp. The other guitarist in my band and I spent the better part of a month reading reviews and checking out Uni-Vibe and rotary speaker emulators, nothing came close. We even checked out an original UniVibe and it sounded like garbage. Very Noise - Cantankerous. The old unit might of seen better days, but I doubt it. He's a SRV nut and I'm a Hendrix fan so we where very analytical and to us we each had to have two(everyone needs a spare of what they really love).

I've had mine fail and I'm a big guy stomping on this thing. I've seen my bass player stand on it by accident more than few times(thanks to wireless systems) and no ill effects.

I've call them twice, first time to find out about the polarity of the jack for the 9VDC power and once to see if I could install a LED to indicate if the unit is on/off. The first time I called they where great. The second time I think I caught them on a bad day. I asked about installing an LED and the tech said that it was possible if you install a three pole switch instead of the standard two pole. I asked where can I obtain one of these switches and they refered me to Mojo MusicalSupply. I told him that I just spoke to them about knobs for my Groove Tubes Trio preamp and they said that they do not sell directly to people and that you have to go through a dealer or distributor. The tech on the phone stopped and asked the guy next to him about Mojo and he said Bullshit! So the tech told me that I should be able to get it there and hung up.

The Voodoo Lab Micro-Vibe is very easy to use. It's one of the only Uni-vibe copies that dispenses of the "chorus" feature and gives you "speed and "intensity" controls only. It's also lets you run the pedal on one 9-volt battery or additional adapter.

This is one fantastic pedal! It's mentioned in Guitar Player Magazine as one of the "best buys" and they weren't kidding! You can't get a "'vibe" for this price compared to the other copies, and the tone is worth it. It can get you all the 'vibe tones you're looking for. Jamming to Robin Trower's "Too Rolling Stoned" or "Bridge of Sighs" with the Micro-Vibe is beautiful. The tone is warm. Definately one of the best sounding pedals I've owned.

This pedal has been very reliable to me and I don't see any problems with it for the future. It's built ruggedly in a beautiful aluminum case and the TRUE-BYPASS SWITCH is essential to its great tone.

I've had several e-mails sent to Josh Fiden of Voodoo Labs and he answered EVERY ONE of my e-mails without hesetation. I learned things I never knew before about stomp-boxes after talking to him and this was even with buying the pedal used! Their customer support is top-notch!

The Voodoo Labs Micro-Vibe is definately one of the best pedals I have owned and one of the best deals around if you're looking for a great-sounding, quality Uni-Vibe copy. The inclusion of the TRUE-BYPASS SWITCH is awesome as well. A modern classic.
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Amazingly easy pedal to get great sounds out of. Intensity ranges from barely noticeable, to Bridge of Sighs to Hendrix Star Spangled Banner.

I have many guitars, but this (and all other Uni-Vibes) seem to sound best with single coil or coil tapped guitars. My Ibanez RG 7621 7-string does amazing things with this pedal in line. Intensity ranges from barely noticeable, to Trower's Bridge of Sighs to Hendrix' Star Spangled Banner. I'm using a 5150, a JCM900 and a Yamaha/Soldano combo. The Micro-Vibe sounds best with the 5150 heavily distorted and the guitars volume backed down a bit to clean it up again. This pedal does great things with low frequencies, so I suggest a 4x12 cabinet to get the most out of it. It has less impact with a combo amp. I sold my Dunlop Uni-Vibe so I could turn right around and buy this unit. There is absolutely no comparison. The Micro Vibe smokes the Dunlop Uni-Vibe hands down. The effect is much thicker and swirly than the Dunlop. Also, the Micro Vibe works with a 9 volt battery and the same power supply as my other effects, Boss chorus, BF-2 flanger, Arion Delay, Ibanez PT3, MXR Phase 90, Cry Baby, etc. The Dunlop Uni-Vibe was a pain because it had it's own wall wart power supply and was too bulky. It took up too much room in my pedal board.

Solid as a rock.

Haven't needed it.

I play hard rock, art rock, metal and funk. This pedal is useful for all styles. Experiment! I've been performing and recording for 24 years. The Micro Vibe can be heard on my art rock CD, "Man on Fire" http://www.mindspring.com/~manonfire/ If it were lost or stolen I'd get the same unit again. It's the best. The unit actually inspires ideas and that's what it's all about.

A little fiddling can get a nice, swirling, throbbing sound from it. The controls are a little sensitive, so it takes a little time to find a sweet spot. On the other hand, there are only two controls -- speed and intensity -- and the knobs are big enough to adjust them with your foot. The manual is uninformative.

I use this with Strats, Hamers and a Danelectro reissue guitar. I go through either a Pro Reverb or a Princeton Reverb. Other effects are a Cry Baby and a Dano Daddy-O overdrive. The Microvibe is dead quiet when switched off, thanks to its true-bypass switching. When it's on, there's some low noise, which I can handle, and occasional pops particularly when the Daddy-O and/or wah are on. This I don't like. With the Pro Reverb, too, there is a pop when I switch it on or off. The actual effect it creates is great -- a wonderful lush swirl -- but to my ears, it affects my tone when it's on. I think it sucks bottom end and makes things sound thinner.

It's probably fine, now. I bought it new and it didn't work. I sent it back to Voodoo Labs and it works fine now (assuming the pops and bottom end sucking are normal). If it does go out, at least it doesn't hurt the signal while it's off.

Terrific people. I called and e-mailed when my new Microvibe didn't work. Company president Josh Fiden e-mailed me back. I sent the unit back and it was returned to me in less than two weeks.

I play mostly blues and related stuff, and I use this to give what I play some more space and texture. I'm a little concerned about the loss of bottom end when it's on, but I'm experimenting with it and trying to see if there's a way to deal with that. It's a shame that problem is there, because I love what it does.

A footswitch and dails for speed and intensity, very easy to figure out. At any setting, it's very lush and warm, and it's very easy to get the speed and intensity for the effect you want. This is just the "chorus" section (actually, I think it really works like a phase-shifter) of the Univibe, so you don't have to mess with the extra controls for the "vibrato" section.

I use this after my wah and fuzzes, but before my amp's (Carvin XV-212) preamp O/D, or any O/D pedal. I just like how the overdirve, smoothes out various effects. Anyway, placed there, it's just Hendrix in a box, regardless of which guitar I use. It does the Univibe jig very, VERY well, as good as any I've heard. True-bypass switching, so no extra noise when it's off.

It seems really durable. Voodoo Labs has done a great job of designing/redesigning circuits to fit well enough on a PCB board that they can save costs by mounting parts (pots, jacks) straight to the board, but still use very reliable hardware (switchcraft, Carling, etc). I suppose, personally, I have a fear that if it got banged around one of the pots/jacks would break the board. But everything, battery included, seem very tightly mounted and these fears don't seem justified. 5-year warrenty, too!

I haven't dealt with them. Josh Fiden of Voodoo Labs is always posting on the Guitar Forum here at HC, always anxious to answer questions and help out (even about pedals other than VL), that speaks well enough for me.

I play a lot of classic rock (amongst other things), and was looking for a great 'vibe foe Hendrixesque stuff. The Micro-Vibe was as good, if not beter than any others I tried, and was far cheaper (by at least a $100). Yes, you give up the Univibe's "vibrato" section for that cash, but it seems a little used feature anyway.

Very easy to use. It has only two controls, speed and intensity. It seems that the controls are interactive. Where one is set affects how the other responds. I love it when that happens! And the knobs are big enough that you can turn them with your foot.

I play a Strat Ultra w/ Dimarzio pickups. My rig consists of, in the following order: Morley Pro Volume-Wah > Micro Vibe > Ibanez Tube King > Homemade Tube Screamer type overdrive > Mesa V-Twin Rackmount > Digitech 2101 Artist (distortion bypassed, used in FX loop of V-Twin) > Aphex 104 Exciter > Mesa 20/20 amp > two Peavey Classic 112E cabs loaded w/ Carvin VL12s. The Micro Vibe is very quiet for an analog pedal. Very slight hiss when idling and no tone sucking when bypassed (it uses a DPDT true bypass switch). All the sounds from the Micro Vibe are very musical and usable IMO. You can go from a slow phasey sweep to a tremolo-like Univibe wobble. Great for those Robin Trower outer space sounds. As someone has said before, it sounds really good going into a low/medium gain distortion, but it gets kind of lost w/ really high gain.

It is made w/ a diecast aluminum Hammond box and seems very durable except for the grain-of-wheat lightbulb inside (see Customer Support below). I would gig without a backup because I could easly bypass it if it quit working.

Jamie, the tech I talked to about my problem, was extremely helpful. The day after I got my Micro Vibe, the tiny bulb inside burned out. I called Digital Music Corp (Voodoo Labs) and Jamie said that this was very unusual and that I could ship it to them for repair under warranty. I told him that it would be quicker if he just sent me a new bulb and I would fix it myself. After warning me about the usual if-you-screw-it-up-you'll-void-the-warranty stuff, he sent me two new bulbs - free! He also explained how to adjust the little trim pot inside to get the best sound. BTW, the bulb is very tiny and a pain in the butt to replace, so don't try it unless you really know how to use a soldering iron (I build stompboxes as a hobby). In addition, I later decided to have them change the switch and add a status LED for $30 and they turned it around in one day! How's that for customer service? :-)

I play mostly classic rock styles and some ambient stuff. This pedal fits right in. I compared it to the Dunlop Univibe and didn't like it as well. The Micro Vibe seemed more transparent and spacey. It's also alot smaller than all the other Univibe clones, fits on my pedalboard, and runs on 9 volts like all my other pedals (I run them off of one power supply). I would definitely get another one if this one were lost or stolen. I believe the problem with the bulb was just a fluke, so don't let my experience keep you from checking one of these out. It's really a quality pedal.

FIRST ...I finally threw all of my digital crap out the window and ordered "analog" stompboxes. I have never heard a "vibe" live in person ...that I know of. This thing is a trip ...a good trip! Simple to use ...intensity and speed. From a slow lull to a very good rotating speaker. It is a trip ...to me it seems to add a little "high end swoosh". Think of a phase swoosh but with a little vibrato added in. Put it this way ...I can now play "Bridge of Sighs" by Robin Trower, and people come over for the concert.

I use a les paul,and a strat thru roland jc120, and an all-tub Lee Jackson modified Ampeg halfstack. The pedal is very quiet. With low intensity settings, it is very subtle effect, but if you crank up the intensity if is very pronounced ...and earthy ...no digital, thank the lord.

Built like a mini-tank. A bit larger than a normal stompbox, but not "BIG". Of course i'd gig w/out a backup ...i would'nt buy something that I did'nt trust!!!!!!! I never have owned a voodoo Lab product, so it's difficult to rate them, BUT ...they come with a 5 YEAR WARRANTY, SO IT DESERES A 10!!! Bring it on !!!

Never dealt with them. Just got the pedal last week. But if they give us a five year warranty, I think they'll stand behind their product.

Anybody who plays ANY type of instrument that can be hooked into the pedal and an amp should have a vibe. Overall it is RUGGEDLY BUILT, KILLER SOUND, AND A FIVE YEAR WARRANTY!!! Of course it makes you play better, when you have a great sound goin, you're in it!!!I'd buy it again. I did'nt compare, but the uni-vibe requires weird chords, and cost about $220.00. Micro-vibe smoked em.!!!