Jimi Hendrix' Gear and Mods at West Coast Organ and Amp

[Xplorer]

i can only speak for the mini déjà vibe. i don't know if it's exactly the same in a small enclosure but what i can tell is that i sold it immediatly after i tested it on an eBay purshase. very bad i'm sorry, if you're after a real univibe.
i compare this one to the Voodoo vibe and megavibe i kept, very good.
the best one would be a JC maillet vibe, i think. the forum vibe is based on it. now, with which cells, bulb, tuning, mods, preamp .... it dépends but it'll be very good.

[matriarch]

Nothing wrong with the Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe. The latest black version is excellent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmyfzsnzLVo

[Xplorer]

Don't know about the black one. I had the white one, weak stuff, not good for me.

[Tone seaker]

I use the full size Fultone Deja vibe. The same one as Trower. Personaly I think it does Machine Gun pretty good but was wondering about the tone thing that was being talked about from the orginal Univibe. The Deja Vibe as advertised as being the same thing. What do you guys think?

My set up below. With that Tube screamer I can get the endless first note of the lead on Machine gun



Trowers set up

[shakti]

Having the Uni-Vibe preamp active in the chain also in bypass makes a subtle, but noticeable difference. The difference is exxagerated when you run a fuzz into it. It also does something nice to the Octavio tone. I use the standard wedge Dunlop Octavio, and into a Uni-Vibe preamp it takes on a slightly more brittle quality that is evident in the BOG recordings. I'm not saying the Dunlop Octavio is spot-on - most likely it isn't - but in that setup it works very well. Without the Uni-Vibe preamp it's more flutey in a Tycobrahe way. So you get the best of both worlds IMO.

The one I use is the Castledine Supra-Vibe. Out of all the ones I've tried (not any of the Fulltones, unfortunately) it's the one that has stayed. The Mega-Vibe sounded terrific, but build quality leaves a lot to be desired, and it also isn't an exact clone. If you open it up you will see some extra components. It almost sounds to me like it has a built-in preamp boost which makes the effect stand out. Almost like having a fuzz with guitar volume backed off running into it at all times. It sounds super lush, but it's not an exact clone.
The Castledine lets you choose between true bypass or having the preamp active in bypass mode. Extremely nice feature!

[Xplorer]

i compared the megavibe layout and parts, in detail, redraw it, etc ..... to the original univibe. at least, for my early megavibe, it's exactly the same except for the choice of cells / bulb combo. same preamp, no boost, no extra components.

the only bad thing is that he can't make decent pcb's, it's ugly, but otherwise, it's the same , and same layout as the original.

i still think that the jc maillet univibe would be the best. go for a forum vibe build, it's the same.
neovibe ain't good.
now .... does it give the eact same results ? not neceassarily since even on the original, some sounded terrific, some less good ... so you can't really say. there are variations.

fuller stuff really isn't the same as the original. it's marketting when they say this.

i've often heard good things about the castledyne but never tried one yet unfortunately.

anyway, as long as you're pleased with your toys, and manage to get good things out of it, keep it !

i'd love to try the new fumio mieda ( inventor of the univibe ) vibe, it looks fantastic !


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IxzhWucRcc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrWKzfp06nI

[shakti]

i compared the megavibe layout and parts, in detail, redraw it, etc ..... to the original univibe. at least, for my early megavibe, it's exactly the same except for the choice of cells / bulb combo. same preamp, no boost, no extra components.

I could be mistaken, but on the small Mega-Vibe I had, there seemed to be an extra photocell? There were four that I think were under a shield, then another one by itself on another spot on the board. I can't remember where I read it, but someone pointed to that photocell and claimed it wasn't part of the the original circuit. But it doesn't really matter - the KR Mega was/is an excellent sounding vibe.

[swankmotee]

The Foxroxx Aquavibe is right up there with the best originals IMHO.

[Xplorer]

i compared the megavibe layout and parts, in detail, redraw it, etc ..... to the original univibe. at least, for my early megavibe, it's exactly the same except for the choice of cells / bulb combo. same preamp, no boost, no extra components.

I could be mistaken, but on the small Mega-Vibe I had, there seemed to be an extra photocell? There were four that I think were under a shield, then another one by itself on another spot on the board. I can't remember where I read it, but someone pointed to that photocell and claimed it wasn't part of the the original circuit. But it doesn't really matter - the KR Mega was/is an excellent sounding vibe.

indeed, this is this fifth photocell which makes the red led synchronised with the speed, but it doesn't affect the circuit, it's independant.

[shakti]

Aha, that makes sense.

[daveweyer]

A little hard to jump in here without sounding like Rip Van Winkle; The guy wakes up 45 years after the actual events to find scientists of the modern day dissecting and analyzing the devices, tones and qualities of yesteryear with an attention to detail which was mostly lacking in the original period, and with discoveries which go beyond what was available at the time. He tries to speak but sounds like an old 78 rpm record, having completely missed the ensuing events.
I can tell you this though, if there had been a different device available which would have given more dimension to his sound, Jimi would have used it instead of the univibe. I spent a good deal of 1969 working on a tube chorusing unit which split the signal into stereo, and divided up the frequency band to get multi-dimensional spacial effects with constantly changing feedback frequencies. Had I gotten any farther than the prototype, it would have been traveling with Jimi and his pile of gear.
Now, you see, it can never be a part of the original "authentic" sound, because Jimi couldn't pry it loose from my fingers.
I got the original concept from the Baldwin Organ company when I was a tech for them, and captured one of their chassis to remake it for guitar.
Someday I'll post some photos of it for the forum, and maybe get a clip so you can hear what Jimi would have been doing if there had been a bit more time. Then you can imagine yourselves trying to duplicate this device using modern technology--a sound you almost heard but not quite.
There were a lot of things just on the horizon for Jimi, (and the rest of the community) but they were never heard, and as such were never dreamed of being duplicated by later generations.
It's quite a concept when you think about it for a minute, how you were cheated by time............

[Xplorer]

A little hard to jump in here without sounding like Rip Van Winkle; The guy wakes up 45 years after the actual events to find scientists of the modern day dissecting and analyzing the devices, tones and qualities of yesteryear with an attention to detail which was mostly lacking in the original period, and with discoveries which go beyond what was available at the time. He tries to speak but sounds like an old 78 rpm record, having completely missed the ensuing events

it is quite a feeling, to see how you react to this, we didn't expect such "time machine" to happen one day, we just hoped so perhaps.

now for the lacking attention to the détails back then, as you say, well it's still some magic, you guys did it right and great. also, the use of the constraint by fantastic musicians is one of the best source of creativity. opposed to this, see how we can do everything today, in cinema, music ....
but it doesn't feel as creative and intense, that's what i feel.
look at the deacy amp, the tiny amp made from a destroyed radio from the trash in the street, by john Deacon for brian may ... magic ... now peoples clone it and love it.
i think it's the use of big constraint that deliver the best things. no choice, you've got to do great things with what you have. and they did.
stereo mixing of mono sources on old records from Hendrix, the beatles, Rolling stones etc .... i think it sounds very often better than the 100000000 tracks mixing machines, with control on everything , zooms on the waveforms, pitch corrections on the voices etc ....
obvious here for example : https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... xmP9UDkoGw

or here at 2:10 , great tones and recording if you put it loud. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... k5o0#t=131

Less is more ( mies van der rohe )

Someday I'll post some photos of it for the forum, and maybe get a clip so you can hear what Jimi would have been doing if there had been a bit more time. Then you can imagine yourselves trying to duplicate this device using modern technology--a sound you almost heard but not quite.

oh yes, please ! please !

[frenchie]

There were a lot of things just on the horizon for Jimi, (and the rest of the community) but they were never heard, and as such were never dreamed of being duplicated by later generations.
It's quite a concept when you think about it for a minute, how you were cheated by time............

Well i think we could do fine with being cheated by time , if we weren't also cheated by the industry ( i mean the record industry .... just look what is hyped in the medias nowadays . Problem is those kind of true talents have the "uncomfortable" tendency to act on their own and speak their mind , it has been sanitized in a very effective way .... you know the drill , badass demo tapes sent to producers soon completely ripped off , diluted and packaged by con artists making millions of dollars ) ....I think there's still pretty badass ahead of our time music underground , you can still hear sparks here and there sometimes , but it won't become as much of a buzz as hendrix has been , and without the money , support , cool factor ... well you have to pay the rent one day , and mickey D hire so ...... 60's was the foolish era of hope and freedom ( despite the war shitstorm , and social trouble you could still find an opening for a ray of sunshine if you were crafty enough ) ...

[mathd]

Well, there is not much difference with the vibe and clone..

the forum "Vintage" vibe is pretty much the same as the neovibe, except for the lamp drive input resistor (4k7 vs 47k for the original and vintage vibe)
the forum "not the vintage vibe" vs neovibe have the same resistor 4k7. but the forum vibe has different emitter resistor for the 3rd preamp transistor feedback/gain.

The forum and neovibe do not have the same power supply as the megavibe and uni-vibe.

Pretty much the same. but am wondering what the 4k7 vs 47k resistor for the lamp driver is doing.. going to try it

So 3 changes from the original vs the clones are the power supply, the preamp gain, and the lamp driver input resistor.
They also show different value for the speed pot and resistor in serie with it.. prolly just affect min and max speed.
And different transistor and component but you guessed it.

[Xplorer]

Well, there is not much difference with the vibe and clone..

the forum "Vintage" vibe is pretty much the same as the neovibe, except for the lamp drive input resistor (4k7 vs 47k for the original and vintage vibe)
the forum "not the vintage vibe" vs neovibe have the same resistor 4k7. but the forum vibe has different emitter resistor for the 3rd preamp transistor feedback/gain.

The forum and neovibe do not have the same power supply as the megavibe and uni-vibe.

Pretty much the same. but am wondering what the 4k7 vs 47k resistor for the lamp driver is doing.. going to try it

So 3 changes from the original vs the clones are the power supply, the preamp gain, and the lamp driver input resistor.
They also show different value for the speed pot and resistor in serie with it.. prolly just affect min and max speed.
And different transistor and component but you guessed it.

we have to discuss this when i'll endly build ( after years i started lol ) my jc maillet vibe. but one thing : vibes sound better at 24 volts. the offset bias mod and a few other mods are important to have better control on some crucial zones of the original univibes, which differ from one to another. the old preamp vs the jc maillet preamp, it's a choice, and the preamp is very important. i'm sorry for what i said on the neovibe, i know you have one, but the various clips i've heard on youtube didn't convinced me, maybe it was under bad conditions.