Vibrato and Uni-Vibe Pedals

Vibrato and Uni-Vibe pedals are guitar effects that make the pitch of your notes waver at a steady rate or create the pulsing sound of the Uni-Vibe effect from the 1960s. Here you will find Uni-Vibe-style pedals such as the Dunlop MXR M68 Uni-Vibe, Fulltone Mini-Deja Vibe and Nux Voodoo Vibe, as well as chorus pedals with a vibrato mode, such as the Boss CE-2W, Walrus Audio Julianna or Warm Audio WA-C1. Most of them switch between chorus and vibrato, so a single pedal gives you both sounds. Pedals that only do vibrato, such as the Boss VB-2W, are in the Tremolos / Vibratos category.

What is the difference between vibrato and chorus?

A chorus mixes a delayed, slightly detuned signal with the original note, so the guitar sounds fuller, as if two guitars were playing at once. A vibrato sends only the processed signal to the output, which is why you hear the pitch itself wobbling. Many pedals on this page can do both: the Boss CE-2W has a CE-1 mode that replicates the chorus and vibrato of the original Boss CE-1, the Dunlop MXR M68 Uni-Vibe and Dunlop Rotovibe have a Chorus / Vibrato switch, and on the Nux Voodoo Vibe you switch between the Vibe and Chorus modes by holding down the footswitch.

What is a Uni-Vibe and how do today's Uni-Vibe pedals differ?

Uni-Vibe is an effect from the 1960s whose swirling sound resembles a rotating speaker, the kind Jimi Hendrix made famous. Today's versions differ mainly in their circuit, power supply and controls:

• Analog clone – the Fulltone Mini-Deja Vibe mkII is fully analog, runs on 18 V and has an expression pedal output.
• Standard 9 V and tap tempo – the Nux Voodoo Vibe is a digital mini pedal with a stereo input and output and the Smart Tap Tempo function.
• Three knobs and a switch – the Dunlop MXR M68 Uni-Vibe has Depth, Speed and Level plus a Chorus / Vibrato switch.
• Speed under your foot – the Dunlop Rotovibe is a rocker pedal, so you change the speed of the effect while you play.
• Phaser with a Univibe mode – the Lichtlaerm Audio Kassandra is a phaser with tap tempo and 8 waveforms that can be switched to Univibe.

Which chorus with vibrato should you choose?

The Walrus Audio Julianna adds tap tempo, stereo outputs and an expression pedal input to its chorus and vibrato. The Warm Audio WA-C1 is based on the classic chorus / vibrato pedal, with a dedicated vibrato section and an always-on analog preamp. The Universal Audio UAFX Brigade Chorus & Vibrato replicates the chorus and the preamp of the Boss CE-1, and the Dunlop Way Huge Smalls Blue Hippo switches to vibrato with its Vibe switch. You will find more modulation effects in the Chorus / Flanger / Phaser pedals category.