like many boutique analog
Vibe pedals and with the
switchable custom input
controls, one can integrate
this little MXR-sized beasty
into any guitar-pedal-amp
scenario. In the past, it
took a real commitment to
an organic-sounding vibe
tone to warrant the size and
temperamental nature of
a Uni-Vibe-style pedal, but
now in the age of digitallycontrolled analog hybrids
those issues are finally put
to bed.
WHAT WE LIKE
The Drybell Vibe Machine
can be as simple or as finetuneable as one desires.
This wouldn’t mean a thing
if it didn’t sound amazing,
which it does. I feel that we
are in the Autumn years of
analog and though us guitar
players still wallow in the
colorful leaves of yesteryear
gear, the times they are
a-changing and soon will be
crunching under our feet. I
predict that vibe pedals like
the Drybell V2 will represent
the end of an era and the
pinnacle of vintage-modern
pedal tech. I love the size,
simplicity, complexity and
extra tweakable parameters
available. The external
control is mind-expanding
and supremely interactive.
The option to go authentic
with even static sound
coloration adds authenticity,
while the adjustable gain
and impedance options add
chameleon like adaptability
that no other analog vibe
can offer. In short, this pedal
offers both polymorphic
functionality and immediate
simplicity simultaneously.
For vibe fans, this is
an essential piece. The
keychain and trimmer tool
are nice extras as well.
CONCERNS
It is hard to nail down
any faults in this design. I
suppose if I had to nit-pick
I would suggest some sort
of stereo functionality to
get the Doppler dimensions
going on, but to be honest
this is one of those pedals
that sounds deep and
immersive—even in mono.
I would also prefer a larger
pedal over side trimmers
as I like a quartet of knobs
when the circuit can go
deeper, but that is just my
own preference.
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