For our latest installment of our Funky Vintage series, Joe Shadid is back in Narwhal Studios playing through a legendary piece of holy grail pedal history: an all-original Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe. We were able to borrow this pedal from our friends at Rock 'n' Roll Vintage here in Chicago, and we definitely suggest checking out their Reverb shop full of great gear.
The Uni-Vibe was developed in the 1960s by Japanese manufacturer Shin-Ei and marketed as a rotating speaker simulator. Electric guitarists soon got their hands on it, looking to broaden their effects horizons beyond the popular fuzz and wah pedals of the era, and the rest is history.
These days, original Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe units from the '60s go for crazy prices on the used market, often selling for over or around $3,000. And while it is a truly spectacular piece of kit, there are of course a lot of other more modern pedals that have sprung up to try and give players similar sounds for less money. We've collected a few of our favorites above.
Be sure to check out the full video to hear the original Shin-Ei Uni-Vibe in action and to hear more history about how the circuit was created and modified throughout its production history.