Shin-ei/Univox Uni-Vibe [Replica Files]

Original effects with schematics, layouts and instructions, freely contributed by members or found in publications. Cannot be used for commercial purposes without the consent of the owners of the copyright.
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warioblast
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Post by warioblast »

Ok so like I've been told @ DIYstompboxes, they need to be put straight or else it's quite choppy.

Has anyone ever experienced a mid boost while switching to the vibrato mode ? https://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/ ... c=112011.0

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ljn
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Completed builds: Fuzzrite (Si and Ge versions) , univibe, companion fuzz, fuzz face(si version), FY-6 super fuzz, FZ-1S, Scrambler, Tone Bender MkI (nearly complete). I have modded my vox v847,Seymour Duncan tweak fuzz, my bass and my guitar ( slightly).
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Post by ljn »

Yes. On mine, I get a nice trebly sound on chorus mode and switching to vibrato does give a noticeable midrange boost. It sounds great either way.

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warioblast
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Post by warioblast »

I fixed it. :D
Image
I changed R36 from 47k to 100k.

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plen
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Post by plen »

anyone know where i can buy the decal printout for the univibe. i printed the one that has crooked lines on it from on here. it is faded and bad colour.

thanks plen.

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Xplorer
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Post by Xplorer »

first of all, thanks everyone, and particularly sinner and fastrocker for this valuable thread ! i've read everything, but i might need to read it again since it's a long thread with many variations and tests. it would be easy to ask a question that has already been answer, since one can forget infos ... along 22 pages.

i'll maybe do a univibe build story thread, based on this thread, for a pure replica of the early model, you might like it.
this way it could be like a tutorial for futur builders, we'll see.

i might implement some mods from jc maillet, like the offset bias mode, almost an obligation in my opinion, to fine tune the UV.

i often read something : why are peoples affraid to die if they're hit by 230 volts ? how would they die other than by touching the primary voltage for a while ?
it's not like if it was a plexi 560 volts transformer ....
the 186c28 Hammond transformer seems to be a good choice, although if it splits the voltage into 14v and 14v , then how will i reach about 16 volts ?

thanks a lot for the original univibe voltages by the way ! that's precious infos !!

about the diodes non symetrical effect , i think you may be right, and i'd invite you to look at the Voodoo vibe schematic. who knows, by chance there might be a portion of circuit that could interest you, since the Voodoo vibe features such symetry controler. but honestly, on mine, it's always set at noon.

one thing that is missing in most univibe talks since the years i'm following it, ( but this time i think it's the one, i'll endly build mine ) , is that .... peoples are mainly looking for the Hendrix vibe tone, and i can understand ! me too !
But the thing is that the univibes ... they all vary a lot given the amp you're using.

Jimi : we now know it since the tech who did the mods for Jimi's Superleads explained it and we were several to do the mod and wow , that was it, no doubt ... as i said, we now know it : Jimi's amps ... you can't get there with EL34 tubes ( at best, you'll get randy hansen's tone, which is a lot different ).
the mod is basicaly 6550 tubes in class B mod, biased at 25 ma, high plate voltage, low screens voltage, and a 12at7 in V3 on an SL69. basicaly. you can do more researchs about it if you wish.
this amp reacts so differently with the univibes, ( fuzz too .. octavia too .. ) and what i mean is that you probably are trying to tweak your vibe clones after some sounds you have in your ears, that can't be fully obtained unless you do this Hendrix amp mod.

the ideal is probably to test an original early vibe, into a Hendrix modded amp, so you can compare your clone properly.

maybe you're not after THIS special tone, but in most cases this is what i observed.

a univibe through a stock superlead or 45/100 ....... really not the same beast as through such amp mod and the proper speakers.
if you're after machine gun tones, go for it. all electric ladyland, all Woodstock, all royal albert hall, LA Forum, isle of wight ... same mod , just variations of settings, pickups, effects in the chain ..
i don't force anyone to believe it, this is just my 2 cents, after 25 years looking for it.

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Post by Xplorer »

Hi ! i re read the whole thread a second time.
i'm sorry, i don't know if it's my Navigator or what, but i don't see the sketches mentionned with the voltages, too bad.
i see Sinner's voltage report ( thanks again sinner ! ) but not Fastocker's voltages.
please, did anyone saved these files by chance ?
in the first pages, i see some black little boxs where the pictures were previously posted.

also, i'm wondering about the speed pot , here i see that it's a 100k rev log, and there, a 250k rev log.
i suppose that the two versions existed.

something else : ramaclaproth mentionned the honey values ( thanks so much !! ) , with 5nf for C13 but he also mentionned 10nf greenie on the board + 5nf ceramic Under the board ( with a picture about it ) . both seem to be about the honey value. this got unnoticed but i'm curious about this contradiction.

thanks !

Fastocker wrote:I posted the DC voltage to the lamp for both my early and late units earlier in the thread -- they're marked right near the lamp on the sketches.

I've built a dozen or so vibes of different variations (Neovibe, Forum-Vibe, etc.) and have used various LDRs and bulbs with good results. I thought the Silonex NSL-5540 sounded great. (Hint: NSL-5542 . . . same specs, no hermetically sealed case, MUCH cheaper). I'd like to try some of the Clairex CL7P5HL that DaveAir raved about but I can't find them for sale anywhere, LOL. Anyone know where to buy them?

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Post by warioblast »

Check pages 14 & 15 for Fastocker's posts. Even if you don't see the attached pics you should be able to download them.

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Post by Xplorer »

thanks man. you mean the pdf with 21,78 vdc near the bulb ? ok, i see that but i thought that Fastoker had written a voltage report of the transistors with that, like Sinner did. this is what i tried to look for.

warioblast wrote:Check pages 14 & 15 for Fastocker's posts. Even if you don't see the attached pics you should be able to download them.

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Post by warioblast »

I've read this thread like 5 or 6 times and I didn't see such a thing.
Even with google, the only voltages readings of a real univibes you will find were those taken by The Rotagilla, posted here and at DIYstompboxes.

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Post by warioblast »

I've been experimenting with power supplies for the last couple days. I tried LM317T & 7815 regulators http://www.classicamplification.net/fv/ ... Boards.pdf as well as the original power supply circuit.

Using 2 LM317T, I couldn't use less than 17V for the audio signal or else I'd get some loud background noises.

Right now on my breadboard, I have a 3DPT that can switch from the 7815 circuit to the slightly modified original circuit. I get 18.9V from my Voodoo Lab power supply. So with the 7815 I have those 18.9V going to the LFO and 15.3V for the audio.
I dropped one of the 470R to 150R from the original power supply and so I have 18.9V to the LFO too and 15.6V going to the audio signal.
Going back and forth those 2 power supplies circuits, I found that the 7815 gives a tiny bit more low end and throb. But when using the lead channel of my amp or fuzzes; fuzzface & octavio; the 7815 sounds mushier than the original power supply circuit.
I will try to get the same voltages for the LFO but I don't think that the 0.3V makes the difference.

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Post by warioblast »

Still waiting for answers from TGPers:

"Lately I've been experimenting with power supply and trying to bias the pedal properly. I'm using my trusty Mojo Vibe as a reference tone. I've never paid attention to it, but while doing A/Bs, I've noticed that the chorus mode on the Mojo has a slightly detune / seasick feel to it. I guess you might say a touch of vibrato. My "clone" does the same thing too and I'm trying to avoid it as much as I can. Is it a vain effort ? Or does the chorus mode on an Original Univibe also has that slight detune tone. It's hard to tell from youtube videos but it sounds like it."

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Post by Xplorer »

the original slightly has this too.
you might change a bit the values of the blending mode at the output, between dry and wet if you like.

after all it's an electronic Leslie so ...

and one cool thing to do by the way, with an univibe, is to use it as a vibrato, in one amp, and blend it with a dry signal from the guitar, into another amp : you'll then reproduce this chorus effect like with a Leslie, but acousticaly instead of electronicaly, and this sound fabulous.

you'll just need a Y jack, or a non colouring pedal which may have two outputs. give it a try.

so in the end, you'll have your guitar sounding dry in one amp, and your guitar sounding fully vibrato in the other amp : the acoustic blending of both sounds will give you a marvellous chorus effect, + you can tweak each amp's volume, tones control, presence ....

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Post by warioblast »

I'll just need to tame that seasick vibe a bit.
I've already experimenting with the 2 mix resistors but not in the most effective way. I'll give another proper shot.
I'm still undecided whether I should use 24v or 18v. I really need to make my mind; I spent way too much time on this build and my octavio.

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ljn
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my favorite amplifier: Sears 125 xl, Kasino U100-P
Completed builds: Fuzzrite (Si and Ge versions) , univibe, companion fuzz, fuzz face(si version), FY-6 super fuzz, FZ-1S, Scrambler, Tone Bender MkI (nearly complete). I have modded my vox v847,Seymour Duncan tweak fuzz, my bass and my guitar ( slightly).
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Post by ljn »

I would say use close to 24 volts to power it. My clone works best with higher voltage. I'm running mine on 28 volts. I used higher voltage power supply caps so they could withstand the extra voltage.

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Post by Gypsyssun »

Does anyone know where I could find the PCB transfer files from turretboard.org? The site isn't up anymore. Also where could I find the color printed wire diagram used in that photo? And I was wondering how could I find a red PCB like the one used in the photo.... ? I know these might have been asked before but if someone could help me that would be great... thanks

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Post by Xplorer »

Hello ! Just wondering if anyone knows a nice cheap source just for some black anodized aluminium, 1 mm thick sheet.
What i've found is too matt, i'd need it to be just like the satin like front plate of the univibe, for a cool clone.
Thanks

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Post by Fastocker »

This stuff has the perfect sheen to it:

https://www.inventables.com/technologie ... num-sheets

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Post by Xplorer »

Thanks man, saw this but it's too thin for the company who will paint it, not laser printing because white doesn't appear right. 0,025 inch is 0,635 mm.
I saw some 1 mm thick on ebay but the finish is too matt, really too bad.

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Post by Xplorer »

Or maybe ... If some company can paint the white letters on it for cheap, with a better technic than laser printing, and who agrees to do it on a sheet i'd send to them... It could work.
The company i found is in germany, and is ok for this for about 90 euros if i send them the alu sheet. ( or they'll charge me 190 euros ... ) But it has to be 1 mm thick at least, and i can't find a nice finish.

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Post by Fastocker »

0.025" is the thickness of the original Uni-Vibe faceplate . . .

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