Up for sale, a Korg Nuvibe Vibrato Chorus Effector in like-new condition, complete with the original box, power supply, and expression pedal. The story of the original Univibe is well-known to guitarists worldwide: developed by Fumio Mieda for Shin-Ei (which, at the time, was called Honey), the legendary effect was initially designed to recreate the swirling sounds of a Leslie speaker, and became an near-instant icon after it made its way to the pedalboards of titans like Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmour. 50 years later, Korg released the Nuvibe, a premium unit that takes the original circuit and expands upon it with modern functionality and reliability, all designed up the eye of Mieda himself.

The Uni-Vibes distinctive modulation is one of the most recognizable sounds in the history of the electric guitar, and the Nuvibe does a fantastic job of capturing that swirling, chewy tone, with all the complex, asymmetrical modulation of the original. There have been countless Uni-Vibe clones produced over the last half-century, but very few that were produced with access to the original circuit itself, due to the rarity of original examples. The difference is significant, and the Nuvibe makes the other attempts look like little more than pale imitations.

There were a few key changes made: first and foremost, the cadmium sulfide photoresistors at the heart of the original can no longer be used due to their status as a hazardous substance, but Korg have painstakingly recreated these in the aggregate with a complex system of 79 transistors (as opposed to the ICs and DSP chips more commonly used by other builders). Anticipating the fears of those who may not believe transistors can recapture the magic of the original, Korg have provided a suite of 10 WAVE sliders, actually enabling the user to alter the shape of the modulating waveform itself. Beyond precise sculpting of the original sound, these sliders also allow new, original waveforms to be generated, further broadening the scope of this unit. Additionally, the Nuvibe boasts a new buffer circuit, also designed by Fumio Mieda. Vintage-accurate features include the presence of the Vibrato half of the effect, frequently omitted on other repros, and the inclusion of the dedicated expression pedal/controller, which dictates modulation rate and brings the effect much closer to its Leslie-inspired roots.

The large enclosure is built like an absolute tank, and this pedal has sat virtually untouched since it was new. The original box is included, along with the user manual and all packaging and ancillary items.