factory unvibe... couple questions

[Barcode80]

so i got this "broken" univibe for free, only to plug it into an "improvised" 18 volt supply (read: 2 batteries in series spliced to a PS plug) and have it fire up immediately! awesome! here is my question though: all works well but the output seems rather low. i have to dime the volume to reach unity. also, it seems the speed knob change is bunched at the end of the pot rotation (i assume that is a taper thing). so, are either of these common problems with the univibe? i have never own or heard one, so i'm not sure.

[R.G.]

Good catch!

All univibes have to be fully up to reach unity, maybe not even quite unity. That part is working as designed.

All real univibes came with a footpedal that ran the LFO speed. The pot in the footpedal was effectively reverse log. What you're describing is what happens when you sub in a linear for a reverse log, so at least that has been replaced.

A couple of other thoughts. Is this a "Dunlop" Univibe? They bought the name and make a repro that's different from the original. I believe theirs has an internal speed pot.

Lastly, it may be that the AC rectifier on the unit is shorted and when you tried it on DC, that worked OK. Check that part out.

[Barcode80]

yeah, it is definitely the newer dunlop version, and it has a speed pot right there. i'll post some pics in a few. i think because this is the dunlop repro, it is made to run on DC instead of AC. So i'm not even sure the AC rectifier exists in this model. the more i play it, though, the more i think it is operating exactly as it should. what a neat pedal!

[RedHouse]

...They bought the name and make a repro that's different from the original....

Yeah the Dunlop is way different, here is a (bad) gut shot pic of the Dunlop UV-1: