The BBE Mind Bender MB-2 is an analog vibrato and chorus pedal: two modulation effects in one box, selected by a footswitch rather than a toggle. BBE announced the Mind Bender in February 2008 alongside the Soul Vibe, describing it then as a dual-mode analog Vibrato/Chorus pedal with a US list price of $209.0012. The pedal has been around a while, and the MB-2 is a recent update of it, wearing a more classic exterior in a metallic water-blue finish3.
The circuit is the part that interests players comparing it to the classics. JHS Pedals calls the Mind Bender "a really clever take on the BOSS CE-2 analog"4, the chorus circuit that the Boss CE-2 made famous. Guitar World's 2013 reintroduction announcement describes an "Authentic Bucket Brigade Delay circuit"54, and the Delicious Audio reviewer confirmed that "In true analog fashion, it uses a bucket brigade delay"3.
What it does to your sound
Chorus and vibrato are two sides of the same bucket brigade circuit. In chorus mode, the delayed signal is blended with the dry signal to thicken and widen the tone; in vibrato mode, only the pitch-wobbled delayed signal is heard, so the pitch itself moves. The MB-2 gives you both, and switching between them is a footswitch press rather than a hand-reached toggle, which matters live534.
The Delicious Audio review found the pedal quiet in either state: "I was quite happy to get little-to-zero noise, on or off"3. Pedal of the Day's reviewer praised the mode-switching design specifically, writing that "the Mind Bender makes swapping tones a cinch with the well-designed addition of the 2nd switch"6.
The controls and footswitches
The control set is minimal: speed and depth knobs, the two parameters that shape any modulation effect31. Speed sets how fast the pitch wobble cycles; depth sets how far it travels. An LED at the top of the pedal pulses to indicate the rate, so you can see the speed setting at a glance3.
| Control or switch | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed knob | Sets the modulation rate3 |
| Depth knob | Sets how deep the pitch wobble goes3 |
| Bypass footswitch | Turns the effect on and off6 |
| Mode footswitch | Toggles between Vibrato and Chorus modes6 |
| Rate LED | Pulses to show the current speed3 |
| Mode LEDs | Show which effect is active, even when the pedal is off3 |
The two-footswitch layout is the design choice that separates the MB-2 from pedals that use a small toggle switch for mode selection. One footswitch controls bypass, the other toggles between Vibrato and Chorus63. The mode LEDs keep working even with the pedal off, so you always know which effect will come up when you stomp it on3.
Where it came from
The Mind Bender has been around a while, and the MB-2 is a recent update of it, with a more classic exterior finished in metallic water blue3. BBE builds it in true analog fashion, using a bucket brigade delay for its modulation3.
The reintroduced version also gained the easy access battery compartment5, which the earlier announcement had not mentioned.
The MB-2 is an update of a longer-running BBE pedal. If you are buying used, the finish tells you which version you are looking at: the reintroduced model has the metallic water blue finish and psychedelic logo5.
Who plays it
The Mind Bender MB-2's analog bucket brigade delay circuit runs with little-to-zero noise whether the pedal is on or off, which its reviewer was quite happy to find3. An additional LED up top indicates the rate setting, so a player can see where the speed sits at a glance3.
What reviewers said
The Delicious Audio review in April 2015 came from a player who bought the pedal cheaply through Musician's Friend's "Stupid Deal of the Day" and judged it on value3:
"So while I paid $49 for it, it's still a value at $149"
His reasoning was that the pedal delivers two vintage analog effects for the price of one3. Pedal of the Day's 2016 feature praised the pedal's sound, build and low price, and highlighted the second footswitch as a design choice that makes mode switching easy on stage6.
Questions
Is the BBE Mind Bender MB-2 true bypass?
Yes. The MB-2 uses true hardwire bypass, so the signal passes through untouched when the effect is off. Reviewers at Delicious Audio and Pedal of the Day both describe it as true hardwire bypass, and the Delicious Audio reviewer found little to zero noise whether the pedal was on or off.
Does the BBE Mind Bender MB-2 use a bucket brigade chip?
Yes. The MB-2 is an analog pedal built around a bucket brigade delay circuit, the same class of chip that analog chorus and delay pedals have used since the late 1970s. JHS Pedals describes the circuit as a clever take on the Boss CE-2 analog chorus.
Can the MB-2 run on a battery?
Yes. The reintroduced version has an easy access battery compartment, so it can run on a battery rather than only on an external power supply. That suits players who want a simple board without a power brick.
How much does the BBE Mind Bender MB-2 cost?
Prices have moved over the years. The 2008 announcement listed it at $209.00 US, the 2013 reintroduction carried an MSRP of $215, and a 2015 review put its value at $149, with the reviewer having paid $49 through a Musician's Friend deal.
Sources (6)
- BBE Mind Bender and Soul Vibe pedals, MusicRadar, 2008-02-08
- Mind Bender Vibrato/Chorus MB-2 by BBE, RockBoard PedalPedia (rockboard.de), 2026
- Oldies But Goldies: BBE Mind Bender MB 2 Vibrato/Chorus, Delicious Audio, 2015-04-09
- WHY BBE PEDALS ARE AMAZING, JHS Pedals
- BBE Sound Reintroduces Mind Bender MB-2 Chorus/Vibrato Pedal, Guitar World, 2013-02-22
- BBE Sound Mind Bender Vibrato Chorus, Pedal of the Day, 2016-11-14
