The Dunlop JD4S Rotovibe Chorus Vibrato is a treadle foot pedal, built like a wah pedal, that combines two retro '60s style modulation effects, chorus and vibrato, in one unit. Instead of tapping a switch, you control the effect's intensity with a waggle of your foot, rocking the pedal to speed the effect up or slow it down. Dunlop describes the circuit as a rotating speaker simulator that recreates "shimmering" tones12.
The pedal comes in the classic red Dunlop enclosure. After being absent from the European market for some time, it was relaunched at NAMM 2019 and made available in Europe again, with a reported RRP of EUR 2992.
How it works
The Rotovibe is a rotating speaker simulator: it recreates the shimmering, swirling sound of a rotating speaker cabinet, which is where both its chorus and vibrato voices come from. The two modes differ in what they do to pitch: chorus blends a detuned copy with your signal, while vibrato bends the pitch itself. The manual specifies a noise floor of -99 dBV (A-weighted) in chorus mode1.
The controls: treadle, side knob, kick switch and LEDs
The pedal is operated entirely with your feet, which is the point of the treadle format. Here is what each control does:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| ROCKER pedal (treadle) | Controls the rate of the chorus and vibrato effects. Press down with your toe to increase the rate, press with your heel to decrease it1. |
| INTENSITY knob | Rotate clockwise to increase the intensity of the effect, counterclockwise to decrease it1. |
| EFFECT SELECTOR switch | Toggles between chorus (green LED) and vibrato (red LED). Push it "in" for chorus, "out" for vibrato1. |
| FOOTSWITCH | Toggles the pedal on or into bypass. A green or red LED indicates the pedal is on1. |
| Side depth knob | A rubber-clad knob on the side of the pedal; roll it with your toe to tweak the effect's depth2. |
| Side kick switch | Switches between the chorus and vibrato settings2. |
Along the top of the unit, LED speed indicators show the effect's intensity at a glance: the faster the LEDs move, the more intense the rotating speaker effect2.
The EFFECT SELECTOR switch and the FOOTSWITCH both use green and red LEDs. Green means chorus mode on the selector, and either green or red lit means the pedal is on rather than bypassed1.
Who has played it
A Zakk Wylde signature version of the Rotovibe existed, and that signature model is covered on its own page, the Dunlop Zakk Wylde Signature Rotovibe. One reviewer recalled owning the very first version of the pedal, saying "I had the very first version of this pedal about 20-odd years ago," and judged it "a great pedal, just a bit huge for what it could actually do," adding that he really liked it and would buy another2.
What reviewers said
Writing at the 2019 relaunch, the gearnews.com reviewer had owned the very first version of the pedal some twenty-odd years earlier and looked back on it warmly, with one reservation:
"I thought it was a great pedal, just a bit huge for what it could actually do."
He added that he really liked it and would buy another, and that if the pedal was good enough for Zakk Wylde, it would be good enough for most players2.
Related pedals
If you are after the same family of sounds in a smaller box, Dunlop's range includes several chorus and vibrato options, among them the Dunlop UV1SC Uni-Vibe Stereo Chorus and the Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Uni-Vibe. For the wider category, see the pages on Chorus Pedals, Vibrato Pedals and Speaker Simulation Pedals.
Videos
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Manolis Zografakis Guitar
Questions
Does the Dunlop Rotovibe have both chorus and vibrato?
Yes. The JD4S Rotovibe combines the two retro '60s style modulation effects, chorus and vibrato, in one treadle foot pedal. You select which one is active with the EFFECT SELECTOR switch, and the pedal's manual lists a noise floor of -99 dBV (A-weighted) in chorus mode.
How do you switch between chorus and vibrato on the Rotovibe?
With the EFFECT SELECTOR switch on the side of the pedal. Push it in for chorus, marked by a green LED, or out for vibrato, marked by a red LED. A separate side kick switch also lets you change between the chorus and vibrato settings while playing.
What does the green LED on the Rotovibe mean?
A green LED means the pedal is in chorus mode, set by pushing the EFFECT SELECTOR switch in. The same green or red LED also shows that the pedal is on rather than in bypass when you use the footswitch. Red corresponds to vibrato mode.
Who has played the Dunlop Rotovibe?
Zakk Wylde is the player most associated with the Rotovibe. He had his own signature version of the pedal for a while, and Dunlop later revisited the design again in the Wylde Audio Pedal Series.
Is the Rotovibe available in Europe again?
It was as of 2019. After being missing from the European market, the JD4S Rotovibe was relaunched at NAMM 2019 and once more available in Europe, with a reported RRP of EUR 299.
Sources (2)
- JD4S.pdf, Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., 2019
- NAMM 2019: Dunlop JD4S Rotovibe Chorus Vibrato pedal returns, gearnews.com, 2019-01-08
