The Fulltone MDV2 Mini Deja Vibe 2 is a chorus and vibrato pedal from Fulltone that recreates the Uni-Vibe sound of the 1960s. Fulltone describes it as delivering "the lush organic sounds of a perfect vintage Univibe clone," and the pedal is built to fit that sound into a footprint no bigger than a standard wah-wah pedal, with speed controlled by rocking the pedal with your foot12.
How it works and how it is controlled
The Uni-Vibe circuit that the Deja Vibe is based on uses four photoresistors and an incandescent light bulb to produce its chorus and vibrato effects, as Guitar World's Chris Gill described in his review of Fulltone's later Deja Vibe CS-MDV mkII3. The MDV2 follows that design and uses 100 percent Fulltone-designed photocells, which the maker highlights as a feature of the pedal1.
The controls are simple, and the pedal itself does much of the work:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Speed (dual pot) | A dual pot gives access to all speeds from slowest to fastest, with a perfect sweep and no abrupt speed changes1 |
| Sensitivity | Controls how much of the effect is mixed in with your signal2 |
| Foot rocker | Turns the effect on and off by pressing the heel down; true bypass2 |
Because the speed control sits under your foot, the MDV2 works differently from a conventional stompbox vibe. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B., preferred it for exactly that reason2:
"I like these better than the regular stompbox version they also made, as you can control the speed with your foot"
The blue LED throbs to the beat of the pedal's asymmetrica l pulsing, giving you a visual cue of the speed you have set1.
History and versions
The MDV2 is the second version of the Deja Vibe from Fulltone. Writing in April 2014, Pedal of the Day's reviewer noted that Fulltone had since come out with the Deja Vibe 3, making the MDV2 an earlier design in the line2.
The MDV2 is an earlier version in Fulltone's Deja Vibe line. If you are shopping used or comparing current models, be aware that Fulltone later released the Deja Vibe 3 as a newer design in the same family2.
Videos
Sean Gibson
Alex BluesPower
Gary L. Thomas Jr.
Questions
Is the Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe 2 true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review of the MDV2 notes that the effect is true bypass, and that it turns on and off by pressing the heel of the pedal down, in the manner of a wah-style enclosure rather than a conventional stompbox footswitch.
Can I control the speed with an expression pedal?
Yes. The MDV2 is designed to be controlled with the foot, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer said he preferred the mini version to Fulltone's regular stompbox Deja Vibe precisely because speed can be controlled with the foot rather than reaching down to a knob.
What came after the MDV2?
The MDV2 is the second version of the Deja Vibe, and Pedal of the Day's 2014 review notes that Fulltone had since come out with the Deja Vibe 3. Fulltone later also released the Deja Vibe CS-MDV mkII, reviewed by Guitar World in 2018.
Where is the Mini Deja Vibe 2 built?
According to Pedal of the Day's review, the MDV2 is hand built and tested in Southern California.
What are the photocells in the Deja Vibe for?
Photocells are the heart of the Uni-Vibe circuit, which uses photoresistors and a light source to produce its chorus and vibrato. Fulltone uses its own 100 percent Fulltone-designed custom photocells in the Mini Deja Vibe rather than off-the-shelf parts.
Sources (3)
- MDV-2 Mini Deja Vibe by Fulltone, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Fulltone MDV2 Mini Deja Vibe 2, Pedal of the Day, 2014-04-03
- Review: Fulltone Deja Vibe CS-MDV MKII and Full-Drive 2 V2 Pedals, Guitar World, 2019-03-11
