The Mojo Hand FX Dream Mender is a compact delay, echo, chorus and vibrato pedal that puts the character of a classic late '70s analog delay into a small box. Mojo Hand FX describes it as "a DSP pedal based on a classic from the 70's often referred to simply as a DMM," the Deluxe Memory Man, and says the company "filtered and tweaked for months to obtain the analog bucket brigade chip sound the original is prized for"1.
The pedal was introduced at NAMM 20202 and released that March. It carries three knobs, Delay, Blend and Feedback, plus a push button that selects chorus or vibrato modulation on the echoes1. Premier Guitar reviewed it in August 2021 at a street price of $1593.
An echo with chorus and vibrato
The Dream Mender is built around three knobs and one button. Mojo Hand FX lays out the controls like this1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay | Adjusts the delay time, from short slapback to long and spacey; maximum delay time is ~865ms |
| Blend | Centered is just dry signal; left of center mixes in echo, right of center mixes in modulated echo |
| Feedback | Sets how many repeats you get; minimum gives a single repeat, turned up it moves into spacey decay and a controlled self-oscillation |
| Push button | Selects chorus or vibrato modulation on the echoes |
The Blend knob is the heart of the modulation side. Delicious Audio describes the same behavior: left of center on the Blend knob is just echo, and to the right of center it adds modulation to the echo repeats2. The push button beneath the Blend knob selects between the two modulation types, chorus or vibrato4.
The Feedback knob rewards experimentation. Set to minimum you get a single repeat; turned up, the repeats build into what the maker calls a spacey decay into a controlled self-oscillation1. Guitar World noted the same behavior, that the pedal will "self oscillate" when the feedback knob is maxed4.
From the late '70s DMM to a DSP pedal
The Dream Mender is based on the classic late '70s DMM, the Deluxe Memory Man, an analog bucket brigade delay whose modulation section made it a favorite for chorus and vibrato textures2. Rather than recreating that circuit with bucket brigade chips, Mojo Hand FX built the Dream Mender as a DSP pedal. Delicious Audio reports it uses a SPIN DSP based processor, and that because of this it "will never need the occasional BB chip re-calibration" the original requires2.
The digital approach also buys headroom the original did not have. The maker says the Dream Mender offers almost double the delay time of the original, with a maximum of ~865ms1, and the whole design is condensed into what Delicious Audio calls a compact three knob format2.
"Mojo Hand FX's Dream Mender, however, cleverly navigates the compromises inherent to building a small-form, digital homage to the DMM."
The limited first run and the second batch
The pedal was initially launched as a limited run of 50 numbered pedals5. That first run of 50 polished and numbered enclosures sold out quickly2, and Guitar World reported the initial run sold out by March 20204. A second batch followed, with a clearcoated brushed finish, at what Delicious Audio called an even better price2; Guitar World listed the second batch at $1594.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Dream Mender in August 2021 and found the build quality held up: "The switchwork and jacks are all high-quality stuff, and the knobs turn with a satisfying resistance and precision"3. The reviewer also noted the physical layout, that the circuit board is flipped and occupies the entirety of the enclosure space, and that the pedal is about the same size as an MXR pedal3.
On sound, the reviewer's verdict was positive on value:
"the Dream Mender is a good deal, particularly considering the deep and unique textures you can extract from its simple control set"
The reviewer also found it distinct among delays, writing "I don't have a delay or echo that sounds quite like it"3.
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Questions
Is the Mojo Hand FX Dream Mender analog or digital?
It is digital. Mojo Hand FX describes it as a DSP pedal built around a SPIN DSP based processor, tuned to emulate the analog bucket brigade chip sound the original Deluxe Memory Man is prized for. The maker says it filtered and tweaked for months to obtain that sound.
What does the Dream Mender's feedback knob do when turned all the way up?
The Feedback knob sets how many repeats you get. At minimum you hear a single repeat; turned up it moves from spacey decay into a controlled self-oscillation. Guitar World noted the pedal will self oscillate when the feedback knob is maxed.
How does the Dream Mender differ from the original circuit it is based on?
It is a DSP emulation rather than a bucket brigade circuit, so it never needs the BB chip re-calibration the original requires. It also offers almost double the delay time of the original, up to about 865ms, in a compact three knob format.
Was the Dream Mender a limited edition?
The first run was limited to 50 polished and numbered enclosures, which sold out quickly. A second batch followed with a clearcoated brushed finish, priced at $159, so the pedal itself continued past the limited first run.
How big is the Dream Mender?
Premier Guitar's reviewer found it about the same size as an MXR pedal. Inside, the circuit board is flipped and occupies the entirety of the enclosure space, which is how Mojo Hand FX fit the design into the small box.
Sources (5)
- Dream Mender, MojoHandFX
- Mojo Hand FX Dream Mender Echo/Chorus/Vibrato, Delicious Audio, 2022-04-25
- Digital Means for Making the Deluxe Memory Man Scene, Premier Guitar, 2020-08-31
- Mojo Hand FX's Dream Mender promises iconic DMM delay tones from a compact pedal, Guitar World, 2020-03-03
- Mojo Hand FX combines echo, chorus and vibrato with the Dream Mender, Guitar.com, 2020-03-03
