JMI Tone Bender

[JakeK]

I was on YouTube and ran across this


I would do a lot for a Tone Bender, and this JMI version looks extremely cool. Could probably get closer to the Beatles/Who fuzz sound I want than the Fuzz Face (which gets me closer to Hendrix).

[1965]

Except that they're really expensive. Look around a little and you'll find some clones that are just as good but don't have the look. Throbak is the first to come to my mind.

[beatlefreak]

Except that they're really expensive.

That's because they're 'limited'.

[Scastles]

Except that they're really expensive.

That's because they're 'limited'.

You're right there. Try and find one.

[rickosound]

Problem is, this is a copy of the Tone Bender MkII (it even says "Professional MkII" on the case), which is the fuzz pedal Jimmy Page used in Led Zeppelin. The Beatles, Pete Townshend, and Mick Ronson all used Vox Tone Bender MkI.5's, which only use two transistors and sound completely different. To add to the confusion, there is also the Tone Bender MkI, which was used by Jeff Beck in the Yardbirds.

This is a clone of a MkI.5. (He plays "Won't Get Fooled Again" at 3:32 and it nails the sound.) I don't think these are available outside of Brazil, but at least you can hear the difference compared to the JMI. If you want the Beatles/Who sound, you might look into the Phoenix Custom Electronics Lady Stardust - I have one on order and will probably receive it by the end of the month.


Matthew

P.S. If you're wondering why I know all of this, I was confused by all of the Tone Bender incarnations when I was looking for a fuzz pedal for the Yardbirds sound (decided on a Prescription Electronics Yardbox), and figured it all out so I knew what to buy.

[akhv]

Wow, this JMI reissue wold be great for early Zep stuff!

When I searched for that mid-60s fuzz, I too tried a fuzzface, and it didn't have the sound, but maestro fuzztone reissue did.

[whojamfan]

I had that same Tone Bender, except a Vox one, back in the mid 80s, and could not get a sound I liked to save my life. I was playing in a very 60s sounding garage/powerpop type band at the time, so it wasn't like I was trying to sound like Van Halen. Ihad to do the "book" work in those pre internet days to try to find out what those players were using to get those sounds. It was cool as could be to look at, but sounded less than stellar.

Now it seems everybody and his brother is making clones of these things everywhere from 50 bucks to well over 200. From what I understand, tolerances of electronic components varied so greatly, that pedals of the same name could sound quite different. Mine must have been one of the "not so good" sounding ones, as I couldn't see a reason why anyone would want to clone it. Apparantly, though, some folks found some really good ones, cloned them, and charge people a fortune for probably the most inexpensive of all pedals to make. Oddly enough, people buy them, or there wouldn't be anybody making them.

Jake, you're starting college this year, I'm sure you have an "Introduction to Electronics" course that is probably on your "required" list. Do like JMI does, get on the internet, download a schematic for the "holy grail" of fuzzboxes, and build your own. Working with your teacher in understanding how all of this stuff works will help you comprehend how changing values of components can fine tune the sound, and build one that does exactly what you feel it should. Being the stickler for details, I'm sure you could make one that would nail whoevers tone on whatever song without fail. Might be a good way to earn a few extra bucks at school, as I'm sure I'm not the only one here who would buy one

[JakeK]

Let me ask you this, Mike: Would you want to use a Fuzz Face over the Tone Bender?

[customxke]

I know of at least 6 Fuzz Face configurations, so that's a difficult question to answer. But then again, you asked Mike.

[JakeK]

I have the Dunlop Fuzz Face, Jonathan reissue, made July 2008. What other configurations do you know?

[customxke]

The first run "Arbiter" (pre "Dallas-Arbiter") Fuzz Faces alone carried either (germanium) AC128, NKT275, or cSF363 transistors. So that's three variants from 1966 alone. Most of the "Dallas-Arbiter" fuzz faces (The original red or blue ones) also had one of these, or later (silicon) BC108C, BC183L, BC109, BC109C, and BC209C. I don't even know about the Dunlop reissues, other than I've never heard one I liked. My favorite fuzz pedal is a blue Dallas-Arbiter fuzz face with an NKT275, but with that said, I usually don't like fuzz faces. Its such a personal taste. I don't really hear any similarity at all between an early fuzz face, and later ones.

[whojamfan]

I can only answer that question if you put the two units side by side, as there are numerous "versions" floating around, with too wide a range of tolerances to the components.
I've got all the fuzz I ever wanted without having to buy either. Every one I ever tried seemed to stop short of what I was looking for. Maybe the one I owned ,and the ones I tried, just happened to be poor examples of what a proper one can do. It wouldn't surprise me, given all of the variables of the vintage units I took for test drives.
It's as simple as this Jake, plug it in, and if it works for you, you've got your answer.

[whojamfan]

Jake, I was serious about making your own pedal. I would honestly buy one, as I know it would be both unique and sound great!