The Legendary Pedal Sano First Encountered: “TONE BENDER MkI”
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What Is the Tone Bender MkI? The History and Features Behind the Birth of a Legendary Fuzz
The TONE BENDER MkI Arrives at TCGAKKI
When I first received this offer, I was so flustered that I couldn’t hide my astonishment—I actually thought, “Surely this can’t be real… is this a dream?” Even for me, having worked with over 2,000 Effectors a year for more than a decade, this was a first-time encounter.
And no wonder—the TONE BENDER MkI, often hailed as a “phantom pedal” due to its rarity, was, against all odds, being entrusted to our store.
The previous owner (Mr. A), who sold it to us, works primarily in the music industry. He told us that his initial interest in the TONE BENDER was sparked by being deeply impressed by Jimmy Page’s guitar sound in Led Zeppelin.“Such a raw distortion,” he thought. “How can I recreate that sound?” As he continued his search, he delved deeper into the history of the MkII. Since he’s a huge Beatles fan—and had even been present at one of George Martin’s recording sessions through his work—he began searching for the MkI, the pinnacle of the series, hoping to own one someday. After searching for about three years, he finally managed to get his hands on an MkI!
“You won’t find one even in the UK.”
The path to getting it wasn’t smooth. When he asked certain people, they’d say, “There are hardly any in the UK,” and eventually even, “I’ve never seen one.” Finally, through a series of introductions from acquaintances in the UK, he ended up connecting with—of all people—an acquaintance of Gary Hurst, who lives in London! Around 2010
, that person sold him two MkIs at once: a wooden one and a metal-cased one!The sound was simply incredible, and he says he still can’t forget the thrill he felt the first time he played it. He’s particularly fond of the wooden MkI version and has been unable to part with it ever since. Thinking about the future
, he realized that his own opportunities to use it would gradually diminish. Rather than keeping it for himself, he felt a strong desire to pass this pedal on to future generations. That’s why he decided to part with it and offer it to Mr. Sano, who truly understands the pedal’s quality and rarity.
About Gary Hurst
He is the creator of the Tone Bender and, thanks to his rich imagination and extraordinary talent, is known as “the man who laid the roots of today’s Effectors,” though the details of his life remain largely a mystery
. He learned from his father and started out building radios, but he always had a deep interest in music. Around 1963, after building valve tape echoes, he went on to develop the Tone Bender in 1965.
In 1968, he left the UK for Italy, where he designed keyboards for Crumar and Elka. In the mid-1970s, he founded Electronic Sounds, a company that manufactured keyboards and guitar pedals. The brand remained in operation until the early 1980s.
In 1968, he left the UK for Italy, where he designed keyboards for Crumar and Elka. In the mid-1970s, he founded Electronic Sounds, a company that manufactured keyboards and guitar Effectors. The company ceased operations in the early 1980s, as digital instruments became widespread and more affordable.
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History and Features of the TONE BENDER
The Tone Bender is a pedal consisting of a three-transistor circuit based on the Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone. Countless replicas are still being made today, and it has had a tremendous influence on later fuzz pedals and other effects.
Engineer Gary Hurst began manufacturing and selling them around the summer of 1965.
Early models were housed in a wooden case reportedly made by his brother. These were prototypes; later models used a gold-finished, foldable steel enclosure.Production of the MkI is believed to have continued until December 1965. This was followed by the Mk2 and Mk3 (Mk4)—famous for their use by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page—and in between, there was the Mk1.5, a version equipped with two transistors. In this article, I’d like to focus on the MkI, which is considered the rarest of them all
.
In 1965, in a back room of Macari’s Musical Exchange—a music store located at 22 Denmark Street in London—guitarists were searching for a new sound from their amplifiers: specifically, “a sound with more distortion and sustain.”Vick Flick of the instrumental rock ’n’ roll group The John Barry Seven owned an original Maestro Fuzz-Tone and reportedly requested a pedal with greater sustain. So Gary Hurst built him a new fuzz box.
He named it the “Tone Bender.” The very first few “Tone Benders” were housed in wooden enclosures and cost 14 guineas. Jeff Beck was one of his first customers, and the Tone Bender was used on many singles, including the Yardbirds’ classic “Heart Full Of Soul,” as Gary Hurst recalls.
Gary Hurst first built 10 wooden prototypes before moving on to crafting steel units. He reportedly added a small “SOLA SOUND” logo to the casings of the units he made to sell under the SOLA SOUND name. What is currently
known is that units with the “Instant Lettering” specification (no small “SOLASOUND” logo on the shoulder / “TONE BENDER” font is thin or thick, and slightly squashed horizontally) tend to have lower output, while the silk-screen version (featuring a small “SOLASOUND” logo on the shoulder and a “TONE BENDER” font that is thick and slightly elongated vertically) tends to have higher output; it is believed that Jeff Beck used the former and Mick Ronson used the latter.
However, since there is variation in appearance and sound from unit to unit, I don’t think it’s accurate to say that these characteristics apply to every single one.
Gary Hurst TONE BENDER MkI Wooden Case
Appearance and Specifications
Size: 20 × 15 × 5 (cm)
Weight: Approx. 275 g (extremely lightweight for a pedal)
Material: The type of wood is unknown, but the grain is clearly visible, and while it’s very light, the quality is far from what you’d call “high-end” based on the wood alone. However, it has an outstanding presence!
First off, I was surprised by how strangely precise the case’s dimensions are: 20 × 15 × 5 (cm). It’s
unpainted and has no logos, giving off the warmth unique to wood. The case is assembled with what are commonly called wooden dowels, and the top panel—where the parts are mounted—makes it nearly impossible to inspect the fine details inside without completely disassembling it. As a result, I had quite a hard time taking photos of the interior.The battery cover, which includes the
footswitch, is secured with four wood screws; to replace the batteries, you need to remove those four screws to open and close it.There is a metal plate on the back of the battery cover for reinforcement, but it flexes slightly when the switch is turned on or off, so I’m always on edge, worried it might crack. I’ve seen images of units equipped with silver
knobs, but this particular unit has black plastic ones.
The surface feels nice to the touch and is polished to a smooth finish. Since it’s simply assembled from thin pieces of wood, it has a delicate feel—as if it might break at any moment—so I have to be extremely careful when handling it.
About the Sound
First off, what kind of sound do you think a wooden Tone Bender produces? Here’s what I honestly felt after playing the actual unit.
The volume level is quite high; the ATTACK (right) control starts producing plenty of distortion around the 9 o’clock position. Beyond that, the amount of distortion doesn’t seem to increase significantly. When turned all the way up, a shocking fuzz sound bursts out that feels like it’s piercing the top of your head. The sound from the front pickup, in particular, is sweet and mellow, with a genuine, organic nuance that transports the player back to the music scene of the 1960s.
With ample gain and sustain, I was particularly impressed by the crisp, gate-like, choppy, and rich sound that cuts through the mix exceptionally well.I’ve played countless MkI replica models over the years, but I think this sound clearly sets itself apart from them. It responds exceptionally well to the guitar’s volume control, and the bell-like clean to crunch tones when the volume is rolled back are absolutely superb. Personally, I’ve never experienced anything better!! (Note: Since it uses germanium transistors, I’ve noticed that the “gated” effect becomes more pronounced when the ambient temperature is quite low.)
Internal Components
I confirmed three transistors. There doesn’t appear to be a printed circuit board; the wiring is mostly open-wired. Due to the design, it can’t be disassembled, so I couldn’t verify the exact part numbers, but it uses black-capped germanium transistors. Incidentally, the battery snap has been replaced and isn’t the original one. Looking at the solder joints and other details, it’s clear some modifications have been made.
The footswitch section is secured with four Phillips-head screws, so when I removed them...
A photo from the front. The OUTPUT jack is immediately visible, and on the left, you can see a germanium transistor (black cap). What lies behind it isn’t visible due to its special design!
Even when turned upside down, this is all you can see. It’s equipped with parts typical of the ’60s. It’s so exciting!
Since it’s made of wood, it’s structurally impossible to ground it, so some noise is probably unavoidable.
“Since wood screws are used for the battery compartment cover, repeatedly opening and closing it causes the screw holes to widen, making it impossible to tighten them properly. This is what happens after multiple removals and reinstallations.” → Image caption: Condition of the wood screw holes
The control knobs are arranged in what’s known as a “cross-eyed” configuration. This is the original Tone Bender!
Gary Hurst (SOLA SOUND) TONE BENDER MkI
Appearance & Specifications
Dimensions: 20.5 × 10.5 × 6 (cm; includes protrusions on the bottom)
Weight: 970 g—it feels very substantial. Material: Steel → The logo comes in two versions: instant lettering and silkscreen. This unit features the silkscreen version.
It features a folded steel construction. The gold finish gives it a premium look, and the logo is silk-screened. The gold isn’t a solid coat; instead, it shimmers and reflects light as you change the angle—much like the gold top on a Les Paul.
The “TONE BENDER” lettering is tall and slightly narrow. “SOLA SOUNDS LTD” is printed in small letters near the left shoulder. The unit can be removed by unscrewing the four small screws on the side. There are no rubber feet on the bottom; instead, the housing itself has four round protrusions. It has a solid, substantial build, so it remains stable no matter how hard you step on it and is sturdy enough that it won’t break even if you roll it around.
About the Sound
Even with the “ATTACK” control set to 0, there is already some distortion. Similar to the wooden-case version, the distortion increases sharply starting at the 9 o’clock position, and beyond that point, there isn’t much difference in the amount of distortion.Overall, it’s a mild, rounded high-gain fuzz sound with a gated quality; when you turn down the guitar volume, it sounds less like a bell-like clean tone and more like a mild overdrive. The distortion is different from the
wooden-case version, giving the impression of a wild sound that’s completely distinct from a replica.
Internal Components
It is equipped with one OC75 (Mullard) transistor and two 2G381 (Texas Instruments) transistors. Other components include 500KΩ (LEVEL) and 50KΩ (ATTACK) pots, CLIFF IN/OUT jacks, a sturdy black HUNTS A337, WIMA 25/15 and 0.01/400 capacitors, and Allen Bradley resistors. The battery snap has been replaced. Looking at the solder work and other areas, you can see that some minor modifications have been made.
Here are some other points that caught my attention.
On the left side of the angled shoulder of the enclosure, the words “SOLASOUND” are visible. This is a unit that Gary Hurst specially built for “SOLASOUND” distribution. In terms of its gate-like, mild fuzz sound, it isn’t much different from the wooden-case version; however, it has clearly evolved beyond the wooden-case prototype into a fully realized Tone Bender.
First, let’s take off the back cover… The jack is the type that’s mounted directly to the chassis.
The parts are simply stunning and exude vintage charm. If you’re a pedal enthusiast, this alone is enough to make you eat three bowls of rice!
There are no rubber feet; instead, the bottom of the enclosure features four raised sections that serve as the feet—a distinctive design feature.
Artists Who Used the TONE BENDER MkI
Below are some of the main
artists who used it: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Mick Ronson, Pete Townshend, and others
4 Classic Tracks Where You Can Hear the Tone Bender MkI in Action!!
Jeff Beck - Yardbirds/Heart Full Of Soul (1965)
https://youtu.be/TvMy6cF7XeMゲイリー・Jeff Beck’s playing—one of Mr.
Hurst’s first customers. The memorable refrain in the intro remains as striking today as ever.
Steve Winwood - The Spencer Davis Group/Keep on Running (1965)
https://youtu.be/kamXvqoL_JAスペンサー・A performance by Steve Winwood from his
Spencer Davis Group days. You can hear a heavily distorted, explosive fuzz sound in the riff, the middle section, and the ending.
Paul McCartney (Bass) - The Beatles / “Think for Yourself” (1965)
https://youtu.be/vtx5NTxebJkあのビートルズのポール – McCartney also used it on bass. It’s that song everyone has probably heard.
Mick Ronson - David Bowie / “Ziggy Stardust” (1972)
https://youtu.be/G8sdsW93ThQデヴィッド—Mick Ronson, Bowie’s right-hand man, is famous for continuing to use the MkI well into the ’70s. He tended to use it more like an overdrive pedal.
The “TONE BENDER MkI” possessed the ultimate sound—one that brings joy to every pedal enthusiast. Having encountered countless replicas (reissues) over the years
, the one thing I can say with certainty is that no matter how faithfully a replica is made to match the original, it will never sound exactly the same. It may go without saying, but the original has its own unique sound, and unfortunately, it’s impossible to create a replica that matches it perfectly in every detail.
I felt extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to experience this legendary Effector—which was produced over a period of just four months, from around the summer of 1965 through December—and it was a valuable experience that I can apply to my future work as the Effector specialist at TCGAKKI.
I would like to dedicate this column to Jeff Beck, who passed away suddenly in January 2023 and was one of the first musicians to use the Tone Bender.
Written by: Sano, Assistant Store Manager at TCGAKKI – Expert in Niche Effectors
Known as one of the industry’s leading record enthusiasts, he is particularly well-versed in ’70s hard rock and progressive rock. His favorite guitar is a Gibson Flying V. He is also well-known in certain circles as a collector of retro video games.
As TCGAKKI’s undisputed Effector specialist, he is an “Effector master” who appraises and inspects over 2,000 Effectors annually.
Qualifications and Achievements: 20 years as a musical instrument appraiser; contributor and consultant for publications such as Guitar Magazine
▶︎Click here for his articles: A Thorough Analysis of the Appeal of the
BOSS OD-1 “Silver Screw” Era / The
Legendary “TONE BENDER MkI”
/ Ace Tone FM-2: A Deadstock Miracle!
/ ROCKMAN Revival “GOAT Series”
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