TONE BENDER (MkI/Metal Case) [Free Shipping through August 31]

A model that many pedal enthusiasts may never encounter in their entire lives: the TONE BENDER MKI, of which only about 50 units were produced in 1965!

The Tone Bender is a pedal featuring a circuit based on the Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone, consisting of three transistors. 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 these units around the summer of 1965. Early units were housed in wooden cases reportedly made by his brother.This was a prototype; later models used a gold-finished, folded steel enclosure. Production of the MkI is said to have continued until December 1965. This was followed by the Mk2 and Mk3 (Mk4)—famous for being used by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page—as well as the Mk1.5, a variant featuring two transistors, which was released in between.

Dimensions: 20.5 × 10.5 × 6 (including the protrusion on the bottom) (cm);
Weight: 970 g—it feels very substantial. Material: Steel → The logo comes in two versions: instant lettering and silkscreen.This unit features the silk-screened logo. It is made of folded steel. It has a luxurious gold finish and a silk-screened logo. The gold finish isn’t a solid coat; instead, it sparkles and reflects light when viewed from different angles. This is similar to the look seen on a Les Paul Goldtop.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 disassembled by removing 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 it’s sturdy enough that it won’t break even if you roll it around.

It’s already distorted at the “ATTACK” control setting of 0, and just like the model with the wooden case, the distortion increases sharply starting at the 9 o’clock position, after which there isn’t much difference in the amount of distortion.Overall, it produces a mild, rounded high-gain fuzz sound with a distinct gate character; when the guitar volume is turned down, the tone resembles a mild overdrive rather than a bell-like clean sound. The distortion is different from that of the
wooden-case version, giving the impression of a wild sound that’s entirely distinct from a replica.

It is equipped with one OC75 (Mullard) 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. Upon closer inspection of the solder work, you can see that some minor modifications have been made.

Click here to read a column by our staff member, Sano.

Year: 1965

Accessories: None

Handled by: Sano

*The warranty period is one month from the date of purchase.

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