Your Thoughts on a Reissue Tone Bender MK II?

[Butcher of Strats]

How about this one : Mark III replica.

JHS Pedals, Kansas City USA— Fuzz Series - Bender

www.jhspedals.info

Interesting, he calls it a replica but uses silicone rather than germanium transistors.

Many arguments around some feeling that silicone can sound the same while many or most seem to disagree.
Using germanium takes more effort sourcing and sorting the transistors.
In some cases the buyer must also learn to adjust the bias control if it has one, for temperature concerns.
I have some ge fuzzz with inconsistency issues and other ge fuzzz that are really right on every time with no need to adjust bias.

 

[Butcher of Strats]

That’s the one I’m talking about. It’s a mkIII, not a II and it’s silicon not germanium like the original benders. For mkIII the Park Fuzz by EqD is the best modern one.

We posted at the same time, funny that he calls it a replica?
One would think a replica would be the exact same, not a changed circuit.

 

[Toppalini]

That’s all great about the muff but it’s not a Tonebender and sounds nothing like one so since the OP asked about benders and already owns that big muff not really germane to the topic.

Ok fuzz but silicon not germanium and not in the same league as the British Pedal Co ones, they’re insanely good. I wish I’d never sold mine.

Yeah JHS pedals have become a joke in my opinion. Aside from their pedals that do a lot like the multi muff thing, or rat pack, where you get 9 pedals in one.

JHS has some cool stuff but a lot of what they make is ridiculous and not even close to what you’d expect from something like an analog man pedal. Same price except aman will get you a custom made pedal that’s through hole hand wired with ge transistors if it’s a bender…

 

[Toppalini]

Interesting, he calls it a replica but uses silicone rather than germanium transistors.

Many arguments around some feeling that silicone can sound the same while many or most seem to disagree.
Using germanium takes more effort sourcing and sorting the transistors.
In some cases the buyer must also learn to adjust the bias control if it has one, for temperature concerns.
I have some ge fuzzz with inconsistency issues and other ge fuzzz that are really right on every time with no need to adjust bias.

Wilson fx has a germanium bender for like 155! With tons of knobs. I’ll take Kevin’s gear any day over JHS, or mikes stuff at analog man. Also you can easily talk with Kevin or Mike. Josh Scott isn’t going to talk to us not famous peasants.

I complained about jhs only doing surface mount claiming it’s better, analog Mike set record straight, said on TGP they do SMD to save time and money. Same goes for the silicon transistors.

Analog Mike was going to do a custom sun face for me with bias pots on both transistors for no extra charge like the peppermint fuzz. I didn’t actually end up getting it though. But you could ask Mike for whatever fuzz you want, however you want and he’ll make it happen for 200-300. And you can actually flip it for a profit since there a long wait time.

 

[Toppalini]

We posted at the same time, funny that he calls it a replica?
One would think a replica would be the exact same, not a changed circuit.

Yeah man, JHS is ridiculous nowadays. They had a good bender back in the golden age before my time… the firefly? Anyway it had 3 ge transistors and those are all $400+ like all the early jhs gear.

 

[Oldiemurphy]

No!
Never heard of the brand and google says he only is 44 miles from me!
Not really fuzz hunting any more as I concluded many cool fuzzz are cool but more novelty items compared to the few I find really useful.

FWIW I find old timey germanium fuzzz tend to be too bassy, and either lack treble and mids or else have that giant insect scooped sound, but with the speakers blowing up from massive square wave bass boost.
I like bass & drums to have their bottom all to themselves, no interest in messing with THEIR mojo!

That is actually what I like about Benders over FF but I found fuzz I like even more than Benders in the Mojo Hand Crosstown, which is a ge FF with added bass control and treble control, though those are not exactly "tone controls" as they sit in some other part of the circuit.

I do not really need the mid hump that some fuzz pedals add, just primarily bass cut and if a FF then a bit more treble helps for my rig.
Users of mid scooped Fender amps may need a different fuzz to be audible outside the bedroom.

The only fuzz I currently have is a Wampler Velvet which supposedly emulates a FF into a cranked Plexi. So FF/Bluesbreaker?? But the problem I have is that it's way too bassy for my taste. I dime the brightness knob and there's still too much bottom.

 

[Butcher of Strats]

The only fuzz I currently have is a Wampler Velvet which supposedly emulates a FF into a cranked Plexi. So FF/Bluesbreaker?? But the problem I have is that it's way too bassy for my taste. I dime the brightness knob and there's still too much bottom.

Then you might really love the Crosstown.
At this setting the bottom is quite lean, and rolling the "body" knob all the way down it has very little bass, or full up it is super bassy.
Then the tone knob herebis below noon and the tone is not dull, has plenty more treble though is you like neck pickup fuzz.
These are hybrid with one silicone and one germanium transistor but also an internal bias pot.
The clean up with guitar volume knob is typical good FF cleanup associated with germanium transistors, really usable clean and the bass cut Hendrix clean thing is there in spades.
Funny thing is Mojo Hand sells them for under 150 bucks!
Worth at least looking for one to try in a shop or take a chance and just buy one.
The former version was called the Huckleberry and those are around used.
I have both and cannot hear a difference.
Both are on my board because the lower gain setting is really nice as well as the gain full up setting.

 

[Oldiemurphy]

Then you might really love the Crosstown.
At this setting the bottom is quite lean, and rolling the "body" knob all the way down it has very little bass, or full up it is super bassy.
Then the tone knob herebis below noon and the tone is not dull, has plenty more treble though is you like neck pickup fuzz.
These are hybrid with one silicone and one germanium transistor but also an internal bias pot.
The clean up with guitar volume knob is typical good FF cleanup associated with germanium transistors, really usable clean and the bass cut Hendrix clean thing is there in spades.
Funny thing is Mojo Hand sells them for under 150 bucks!
Worth at least looking for one to try in a shop or take a chance and just buy one.
The former version was called the Huckleberry and those are around used.
I have both and cannot hear a difference.
Both are on my board because the lower gain setting is really nice as well as the gain full up setting.

View attachment 646400

Thanks for the tip!

 

[Guithartic]

Electric Lady what?

I meant Deluxe Electric Mistress.