TONE BENDER MKI: Component Values Table

Tone Bender MKI generic schematic 74f21158c4d4

Like most people, I’ve never even seen an original MKI in the flesh, so I’m relying on online references for this.  The references below all relate to original MKIs – or pedals that are said to be direct replicas of originals built for Sola Sound. Please feel free to comment and point me in the right … Read more

GARY HURST: Tone Bender MKI – Castledine, 0.15″ Vero

GARY HURST CASTLEDINE MK vero layout 9ed15c8d61c1

I wasn’t aware of this version of the MKI until today.  I’m sure you have probably seen the new line of Tone Benders that Sola Sound is releasing.  I noticed that the Stu Castledine version was on vero, and the rest were all on the more familiar MKI board.  So after a little digging, it turns out this … Read more

COLORSOUND: Jumbo Tone Bender

COLORSOUND Jumbo Tone Bender vero layout V1 dd105d2f5dbe

Surprised that I hadn’t done a standard vero layout for this earlier…  The Colorsound Jumbo Tone Bender is just a Big Muff missing some diode clipping and the last boost stage (the lack of diodes in the first clipping stage makes up for the lack of boost). They share nothing in common with their predecessors of the … Read more

SELMER: Buzz Tone, Point to Point Layout

SELMER Buzztone P2P layout v1 0339821cea7f

The Selmer Buzz Tone – three volts of nasty sixties guitar fuzz. I’d strongly recommend reading this first before committing to a build.  If you don’t, disappointment will most likely follow.  Most mid-sixties three transistors fuzzes are notoriously fussy about transistors / biasing.    Plenty of discussion in all of the usual places regarding what works and what doesn’t.   SELMER BUZZ TONE … Read more

JOHN HORNBY SKEWES: Shatterbox, 0.15″ Vero Layout

JHS Shatterbox 015 vero layout v1 700ff3da0d16

Continuing with the Hornby Skewes theme, time for the Shatterbox – original layout below using the old school large format 0.15″ stripboard.  Although I’m not sure if I actually want to build one this way…  apart from all the off-board components, it’s PNP silicon, which is annoying having a positive earth circuit with none of the benefits of … Read more

JOHN HORNBY SKEWES: Selectatone TB2 Treble and Bass Booster, Tag Board Layout

JHS selectatone tb2 tag board layout v1 98bc5b238e14

While on the JHS thing, I noticed this booster and thought it looked interesting.  The output switches between filters to allow for treble and bass boost, unlike most other boosters where it all happens at the input. Very few seem to be around, as I could only find one photo of the internals and one video … Read more

JOHN HORNBY SKEWES: Zonk II, Germanium Version

JHS Zonk II 015 vero layout v1 c7ae1afa1a3f

I started copying the original layout for veroboard and gave up toward the end as it’s a cramped mess – this is a similar but more practical version. The germanium John Hornby Skewes Zonk II is similar to a Fuzz Face but without the 100k feedback resistor, and note that the output cap is taken … Read more

COMPONENT TABLE: Fuzz Face Variants

Fuzz face vairant schem 2fd9b848e2ad

FUZZ FACE VARIANT SCHEMATIC, INCLUDING MK1.5 & VOX TONE BENDERS The schematic includes room for components not present on a standard fuzz face, as some variants have additions.   I thought I’d keep it relatively simple and not venture into circuits with input blends or the various trimmers substituted for resistors (at least for now … Read more