Vox Tone Bender

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 11:56 pm

Ok fuzz experts (I'm looking at you Benecol), I want to get one of these because it's the fuzz that Mick Ronson used on those Bowie albums.

BUT I already own a LBM AND I just bought a Fuzz Face off of Noirie, SO will either of those get me the same sound if I try?

In other words, is it worth getting Mike to build me a Tone Bender or am I just stupid because one of the pedals I already own can cover those sounds and I just have to figure out how.

Probably worth mentioning that I don't currently own any guitars with hambuggers so I may not be able to achieve something all that close anyway. Although I do have a powerful gutteral P90 in the neck of my fakeTele.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:01 am

There are tonebender 2's and tonebender 3's, as I understand it, which are pretty different circuits, and some have two knobs and some have three. There's also a huge, tubescreamer-esque amount of geekery surrounding tonebenders, and prices to match. As I understand electrickery, they are a variant of a fuzzface circuit, but a fuzzface won't do the same things. In terms of production pedals, the BYOC is meant to be excellent as well as comparatively cheap; also, Mike makes a nice one (Rob's got one). There are loads of layouts floating around too.

And I'd like one - never had one...

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:03 am

I know that Ronson used the two knobber jobby at least.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:04 am

Link for you. And I'd imagine a tonebender would sound heavenly with P90s.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:06 am

the tonebender is a great fuzz pedal. they tend to have a more rounded sound than a fuzzface, in my experience. there's many different versions and a lot of them are the same pedal but a different maker. i have a tonebender clone mike made me and can say it's a very good fuzz pedal. very controllable from your guitar. humbuckers can make make my tonebenber sound splatty, P90's work well. single coils also work well and are normally favoured for some fuzz pedals.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:07 am

FUCK OFF.

I just discovered that they make a sig copy of his original and it's Â£369!!!!

JMI Mick Ronson Signature MKI Tonebender Specification.

- 1965 Tonebender MKI Reissue
- New Old Stock OC-75 + 2G381 Texas Instrument Transistors

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:10 am

it is said to work best with leaky trannies

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:11 am

my clone is a mkI i think. based on a marshall supa fuzz

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:12 am

Mike could rustle you up a Mk1 for a bit less than that, I reckon.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:13 am

Â£50 i think it was

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:14 am

Is it one of them grumpy old cock pedals that refuses to be daisy chained?

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:16 am

I don't think so.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:19 am

mine is, i can power it on it's own but not in a chain.
i have it on battery all the time.

still has the original in there. fucker wont die.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:20 am

FUUUUUUUU-

I must have one.

I've already decided it will be in an MXR size small enclosure and will be named the WEE BENDER. It shall be sparkly silver in a nod to it's glam rock tone. No room for a batt? Fine, no need for a batt.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:21 am

Progrockabuse wrote:mine is, i can power it on it's own but not in a chain.
i have it on battery all the time.

still has the original in there. fucker wont die.

AAARGH!

Damn these fucking old pedals.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:30 am

like this....

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:59 am

Yes, like that. Except mine will have a blonde wig and knee high platform boots.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 1:01 am

needs bender on it somewhere however.