Tonebender Question

[theSeeker]

I just built a BYOC ESV Tonebender clone,and it is VERY fuzzy, but the "attack" knob seems to have little effect on the tone or character or anything for that matter? I have no point of reference and can't see any mistakes in the build, so I was wondering if anyone has experience with the two knob tonebender circuit? Does this sound right?

[mhuss]

The attack should control the amount of fuzz. IME it's more like on/off with an impossibly narrow range in between, but there should definitely be a difference between the two extremes.

--mark

[guitar_tod77]

i built one of these a couple of years back. was NOT impressed with it. attack control had little/no effect on things what so ever.
guitar's volume pot is supposed to be where it's at with MKII Tonebenders. even that was not the case with mine. i sold it.
i've been thru a few different MKII's and whilst each has it's own flavour, they're all f*cking GREAT with my DR103.
builders to check out:
Jerms, Castledine, SonicVI, Pigdog England, Solid Stompboxes, Creepy Fingers, and of course the reissue D*A*M/Solasound LTD.
i would assume it's obvious to STAY AWAY form the JMI pedals. other than the kick ass enclosures, they're shit in my opinion. had one. was poo poo.
sold it.

i've a few youtube clips of boxes that have come and gone from my fuzzy lair of a jam room
the last two are MKI variants. a Vintage Pedal Workshop Zonk Machine up against my recent acquisition Creepy Fingers Zonk Machine and a Castledine Supa MKI
they're tops. the Castledine is a super freaky MKI that walks the line between MKI / MKII in my mind.
the Zonk's are superb. perfect marshall crunch with that oh so nasty MKI tonebender charm.

http://youtu.be/7O6Mv4CmgTo
http://youtu.be/Kr7DyWIPcrU
http://youtu.be/cdWQ9wR8Khw
http://youtu.be/QG36P6HM9sg

-cody

[theSeeker]

That sounds just like mine. It is a simple circuit, how can the BYOC clone be so bad?
Dang, I was so close to buying the MJM BritBender before I ordered this kit.
Thanks for the info.

jason

[mhuss]

Germanium transistors are very fickle, both unit to unit and bias setting with temperature. I have the ESV fuzz, and it sounds great, but if you play it for a while the GE transistors warm up a tiny bit, and it loses the magic. When I have time I'm going to try to adjust the bias to accommodate this behavior.

This is one reason some people prefer the Silicon Fuzz Faces.

--mark