UPDATE: Based on cool info supplied by YOU, dear readers, I’m expanding the scope of this piece. I’m furiously wiring up clones of some very rare models, and I can promise many cool and interesting surprises. Thanks, guys! :beer:
Okay, now that we’ve all gotten that silly “reading” stuff out of our systems with Book Week, it’s time to get back to the real focus of this blog: nasty, filthy fuzz pedals.
Last time we were on the subject, we looked at the original version of Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face, and included Mitchell “super-freq” Hudson’s beautiful DIY instructions.
Those posts generated many interesting comments — plus some misinformation on my part. For example, I said that the original Fuzz Face circuit is a close cousin to the Tone Bender Mk I, which would mean, for example, that known Mk 1 user Mick Ronson was essentially using a Fuzz Face between his Les Paul and his Marshall. But subsequent listening and reading makes me believe I was wrong. So I figured it was time to play fuzz detective and sort the facts from the other stuff.
First, I made clones of all the early commercial fuzzes. I’ll be posting a compare-and-contrast video in the coming days. (The audio forensics will be quite incriminating.) Here’s the lineup:
The usual suspects. (Incriminating audio/video evidence to be posted soon!)
I’ve also re-read the experts, and man, even my most trusted sources contradict each other right and left, especially when it comes to those darn Tone Benders. While I have absolutely no inside dope on what actually transpired, I think David from D*A*M Stompboxes offers the most convincing Tone Bender chronology, which you can read here.
Anyway, here’s my best guess about how the early fuzz years unfolded:
- Fuzz effects before 1962 were usually created via malfunctioning (or deliberately damaged) gear.
- In 1962 or 1963, Maestro introduced the first mass-produced fuzz pedal: the Fuzz Tone FZ-1. (The “Satisfaction” fuzz.) It used three germanium transistors.
- In 1965 Gary Hurst altered the FZ-1 circuit for more sustain. This became the first Sola Sound Tone Bender (the so-called Mk 1). This, apparently is what Ronson used, and the circuit differs greatly from that of a Fuzz Face.
- In 1966, Sola released a two-transistor Tone Bender, now known as the Mk 1.5. That same year, Dallas Arbiter released the first Fuzz Face, a two-transistor circuit that’s very similar to the Mk 1.5. (David from D*A*M floats the theory that the circuit was “leaked/loaned” to Arbiter.) Italian-made Vox Tone Benders use a similar circuit. (If you google “tonebender mk 1, chances are you’ll find many Mk 1.5 schematics along with the correct Mk I schematic.)
- Sola quickly reverted to a three-transistor design, unleashing the explosive Mk II. Sola also built the nearly-identical Supa Fuzz for Marshall.
[UPDATE: In comments readers Eric Lubick links to a 2009 interview with Tone Bender creator Gary Hurst, who emphasizes the drop in quality between the initial made-in-UK Tone Benders, which were just rebranded, UK-made Mk IIs, and the later Italian ones, which used a two-transisor design.]
The explosive Mk II is probably the most coveted Tone Bender (though not by me, for reasons I’ll cover in the demos). And FWIW, I’ve found that any properly functioning germanium transistors of equal hFE (the metric used to indicate transistor gain) sound very similar, regardless of model number. Unlike with silicon transistors, there can be substantial hFE differences between two transistors of the model, and opinions vary greatly about the optimal hFE ratings for germanium fuzzes. But if anyone tells you the magic ingredient in a pedal is a particular model of germanium transistor, be skeptical — especially if they’re trying to sell you something.
So do any of you guys have a definite favorite among these classic fuzzes? Can any of you fuzz mavens point out details I may have gotten wrong? Any particular types of chords or single-note phrases you especially want to hear in the upcoming demos? Any particular guitars? And most important, what do you think it will sound like when I turn on all of them at once? :shake:
Just got turned on to this song today (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MzmzqZJQjQ)
“Sweet and Tender Romance” by The McKinleys from 1964 with a spiffy fuzz guitar break by Little Jim Page @1:12. Sounds a lot like a Tone Bender MK1, but that would throw your chronology off a bit. And what to make of the vicious 1964 fuzz on “Come Back Baby” by Lord Sutch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJb5JbXnmjE)? I don’t think its Maestro FZ.
Wow, thanks for turning me on to two great solos. They’re my favorite kind: nasty, brutish, and short. The McKinleys track could be an FZ-1. I don’t have any idea what’s going on in the Sutch song! Going to listen to that some more.
See what you think when I post the audio comparisons.
At some point Roger Mayer was providing fuzz to Page, Big Jim Sullivan and Beck (who allegedly plays on “Come Back Baby”). Before there were Tonebenders?
I’ve always thought that Tone Benders sounded more compressed and “zippery” than Fuzz Faces which have a kind of “excessive overdrive” feel to them.
though I’ll be honest I havent really explored the differences between the different Bender versions, my uneducated impression is they get thinner and more aggressive as MK# increases.
I immediately think Zeppelin I when I think Tone Bender. the first solo break on How Many More Times is one of my go-tos for testing fuzz pedals, in my mind thats the “Tone Bender sound”.
No idea how correct this is but it does have good info on the Little Big Muff I had around 75 or 76.Which was my first Fuzz that I ran into my 68 or 69 Bassman with the giant 2 x 15 cab. Kind of funny I left that rig somewhere and never went back and got it.Crazy world :cuckoo: ?
https://hewittsgaragestudio.com/fuzz-timeline.php
Excellent! Thanks for posting! This chronology is looking very plausible to me. Very helpful to the present quest!
Check this : https://www.italianshadowscommunity.com/solisti/Gary/Gary.pdf
Oh man — thanks Eric!
(The link above opens a PDF of a VERY relevant interview with Gary Hurst, father of the Tone Bender — unless, of course, you think of the FZ-1 as the father.)
Hurst underscores several key points: everyone copied everyone (he totally acknowledges the FZ-1 inspiration). Units varied according to whatever parts were on hand, as with most early stompboxes. And it’s hard to get rich soldering pedals.
I have always been a fan of Ronson’s tone. I love how on a tune like Michael Chapman’s “Soulful Lady” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnlWra7ELAg) his lead and rhythm parts show off how effective different volume levels through the tone bender result in a wide variety of tones.
I share your opinion! But the funny thing is, the two-transistor Mk 1.5 is vastly more dynamic in that regard than the Mk 1. Oops — now I’m spoiling some of the surprises. 😉
Oh boy, I’m looking forward to the demos of these lil’ demons!
I have a Maestro FZ-1B which is the bass model it gates a little higher than a guitar but a MXR red box compressor solves that. The input is a hard wired 6 foot cable with a male 1/4″ plug on it (so you didn’t need to buy a cable to connect it between guitar and amp.
I wouldn’t mind hearing something with a spy/surf vibe.
Oh, TWIST MY ARM, Larry! 😉
cool!
A. A video comparison of all of those is likely to become the most watched gear video on youtube
B. I salute you on your labeling 🙂
Thanks. And oh man, this project has gotten WAY more ambitious since I posted this a few days ago. Update coming soon! 🙂
Note that the Screaming Lord Sutch song is a Joe Meek production, so the fuzz could well have been cooked up by Meek himself.
Oh yeah — makes sense. It has that trademark Meek “What the bloody hell is THAT noise?” quality, doesn’t it? 🙂