ThroBak Electronics Stone BenderThroBak Electronics Stone Bender
The original Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII Professional is one of the great fuzz pedals of all time. I know that's a phrase that gets thrown around way too much, but when you think of the tones created by Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, a large part of it has to do with this legendary pedal.

If you are inspired to search for an original, consider yourself forewarned, as the prices on these have gone beyond crazy. If you are lucky enough to even find an original on eBay you can expect to have to part with a vital organ to pay for it. Even the Sola Sound re-issue form the 90's goes for around £500. Originals can be double that and more depending on condition.

There is another...

...click for larger pic
Throbak Electronics, who make some of my favourite boutique pedals including the Overdrive Boost and the Strange Master treble booster, are now producing a faithful reproduction of the 3 germanium transistor Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII with a couple of extra very cool features thrown in.
In standard mode it sounds like a glorious late 60's early 70's 3 transistor Tone Bender, a thick, overtone rich fuzz with plenty of bite and top end. Tone Benders sound very different from other classic fuzzes such as the Fuzz Face which run the risk of being too woolly in the bottom end. A Tone Bender will poke through even the thickest mix without you having to play at stadium volume levels. There is a quality to them in the way they handle the initial attack of the note that is punchy and vibrant, so for those who could use a bit more edge on their fuzz tones, this is the pedal for you.
Hot Mods
One of my favourite things about Throbak pedals is that they understand how to get the most flexibility out of a legendary circuit without messing up what made it so great in the first place. On the Stone Bender we have a couple of selector switches that open up some fantastic possibilities. The pre-gain switch on the top of the pedal is transforms the input-gain so the overall tone becomes tighter. It turns the pedal from classic fuzz into more of a hi-gain organic overdrive but it retains the Tone Bender character. The tone colour switch on the side smooth's out any harsh frequencies, which works a treat, especially when you're using this pedal with cleaner amps at higher Attack settings. The two controls Level and Attack are also very interactive. The Attack controls the gain but even at its lowest setting it's still pretty raucous. Infact one of my favourite tones in this pedal is with the Attack all the way down and the Level all the way up.

How much should I pay?
You can get these direct from Throbak Electronics in the US for $229. For me, a Tone Bender is the other MUST HAVE fuzz pedal. Being able to get one that sounds so great, and is so flexible in a small enclosure makes the Stone Bender a no brainer.