Question: What's better than a Tonebender?

[mshuptar]

Answer: TWO TONEBENDERS, of course!

I built one for me and one for a friend. He and I were in our first band together back in high school (15 years ago, wow). Part of the fun with this project has been swapping out transistors and adjusting the trimmers. As I was dialing in these two pedals, I was hearing sounds that were similar to some of my guitar heroes. Like, "Oh, that sounds like 'Satisfaction', that sounds like early Zeppelin, this sounds like the Black Keys." ect.





The lightning bolt Tonebender has two BC109s and a 2n5088 in Q3. It can get some good "Mick Ronson / Spiders From Mars" tones. The copper one has three 2n3904s and is more dialed to Page / Zepp sounds. (I know that Ronson and Page used Ge Tonebenders, but with my LP Standard, Orange Dual Terror and Vox AC15, I was able to get close enough.)

Special shoutout to Mgwhit who helped me with a troubleshooting issue, and TreeSlayer who sent me two diodes because I forgot to add them in my original order. I've now built 12 pedals and I think I'm getting to the point where I should buy parts in bulk instead of ordering individual transistors / caps / resistors for each individual project. I inevitably end up forgetting something in each order.

PS: I also made a two function footswitch for my AC15. Can you believe they charge $40 for these at Guitar Center? Sheesh. (However, this is probably my first and last 1590A - way too small for my hands to work.)

[playpunk]

These are all great, but I really really dig the footswitch. I should get to work with those paint pens I bought.....

[pickdropper]

These are all great, but I really really dig the footswitch. I should get to work with those paint pens I bought.....

Yeah, love the footswitch.  Puts the fun back in function.

[selfdestroyer]

Looks fantastic. Love the artwork for sure.

Cody

[Hogharry]

Very nice! Good to hear at you were able to tune them to your satisfaction. 

[cooder]

Really cool and yes the footswitch graphics made me smile...! Cool stuff 

[gtr2]

Sweet!

[nzCdog]

haha... i was totally freaking about the AC15 switch at first...
(ZOMG how can he fit both those fx in 1590a!?!?! What pcbs? etc)
Very tidy work