The Tone Bender Timeline
VISIT MY SWORDS, KNIVES and FANTASY ART WEBSITE www.kitrae.net
This page is periodically updated to reflect new information. Do not reprint or repost without permission.
©2009 Kit Rae. Last update May 2013.
•2004 - Gary Hurst MKI Tone Bender reissue - These were a short test run of MKI style Tone Benders completely hand made by Gary Hurst, with strip board circuits. Even the enclosures were hand made in Gary's own machine shop. Branded Gary Hurst. These were not made or sold through Macaris and have no connection with Colorsound/Sola Sound.
•2004 - Effect builder Roger Mayer releases his Page 1 fuzz pedal, which he marketerd as a replica of his very first fuzz, the one he made for jimmy Page in 1964. This version has a tone control and buffered output not found on the original. The fuzz section of the circuit loosely resembles the Gibson Maestro FZ-1 he based it on, but it also resembles the Tone Bender MKII circuit.
•2005 - Gary Hurst MKI Signature Tone Bender reissue on market - Same as above, but these were a production version. Some circuits were strip boarded as before, some were pcb circuits, and some were gooped in black spray paint. Despite being marketed as super accurate MKI replicas in the MKI enclosure, the circuit was actually completely inaccurate, as it was the MKII version. The gold finish was actually a flat gold paint or powder coat, not like the hammerite style finish of the original MKI Tone Benders. Only a small number were made, probably less than 100.
•2006 - The Harrison father and son team (Richard and Justin, owners of Music Ground) purchase rights for the old JMI trademark (some sources state this was actually purchased in 1997). There is no actual relationship to the original Jennings Musical Instruments company. Music Ground had a bad reputation in the music industry for shady deals, trademark infringement, and selling counterfeit vintage guitars and amps (in 2011 they were charged with selling 30 stolen vintage guitars from a million dollar guitar theft in Italy in 2006). In 2006 they launched a line of JMI reissue amplifiers, supervised and built by original JMI engineer Steve Giles. Steve parted ways with JMI in 2010 when he said they became "intolerable to work with", but the amps he made while at JMI were very well received and reportedly very well built.
•2007 - The words Tone Bender are trademarked by Macaris Ltd in the EU and UK, legally claiming their rights to the name.
•2008 - Jimmy Page is shown using a MKII Professional Tone Bender in the documentary It Might Get Loud (shown above). It is unclear exactly which Tone Bender this is. There is also a closeup shot in the film of a MKII, but that appears to be a 1990s reissue MKII. It was possibly shot at a later date and inserted into the film, as the background looks different than the wide shot of Page using one.
•2009 - JMI (the Harrisons/Music Ground) bring replicas of the original Tone Benders to market - a wood cased MKI Prototype Tone Bender, metal cased MKI, and cast metal cased MKII Professional. JMI never made the original 1960's-1970's Gary Hurst or Sola Sound Tone Benders (unless you count the Italian made Vox versions), nor were they associated publicly with them, but oddly, the Harrisons marketed and marked these new replicas as JMI Tone Benders. Although these are not authentic Sola Sound Tone Benders (those come from Macaris), these have similar looks, circuits, and sounds as the originals. Justin Harrison stated he had an exclusive licensing deal for Gary Hurst, creator of the original Tone Bender, to oversee production. It was actually original JMI engineer Steve Giles that either made these pedals or supervised production for the Harrisons/JMI.
The previous MKI Gary Hurst signature Tone Bender replica from 2005 was made with the incorrect MKII Tone Bender circuit, but JMI used the correct MKI circuit in this new non-signature MKI replica (with some help to correct it from Dennis/API). Their wood cased MKI replica also used the correct MKI circuit. The woody was built at JMI, supposedly by Steve Giles, signed by Gary Hurst, and included a four page history leaflet, Tone Bender Fuzz Unit Story as told by Gary Hurst. It was originally announced as being limited to 50 pieces, but JMI were still selling them in 2012.
The MKI Gary Hurst signature Tone Bender continued to be made, but these were now were sold exclusively through JMI/Music Ground. The gold finish was changed to one that more closely resembled the original hammerite finish, and rubber feet were added in place of the dimpled feet pressed into the previous metal cases. Gary autographed the bottom of the MKI enclosures, and both Gary and Steve Giles signatures are on the certificates.
Hand Made Gary Hurst MKI Tone Bender - JMI also comissioned Gary to personally make a limited run of five MKI steel cased Tone Benders. They were completely hand made by him, including fabricating the steel enclosures using Gary's original tooling fixtures. JMI stated no more would be made after this limited run.
•2009 July - Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII reissue from Macaris of London, part of their Vintage Series of pedals. Hands dfown, these are the most accurate Tone Bender replicas ever made. In fact, they are real Tone benders, sold by Macaris in London, where the original Tone Benders were sold, and Macaris own the Tone Bender trademark. Anthony and Steve Macari contracted Differential Audio Manifestations (D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire, England) to manufacture an exact reissue of the original 1960's pedal. This replica was based on approximately 5 years of research and studying actual vintage Tone Benders by D*A*M founder David Main, one of the foremost experts on the Tone Bender circuit. Although Gary Hurst had no involvement, this reissue is as accurate to the original Sola Sound MKII in circuit design and enclosure as is possible, and much more accurate than the modern JMI Tone Benders. The graphics are similar, but use a slightly different font styles than the originals so as not to fool anyone trying to sell them as an original vintage unit. Made with OC84 transistors. I own one of these and they are excellent pedals.
•2010 - JMI (the Harrisons/Music Ground) bring a full line of Tone Bender replicas to market, all in similar enclosures to the originals, using the Tone Bender name, but branded JMI. The JMI replica line up now includes a wood cased JMI MKI Prototype Tone Bender (unbranded), a steel cased JMI MKI, Mick Ronson signature JMI MKI, Zonk Machine JMI MKI, JMI MK1.5, JMI Professional MKII with OC81D, and JMI MKII with OC75 NOS transistors. All are marked with 'Limited Edition Series'. These were made with the assistance of Gary Hurst and his name is printed on the bottom of each case, along with Jennings Musical Industries. JMI advertised that they had been working with Gary since 1994. After Gary visited JMI in 2009 they promoted that he exclusively oversaw every detail of production. Gary also appeared in JMI promotional videos stating that he supervised and approved the replicas.
Some information later circulated on the internet that Gary's involvement did not last long due to issues with JMI/Music Ground, and in 2016 he posted on the Gear Page website that he has nothing to do with them and their use of his name is unlawful. Original JMI engineer Steve Giles, who was supervising prooduction for JMI, parted ways with the Harrisons in 2010 when he said they became "intolerable to work with". Music Ground filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 2010. Richard and Justin Harrison were also convicted in British court for selling 30 stolen vintage guitars and were under investigation for money laundering in 2012. They were both given suspended prison sentences. Although the Harrisons have a lengthy and bad reputation in the music industry for shady deals, counterfeiting, and selling stolen property, the effect pedals and amplifiers made by their JMI division under Steve Giles watch received a very positive response from buyers and collectors. As of 2013 the JMI website was still selling each of these limited edition Tone Benders.
In 2010 Justin Harrison attempted to register the words Tone Bender as a trademark in the US, claiming first use in 2008, then abandoned the claim.
•2010 - Sola Sound Tone Bender MK1.5 reissue from Macaris of London, part of their Vintage Series of pedals. An exact replica of the original pedal with OC84 transistors, encased in an enclosure replicating the original gold colored hammerite finish. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire. I own one of these and it is superbly built and sounds great. Slightly lower gain than the Sola Sound MKII, with a bit less hair, but it has the sound.
•2011 - Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII SCB (small circuit board), or 'Blue Meanie' from Macaris of London. A replica of the earliest known version of the MKII circuit, with no pull-down capacitor on the input, and built on a smaller circuit board than later production. Slightly more gated and trashy tone. Housed in a blue MKII enclosure. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2012 - Colorsound Fuzz Box reissue from Macaris o f London. Reissue of the Dick Denney designed, Silicon transistor, one knob Colorsound Fuzz Box from the 1990's. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2012 - Sola Sound Tone Bender MKIV reissue from Macaris of London. A replica of the MKIII/MKIV Tone Bender circuit with the treble and bass knob and OC84N transistors. Housed in a blue MKIV style thin case enclosure with MKIV graphics. Also released in a silver colored version, just like the originals. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2013 - Sola Sound Tone Bender MKIV reissue from Macaris of London. The same as the 2012 MKIV reissue, but with OC75 transistors in place of the OC84N's, for slightly more gain. The case color scheme for this version was changed to yellow, matching one of the rare MKIV case colors. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2013 - Sola Sound Tone Bender El Diablo from Macaris of London. A 2-transistor Vox-ish Tone Bender circuit, with gnarly vocing and lots of gain on tap. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2013 - Sola Sound Tone Bender 1.5 from Macaris of London. A 2-transistor MK1.5 circuit with OC75's and a few extra parts to stabilize the circuit. Built by D*A*M Stompboxes of South Yorkshire.
•2014 - British Pedal Company Tone Benders. The Harrisons/JMI/Music Ground took their unauthorized, JMI branded Tone Benders, reduced the cost, and rebranded them under a new label, the British Pedal Company, with the tagline "Home of the fuzz since 1966". There never was any such pedal company in the 1960s, nor were the Harrison's involved in making/selling fuzz pedals then. Presumably the new name was to distance themselves from their JMI name, which had become associated with the negativity towards the Harrisons and Music Ground when they were convicted of selling stolen merchandise in 2010. The old JMI brand had no association with the original Tone Benders, which alwasy made the JMI branded Tone Benders a bit baffling, if not inaccurate looking knockoffs. Thier BPC brand first appeared in late 2013 with an ad selling a limited run of ten MKI Tone Benders Hand hand made by Gary Hurst. Promoted as only 10 made world wide, this would be the second time a "limited" run of these Gary Hurst made pedals had been marketed by the Harrisons. A limited run of five was made in 2009.
For his part, Gary Hurst posted on the Gear Page website in 2016 that he has nothing to do with BPC: "I would like to say once and for all; I have no connection with this company (British Pedal Company) whatsoever, even though my name is unlawfully all over the text headings to their pedals; Fuzz King, Doubler, Tone Bender etc. They have copied not only the names but also the graphic work on all these pedals. I was, as you all probably know, the designer of the Tone Bender the production of which was done by me for a time and then taken over by Sola/ColorSound"..."I have been severally damaged by some earlier connection with these BPC guys when I supplied my Tone Bender Reissue to another of their companies some years ago. Then they carried on by copying this and other pedals associated with me, always using my name in the headings, and probably falsely signing certificates as well. This has given way to people thinking I am associated with them. This is in way true and I apologize if anyone has purchased from them thinking the product had something to do with me".
Their BPC Vintage Series pedals are identical to the previous JMI branded Tone Bender line, released in 2010. The graphics this time around nearly exactly knock off the look of the original and current Macaris Tone Benders. Instead of SOLA SOUND branded on the case, it is marked BPC SOUND. See the 2010 JMI entry for the pedal range. They also sell a Players Series in smaller rectangular enclosures.
_________________
A note on circuit "design" credits - There is much debate on how much actual designing went on in the creation of these early fuzz circuits. It should be noted that basic amplifier circuits appeared in Mullard, Valvo, GE, and Phillips application books in the 1950's, '60's and '70's. These books offered examples of audio amplifier circuits designed to use transistors, specifically to help sell more of their transistors. Electronics engineers at the time often used these text book circuits in fuzz and booster pedal designs as clients usually wanted things fast and inexpensive. Sometimes they used nearly the exact book circuits or slightly modified forms, sometimes combinations of those different circuit stages, other times only the circuit architecture was used, but component values were changed to suit the application. That was how most circuit design was accomplished back then, and it is still done that way today. I would speculate that 90% of all pedal circuit design is based on something that previously existed. When a person is credited as the "designer" here, it is in reference to the person most directly responsible for putting the end circuit design in the pedal, regardless of whether or not it was based on something that existed previously.
.......
.......
BACK TO PAGE 4 • BACK TO PAGE 1
BACK TO THE FUZZ AND MUFF TIMELINE
Website and contents ©2007 and ©2014 Kit Rae. All rights reserved. Linking to this website is allowed, but copying the text content is strictly prohibited without prior authorization. No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any other form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, computer networking, or otherwise without prior permission in writing from the copyright holder(s).
Kit’s Secret Guitar, Gear, and Music Page
Guitar stuff, gear stuff, sound clips, videos, Gilmour/Pink Floyd stuff, photos and other goodies.
Copyright Kit Rae.
VISIT MY SWORDS, KNIVES and FANTASY ART WEBSITE www.kitrae.net
