JDM MK2 | Germanium TB MK2 Style Fuzz

By popular request, we’re now offering our version of the Tone Bender MK2 in a point-to-point hand wired version. Gold sparkle powder coated finish, Lumberg jacks, heavy duty switches, solid metal knobs. With N.O.S. parts (almost all N.O.S. – see info below), this baby looks and sounds killer.

Pictured is a full-featured build, with Volume, Fuzz, Bias AND Gain controls as well as a hi/lo mode switch.

Why both “Fuzz” and “Gain”? “Fuzz” is the classic TB MK2 “Attack” control, and controls the gain of the second transistor. So when this is dimed, you get a particular response to the circuit that although sometimes a tad noisy, is just rock n roll bliss! But with humbucking (or high output) pickups, this can make the pedal sound overloaded… “squashed”, if you will. The “Pregain” control lets you increase the input impedance of the circuit and “smooth” this response to taste. It can also help you fit the pedal in better later in an effects chain by adjusting the input impedance.

We can leave off the “pregain” control for a simpler control set, or we can also set the “Fuzz” control to be dimed to max gain, and add just the “pregain” control – this is a particular favorite, and happens to be how we wire our “Fuzz 292”. We can also add a Tone control is you like, and see our post r/e “Pickup simulator circuits” – if you plan on using the MK2 with a wireless system, we can add an internal pickup simulator with a toggle.

So, long story shortened just a bit – We will build this pedal to the specs you choose, and try to accommodate your transistor desires if you’re looking for a particular version. I currently have some incredible Texas Instruments 2N1305 germanium that is low noise and leakage, with a perfect tonal character for the MK2. Drop a line if you have other transistors in mind, we occasionally can offer OC75, AC125, 2N527, etc. My way of tuning these to prevent unwanted oscillation calls for tight transistor specs, so please keep that in mind, some transistor types are simply not ideal for the MK2 circuit, at least in the supplies available today!

These point-to-point handwired pedals using all NOS parts have been developed over the long winter of ’23-’24, with lots of loving care and obsession / attention to detail! Each one is a work of art, laid out with care, and built to last. The extra cost vs. our standard models reflects the time required to test and select all parts, and hand wire the circuit. These are built like the best classic amplifiers, using turret board, making them durable and to repair and mod.

Q: Which parts are not N.O.S.?  A: Germanium transistors, carbon composite resistors, and particular capacitors are vintage (notable examples: mica caps are indestructible, electrolytic caps do not age well. So capacitors are some old, some new.) Switches, jacks, wiring, and electrolytic capacitors are parts that do not age well. We want these to be up to spec, so we order the best new components available. We have extensively listened to various capacitors, and have found that some (WIMA is a great example) just sound better in the circuits, so we use the best sounding parts that make sense to put into a freshly minted pedal!

Last important question: HEY JOE! HOW DO THEY SOUND compared to the standard line of JDM Pedals? Glad you asked! Here comes a whole bunch more info:

All of our pedals, although often based on classic circuits, are the result of a decade+ of tweaking guitar pedals and finding out which fine details “push” the tone in the direction we like. A touch more gain here, a different filter there.. smoothing out some harsh treble, adding or cutting bass frequencies… Each of our pedals has thereby become quite refined, and in some ways a bit “smoothed”, perhaps even “tamed” …

…but this is often just the right thing for a fuzz pedal. Old fuzz pedals were cantankerous, noisy, stinky little boxes of filth! A really good one was a pleasure, but many unfortunately faded quickly, or were sub-par right off the assembly line. Leaky or noisy transistors, poor connectors, crumbling circuit boards… there were many ways for a circuit to fail or just sound miserable.

So the point is, each of our standard line of pedals  does “what the classic does, but better.” That may sound a bit arrogant, but, well, whatever. They rock.  And they are consistent – although we change them a bit each year, the goal is to make sure an Elektrika, for example, will knock your socks off, no matter which one you try. They are NOT straight up clones of the classics – in some cases significant parts of the circuit are different, but the spirit of the tone must be correct! These standard pedals are built with modern, high-tolerance resistors and capacitors, selected transistors, and are built on printed circuit boards. This saves time and we can aim for a competitive price while still offering a carefully designed “boutique” pedal.

OK – long winded, I know. But if you read this far, you must be as nuts as I am. Here goes:

The terms “point-to-point assembled” or “hand wired” are significant in that they describe a process. Let me get really pretentious for a moment and have you imagine a star chef selecting ingredients at a marketplace for a perfect meal. The produce must be fresh, the spices aromatic, the meat a proper cut for the recipe.   Ingredients are selected for quality, prepared and assembled on the plate into a meal that balances the strengths of each flavor. Presentation is important for both the sensory experience and overall impression.

In our “point-to-point assembled” pedals, it all starts with transistor selection. They need to have the right gain & leakage for the circuit and are carefully screened in a test circuit. Carbon composite resistors are tested as well, and values adjusted as required for correct bias voltages. We have acquired supplies of paper in oil, silver mica, “tropical fish”, and a variety of other vintage capacitors necessary for each circuit. Modern electrolytic capacitors for power filtering round out the selection to provide proper filtering and noise control. Everything must be “hand wired” onto a tag board a.k.a. turret board and tested. The circuit is then tuned by ear – bias voltages adjusted, filters tuned, and transistors swapped if necessary. It gets a bit esoteric – it must not only “sound good” but has to feel right… dynamics are key. Is the attack correct? Does it have the right harmonics – a smooth blend, or in some cases a mean, cacaphonous edge? As the note fades, should it “fizzle out” or fade smoothly into silence? It has to do justice to the transistor choice… each type has a particular character, and careful tuning of the circuit will bring this to the forefront.

OK, so there you have it. Obsession with details and attention to the overall tonal impression. It takes time and care. The result is a solidly built, “point-to-point assembled” piece of guitar hardware that looks and sounds great.

Please contact me with your requests. Each one is already a “custom build” and I will do my best to accommodate!

best regards,

joe / jdm pedals