Twilight Bender MK3

The smoother, more saturated tone bender version, much more in line with modern fuzz sounds.

I am not going to beat around the bush. These are simply, some of the best fuzz boxes I have ever heard in my life. I constantly plug these in for pure joy. I will enjoy every second with them until they become yours.

These tone benders ROAR and are all unique in their own ways!

Used in the late 60s and 70s to get that heavy rock and roll roar out of an amplifier, notably used by Mick Ronson, Daniel Ash, and many, many more.

Sola Sound introduced the MK3 around 68-69, but the circuit was sold and branded under many names. Often many of these were built with inconsistent parts, using whatever was available, leading each unit to have its own sound.

VARIANTS

Vintage Bar Case- this version is a modern recreation of actual vintage units. It is not a 1:1 clone, but uses a reproduction phenolic circuitboard with thick copper traces, and a vintage reproduction bar enclosure. It has been modded for an LED indicator, and an external DC jack for external power usage. This germanium fuzz also- can be daisy chained, as it features an onboard voltage inverter to feed the reverse polarity transistors. It also is able to be powered via battery and features a battery holder. Lastly, the JFET boost mod is available via a toggle switch that allows for either OG (boost bypass) or boost engage, for a more powerful sound and volume amplification, as the stock circuit is not inherently loud, and max volume is practically unity volume.

Germanium transistors are a rite of passage. Unfortunately, being apart of the younger generation, most of the OG germanium stockpiles have been already sorted, picked, hoarded, and built into already existing fuzz boxes by artisans around long before I was born.

There are still a small handful of good germaniums floating around, but normally you have to buy a LOT, then get lucky with a few. If you are lucky, and they are not cheap, even for duds.

This is why most builders who specialize in vintage fuzzes often charge $399 and above for builds.

By adding a JFET boost, I am giving germanium transistors a second life. A dying art form, is getting one last hoorah, before the art is gone forever. There will be a day when germanium transistor stashes run dry, and unless factories decide to make modern production germaniums (highly unlikely) new germanium pedals will cease to be created.

Not only that- but some of these otherwise overlooked germanium transistors have some of the rarest, most unique texture and feel I have ever heard, but simply lack volume. I am allowing unheard tonebender sounds come to life

Now, these pedals ROAR, like no germanium ever should.

JFET transistors are well revered in the pedal community for being transparent, mojo filled, and highly akin to real vacuum tubes. That is what is used to boost the all germanium MK3 builds.