The Tony's BenderTool® will be introduced by Tony Spinner and the Tony Spinner Band on the 29th of August at the Guitar Experience event in Hilversum (see www.GuitarExperience.nl).
"Tools developed for Musicians together with Musicians"
The Tony's BenderTool® is developed together with Tony Spinner (TOTO, Tony Spinner Band www.tonyspinner.com). It's based on the legendary two knob Sola sound Tonebender MKII as used by Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and Jeff Beck. It's famous for it's extreme sustain and easy slipping into controlled feedback.
Tony's own Tonebender housed in a Fuzz Face enclosure is used as a reference during the development of the Tony's BenderTool®.
The Tony's BenderTool® is a Tonebender MKII extended with features that increase operating flexibility and solve short comings of the original design but do not change the original Tonebender MKII character.
Tony's review of the prototype
(Wednesday 17th of June 2009)
I just spent some time playing the "Tony's Bender Tool" and my ears are ringing! That is a good thing. This pedal gets the classic sound that Jeff Beck used to have during The Jeff Beck Group days! Unbelievable controlled feedback!
It also reminds me of the sound Jimi Hendrix got on the song "Driving South" from The B.B.C. Sessions. You get that classic breakup that makes any Fender amp sound like a Marshall. I used to use Marshall amps but have gone back to my Fenders. With this pedal I can get a great Marshall tone from my Fender Deluxe but have you ever been able to get a Fender tone from a Marshall? No way! This gives me what I need for a large variety of tones.
It reminds me of that Jimmy Page tone when he was using the Tele and whatever fuzzbox he was using back in '67. I LOVE this pedal! Super fuzzed out sustain that you can control or a warm yet crisp breakup for rhythm. This one has it ALL!
It also has the TMF control for dialing in the right amount of lows or dialing out the mud you get from all those other so called classic remakes of vintage pedals. I set the volume at 11:00, the Fuzz at 1:00 and the TMF at 10:00. By the way, it works with my vintage Marshalls as well! Did I mention that I LOVE THIS PEDAL!!!
Tony Spinner
Features
- Fuzz - adjust the fuzz level
- Volume - dial in the overall volume level
- T.M.F. - Continuous variable range control, dial in the amount of bass resulting in a sound character ranging from a thick fuzz to dynamic distortion
- Increased output level - better volume balance between effect on /off. The Tony's BenderTool® has about 3x the output level of the original Tonebender MKII
- Impedance Conversion Interface (on/off) - converting an active input signal (EMG pickups, Wireless or loop system) to a signal suited for the Tony's BenderTool® and thus retaining the character of the effect
- The PaulSwitch® - robust true bypass foot switch to switch effect on/off & to avoid tone sucking in bypass operation
- Pre warning Battery low indication - giving the opportunity to changeover batteries before the effect stops working
- External power supply (noise reduced) - providing the option to use an external power supply without inducing noise or changing the character of the sound
- Reverse and over voltage protection - to protect the sensitive NOS germanium transistors and keeping the pedal running for many years to come
- New Old Stock (NOS) Germanium transistors - a selected and individually audited set of germanium transistors with gains matched, very low leakage current and minimal hiss to create the best possible sound
The Tony's BenderTool is handcrafted in the Netherlands
