FUZZ- TAMPCO PEDALS & AMPLIFIERS All-Bender ...all 4 Tone Bender pedals in a box

$220.00 USD

TAMPCO PEDALS & AMPLIFIERS 

ALL-BENDER FUZZ

Perhaps this under the radar French company is the first to put all 4 germanium Tone Benders in one box. All 4 being v.1 _v.1.5 _v.2 and V.3.  There was a V.4 but it was a silicon Fuzz.

The first one was beefed up Maestro Fuzz Tone, the second, the v.2 added a second transistors for more dirt and sustain. The 3rd one oddly enough was a revisited v.1 which later was modded and became the Fuzz Face. The V.3 added EQ. Aficionado's general feel that v.2 was the best.

There was a v.4 which used silicon transistors. Unless compared beside a germanium it really is not all that different. It still sounds like a Tone bender not something different. 

I have a part for part clone of a v.3 and the same for the v.4.

BIG BUT

This Fuzz is simply an impression of the old Tone benders. For a start it uses silicon transistors which to a purist would put them in a fighting rage, lol. First impressions will fool the uninitiated but germanium transistors are fuller and warmer. They do to be dead honest sound a bit cloudy or even muddy but then silicon transistors sound a bit harsh. Silicon Fuzz pedals cut better in a band and do not change their sound or even cut out because of heat. I have both and I stopped using my germanium because they are unreliable live. I have had it all, nasty sounds and even complete failure until the pedal cooled down.

Even so if voiced well a Silicon Tone bender still sounds like a Tone Bender.

CONCLUSION 

Definitely a contender for your dollar. Having a true authentic original parts v.3. I can definitely say that it has a different sound. Does that make it better? Let me put it this way. If I gave you all the originals and a few of the better new versions all based on the same schematic I find it improbable if all you knew was you had several Fuzz pedals to try and choose one that you may choose any one of them. Though one like this with much more voices and tweak ability is likely to be the winner.

My only Tone Bender is a Big Knob Colour Jumbo an exceptional clone of the Colorsound Jumbo Tone Bender, a v.4. It sound great, It sounds TB and it's $130.00 USD. Need I say more?