Reuss Germanium Bender

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Very Low stock (one pedal)

REUSS GERMANIUM BENDER

Premium 1960s germanium fuzz tones from this amazing little tonebender mark II based pedal

Made with NPN germanium transistors for modern power polarity and trouble-free pedalboard integration

Uncompromising, true boutique construction, completely handmade in the European Union with a matched trio of vintage new old stock USSR-era MP11 NPN germanium transistors.

This pedal represents an unparalled level of quality and craftmanship for the money and rivals any high-end germanium fuzz box costing two or three times as much. If you are in the market for that true 1960s British mk II fuzz sound in a compact footprint, at a reasonable price, look no further.

The 2021 edition features selectable voltages (9/6/3V) via switches inside, for that ‘power starving’ sound. There is also switchable tone mods inside via two double DIP switches to reduce the brightness and to modifiy the tonal characteristics of the original circuit. On top of that, we have added a recovery gain stage (to make it louder - it looses volume in 3V mode) and an output buffer to bring this old classic into 2021. The output buffer gives the pedal a uniform and stable output signal. In the 1960s design, the output impedance would depend on the ‘LEVEL’ setting. The original circuit and sound is 100% there, but with less quirks and more stability than found with vintage pedals. The three power modes along with the tone switches gives a total of 48 different unique settings!

Another new feature of the new Germanium Bender is advanced, state-of-the-art power supply filtering. The vintage fuzz boxes were only made for battery power, and the first version Germanium Bender, which was very purist, was quite sensitive to all kinds of noises from modern power supplies. Compact ‘switch mode’ supplies, like a new Boss PSA, would induce a high pitch tone in the pedal. Well, no more. The new version works great with just about anything.

The great advantage of using NPN germanium transistors (as opposed to the PNPs of the opriginals and pratically all clones at the market) is that it allows the original circuit to run on normal, negative ground, power polarity, without the addition of charge pump circuitry. No need for an isolated power supply with this one!

Please note: Photo still shows the version with three OC140 transistors.

Limited availability, made in tiny batches.

Demo by The Tone Lounge

Demo by Budda Guedes (first version/Vintage Purist Germanium Bender)

Germanium Bender features and specifications

True to vintage germanium fuzz circuit based on the tonebender mark II, built with a trio of carefully matched vintage new old stock NPN germanium transistors (1980s USSR military spec. MN11s).
Switchable modifications for supply voltages (starve) and tonal response via DIP switches inside the pedal. Recovery gain stage and output buffer added to the vintage circuit for modern convenience and optimum pedalboard integration.
Pedalboard friendly negative ground powered (contrary to vintage tonebender pedals which had reverse polarity)
Extremely high build quality. Completely handmade in the European Union.
No SMD parts. Only vintage-style ’through hole’ construction
Compact aluminium enclosure in a "peacock sparkle turquoise" metallic powder coat finish with silk sceen printed graphics
High quality Neutrik jacks, wired by hand
Upgrade quality footswitch (rated for 30000 stomps)
Runs on a standard ’Boss-style’ 9V DC 'negative centre' guitar pedal power supply or a 9V battery
Highly advanced Reuss designed power supply noise filtering circuit at the 9V DC jack
24 months warranty against manufacturing faults
Ships in a 'reuss' box and linen draw-string bag
Worldwide shipping from Denmark. Orders posted before 2:00 PM Central European Time on weekdays ships same day