The Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII is a Sola Sound fuzz pedal. Close alternatives include the Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII and the Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion. It pairs well with the Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo and the Mesa Boogie JP-2C 1x12 Combo.
Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
Sola Sound · pedal
The Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII is a legendary three-transistor germanium fuzz introduced in 1966, adding an extra gain stage in front of the earlier two-transistor design to produce a complex, harmonically rich tone with saturated, soaring gain. Using germanium transistors, typically OC75 or OC81D, and a simple Level and Attack control layout, it delivers a warm, gritty fuzz with a throaty midrange that sits between a Fuzz Face and a brighter fuzz, equally effective for fuzzy leads, rhythmic power-chord passages, and textural feedback and resonance. It achieved immortal status through Jimmy Page, who used it with the Yardbirds and on Led Zeppelin's debut, shaping the sound of heavy rock on tracks like Dazed and Confused and How Many More Times. It suits classic rock, blues rock, and psychedelic players chasing aggressive yet articulate vintage British fuzz.
- gain
- germanium
- lead
- articulate
- throaty
- transistor
- british
- midrange
Genres the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues Rock
- Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo
Magnatone
29% matchThe Magnatone's already-breaking-up channel meets the Tone Bender halfway, so the fuzz doesn't have to do all the work.
Mesa Boogie JP-2C 1x12 Combo
Mesa Boogie
23% matchThe Tone Bender's throaty germanium fuzz stacked ahead of the JP-2C's tight, articulate high gain adds vintage grit the modern preamp alone doesn't have.
Engl E600 Ironball Combo
Engl
21% matchInto a transparent tone, Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII brings the fuzzy it's missing
Egnater Tweaker 88 Head
Egnater
21% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII's fuzzy fills in what this high headroom tone doesn't make on its own
ENGL E651 Artist Edition
Engl
20% matchRun Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII into that transparent platform and it finally gets some fuzzy
Blackstar TV-10 BH
Blackstar
20% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Diezel BIG MAX
Diezel
20% matchThe transparent tone has headroom to spare — Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII gives it fuzzy to fill it with
Bad Cat Hot Cat 35-watt 1x12 Combo
Bad Cat
19% matchInto a transparent tone, Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII brings the fuzzy it's missing
See all 15 amps that pair with the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII →
Pedals that stack with the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII
JHS Colour Box V2
JHS Pedals
32% matchRun the Colour Box after the Tone Bender to shape and clean up the throaty germanium fuzz's frequency spread rather than stacking more dirt on it.
Fulltone OF-2 Octafuzz
Fulltone
31% matchThe Tone Bender's articulate, throaty germanium fuzz stacks with the Octafuzz's own gated octave fuzz for a heavier wall.
Soldano SLO
Soldano
28% matchPush the SLO preamp's tight, articulate gain with the Tone Bender's germanium fuzz stacked in front for a rawer edge on top.
Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo
Caroline Guitar Company
27% matchThe Parabola's tremolo pulse chops up the Tone Bender's throaty germanium fuzz into something rhythmic rather than just sustained.
Cry Baby Dunlop Cry Baby Classic GCB95F
Cry Baby
27% matchFeed a high gain signal into Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII and it comes out closer to mid-forward
MXR ZW90 Wylde Phase
MXR
24% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Caline CP-31 Hot Spice Wah/Volume
Caline
24% matchSola Sound Tone Bender MkII's own germanium character is the real reason this is worth trying
Wampler Cory Wong
Wampler
22% matchThe Cory Wong's optical funk compression evens out the pick attack before it ever reaches the Tone Bender's own throaty germanium fuzz.
See all 26 pedals that pair with the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII →
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII
pedal
76% similarityShared character: attack, simple, classic_rock
Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion
Caline
73% similarityShared character: hard_rock, lead, thickness
Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster
Dallas
72% similarityShared character: hard_rock, sensitivity, lead
Dunlop Cry Baby SW95 Slash Wah
Dunlop
72% similarityShared character: hard_rock, lead, thickness
Caroline Guitar Company Crom Hi-Gain Fuzzstortion
Caroline Guitar Company
72% similarityShared character: aggressive_playing, hard_rock, fuzz
JHS Pollinator
JHS Pedals
71% similarityShared character: sensitivity, lead, classic_rock
JHS Fuzz Mary-K
JHS Pedals
71% similarityShared character: units, sensitivity, classic_rock
Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Fuzz Face JB-F3 Copper Top
Dunlop
71% similarityShared character: attack, fuzz, lead
Fulltone '69 MkII Fuzz
Fulltone
71% similarityShared character: 8_impedance, sensitivity, fuzz
Wylde Audio MXR WA44 Overdrive
Wylde Audio
71% similarityShared character: aggressive_playing, hard_rock, lead
Fuzzrocious 420 Fuzz
Fuzzrocious
71% similarityShared character: hard_rock, fuzz, lead
JHS Legends of Fuzz Bender 1973 London Fuzz
JHS Pedals
71% similarityShared character: 8_impedance, sensitivity, thickness
See all alternatives to the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII?+
The closest matches in character are the Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII, the Caline CP-14 English Man Distortion, the Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster.
What pairs well with the Sola Sound Tone Bender MkII?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Magnatone Super Fifteen 15W 1x12 Combo, Mesa Boogie JP-2C 1x12 Combo, Engl E600 Ironball Combo — The Magnatone's already-breaking-up channel meets the Tone Bender halfway, so the fuzz doesn't have to do all the work..