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Analog Man Sun Bender MK-IV
Analog Man Sun Bender MKIV


 
Our Price: $265.00


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Product Code: AM-SUNBENDERMK-IV

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Add a Patch Cord: 		12" switchcraft soldered pancake type patch cord $18 [Add $18.00]

Add a Patch Cord: 		6" switchcraft soldered pancake type patch cord $15 [Add $15.00]

Transistor Options: 		One Mullard, two Russian transistors, standard.
Three NOS Mullard transistors - add $30 [Add $30.00]
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Add a CBI Ultimate 15 foot Guitar Cable $25 [Add $25.00]Add a great sounding 15 foot long guitar cable, black with straight metal soldered Neutrik ends.
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Add a knob cover: 		Add an MXR style knob cover $2.00 [Add $2.00]- This knob cover fits on the larger of the two versions of MXR style knobs we use on our AM pedals. They make it easy to turn the knob with your foot. If you want more than one, you can add them to your shopping cart from the Accessories - Pedal Parts menu.
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Description Extended Information
 
Tonebender MKIII / MKIV Clone, built with NOS parts including germanium MULLARD transistor.
Features
SUN BENDER MKIV

This fuzz pedal is a blueprinted version of the old Sola Sound / Colorsound / VOX tonebenders that had three germanium transistors and a TONE knob. These are known as MK-III and MK-IV versions, also known as "thin case" Tone-Benders. The grey one (MK-III) was made in 1973 and can be seen on some live pictures with Jimmy Page. Some RotoSound and Park fuzz pedals also used this circuit. We own three original versions of these pedals which we studied to make ours. The rare yellow MK-IV model was sent to us from a customer in Germany who LOVED the sound but wanted a smaller, more reliable clone that was made and sounded EXACTLY the same. That led us to the R & D which we used to make our production pedal after we made his custom exact clone.


These fuzz pedals use 3 germanium transistors and have a TONE knob unlike the earlier MKI, MK1.5, and MK-II versions. The tone knob goes from a bassy tone to a trebly tone, it's sort of a "mix" knob in the way it works, it does not just cut highs or lows. I find it best to keep the tone knob low, around 9:00 - don't think you need to keep knobs at noon, use your ears rather than eyes when setting knobs.

Here are gut shots of the three originals and ours. You can see some "tropical fish" capacitors (brown tops).



The transistors used in the old ones are unmarked so we pulled them out and tested them to find the specifications. Then we checked our stash and found some NOS Mullard germanium transistors which we had been saving for many years that were similar. We made about 100 of these pedals with these NOS transistors before we started to get low on the transistors. After that, we made a version with two NOS Russian transistors, which I found closest to the originals in sound and even looks, and one of the old Mullards. The Russians sound about the same in the MKIV, as they are not critical in that part of the circuit. These first two transistors are in a "Darlington Pair" configuration which gives them very high gain. We can optionally use all three Mullard transistors for a higher cost, as we secured another batch in 2019. The sound with the three Mullards might be a little more nasally/vocal sounding, the Russians a slight bit clearer.

Here is our early circuit board pulled out a bit, showing the three Mullard transistors, tropical fish caps, and vintage yellow NOS Siemens and blue Philips capacitors. We also added a TRIMPOT to dial in the bias on the last transistor, which we mark at our shop temperature in the low/mid 70s. The BIAS control does not change the sound a lot, as on our MK1.5 and Sun Face. But it does alter the amount of LOWS let through when you turn up the tone pot. If you want a REALLY bright tone, you can turn the bias up. Or down a bit if you want more lows when you turn up the TONE knob.



Here is our higher-quality production board with the two Russian transistors, some are grey and some are silver:



We are using some old Siemens caps from 1974 in these too:


FEATURES:

  • Top Jacks for tight pedalboards
  • Battery power only, battery may last a year of normal use (120 hours of use).
  • No room for an on/off pot to kill the battery but we may be able to mount a mini POWER toggle.
  • Volume increased over the original, for a nice loud fuzz sound that will cut through.
  • Tone knob is reversed to "normal", down for bass, up for treble.
  • Bias trimpot, does not need to be adjusted.
  • SIZE : 2 5/16" x 4 5/16", MXR size 1290 / 1590B enclosure.
  • Buffers before the MK-IV do not hurt the tone much, makes it brighter and tighter. Clean up is not like a germanium Sun Face so that does not get changed much with a buffer. No problem with buffers after.
I get asked about the differences between this and our MKI.5 Sun Bender a lot. The MK1.5 is more raw and 1960s sounding, with a BIAS knob, and gets nice cleaner sounds too. The MKIV is more saturated and 1970s sounding, and has a tone control that can go from thick to thin and trebly.

Here is Kenny Wayne Shepherd checking out a prototype pedal back stage with a VibroVerb amp set at low volume with his signature Fender Strat:


Here is some Analog Dude with a '60s Telecaster into a SB MKIV into our ARDX20 delay into a Deluxe Reverb reissue doing some early Zeppelin. (Dig those rocking shorts). Jimmy Page used a MK-II on their first album, but used a Rotosound Tonebender MK III live, and a Thin Case MK-III with similar circuit to ours. It was seen at Tous En Scene on June 19, 1969 and heard on BBC radio appearances (June 16, 1969, June 24, 1969 and June 27, 1969).




Here is Analog Mike with a Les Paul into SB MKIV into our ARDX20 delay into a Deluxe Reverb reissue butchering Neil Young:


David Torn live tests with delay and a loud but pretty clean amp

"another stray improv w/Analogman Sunbender MarkIV "always on"; again, the amp was set a little bit crunchy. i was changing the fuzz settings as i go'ed, in this one." - DT


Johnny A got one of these to use with The Yardbirds, along with his MK-I clone. He uses our MK-IV on things like Over Under Sideways down, New York City Blues, and Heart Full of Soul. We made his in black by request. He told me "I wanted to get that sound for close to 50 years, after hearing it on the New York City Blues 45 record. I finally found it with your MKIV and my Les Paul Junior!". Here's Johnny:

Average Customer Review: 5 of 5 Total Reviews: 4 Write a review.

  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
He did it again! May 11, 2018
Reviewer: André Fugissawa from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul Brazil  
Got lucky to get one MK IV with 3 mullard transistors and this thing is out of this world! Couldn´t find bad tones with it! It´s huge, it´s carnivorous, brutal. Immediately happier when turned it on!

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  0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 
Fine sounding FUZZ January 11, 2018
Reviewer: Dave Kurzman from Richmond, VA United States  
I'm ancient and have been a fuzz guy since I first heard Shapes of Things in 1966.
The Sunbender Mk IV is my favorite fuzz ever (and I've got LOTS of fuzz!). Thanks Analogman.
What a cool sound.

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  3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
 
Best MKIII/IV I have played. November 3, 2015
Reviewer: Paul L. from Portland, OR United States  
I gravitate towards fuzz that is clear, articulate, and cleans up - a good Fuzz Face or MKII.  The MKIII/IV Tone Bender with its darlington pair and aggressive dense tone is not the type of fuzz I normally like.  And I have tried hard to like them - I have owned a bunch including the best of the best, or a least the most expensive ones the U.K has to offer.  But I sold them all.  So the Sun Bender was one last shot to see if there was one out there I could dig.  Well . . . I dig it!  It is the best of the lot by far.  Of course, it still has that aggressive 70's thick fuzz but it is still somehow articulate.  It is hard rocking but with a twist of the fuzz knob I can get some cool Faces tone out of it.  It doesn't really clean up but that is not really the point of this genre of pedal.  The usual trebly harshness or out-of-control bottom that I have heard in other pedals is here replaced with musicality, touch sensitivity, and a perfect balance across the tonal spectrum.

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  3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
 
In love October 19, 2015
Reviewer: Sean from Texas  
I absolutely LOVE the Sunbender mkIV. I always wanted a tone bender but never bought one until now. Wouldn't have thought a MKIII/IV variant would be for me until I heard this one.  SOOO glad I went with this one, it is already my favorite fuzz pedal by far. It has that huge bender rudeness, but isn't unruly in it's responsiveness at all. Also, even though the sound it is so big and ballsy, it somehow isn't abrasive musically. Just love this thing to death. And believe it or not, it's not noisy at all!

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