DeMarco Electronics Klonebender IV

Easy to get a good sound, easy to get a great sound, yet will take a little while to explore all the sounds possible. This is a two in one clone of the solasound MkII and MKIII tonebenders with external bias for each side of the unit. Toggle between the two fuzzes with a second footswitch. I only put numbers in this category if the effect is unnecessarily hard to use.

This may not be my very best fuzz, but it is most certainly one of my favourite! The MK tonebender fuzz sound is probably the best style fuzz for me. The sound is a lovely mix of low-fi nasty and sputtery, all the while retaining such a very vocal and musical quality. These fuzzes are fairly hummy and hissy when not playing, and sometimes pick up heavy metal radio stations, but not too bad. I love the lo-fi factor. I use single coils into a Vox ac30cc2 and the voicing of these are perfect. One side is the MKII two knob fuzz which has probably more fuzz than you will need. Bias knob lets you go from smooth to sputteryfuzz. The other side is the three knob version. A little less fuzz on this side and the fuzz is a little more raspy, plus a tone knob takes you from VERY bright to smooth and richer tones. Also with a bias control that is slightly less powerful than the MKII. Use one side for rythmn, the other for lead. Both sides are germanium, and clean up OK, but not totally clean. However the volume on your guitar gets you many shades of texture and overdrive, as well as some cool broken amp sounds! Only an 8 because some won't like the bits of noise (not that bad really) and cause I grade hard.

So far so good

Rick is great, bought this unit at special holiday blowout prices at his Ebay store, and he switched all the metal film resistors to carbon comp free of charge. If anything goes south I am sure he will be helpful.

I waited some time to review this pedal, played it with several guitars and amps, at bedroom, practice and gig volumes, and have to say I love it. It has such a great lo-fi texture and yet sounds very pro as well. For sixties influenced psyche, noise, and mellower trippy rocknroll, this is the perfect sound. Add the versatility of switching between the two units and ME HAPPY! I have a love affair with fuzz pedals, and want them all. I have good ones and bad ones, cheap and expensive. I have or have tried Maestro fuzztone fz1s, Acetone Fuzzmaster, Moserite Fuzzrite, Wyliie Moonrock, Newmoon, Rising Sun Fuzz, Ashbass Fuzzbrite, Effector 13 Improbability Drive, E13 Noise Floor, Hollowon Telebuzz and Static Egg, Voodoo labs Superfuzz etc, etc, and more on the way. The Klonebender IV is up in the top two or three that I have played.