Sweet Sound Electronics Pro Bender

Every bit as easy as the original Vox.

Sounds just like the originals that go for $500 on ebay. Close your eyes, I defy ANYONE to be able to distinguish this one from the original 1960's Voxs. The reason being the three OC-81 transistors, which is the heart and soul ("heart FULL of SOUL") of the original. It is obvious Bob Sweet has gone to great lengths to make these sound just right by using the period correct trannys.

Built like a tank. The PCB makes this one MORE reliable than the originals.

N/A

If you want the best without spending big bucks on an original or a D*A*M, this is your pedal, HANDS DOWN.

It's very cool to be doing the first Pro Bender review on HC. Bob Sweet makes great pedals, and the Bender is no exception, so it's an honor for me to usher this one in. This is a well-made clone of the Sola Sound Tonebender Professional MKll, "The" British germanium fuzz pedal of the mid to late Sixtees. Basically the same layout as the original: 2 controls -- volume and attack (amount of gain). The only added feature is an internal trim pot that controls the voltage level going into the last of 3 germanium transistors. Bob uses OC81 trannies for his Bender (like the original), choosing only factory-matched ones that meet his strict specs.Judging by the sound of my Bender, I'd say he chose wisely.There really are no bad sounds here, so it's quite easy to get things rolling. You can play it stock or use the internal trim pot to change the attack feel (hard or soft/ smooth or sputtery ).It comes with a very simple 1 page manual, but that's really all you need.

How's it sound? Just listen to "Beck's Bolero", "Incense and Peppermints", "Over Under Sideways Down", and Erik Brann's awesomely vintage Sixtees tone on "In A Gadda Da Vida". Not to mention the first two Zeppelin albums. That's how it sounds. You would be hard pressed to find a more authentic-sounding Tonebender clone out there. That's about all you can say. You have to crank the level right up there for unity volume, but that's how the originals were. Another amazing yet more expensive Tonebender clone is the D.A.M. MKll Professional, and I would rate the Pro Bender right up there with it.

I've only had mine for a month or two, but after taking a gander at it's inner workings, I am assured by the exceptional build quality and I doubt that there will be any problems for a long time, if ever. This is one well-built pedal.

I got mine (#21) from Analog Mike, so I never dealt with Bob. However, I have neither heard nor read anything even remotely negative regarding his service to his customers.

People who seek out a pedal like this generally know exactly what their looking for and have a pretty good idea what it's supposed to sound like. Anyone not sure should get an idea how a good vintage tonebender should sound first, and then seek out a good clone. However, the time I've spent playing this through a Carvin MTS 2x12 combo, a Fender HRDx, and a Vox Valvetronix 2x12 has been nothing short of superb.