The Special Edition Master Built MKI Tone Bender is a fuzz pedal from British Pedal Company, built in very small numbers outside the company's standard production. The maker describes the MKI as offering a thick and aggressive fuzz tone, and positions it as a defining tone in British fuzz12. Only 5 were made, and the company says these builds only become available when 1960s original new old stock components are sourced1.
What Master Built means here
British Pedal Company describes the Master Built pedal as "one of a small Number of Pedals produced by the BPC master builder", in a Special Edition category that is explicitly non standard production1. The trigger for a run is parts, not demand: the company produces these only when it can source 1960s original new old stock components, the period-correct parts the early Tone Bender designs were built from1. For a player, that means the pedal appears irregularly rather than as a standing catalog item, and each build is tied to whatever stock the maker has found.
What the maker's page establishes about the run:
- Category: Special Edition, Master Built1
- Production count: 5 pedals1
- Parts basis: 1960s original new old stock components1
- Production trigger: availability of those components, not a fixed schedule1
With only five units made, this is not a pedal you will find on a dealer wall. The maker's own page is the practical place to check availability, and the price is quoted in pounds sterling since British Pedal Company is a UK maker1.
The MKI sound, and how it differs from the MKII
The MKI is the earliest circuit in the Tone Bender family that British Pedal Company builds, and the maker is direct about the contrast with its later sibling1. So a player choosing between the two is choosing between a rawer, thicker, more aggressive fuzz and a smoother, more saturated one. The company frames the MKI as a defining tone in British fuzz2.
"The MKI offers a Thick and aggressive fuzz tone, very different from the Professional MKII which is smoother and more saturated."
| MKI Tone Bender | Professional MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone, per the maker | Thick and aggressive fuzz | Smoother and more saturated |
| Place in the family | Earliest circuit BPC builds | Later, smoother sibling1 |
Jeff Beck and the MKI's history
The MKI's reputation rests heavily on one player. British Pedal Company states that "The MKI was most famously used by Jeff Beck", defining tones throughout several hit songs of the 1960s and 70s1. That association with Beck's 1960s and 70s work is what the maker points to as the circuit's legacy, and it is the reason early Tone Bender designs continue to be reissued and collected.
Price and availability
The maker lists the Special Edition Master Built MKI Tone Bender at £399.00 GBP on its product page1. Because the run is limited to five units and depends on sourcing 1960s new old stock components, further builds are not on a published schedule1.
Questions
How many Special Edition Master Built MKI Tone Benders were made?
Five. British Pedal Company lists the pedal as one of only 5 made, and the run only happens when the company sources 1960s original new old stock components. That makes it a non standard production pedal rather than part of the regular catalogue, and availability depends on parts turning up rather than on a fixed production schedule.
How does the MKI Tone Bender sound different from the Professional MKII?
According to British Pedal Company, the MKI offers a thick and aggressive fuzz tone, while the Professional MKII is smoother and more saturated. In practical terms the MKI sits at the rawer, earlier end of the Tone Bender family, and the MKII is the tighter, more compressed take on British fuzz.
What does Master Built mean on a British Pedal Company pedal?
On this pedal it means one of a small number of pedals produced by the BPC master builder, outside standard production. The Special Edition category exists for builds that only become available when 1960s original new old stock components are sourced, so each one is tied to a supply of period-correct parts.
How much does the Special Edition MKI Tone Bender cost?
British Pedal Company lists it at £399.00 GBP on its product page as of 26 October 2026. The company is UK based, so the price is given in pounds sterling rather than US dollars.
Which guitarist is linked to the MKI Tone Bender?
Jeff Beck. British Pedal Company says the MKI was most famously used by Jeff Beck, defining tones throughout several hit songs of the 1960s and 70s, which is a large part of why the early Tone Bender circuit remains sought after.
Sources (2)
- Special Edition Master Built MKI Tone Bender, British Pedal Company
- Special Edition Master Built MKI Tone Bender, British Pedal Company
