The Jeds Peds Silicon Tone Bender is a fuzz pedal from the UK kit maker Jeds Peds, sold either as a solder-it-yourself kit or as a finished pedal. It uses silicon transistors, which the maker says "provide a significant amount of fuzzy goodness," and its circuit is a blend of the different Tone Bender versions rather than a copy of any single one1. If you are new to fuzz as a type, the Fuzz Pedals page covers the wider family.
What it is based on
The Tone Bender is one of the classic British fuzz circuits, and it went through several versions. British Pedal Company's history notes that one version moved to "a two OC75 circuit, giving more grit and bite to the tone"2. Jeds Peds did not pick a single version: "Rather than pointing ourselves at one of the many different versions of the ToneBender, we went with a nice blend of the" versions, the maker says1. The maker is explicit that "There is no endorsement or approval from any manufacturer and this information is for comparison only"1.
Kit versions and what you get
Jeds Peds sells the circuit in five forms, so you can buy as much or as little of the work as you want1:
| Version | What it is |
|---|---|
| PCB Only | Just the plain PCB |
| PCB & Components | The board and the parts |
| PCB & Components and off board parts | Adds the off-board parts |
| Full Kit | Everything needed to build the pedal |
| Full Kit & Drilling | Full Kit with the enclosure holes drilled, for a small surcharge |
| Pre Built Kit | Built for you in 1 to 4 weeks |
Drilling is worth a note if you have never built into an enclosure before: "Drilling is an optional extra for the Full Kit. There is a small surcharge for this," and it covers all the holes for a complete pedal1.
Pre-built kits have a 1 to 4 week build time, no returns are accepted on them, and knobs must be added separately. They do carry a 12 month repair warranty: "should a fault be developed I will repair it," the maker says1.
Trim pots, knobs and the enclosure
The board is designed to make the final voicing easy. "The PCB has points for two trim pots so you can get the perfect tone from your circuit with ease," according to the maker1. These are set-once trimmers on the board rather than panel controls, so you adjust the tone with a screwdriver during the build and leave them alone afterwards.
Mechanically, the build is straightforward: "The PCB hangs from the pots inside the enclosure," so the pots themselves hold the board in place1. The kit is supplied with a JP125B enclosure1. You will need to supply two knobs, and the maker suggests medium sized ones1.
How hard is the build?
Jeds Peds rates the difficulty as "a high 4/10 nearly 5/10 difficultness," an intermediate level build that is achievable as a first build1. The work involved is real, though: "All kits require full assembly and any images of completed PCBs are for reference only," meaning you identify the components, work out the resistor color codes and do all the soldering yourself1. If you would rather start with an easier or different fuzz build, the maker also lists a Fuzz Face kit, an Axis Fuzz kit and a Muff Fuzz kit.
Questions
Is the Jeds Peds Silicon Tone Bender a kit or a finished pedal?
Both. Jeds Peds sells it in several forms: a PCB only, a PCB with components, a PCB with components and off-board parts, a Full Kit, and a Full Kit with drilling as an optional extra. There is also a pre-built option, built for you in 1 to 4 weeks, with a 12 month repair warranty and no returns accepted.
Is the Jeds Peds Silicon Tone Bender suitable as a first build?
Jeds Peds rates the build difficulty as a high 4 out of 10, nearly a 5, and calls it an intermediate level build that is achievable as a first build. Bear in mind that all kits require full assembly: you must identify components, calculate resistor codes and solder, and images of completed PCBs are for reference only.
Which Tone Bender is the Jeds Peds Silicon Tone Bender based on?
None of them exactly. Jeds Peds says that rather than pointing at one of the many different versions of the Tone Bender, they went with a blend of the versions. The kit is provided with silicon transistors, which the maker says provide a significant amount of fuzzy goodness.
Does the kit come with an enclosure?
Yes. The kit is supplied with a JP125B enclosure, and the PCB hangs from the pots inside it. Drilling the enclosure is an optional extra on the Full Kit, with a small surcharge, covering all the holes needed for a complete pedal.
Is there a warranty on the pre-built version?
Yes. Pre-built kits carry a 12 month repair warranty, so if a fault develops the maker will repair it. Pre-built kits have a 1 to 4 week build time, no returns are accepted, and knobs must be added separately.
Sources (2)
- Silicon Tone Bender, Jeds Peds (jedspeds.co.uk)
- Tone Bender History, britishpedalcompany.com, 1966
