The Mod Electronics Tone Splendor MK1S is a silicon fuzz pedal kit based on the original germanium Tone Bender MK1, the Sola Sound / Gary Hurst design from the early days of fuzz pedals. Sold as a build-it-yourself kit, it recreates the raw fuzz sound of the original while avoiding the quirks that made the germanium circuit hard to live with: the maker says it has negligible temperature sensitivity, needs no manual biasing, and uses common silicon transistors instead of the leaky germanium parts the original depended on1.
What it does to your sound
Mod Electronics describes the MK1S as having a raw, primitive fuzz character that fits the early design of the original, while also being capable of modern fuzz sounds. The circuit generates dense harmonics through a high degree of asymmetrical clipping, which the maker calls perfect for cutting lead sounds1.
The silicon swap is the heart of the design. The original MK1 depended on the leakage current of its germanium transistors to function properly, which is what made those pedals sensitive to temperature and inconsistent from unit to unit. The MK1S eliminates that requirement entirely, so the circuit behaves the same whether the room is cold or warm, and the transistors in the kit need no selection or matching1.
Building and powering it
The kit is rated 2 on Mod Electronics' build difficulty scale, and the maker states there are no requirements for special transistor selection and no manual biasing needed, so you are not chasing a bias point with a multimeter the way builders of germanium fuzzes often do1.
Power is standard and flexible:
- Runs on a standard center-negative 9VDC power supply, which is not included with the kit1
- Can also operate on battery power1
- Unlike the original circuit, it can be daisy-chained with other pedals without issue1
The 9VDC power supply is not included, so you will need your own center-negative supply or a battery. The good news for pedalboard builders is that the daisy-chaining limitation of the original germanium circuit does not apply here.
Size
The enclosure measures 4.9 × 3.7 × 1.375 inches, with a height of 1.995 inches including knobs and extrusions, so it sits at a conventional pedal footprint once built1.
Questions
Is the Tone Splendor MK1S a kit?
Yes. The Tone Splendor MK1S is sold as a silicon fuzz pedal kit that you build yourself. Mod Electronics rates it a 2 on its build difficulty scale, and the maker states there are no requirements for special transistor selection and no manual biasing needed, which keeps the build straightforward compared with circuits that depend on matched or leaky parts.
What power supply does the Tone Splendor MK1S need?
The MK1S operates on 9VDC with a standard center-negative power supply, the same polarity used by most modern pedals. The power supply is not included with the kit. It can also run on battery power, and unlike the original Tone Bender MK1 circuit it can be daisy-chained with other pedals without issue.
Does the Tone Splendor MK1S need biasing?
No. Mod Electronics states that there is no manual biasing needed and no special transistor selection required. The original MK1 design depended on the leakage current of its germanium transistors to function properly, but the MK1S eliminates that requirement by operating off common silicon transistors instead.
Can the Tone Splendor MK1S run on a battery?
Yes. Mod Electronics says the MK1S can operate on battery power or with a standard center-negative 9VDC power supply. Note that the power supply itself is not included with the kit.
Is the power supply included with the Tone Splendor MK1S?
No. The kit requires a standard center-negative 9VDC power supply, which is not included, though the pedal can also run on battery power.
How big is the Tone Splendor MK1S?
The enclosure measures 4.9 × 3.7 × 1.375 inches, and the height with knobs and extrusions is 1.995 inches.
Sources (1)
- Tone Splendor MK1S, Mod Electronics (modkitsdiy.com), 2026
