The Skin-Walker is a fuzz pedal from Pine-Box Custom, announced as the maker's new release for 2019. It is the company's take on the classic 3-knob Tone Bender circuit, with added Shape and Bias controls for extra flexibility. The pedal uses silicon transistors voiced to maintain the warmth of the germanium transistors found in the original unit, and it is built from start to finish in the USA.1
The Tone Bender connection
The Tone Bender circuit the Skin-Walker draws on has a long history. The earliest Tone Benders were originally housed in wooden boxes made by Gary's brother, according to a history of the circuit published by British Pedal Company.2 The 3-knob version that the Skin-Walker references is the layout most players know from the circuit's later life: volume, tone and fuzz controls on the face of the pedal.
Controls
The Skin-Walker carries the usual Tone Bender control set plus two extras. Here is what each one does, as described in the pedal's announcement1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Not yet described by the maker at the time of announcement1 |
| Fuzz | Regulates the amount of fuzz and distortion. At noon you get a blend of two slightly different fuzz textures, the cleanest setting. Fuzz increases both counter-clockwise and clockwise; 5 and 7 o'clock are the highest gain settings1 |
| Tone | Clockwise for highs, counter-clockwise for lows1 |
| Shape | Often referred to as a "fat" control, it shapes the circuit on the front end to suit different pickup styles. Clockwise adds rich high-end harmonics suited to higher output humbucker guitars; counter-clockwise accentuates lows and adds a bit of volume and gain, working well for lower output single coils1 |
| Bias | Controls the amount of voltage sent to the transistors. Clockwise gives a louder, more woolly fuzz; counter-clockwise gives a much smoother fuzz reaching overdrive territory, with rumored glitchy dying battery sounds somewhere in the rotation1 |
The Bias control is the one that most changes the character of the pedal. Because it starves or feeds the transistors, it moves the Skin-Walker across effect types: at one end a smooth fuzz approaching overdrive, at the other a woolly, saturated fuzz1.
"the Skin-Walker takes you from smooth, vintage overdrives, to roaring leads, all the way to the gated, sputtery fuzz we all love"
Power and connections
The Skin-Walker runs on standard negative ground power, the arrangement used by the great majority of modern pedals, so it sits happily on a board with a conventional supply. Connections are high quality Neutrik jacks, and switching is true bypass, so the pedal is out of the signal path when off.1
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Questions
What is the Pine-Box Custom Skin-Walker based on?
The Skin-Walker is Pine-Box Custom's take on the classic 3-knob Tone Bender circuit. It uses silicon transistors voiced to maintain the warmth of the germanium transistors found in the original unit, and it adds Shape and Bias controls beyond the standard Tone Bender layout for extra flexibility.
Is the Skin-Walker true bypass?
Yes. The Skin-Walker is a true bypass pedal, according to the product information published by Delicious Audio when the pedal was announced in January 2019. It also uses high quality Neutrik jacks for its connections.
What does the Bias knob do on the Skin-Walker?
The Bias control sets the amount of voltage sent to the transistors. Clockwise it gives a louder, more woolly fuzz; counter-clockwise it gives a much smoother fuzz reaching overdrive territory, with rumored glitchy dying-battery sounds somewhere in the rotation.
What power does the Skin-Walker use?
The Skin-Walker runs on standard negative ground power, the common arrangement for pedal power supplies, so it works with a typical center-negative supply or daisy chain setup.
Where is the Skin-Walker made?
The Skin-Walker is built from start to finish in the USA, according to the product information published when the pedal was announced in 2019.
Sources (2)
- Pine-Box Custom The Skin-Walker, Delicious Audio, 2019-01-08
- Tone Bender History, britishpedalcompany.com