The Skinpimp MKIII is a fuzz pedal from Skinpimp Hand Crafted, a small builder run by Ryan Kirkland of Texas. It is a reproduction of the Vox Tonebender MKIII circuit, the celebrated three-knob fuzz heard on countless British rock records, and it aims to deliver that vintage voice in a pedal built today. Premier Guitar's reviewer, writing in June 2023, called Kirkland's reproductions "some of the most fantastic reproduction pedals in recent memory"1.
What it does
The MKIII is, at its core, a faithful copy of a simple, common fuzz circuit, and that is the point: Kirkland's take on the Tonebender MKIII is built to satisfy players chasing vintage fuzz character. Premier Guitar's reviewer described it as "basically a copy of a common, simple fuzz circuit" that nonetheless "had me captivated for hours on end"1.
The control layout is the classic three-knob arrangement:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level |
| Tone | Shapes the fuzz's brightness |
| Gain | Sets the amount of fuzz saturation |
The controls follow the MKIII's layout of a Volume, Tone and Gain control, as described in Premier Guitar's review1.
How it sounds
Premier Guitar's reviewer found the MKIII tight, articulate and sensitive, in the way players usually want from a vintage-style fuzz, while still delivering the old-school character the circuit is known for. His verdict on the tone was strong1:
"The sound that I got with this setup and the MKIII was one of the best fuzz tones that I've ever achieved. The note sepa..."1
The review highlights near perfect note separation, low-end response and sensitivity of overall tone, the qualities that separate a well-built Tonebender reproduction from a generic fuzz box1. If you are comparing it with other modern takes on classic fuzz designs, the Skreddy Mayonaise MkIII is another contemporary MKIII-named fuzz worth a look.
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Questions
What circuit is the Skinpimp MKIII based on?
Premier Guitar's review describes the MKIII as one of builder Ryan Kirkland's faithful tributes to the celebrated Vox Tonebender MKIII, a classic three-transistor fuzz design. The pedal is essentially a reproduction of that circuit, built by Skinpimp Hand Crafted, with a layout of Volume, Tone and Gain controls.
How much does the Skinpimp MKIII cost?
Premier Guitar's June 2023 review lists a street price of $250 for the Skinpimp MKIII, built by Skinpimp Hand Crafted.
Sources (1)
- SkinPimp MKIII Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-01-14
