SOLA SOUND TONE BENDERS

“The first Tone Bender is essentially a modified Maestro FZ-1 [Fuzz-Tone] and was designed by Gary Hurst in 1965,” says David Main. “When the Fuzz-Tone came out in ’62, they weren’t selling, but when (I Can’t Get came out in ’65, everybody wanted a fuzz pedal. The story goes that Vic Flick took his FZ-1 to Gary saying it didn’t sustain for long enough. Basically, the UK cold was shortening the note decay and making it sound spluttery – which some people like!