Warm Audio Warm Bender

Selectable Three-Circuit Tone Bender-Style Fuzz Pedal

Accurately recreating two of the most iconic tone bender fuzz pedals + a bonus modern circuit.

A Rich Rock & Roll History
From rolled-down wooly tweed tones all the way to riff-worthy growl and grit, the Warm Audio Warm Bender delivers the ultimate Tone Bender-style fuzz experience in one pedal. The Warm Audio Warm Bender features three dedicated, selectable circuits that accurately deliver two of the most iconic Germanium Tone Bender fuzz tones plus a bonus, modern silicon circuit. Many legendary guitar tracks by artists like Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, and more were crafted using the two most popular versions of the iconic British Bender fuzz sound. The debate rages over which Bender fuzz tone is most legendary, but why choose one when you can have both on your board?

Two Vintage Benders + A Silicon Version
Why choose one classic Tone Bender when you can have three? Choose between the NOS 76 (1X OC76 & 1X SFT337 transistors) setting for the “early” Bender tones with cutting highs, clear presence and drive that cleans up beautifully. For legendary riff-worthy fuzz with added bass response, the NOS 75 (3X OC75 transistors) setting delivers that Mark II Professional-style Bender fuzz tone. To hear the Bender sound with a tighter low and top end response, smooth distortion-like tone, use the 3-transistor topology Silicon setting. The added SAG control starves the voltage to create that “dying battery” tone with added touch-sensitivity and compression. Warm Bender is made with 100% through-hole construction using NOS Germanium transistors and every pedal is hand inspected and tested at Warm Audio HQ in Austin Texas by real musicians and engineers with a passion for superior sound.

Pedal Settings & Controls
The Warm Bender pedal has the typical ATTACK (Gain/Fuzz) and LEVEL (Loudness) controls of a Tone Bender-style pedal. The SAG switch starves the voltage from 9V to 6V - perfect for that touch-sensitive compressed tone. The three settings on Warm Bender cover these basic tones:

• NOS 76 Setting
  Aggressive fuzz with raw grit and sharp attack. Clear high pass filter, cuts through any mix easily.

• NOS 75 Setting
  Thunderous bass with smooth, wooly, and fat fuzz tones. Can get to a very Cream/Woman tone sound and depending on pickup choice, Zeppelin-ish riff tones shine here.

• SILICON Setting
  The most like a distortion sound. This circuit provides smoother sustain, compression, and more control. Hear tighter bass and treble on the fringes of your tone.

PRO TIP: As a true-bypass, through-hole, NOS Germanium fuzz pedal, it’s recommended that Warm Bender is first in the chain if you are going to use other pedals for interesting textures and tones. This is especially crucial with buffered-bypass pedals. Even a basic tuner in front of vintage-style fuzz can make things wonky!

Elite Build Quality - Superior Sound - Rare Parts
Let’s talk Germanium transistors! Warm Bender uses true-to-spec NOS OC76, OC75, and SFT337 transistors. NOS or “New Old Stock” transistors require extra effort to find, let alone to ensure they accurately meet the performance specifications required to deliver an authentic Bender-style tone. Want to dive in deeper? Let’s talk about that process.

How do you get different transistors? All vintage Germanium transistors were made in large batches. BUT they didn’t make a large batch of OC76 and then OC75 transistors. The very large batch of Germanium transistors was made and then each unit had to be tested to find out how it would be classified. Based on the measurements, each transistor is separated into its spec category (such as OC75 or OC76 or SFT337). While stock from a variety of vintage manufacturers still exists, the right specs in the right quantity are hard to find.

Using the Warm Formula of finding premium components for true-to-spec circuits we set out three years ago to make the Warm Bender. After years of research and several attempts to find stock, we found a large-scale B2B US-based supplier of NOS parts! Our transistor partner has been collecting parts since the late 1950's and has amassed a large inventory of NOS transistors. Their extensive, industry-standard sifting & testing process ensures each unit meets the appropriate spec category for OC75, OC76 and SFT337 transistors. But we didn’t simply take their word for it, we ran our own test and deconstructed some of their transistors and had each and every part retested to confirm its part number and parameters matched the published data sheets.

Tested, Tested, Then Tested Again
Not only are the transistors tested at the supplier level against datasheet specifications (pictured above), but the transistors are again tested for leakage and HFE (Hybrid Forward Exchange- aka “Gain” test) at the factory-level prior to the pedal build. If a transistor doesn’t meet our additional in-house spec tolerances they are thrown away, end of story. Warm Audio requires the specs of each model number to sit within particular ranges to ensure each transistor works seamlessly and quietly within the Warm Bender circuit. And finally, we test 100% of the final Warm Benders that arrive at our HQ in Texas for any audible noise and complete functionality to ensure the circuit is working properly and delivering iconic Bender-style tones.

The reality is that NOS stock is inevitably finite. And while we are constantly on the hunt for trusted suppliers, we are thrilled to offer our Warm Bender for a true revival of vintage tone, while we can!

SPECIFICATIONS

• Selectable Three-Circuit, NOS Transistor Bender-Style Fuzz Pedal

• Accurately Recreating Two Of The Most Iconic Tone Bender Fuzz Pedals + A Bonus Modern Circuit

• Premium Components, Including All-NOS Germanium Transistors: (1X) OC76, (1X) SFT337, & (3X) OC75. 

• Controls: Level, Attack, Version, SAG

• 100% Through-Hole Construction

• True-Bypass Switching

• 9-Volt Battery Or External 9V Regulated DC Adapter (Center-Negative)

• Current Draw: 6 MA (9V) 

• Custom Enclosure With A Durable Hammered Metal Powder Coat Finish

• 1/4" Input And Output Jacks

• Dimensions: 6” x 2.25” x 3.5”

• Weight: 1.5lbs