Copenhagen Bender

Description

The pedal is based on the much sought-after vintage sixties two-transistor Tone Bender mark 1.5.

I am building the Copenhagen Benders with a pair of carefully selected and matched US made KRC brand vintage new old stock OC140 germanium transistors, which are the NPN equivalents to the PNP OC75/OC81 used in vintage original pedals.

The sound is 100% vintage authentic, and the NPN properties of the transistors makes it possible to power the, otherwise unmodified, circuit with modern, negative ground polarity. This is a big advantage over vintage original pedals, which can be tricky to integrate in a modern pedalboard because of their reverse power polarity (positive ground).

OC140 NPN germanium transistors are VERY expensive parts, costing more than 10 EUR/each at suppliers, if available at all. This is why you don’t see them in other boutique pedals. Too expensive. PNP germanium transistors are much cheaper and easily available.

Features and specifications:

• – True to vintage circuit based on the 1960s tonebender mark 1.5
• – Carefully matched vintage new old stock OC140 germanium transistors*
• – True bypass switching
• – Mammoth Electronics ‘pro’ upgrade footswitches (good for at least 15000 stomps – the standard blue footswitches that you see in most ’boutique’ pedals is only rated for 6000 stomps)
• – High quality Neutrik jacks, wired by hand
• – Powder coated and silk screen printed aluminium enclosure