# Tube Bender



## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 10, 2020)

Not a PedalPCB build, not yet anyway.  Aion released a board and build docs for the out-of-production Dinosaural Tube Bender.  Allegedly produces tones somewhere between a Tube Scream and Tone Bender (which Tone bender, they don't say).  Not sure I'm hearing that, but it is a nice low to medium gain distortion pedal.  I think it works best with humbuckers, YMMV.  Good pick sensitivity and volume clean-up.  The DRIVE control goes from clean boost to crunchy.  With the 3-way TONE SHIFT switch, the TONE control has a good range from dark to flat to scooped.

Rather than procure the Aion board, I went Vero.  There is a Vero layout on Guitar Effects Layouts, but it contains an error so I designed my own and crammed it into a Handy Box.  The circuit design is similar to the Keeley Fuzz Head, but without the diodes.  I tried a few different transistors and they all sounded pretty much the same.  I also tried tweaking some component values, even tried JFETs in the distortion stage.  Nothing I did sounded as good as the original design.

At the moment it's unpainted, but will get the acrylic pour treatment soon enough.


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## Elktronics (Sep 10, 2020)

Nice! I built the magazine circuit back in the day, and that sounds great too. I posted all of the build docs And schematic from the original magazine on the free stomp boxes board a few years ago, and no one cared back then! Glad to see it get its day.


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## Nostradoomus (Sep 10, 2020)

Hell yeah love those handy box builds!


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## Mcknib (Sep 10, 2020)

I don't know why but it kinda looks like Homer Simpson 

He thinks so too

Nice wee build! like Homer you've sure crammed a lot in there


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## music6000 (Sep 10, 2020)

Crikey Chuck, It's Identical to the one I've just done!!!! ?


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 10, 2020)

Imagine that!


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## Barry (Sep 10, 2020)

music6000 said:


> Crikey Chuck, It's Identical to the one I've just done!!!! ?
> 
> View attachment 6222


something smells of photoshop here


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## cooder (Sep 10, 2020)

Excellent crammage there and the funky enclosure strikes again!


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## Chas Grant (Sep 11, 2020)

That's really sharp. Love the box!


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 11, 2020)

Thanks for the kind words everyone.  I plan on painting it this weekend.


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## steelplayer (Sep 12, 2020)

Super cool and creative, love the Handy Box vibe!


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 18, 2020)

Now with a proper paint job.


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## Chas Grant (Sep 18, 2020)

Alright, That is a pretty darn slick pedal you built there!


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## dmnCrawler (Sep 18, 2020)

I like the pour. Great looking pedal.


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## music6000 (Sep 18, 2020)

Cool Looking Pedal!!!


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 18, 2020)

Thanks!  Because the Handy Box has so many surface contours, I poured each color separately instead of all out of the same cup like I did on the Ward 8.  

I just wish it sounded good with my Strat.  Has a nice grind with Humbuckers, but the single coil pickups on my Strat, it just sound thin.  Gonna try a friend's Strat to see how it sounds.


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## Barry (Sep 19, 2020)

Love the paint job!


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## music6000 (Sep 19, 2020)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> Thanks!  Because the Handy Box has so many surface contours, I poured each color separately instead of all out of the same cup like I did on the Ward 8.
> 
> I just wish it sounded good with my Strat.  Has a nice grind with Humbuckers, but the single coil pickups on my Strat, it just sound thin.  Gonna try a friend's Strat to see how it sounds.


Sounds like it needs a Fat Switch, maybe 22nf to 47nf between Tone 2 & Volume 3, YMMV  ! :


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## Chuck D. Bones (Sep 21, 2020)

I don't have to actually install it, I can just Photoshop it onto the board.  ?


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## music6000 (Nov 25, 2020)

music6000 said:


> Sounds like it needs a Fat Switch, maybe 22nf to 47nf between Tone 2 & Volume 3, YMMV  ! :
> 
> View attachment 6402


I tried the PedalPCB with stock 10nF at the Input & 22nf via a  toggle switch for a total of 32.5nF, It was too Fat!
 Changed it to 10nf for a total of 20. 25nF.
I like it!!! 
Typically, when you crank up the Gain, you can switch it back to 10nF (Stock) if it gets too Bloated.


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## giovanni (Mar 9, 2022)

I just learned about this pedal and found this thread and I would love to know: Chuck do you still like it? And the Strat? What about P90s? Should I build one? I should right? Just make it 23?


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## Chuck D. Bones (Mar 9, 2022)

Just build it Man!  There was talk of a Fat switch, but I don't see a good place to put one.  Maybe make C1 & C2 (PedalPCB sch) larger.


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## fig (Mar 9, 2022)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> Just build it Man!





With an endorsement like this, how could anyone refuse?


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## giovanni (Mar 9, 2022)

I will do it!!!


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## Chuck D. Bones (Mar 9, 2022)

Truth be told, it's not my favorite dirt pedal.  Nothing wrong with it, it just that there are other pedals I like better.  Here's a tip if you build it: Experiment with different transistors for Q3 & Q4.  They don't have to be matched and they don't have to be high gain.


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## music6000 (Nov 7, 2022)

music6000 said:


> I tried the PedalPCB with stock 10nF at the Input & 22nf via a  toggle switch for a total of 32.5nF, It was too Fat!
> Changed it to 10nf for a total of 20. 25nF.
> I like it!!!
> Typically, when you crank up the Gain, you can switch it back to 10nF (Stock) if it gets too Bloated.


Here is my Build:





						Pipe Stretcher Overdrive Pedal
					

A Cool Sounding Overdrive! Mods: 2N3906 PNP Silicon in place of BC307B.            3 way SHIFT toggle switch & 10nf Cap added.            2 way FAT toggle switch - Stock 10nf Input cap & 10nF Cap for total of 20nF.            Stereo Input Jack & Battery Clip.




					forum.pedalpcb.com


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## steviejr92 (Nov 7, 2022)

I absolutely love the enclosure box! Incredible! Great paint job as well!


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