When designing the temperature controlled fuzz, we tried some unusual approaches. One false start utilized a voltage controlled error correction circuit to bias a single germanium transistor. It ultimately didn’t work for the fuzz, which is comically sensitive to transistor gain attributes. 

We did find a place for it though. 

It turns out it was PERFECT for achieving a germanium clean boost that, (like our fuzz) is impervious to component drift, leakage, and temperature....moreso in fact. We also fixed a couple other issues preventing the germanium transistor from being used as a convinc- ing linear boost...we increased the input headroom (even a normal guitar signal will drive a germanium transistor into unwanted input distortion without some tweaks) and increased the input impedance (a BJT transistor would normally thin out bass frequencies and interact negatively with whatever flows into it). 

The result is a germanium clean boost that can utilize a germanium transistor WITHOUT the weird artifacts that were previously accepted as part of the deal...temperature sensitivity, drift, and suboptimal input impedance and headroom. 

After the boost is first powered up, it takes about ten seconds before the error correction circuit correctly biases the germanium transistor After this things get interesting....we can hear how having the boost engaged makes guitar signals sound more musical...even when set at the same volume as the bypassed tone. Notes are given a simultaneously smoother and more detailed character, like a compressor but different. Some people we’ve shown it to have noted that it appears to deemphasize the unwanted parts of a signal and enhance the good. It’s killer on bass. It helps acoustic guitar pickups sound more natural. And of course it’ll push your amp into a frenzy. 

Product Page

Germanium Boost

Link 

Preamp

With a 30ms-1250ms range, the Benson delay goes fast enough to do chorus, vibrato and slapback, and slow enough to create blurred and haunted soundscapes, with a whole spectrum of warbly musical sounds in between.

Hold down the tap knob to boost feedback for some self oscillation! Perfect for holding notes out, and especially for making alien invasion noises in tandem with the time knob (within a toe’s reach). Works when the feedback knob is up a bit. Does not introduce unwanted clicking sounds into the signal path. Adjustable via internal trim pot.
The Benson Delay has the most accurate tap tempo ever applied to the PT2399 thanks to Bontempo, an open source technology concocted by Antoine Ricoux at Electric Canary, which was then refined and implemented by film colorist Octave Zangs (two geniuses). Each pedal CALIBRATES ITSELF IT’S SO COOL.

Review by Guitar Player

Review by reddit /guitarpedals

Delay

We call this our Preamp because it is! The circuit is based on the our Chimera 30 watt guitar amplifier, but substitutes FET transistors for the vacuum tubes. The result is an extremely amp-like and versatile clean boost/overdrive/fuzz pedal that imparts rich harmonics and a very musical EQ to your signal chain…truly a Chimera in a box!

Manual

The Germanium Fuzz is a fuzz pedal.  The knobs change the sounds.
This pedal is designed around two germanium 2N527 OR 2N404 Germanium Transistors.  They have been graded for gain and leakage and carefully matched to sound their best.  They are set up in the ubiquitous 60’s circular fuzz topology, and tuned for good sound, and include some additional oddities aimed at solving the issues that prevent more widespread use of Germanium devices.

THE FIRST FUZZ PEDAL WITH AUTOMATIC THERMAL BIAS TECHNOLOGY
The bias of the transistors in this pedal is automatically regulated by a circuit that GENTLY warms the transistors to a preset operating point using analog components, and ensures a consistent sound, no matter the external temperature. 

Produkte

Bau dein Board

Community

Featured Artists

Services

Germanium Fuzz

Media

Reviews

Links

Technische Daten

Weitere Pedals von Benson Amps

Benson Amps

Germanium Boost

Benson Amps

Preamp

Benson Amps

Delay

Benson Amps

Preamp

Produkte

Bau dein Board

Services

Community