Edge of Breakup
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Which Benson Amp Should I Get? | Monarch vs Earhart vs Vincent vs Redland | Feat. Jules Leyhe
Which Benson Amp should you buy? The question I get every single day — so here's the full shootout, once and for all. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
A complete four-way comparison across the Benson Amps Monarch, Earhart, Vincent, and the brand new Redland 35 — all running through the same Benson Amps 2x12" cab for a true apples-to-apples comparison. The Benson Tall Bird Plus also features. Featuring the Josh Williams Guitars Mockingbird — Tone Specific Bloombuckers, Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds — with the R2R Electric Treble Booster (NOS OC44 Black Glass Germanium) pushing the front end, via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander.
Joining for this one is renowned blues guitarist Jules Leyhe — his feel and touch bring out exactly what each of these amps is capable of. Check out his music, live shows, and educational guitar content.
Today is focused exclusively on pushed-to-cranked tones with humbuckers — no clean tones, no hedging, just the comparison everyone actually wants to hear. A quick comparison section up front (02:11) lets you hear the differences immediately, followed by deep dives into each amp across all pickup positions:
Benson Monarch (03:54) — the amp that's anchored the majority of channel demos, Chimera-adjacent clean-to-pushed voicing. Benson Earhart (10:38) — EL84 Class A top boost and tube reverb combo, the brightest and most compressed of the four. Benson Vincent (18:08) — the cascading Vinny/Clean Channel architecture, 1W dirt feeding a 30W clean stage. Benson Redland 35 (26:35) — the newest addition, reimagined EQ stack, extended American clean palette with 6L6 muscle.
If you've been sitting on the fence about which Benson to buy, this is the answer.
🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers 🎸 Josh Williams Guitars: https://joshwilliamsguitars.com 🎸 Tone Specific: https://www.tonespecific.com 🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com
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🎸 Josh Williams Guitars Mockingbird | Tone Specific Bloombuckers | Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds 🎛️ R2R Electric Treble Booster | NOS OC44 Black Glass Ge 🔊 Benson Amps Monarch | Earhart | Vincent | Redland 35 | Tall Bird Plus | Benson 2x12" | Boss Waza TAE
This Silicon Fuzz Face is the holy grail | Reeves Electro 2n2 Face
Fast. Articulate. Dangerously loud. The Reeves Electro 2N2 Face is not your typical silicon Fuzz Face — a high volume, point-to-point hand-wired circuit tuned entirely by ear. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro 2N2 Face pairs with the Gronlund Guitars SC18 — TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons — into the Greer Amps Mini Chief and Smallblock 1x12" cab via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 04:10.
The 2N2 Face is built around carefully selected 2N2222A transistors, JB capacitors, and Fischer resistors, tuned by ear in Markus Reeves' garden workshop in Northamptonshire, England — no boards, no circuit traces, just components, solder, and decades of instinct.
What sets it apart from every other Fuzz Face on the market is the sheer volume on tap. Unity sits around 9-10 o'clock with the fuzz maxed — meaning cranked, this pedal becomes a massive boost into a breaking amp, unlocking complex overtones and harmonic richness most Fuzz Faces simply can't reach. Tight bass response, fast attack, articulate note separation, and a decay that never gets fizzy or spitty. Control the gain from the guitar's volume knob — that's the whole game.
Explored from 01:28 with fuzz volume at amp unity, moving through the neck pickup at 02:54 and extensive volume knob cleanup — "that Fuzz Face thing" — from 03:34. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 04:10 for classic Uni-Vibe modulation. Bridge pickup into a gainier amp from 05:26, with volume knob cleanup revisited on neck at 06:02 and with the Tube Vibe from 07:14.
The fuzz volume itself is pushed to slam the amp from 09:50, with amp volume progressively reduced for headroom and guitar volume reduced for clarity from 10:33 — a genuinely careful balancing act between all three variables that this circuit rewards. Maxed fuzz volume with the amp volume lowered to accommodate closes the demo from 12:56.
If you've been chasing the holy grail Fuzz Face tone, this might be the last stop.
🎛️ Reeves Electro 2N2 Face: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🔊 Greer Amps: https://www.greeramps.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars SC18 | TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons 🎛️ Reeves Electro 2N2 Face | 2N2222A Si | JB Caps | Fischer Resistors | Point-to-Point | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Greer Amps Mini Chief | Greer Smallblock 1x12" | Boss Waza TAE
The Perfect Octavia Fuzz | Reeves Electro Twin Sound
Raw. Harmonically rich. Brutally musical. The Reeves Electro Twin Sound is not your typical octave fuzz — a vintage NOS circuit that snarls, blooms, and cleans up with a sensitivity that makes every note feel alive. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro Twin Sound Octave Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars SC18 — TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons — into the Greer Amps Mini Chief and Smallblock 1x12" cab via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 11:01.
The Twin Sound is built around three vintage NOS transistors: a 1968 Micro Electronics BC137, a 1980 CIL BC108 (white ceramic), and a 1980s Philips BC549c silver face. Not a straightforward octave fuzz clone — this circuit snarls, blooms, and cleans up with a sensitivity that makes every note feel genuinely alive.
The Attack knob is the primary character control, explored extensively across the demo. Different octave fuzz tones on the neck pickup from 03:06, very low Attack settings from 04:19, and Attack maxed alongside amp gain for high gain octave fuzz from 05:11 — with max Attack "absolutely wailing" from 06:37. Lower Attack levels revisited from 07:57 for contrast.
Fuzz volume pushed to boost the cranked amp for more compression from 08:28, then amp volume reduced to noon from 09:51 to make room for the fuzz volume to be cranked further. Extensive guitar volume knob cleanup from 10:37, with the Effectrode Tube Vibe joining from 11:01 for classic Uni-Vibe modulation on top of the octave fuzz character.
The TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons in the Gronlund SC18 give the Twin Sound plenty of clarity and chime to cut through with — from snarling octave lead lines to massive, piano-like low-end textures.
If you live on the edge of breakup and beyond, this one is for you.
🎛️ Reeves Electro Twin Sound: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🔊 Greer Amps: https://www.greeramps.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars SC18 | TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons 🎛️ Reeves Electro Twin Sound Octave Fuzz | 1968 ME BC137 + 1980 CIL BC108 + 1980s Philips BC549c | NOS | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Greer Amps Mini Chief | Greer Smallblock 1x12" | Boss Waza TAE
The Perfect P90 for a Single Pickup Junior! | Ron Ellis in a Grez Mendocino Jr
Ron Ellis Pickups returns to the channel with a P90 bridge pickup, installed in the Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Ron Ellis P90 bridge pickup — installed in the Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior with Emerson Custom Prewired Kit, 500K pots, and Treble Bleed on the volume pot — runs into the Benson Amps Vincent 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers. The Expresso FX Beige Dual Ge/Si Fuzz and Ge Boost and Effectrode Tube Vibe both feature.
The Ron Ellis P90 brings Ron's molecular-level materials research to the soapbar format — the same engineering approach he applies to his humbuckers, delivering clarity and dynamic touch response rather than the raw, uncontrolled midrange some P90s are known for. Paired with the Mendocino Junior's compact offset body, the result is articulate and expressive across clean, pushed, and cranked amp tones.
The Expresso FX Beige Dual Ge/Si Fuzz and Ge Boost is a two-circuit pedal from Sof, built in the UK with zero compromise on components. The Fuzz Face-style side is switchable between three transistors — NOS CV7005 germanium, NOS OC202 silicon, and NOS AC188 — giving three distinct fuzz voicings from a single circuit. The Ge Boost side uses an NOS OC45 germanium transistor — the same transistor found in the earliest Dallas Rangemaster units — delivering classic treble booster character.
The Emerson Custom Prewired Kit's Treble Bleed keeps the P90's clarity intact through the full volume knob sweep, and the Effectrode Tube Vibe rounds out the demo with rich, three-dimensional modulation.
🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com 🎸 Grez Guitars: https://www.grezguitars.com 🎛️ Expresso FX: https://expressofx.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
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🎸 Grez Guitars Mendocino Junior | Ron Ellis P90 (Bridge) | Emerson Custom Prewired Kit | 500K Pots | Treble Bleed 🎛️ Expresso FX Beige Dual Ge/Si Fuzz & Ge Boost | CV7005 + OC202 + AC188 (Fuzz) | OC45 (Boost) | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Benson Amps Vincent 2x12" | Scumback H75-PVC
He Torched My Guitar Top!!! | Grez Guitars Shou Sugi Ban Grand Tour Build
An inside look at Grez Guitars building the Grand Tour — Barry Grzebik's take on the boutique archtop, and one of the most interesting hollowbodies being built right now. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
Barry Grzebik torches the top of a soon-to-be-finished Grez Guitars Grand Tour using the shou sugi ban technique — the traditional Japanese method of charring wood for both visual character and surface protection.
The Grand Tour is a 15" carved-top hollowbody that blends old-world luthiery with modern resonance engineering — a guitar that feels vintage but plays like a modern boutique instrument. At roughly 5.8 lbs with a shallow 2" body depth, it delivers a surprisingly big, woody voice thanks to Grez's Sprung Mass Tuning — an approach that preserves the low-end resonance many compact archtops lose when they're built thin and light. Carved Sitka spruce top over a one-piece Honduran mahogany body and neck, balancing warmth, clarity, and responsiveness somewhere between a vintage archtop and a modern boutique hollowbody.
Unplugged, this is genuinely the loudest electric guitar to ever come through the studio — louder even than a fully hollow vintage 1960s Gibson ES-330. Barry lives at the intersection of engineering and artistry, and watching the shou sugi ban process applied to an instrument this acoustically alive is a rare thing to see up close.
More on this Grand Tour once it's finished and strung up.
🎸 Grez Guitars: https://www.grezguitars.com
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🎸 Grez Guitars Grand Tour | 15" Carved Sitka Spruce Top | Honduran Mahogany Body + Neck (One-Piece) | ~5.8 lbs | 2" Body Depth | Sprung Mass Tuning | Shou Sugi Ban Finish
I Brought This Guitar Home From NAMM 2026... | Shock the Fox TGF feat. Jules Leyhe | Guitar Demo
This one is special. A guitar brought home straight from NAMM 2026 — the Shock the Fox DeeCee model with TGF features, built by Tye Tyler, loaded with a single Righteous Sound Pickups King Street P90. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Shock the Fox DeeCee (TGF Features) — Righteous Sound King Street P90 with matching pecky cypress insert — runs into a vintage original 1955 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3. The R2R Electric Ge Boost (Wood Wire Volts 2026) and Effectrode Tube Vibe both feature, with a guest appearance from blues artist Jules Leyhe.
Tye Tyler at Shock the Fox has built a reputation in the boutique guitar world for genuinely one-of-a-kind instruments — innovative luthiery techniques combined with thoughtfully selected, often reclaimed or exotic tonewoods. This build is entirely pecky cypress from Blue Ox Reclaimed Lumber, every piece cut from the same board. Special thanks to Righteous Sound Pickups and Blue Ox Reclaimed Lumber for the materials, and to Tye himself for the instrument.
Full specs: 25.5" scale. Dual carbon fiber plus truss rod neck. Halon 1/2 Tele-style bridge, aged in Greece. King Street RSP P90 with a matching pecky cypress insert. Recessed STF logo in the headstock. Frenched/inlaid bone nut. Hipshot open-gear tuners. Emerson Premier Pro pots and caps, custom Treble Bleed from Caroline Guitar Company, Analysis Plus output jack. .048-.092 fretwire with semi-hemispherical ends. Neck profile .825" at first fret, .901" at 12th. Purfling block inlays and an inlaid body pinstripe. Aged flush mount neck plate and control cavity insert. FoxLock neck pocket for a strong bolt-on connection with no future neck wiggle — notably, Tye's first DeeCee model with a bolt-on neck. Finished with Walrus Oil Furniture Butter.
This runs straight into the 1955 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 — the real thing, no clones or recreations, sag, bloom, and harmonic swirl fully intact. Pushing the front end is the brand new R2R Electric Ge Boost, the Wood Wire Volts 2026 edition — adding weight, dimension, and unmistakable vintage chew without masking the guitar's own character. The Effectrode Tube Vibe layers in true tube-driven modulation and a subtle Uni-Vibe pulse.
Jules Leyhe joins for this session, and his phrasing and feel elevate the whole thing — if you know, you know.
This is a pure, dynamic guitar demo focused on touch, harmonics, and real amp interaction — no heavy post-processing, no overproduction. Just boutique gear pushed into its natural sweet spot.
🎸 Shock the Fox: https://www.instagram.com/shockthefox 🎸 Righteous Sound Pickups: https://www.righteoussoundpickups.com 🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎛️ Emerson Custom: https://emersoncustom.com
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🎸 Shock the Fox DeeCee (TGF Features) | Pecky Cypress (Blue Ox Reclaimed Lumber) | Halon 1/2 Tele Bridge (Aged in Greece) | Righteous Sound King Street P90 | FoxLock Bolt-On Neck | Emerson Premier Pro Pots + Caroline Treble Bleed | Walrus Oil Finish 🎛️ R2R Electric Ge Boost (Wood Wire Volts 2026) | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Vintage 1955 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 (Original)
Why the Supa MKI is one of the best fuzzes ever | R2R Electric Supa MKI
R2R Electric returns with the ultra-rare Supa MKI Fuzz — a stripped-down, high-impact vintage circuit with massive attitude and zero distractions. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Tele Pickups, Treble Bleed — into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb fitted with a Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker.
The Supa MKI is one of the great unsung heroes of early British fuzz — Chris Vincent's build of just 12 units, loaded with NOS 1960s Philips OC75 germanium transistors, hand-selected and matched. Chris's take on the Marshall Supa Fuzz MKI circuit, the late-1960s amp builder version of the Tone Bender MKI family — immediate, punchy, harmonically aggressive, and incredibly expressive under the fingers, with the response kept tight, musical, and usable in modern rigs.
Explored from 00:00 with Fuzz Volume at amp unity and the Filter set at 10 o'clock on the bridge pickup, moving to neck pickup with volume knob cleanup at 03:47, bridge cleanup at 04:12, and guitar volume back to 10 on the bridge at 04:23.
Sonically, the Supa MKI lives in a fast-attack, mid-forward zone — tight low end, complex harmonic grind, and a bold top end that cuts through a mix without getting brittle. Cleans up beautifully from the guitar volume, responding instantly to pick dynamics.
The signal chain is all analog, four microphones from Royer, Lauten Audio, and Ohma into a Universal Audio Apollo x4, mixed in Ableton Live 12 — no IRs or virtual amps used on this channel, ever.
This closes out the five-fuzz R2R Electric series on this rig — also featuring the Time-O-Lite, PKIII, Replica Series MK1.5, and Replica Series MKII.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups | Treble Bleed 🎛️ R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz | NOS Philips OC75 Ge | 12 Units Only | Marshall Supa Fuzz MKI Topology 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb | Fat Jimmy 1225 Speaker
Why the MKII Tone Bender is legendary | R2R Electric Replica Series MKII Fuzz
R2R Electric returns with the Replica Series MKII Fuzz, Serial #3 — paired with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style on the same rig as the companion MK1.5 demo. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The R2R Electric Replica Series MKII Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Tele Pickups, Treble Bleed — into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb fitted with a Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker.
Also watch: R2R Electric Replica Series MK1.5 Fuzz, Serial #2.
This MKII was won in the same fiercely competitive R2R Electric eBay auction as the MK1.5 — Serial #3. The MKII is Chris Vincent's part-for-part recreation of the 1966-1969 Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII, the two-transistor germanium circuit that defined the fuller, thicker evolution of the earlier MKI, used extensively by Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and the early Rolling Stones.
The MKII delivers classic Tone Bender authority — thick low mids, aggressive harmonic texture, long sustain, and a bold, articulate top end that cuts without getting brittle. Explored from 00:00 with Attack cranked and Level at amp unity on the bridge pickup, moving to neck at 01:34, then exploring lower Attack levels from 01:45. Volume knob cleanup at 03:07, and again with Attack maxed at 03:29, showing how the fuzz's response character shifts across the full Attack range before guitar volume returns to 10 at 04:03.
Reacts beautifully to pick dynamics and guitar volume — a genuinely expressive vintage fuzz tone with modern consistency and reliability. The Gronlund T-Style's McNelly A5 Telecaster pickups and treble bleed give the MKII plenty of clarity, and the 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb's Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker delivers the air movement and dimensional breakup that lets the circuit's full character come through.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups | Treble Bleed 🎛️ R2R Electric Replica Series MKII Fuzz | Serial #3 | Part-for-Part Recreation of 1966-1969 Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb | Fat Jimmy 1225 Speaker
Why the MK1.5 Tone Bender is goated 🐐 | R2R Electric Replica Series MK1.5
R2R Electric returns to the channel — this time with the Replica Series MK1.5 Fuzz, Serial #2, paired with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The R2R Electric Replica Series MK1.5 Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Tele Pickups, Treble Bleed — into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb fitted with a Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker.
Also watch: R2R Electric Replica Series MKII Fuzz, Serial #3: https://youtu.be/-r1_SXLquoA
This particular MK1.5 was won in a fiercely competitive R2R Electric eBay auction — salute to the other bidders. Serial #2, loaded with two NOS 1964 Mullard OC75 germanium transistors, the same transistor type found in original MK1.5 units. The MK1.5 sits as the transitional circuit between the Fuzz Face and the Tone Bender MKI — a two-transistor design that delivers chewy low-end, complex harmonic bloom, fast pick attack, and that unmistakable early British fuzz midrange, cleaning up beautifully from the guitar's volume knob.
Explored from 00:00 with Attack maxed and Volume at amp unity on the bridge pickup, with extensive volume knob cleanup from 01:41 before guitar volume returns to maximum at 04:15. Touch-sensitive, dynamically rich, and brutally honest to hands and pickups.
The R2R Electric Replica Series represents Chris Vincent's most exacting work — part-for-part, component-for-component recreations using the exact same types of components found in the originals, hand-wired point-to-point.
The Gronlund T-Style's McNelly A5 Telecaster pickups and treble bleed give the MK1.5 plenty of clarity to cut through, and the 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb's Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker delivers real air movement and dimensional breakup that lets the pedal's character come through fully.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups | Treble Bleed 🎛️ R2R Electric Replica Series MK1.5 Fuzz | Serial #2 | NOS 1964 Mullard OC75 Ge | Part-for-Part Recreation 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb | Fat Jimmy 1225 Speaker
Other R2R Electric videos you might like:
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/the-best-nos-fuzz-face-r2r-electric-geface-deluxe
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/r2r-electric-uniform-fuzz
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/electric-machine-fuzz-r2r-electric-zonk-machine
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/1959-fender-tweed-deluxe-5e3-vintage-amp-showcase
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/r2r-electric-pkiii-fuzz
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/r2r-electric-mki-pro-fuzz
https://www.edgeofbreakup.studio/latest-videos/r2r-electric-pre-amp-vintage-wah
Don’t Sleep on this rare fuzz ⚡️ R2R PKIII Tone Bender into a Vintage ’65 Deluxe
A dedicated deep dive into the R2R Electric PKIII Fuzz — raw, articulate vintage fuzz that lives right on the edge of chaos while staying musical and expressive. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The R2R Electric PKIII Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups — running straight into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb.
The PKIII is based on the Park/"MKIII" style fuzz — a really important and often misunderstood chapter of British fuzz history. It's the evolutionary bridge between the wild early Tone Benders and the more refined, amp-like fuzz tones players started demanding toward the end of the 1960s.
Explored across bridge pickup from 00:00, neck from 00:55, a lower-gain exploration from 01:34, brighter EQ dialed in from 02:59, and max gain with darker tone from 04:22 through low gain dark tone at 04:47 and fully cranked gain at 05:03. The PKIII handles everything from glassy edge-of-breakup textures to fully saturated vintage fuzz, responding beautifully to pick attack, guitar volume changes, and amp interaction throughout.
The McNelly A5 Telecaster pickups bring clarity, punch, and extended top-end detail, while the 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb's dimensional compression and natural tube warmth let the fuzz breathe instead of flattening the signal.
Also watch: the full five-fuzz R2R Electric showcase featuring the PKIII, Time-O-Lite, Replica Series MK1.5 and MKII, and Supa MKI Fuzz.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups 🎛️ R2R Electric PKIII Fuzz | Park/MKIII-Style British Fuzz | NOS Ge 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb
A Vintage Darkroom Timer Became a NOS Germanium Fuzz Face! | R2R Electric into a Vintage ’65 Deluxe
A dedicated deep dive into the R2R Electric x Waterslide Guitars Time-O-Lite Fuzz — rare NOS OC44 black glass germanium transistors from the 1950s and '60s in a genuinely inspiring modern fuzz build. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The R2R Electric x Waterslide Guitars Time-O-Lite Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups — into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb pushing a Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker.
The Time-O-Lite is a collaboration between Chris Vincent (@djlavalamp) and Waterslide Guitars — a run of just 25 units built into genuine vintage darkroom photographic light timer enclosures, filled with NOS OC44 black glass germanium transistors from the 1950s and '60s. This circuit captures everything that made the earliest Fuzz Face-style fuzz so compelling — rich harmonic bloom, touch-sensitive cleanup, complex midrange grind — with the consistency and reliability of a modern boutique build.
Fuzz gain at max with amp at unity volume on the bridge pickup opens the demo, moving to the neck pickup with volume knob cleanup from 01:30. Bridge cleanup from 02:46 and neck cleanup from 03:05 are compared directly, with both pickups stacked in serial from 03:16 showing a genuinely thick, combined tonal option. Guitar volume back to 10 on the bridge closes the demo from 03:31.
The Gronlund T-Style's McNelly A5 Telecaster pickups give the Time-O-Lite exactly the kind of articulate pick attack and Tele snap that lets a vintage fuzz circuit breathe rather than collapsing into mush — wide dynamic range from clean twang through fully saturated fuzz. The 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb's original blackface circuit, paired with the Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker, gives the fuzz real air movement and dimensional breakup with authentic edge-of-breakup compression.
Also watch: the full five-fuzz R2R Electric showcase featuring the Time-O-Lite, PKIII, Replica Series MK1.5 and MKII, and Supa MKI Fuzz.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups 🎛️ R2R Electric x Waterslide Guitars Time-O-Lite Fuzz | NOS OC44 Black Glass Ge ('50s-'60s) | 25 Units Only 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb | Fat Jimmy 1225 Speaker
What a Tele SHOULD be in 2026 | Gronlund Guitars | 5 R2R Electric NOS Fuzzes & a Vintage Deluxe
Five of R2R Electric's rarest vintage-correct fuzz circuits, one Gronlund T-Style, and a 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb. This is a genuine deep dive into Chris Vincent's catalog. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Gronlund Guitars T-Style — McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups — runs through five R2R Electric fuzzes into a vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb upgraded with a Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker.
The Gronlund T-Style is explored straight into the clean amp first, across neck, middle parallel, and bridge McNelly A5 positions from 01:32 — establishing the guitar's own vintage-correct Telecaster character before any fuzz enters the chain.
Fuzz #1: R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz (04:20) — the collaboration between Chris Vincent and Waterslide Guitars, built into genuine vintage darkroom light timer enclosures with NOS 1950s and 1960s OC44 or AC107 germanium transistors, a run of just 25 units.
Fuzz #2: R2R Electric PKIII Fuzz (08:54) — Chris's homage to a specific vintage variant of the Tone Bender MKIII, based on a unit on loan from @themadcap1. Volume, Tone, and Gain, with Tone and Gain running counterclockwise for brightness and gain respectively.
Fuzz #3: R2R Electric Replica Series MK1.5 Fuzz (15:15) — a part-for-part recreation using Mullard branded OC75 "British Made" germanium transistors, the exact type found in original MK1.5 units. Two-transistor design that bridges the Fuzz Face and Tone Bender MKI.
Fuzz #4: R2R Electric Replica Series MKII Fuzz (20:28) — Chris's exacting recreation of the 1966-1969 Sola Sound Tone Bender MKII, the two-transistor germanium circuit that defined the late-1960s British fuzz sound used by Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, and the early Rolling Stones.
Fuzz #5: R2R Electric Supa MKI Fuzz (24:57) — a limited build of just 12 units, Chris's take on the Marshall Supa Fuzz MKI circuit, loaded with NOS 1960s Philips OC75 germanium transistors, hand-selected and matched.
The 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb needs no introduction — one of the most recorded and revered tube amps in history. This unit's Fat Jimmy 1225 speaker upgrade preserves the classic American blackface chime while handling the saturation of five very different fuzz circuits with authority and clarity, letting each pedal's specific character come through distinctly rather than being smeared together by the speaker.
Which fuzz spoke to you most? Drop your pick in the comments.
🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🎸 McNelly Pickups: https://mcnellypickups.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars T-Style | McNelly A5 Telecaster Pickups 🎛️ R2R Electric Time-O-Lite Fuzz | PKIII Fuzz | Replica Series MK1.5 | Replica Series MKII | Supa MKI Fuzz — 5 Vintage-Correct NOS Germanium Circuits 🔊 Vintage 1965 Fender Deluxe Reverb | Fat Jimmy 1225 Speaker
The Most Beautiful Tone Bender MKII Fuzz I’ve Ever Played | Reeves Electro
Classic Tone Bender bite with modern control. The Reeves Electro Red Dot Sound Fuzz is a deeply considered homage to the legendary Tone Bender MKII circuit, expanded with an external bias control that completely reshapes the pedal's feel and aggression. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro Red Dot Sound Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars SC18 — TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons, Treble Bleed — into the Greer Amps Mini Chief and Smallblock 1x12" cab with a Scumback S75-PVC speaker. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 09:40.
Built true point-to-point, the Red Dot Sound Fuzz uses a carefully selected set of vintage NOS silicon transistors: a matched pair of ME C1016 "Red Dot" TO-106 transistors from August 1975, and a single RCA 2N3053 from 1977. This delivers unmistakable classic Tone Bender character — tight bass, aggressive mid focus, and a fast, articulate attack that pairs beautifully with Filter'Trons and humbucker-style pickups. Silicon doesn't mean sterile here — with carefully measured components and intentional biasing, the difference between silicon and germanium in this circuit is far more subtle than the myths suggest.
The Bias control is the defining feature. Clockwise: thick, chewy, open, loud, dynamic fuzz — explored from 03:19. Mid sweep: classic MKII bite with vocal mids and authority — the starting point at 01:33. Anti-clockwise: brighter, cutting MKI-style aggression — explored from 04:49. To dial the classic MKII "edge-of-collapse" tone, mute the strings and slowly turn the bias until the background hiss disappears — the transistors are technically switched off, but the instant you touch the strings they roar back to life. Push further and the attack becomes spitty, stop-start, unstable, until the signal collapses entirely.
Unlike the Black Hat Sound Fuzz, the Red Dot cleans up very differently from the guitar's volume knob. With bias fully clockwise, the volume knob behaves almost like a gain control for the first quarter turn — clear, dynamic, articulate. As bias moves anti-clockwise, cleanup gets more brittle, raw, and spitty. Explored extensively from 08:44 for high gain clarity, and again from 10:39 with Bass Cut mode engaged.
Bass Modes are compared directly from 07:05 — the Bass boost/cut switch adds weight without turning the low end to mush, explored on both neck (01:33) and bridge (08:13) pickups. Through the Mini Chief and Scumback S75-PVC, the fuzz stays tight in the lows, forward in the mids, incredibly responsive to right-hand dynamics — think Mick Ronson on Ziggy Stardust: biting, present, aggressive, never thin.
Every Reeves Electro pedal is entirely hand-built in a garden workshop in Northamptonshire, UK — drilled, painted, acid-etched, true point-to-point construction using JB and Vishay capacitors, Lumberg jacks, and Alpha pots. Each pedal tested by ear, not meters. Boss-style 2.1mm center-negative DC jack only, no battery — stable, reliable, and immune to the power quirks that plague germanium circuits.
If you love your fuzz biting, reactive, vintage-correct, and alive under your fingers, this one delivers.
🎛️ Reeves Electro Red Dot Sound Fuzz: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🔊 Greer Amps: https://www.greeramps.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars SC18 | TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons | Treble Bleed 🎛️ Reeves Electro Red Dot Sound Fuzz | ME C1016 Red Dot x2 (Aug. 1975) + RCA 2N3053 (1977) | Tone Bender MKII Homage | External Bias | Bass Boost/Cut | Point-to-Point | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Greer Amps Mini Chief | Greer Smallblock 1x12" | Scumback S75-PVC
British Rock Grit, No Apologies | Reeves Electro 108Master Treble Booster
The Reeves Electro 108Master gets a dedicated deep dive — a silicon-driven British rock boost built for Beano-era Clapton, Jimmy Page swagger, and Rory Gallagher fire, with zero apologies for being anything but polite. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro 108Master pairs with the Gronlund Guitars SC18 — TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Tron pickups, Emerson Custom Treble Bleed — into the Greer Amps Mini Chief and Smallblock 1x12" cab. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 03:56.
The 108Master is not a transparent boost — it's meant to add attitude, grit, and urgency. As you increase the boost, the grit comes with it: raw, forward, and unapologetic. Explored across the neck pickup from 01:15 and bridge from 02:59. The Range control lets you bring back low mids to fatten the sound and add a touch more gain when needed, explored from 04:36. The Bright switch gently pulls back presence if things get too spiky, without sacrificing the pedal's snarling character — explored from 05:48.
This is a pedal that doesn't want to live into a pristine clean amp — it can genuinely sound lifeless that way. The magic happens paired with a slightly breaking-up tube amp, or stacked into a Klon-style or Bluesbreaker-style overdrive set to low gain. Goose it hard and the tone leaps out of the mix, picking dynamics sharpen, and articulation becomes effortless. Volume knob cleanup explored extensively from 07:40 and again with the Tube Vibe from 09:12, with the amp fully cranked and guitar volume back to 10 from 10:33.
The 108Master is a genuinely misunderstood pedal until you spend real time with it — after that, it becomes essential.
Every Reeves Electro pedal is entirely hand-built in a garden workshop in Northamptonshire, UK — enclosures etched and drilled in-house, every circuit built true point-to-point using only component leads, no PCBs, no traces. The gunmetal finish is an oxidation process that shows natural patina from casting and aging, and will wear and polish gracefully over time, especially around the corners, just like great vintage gear. Requires a Boss-style 2.1mm center-negative DC power supply — no battery snap.
If you believe a boost pedal should add attitude, grit, and urgency rather than transparency, the 108Master belongs in your rig.
🎛️ Reeves Electro 108Master: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🔊 Greer Amps: https://www.greeramps.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars SC18 | TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons | Emerson Custom Treble Bleed 🎛️ Reeves Electro 108Master | Silicon British Rock Boost | Range + Bright Switch | Point-to-Point | Hand-Built in Northamptonshire, UK | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Greer Amps Mini Chief | Greer Smallblock 1x12"
Hand-Wired Like a Sculpture | Reeves Electro Tone Bender MKI Fuzz
Messy. Vocal. Unhinged — but musical. The Reeves Electro Black Hat Sound Fuzz is a brutally expressive, vintage-inspired fuzz for players who live on the edge of breakup and beyond. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro Black Hat Sound Fuzz pairs with the Gronlund Guitars SC18 — TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons, Treble Bleed — into the Greer Amps Mini Chief and Smallblock 1x12" cab with a Scumback S75-PVC Alnico speaker, via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 09:19.
Based on the 183Sound Fuzz but pushed further, the Black Hat Sound Fuzz adds an external bias control that sweeps from smooth, flowing sustain to spitty, buckling, voltage-starved chaos — without ever losing low-end authority or midrange cut. At its heart is a matched pair of ultra-rare NOS ME4003 "Black Hat" silicon transistors from the 1970s, housed in TO-106 metal cans. The result is a fuzz that feels genuinely alive under the fingers — insanely pick-sensitive, highly responsive to the guitar's volume knob, and packed with grainy, vocal character reminiscent of early MKI-style circuits.
With the Bass switch engaged, the low end stays tight and massive rather than flabby — explored from 05:26 (cut) and 06:56 (engaged, with higher amp gain and more fuzz compression). Flip the output cap switch and the fuzz tightens up for a more nasal, cutting character that recalls early FZ-style fuzz textures, especially when the Bias is pushed into its final gated range. The last 20% of the Bias sweep gets wonderfully unstable — broken, saggy, squelchy, and gloriously rude, explored from 02:50 through 04:25 and revisited with cleanup from 12:36.
This circuit especially lifts humbucker-equipped guitars, adding attack, presence, and articulation without smearing the low strings — chewy and fractured down low, blooming and sweet higher up the neck while still slicing through a mix. The TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons in the Gronlund SC18 give it a Filter'Tron character to cut through with, tested here at length.
Every Black Hat Sound Fuzz is entirely hand-built in a garden workshop in Northamptonshire, UK — drilled, painted, and acid-etched with true point-to-point construction, no PCB, no traces, no shortcuts. Each pedal is played and signed off by ear, not by meters or tone generators, and no two acid-etched gunmetal enclosures look exactly alike. Boss-style 2.1mm center-negative DC jack only, no battery.
Volume knob cleanup explored extensively from 10:22, with amp volume pushed harder from 11:26.
If you like your fuzz messy, squelchy, vocal, and unapologetically raw — but still tight where it counts — this one might be dangerous for your wallet.
🎛️ Reeves Electro Black Hat Sound Fuzz: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🎸 Gronlund Guitars: https://www.gronlundguitars.com 🔊 Greer Amps: https://www.greeramps.com
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🎸 Gronlund Guitars SC18 | TV Jones TV Classic Filter'Trons | Treble Bleed 🎛️ Reeves Electro Black Hat Sound Fuzz | NOS ME4003 "Black Hat" Si (TO-106, 1970s) | External Bias | Bass Switch | Output Cap Switch | Point-to-Point | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Greer Amps Mini Chief | Greer Smallblock 1x12" | Scumback S75-PVC Alnico | Boss Waza TAE
Get that Brian May Queen Tone ⚡️ Reeves Electro May Boost (Rangemaster / Treble Booster)
If you love Brian May or Mick Ronson tones, the Reeves Electro May Boost might be your new mid-hump secret weapon. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Reeves Electro May Boost pairs with the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic — Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers, Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Prewired Kit — into the Milkman Sound 10W Tweed with a Scumback S75-PVC speaker. The Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 06:05.
Get the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
The May Boost is Markus Reeves' Brian May-inspired silicon Rangemaster-style circuit — an NOS Micro Electronics C1016R Red Dot transistor dating back to December 1984, hand-selected and expertly tuned to avoid the icepick highs some treble boosters are known for, delivering snarling mids instead.
The secret weapon is a built-in input transformer wired to act as an inductor right at the pedal's input. This acts as a pickup simulator, meaning you can place other pedals in front of the May Boost without it destroying your tone — a genuinely unusual capability for a treble booster. It also creates a specific resonant peak around 900Hz, the exact frequency behind that classic Queen guitar bite. First-in-chain placement is still the classic move for the most glassy volume knob cleanup, but the transformer opens up placement flexibility most Rangemaster-style boosts simply don't have.
Two voicings via toggle switch: Laser Beam mode (traditional lean low end with bright, searing high mids — explored from 02:22 and again at 07:41) and Dynamite mode (a darker boost, better suited to already-bright amps and pickups — explored from 05:07). Volume knob cleanup explored from 03:44, with the Effectrode Tube Vibe joining from 06:05 for added movement.
Run it into a cooking tube amp, or stack it into a low-gain drive — that's when it really comes alive.
🎛️ Reeves Electro May Boost: https://reeveselectro.co.uk 🔊 Milkman Sound: https://milkmansound.com 🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com
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🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit 🎛️ Reeves Electro May Boost | NOS Micro Electronics C1016R Red Dot (Dec. 1984) | Built-In Input Transformer/Inductor | Laser Beam/Dynamite Voicing | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Milkman Sound 10W Tweed | Choke-Filtered Class A | Scumback S75-PVC 12"
Milkman Sound Creamer 20w (with Jupiter 12-LA Speaker) | Humbucker Tones
The Milkman Sound Creamer 20W gets the full pedal-platform treatment — boost, fuzz, vibe, and a Les Paul dialed in for maximum dynamics. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Milkman Sound Creamer 20W with a Jupiter 12-LA speaker pairs with the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic — Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers, Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Prewired Kit with Treble Bleeds. The R2R Electric Ge Distorter Deluxe, R2R Electric Cash Boost, and Effectrode Tube Vibe all feature.
Get the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
Can a 20-watt tube amp really do it all? The Milkman Creamer 20W is explored here as both a pedal platform and a breakup amp in its own right — touch-responsive cleans from 02:42, through progressive volume increases at noon (06:19) and 3 o'clock (08:53). The Jupiter 12-LA speaker delivers open, articulate low end and complex upper mids that bloom as volume increases — no fizz, no hype, just honest tube tone. The Creamer's tremolo circuit gets its own dedicated exploration at low gain from 18:29, and again engaged from 28:21.
The R2R Electric Ge Distorter Deluxe — built from original vintage AC107 germanium transistors with an external bias control — enters from 21:21 with extensive volume knob cleanup at 22:18 and the Effectrode Tube Vibe joining at 23:40.
The R2R Electric Cash Boost is a collaboration between Chris Vincent and touring guitarist Henri Cash — a faithful reproduction of a 1960s Dallas Rangemaster circuit, identical to the boost built directly into Henri's own touring guitars, A/B'd against that onboard unit to ensure a perfect match to his stage tone. Texas Instruments 2N404A or Mullard ACY19/20 germanium transistors, 1967 CTS 10k pots, Philips 47uF electrolytic caps, vintage West-Cap and Sprague Vitamin Q paper-in-oil input capacitor, 1971-72 Sangamo output capacitor, Allen-Bradley carbon comp resistors. Explored from 29:12, with volume knob cleanup at 31:30 and the Tube Vibe joining at 33:52.
The demo closes by stacking the Ge Distorter Deluxe into the Cash Boost from 35:42 — two distinct R2R Electric germanium circuits run together for maximum harmonic complexity.
Ron Ellis' LRP Humbuckers and the Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds mean every roll of the volume knob actually matters throughout this demo — clean up, dig in, repeat.
Would you run the Creamer clean and pedal-based, or push it straight into breakup? Drop a comment.
🔊 Milkman Sound: https://milkmansound.com 🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com 🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com
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🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit + Treble Bleeds 🎛️ R2R Electric Ge Distorter Deluxe (Vintage AC107 Ge, External Bias) | R2R Electric x Henri Cash Cash Boost (TI 2N404A / Mullard ACY19-20 Ge) | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Milkman Sound Creamer 20W | Cathode Biased 6V6/6L6 | Jupiter 12-LA Alnico
Milkman Sound 10w Tweed | with Scumback Speakers S75-PVC
The Milkman Sound 10W Tweed returns with a Scumback S75-PVC speaker swap — and the Reeves Electro May Boost makes its channel debut. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Milkman Sound 10W Tweed with a Scumback S75-PVC 12" speaker pairs with the Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic — Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers, Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Prewired Kit with Treble Bleeds. The Reeves Electro May Boost and Effectrode Tube Vibe both feature.
Get the Emerson Custom x Edge of Breakup Les Paul Prewired Kit: https://emersoncustom.com/products/eob-les-paul-prewired-kit-premier-pro?sca_ref=6282128.5O9h8BhMpG
This is one of those rigs that makes you forget about settings and just play. The Scumback S75-PVC speaker swap in the limited-edition Milkman 10W Tweed adds punch, authority, and a chewy midrange that feels instantly familiar for anyone who loves an old tweed pushed to the brink — natural compression and snarl when you lean in, articulate and alive at lower volumes.
Explored across bridge, middle, and neck Ron Ellis LRP positions from 01:13, with extensive volume knob cleanup on the cranked amp from 05:08. Reverb Mix and Dwell combinations explored from 08:28, darker tones from 12:21, and lower gain territory from 13:43. Input 2 gets its own dedicated section from 14:53 — more headroom specifically suited to humbuckers, explored with volume cranked from 19:23.
The Reeves Electro May Boost is Markus Reeves' Brian May-inspired treble booster, built around a Micro Electronics C1016R Red Dot transistor, with a genuinely unusual secret weapon: a built-in input transformer wired as an inductor at the pedal's input. This acts as a pickup simulator, letting other pedals sit in front of the May Boost without destroying the tone, while also adding a specific resonant peak around 900Hz — the frequency behind that classic Queen guitar character. Two voicings via toggle switch: Laser Beam (brighter, explored from 19:59) and Dynamite (darker, explored from 22:36). Volume knob cleanup with the May Boost engaged explored from 21:12, and the Effectrode Tube Vibe joins from 23:25.
This is vintage-inspired tone that breathes, reacts, and rewards restraint — then roars when you stop holding back.
🔊 Milkman Sound: https://milkmansound.com 🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com 🎛️ Reeves Electro: https://reeveselectro.co.uk
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 2002 Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul R8 Historic | Ron Ellis LRP Humbuckers | Emerson Custom EoB LP Kit + Treble Bleeds 🎛️ Reeves Electro May Boost | Micro Electronics C1016R Red Dot | Built-In Input Transformer/Inductor | Laser Beam/Dynamite Voicing | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Milkman Sound 10W Tweed | Choke-Filtered Class A | Scumback S75-PVC 12" | Limited Edition (1 of 12)
Ron Ellis ‘60s Bette Humbuckers | The Perfect Semi-Hollow Humbucker?
Ron Ellis Pickups returns to the channel with the '60s Bette Humbuckers — patent-era voicing installed in the 1967 Gibson ES-335. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Ron Ellis Pickups '60s Bette Humbuckers, installed in the 1967 Gibson ES-335 with Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds, run into the Benson Amps Vincent 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers via the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander. The Benson Tall Bird+, Benson Amps Stonk Box Fuzz, and Effectrode Tube Vibe all feature.
In Ron Ellis' own words:
"Bette set is based on the patent era Humbuckers that were used in the early to late '60s ES Gibson guitars. The Bettes are a bit more fundamental sounding when compared to our other sets. The Bettes work best in a ES335 style semi-hollow guitar, but they work well in any guitar looking for a Patent Applied For sound. Bettes have a beautiful musical sound and timber on the notes, where you can hear the acoustic sound of the guitar. They're named after Ron's mother, who was instrumental in Ron's love for guitars."
The Bettes are inspired by the mid-1960s patent-era Gibson humbucker — focused fundamentals, woody mids, and a clear acoustic fingerprint that lets the guitar's natural resonance come through rather than being masked by the pickup's own character. In a fully hollow or semi-hollow platform like the ES-335, that acoustic fingerprint is genuinely audible in the recorded tone, not just a marketing description.
The 1967 ES-335's centerblock semi-hollow construction gives the Bettes exactly the platform Ron designed them for. Explored across the Benson Vincent's dynamic range, with the Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds keeping full high-frequency content present through the entire volume knob sweep. The Benson Tall Bird+ contributes its optical harmonic and amplitude tremolo alongside spring reverb, and the Benson Amps Stonk Box Fuzz adds a completely different textural dimension — vintage fuzz character against the Bettes' naturally woody, acoustic-forward voice. The Effectrode Tube Vibe rounds out the modulation with rich, three-dimensional swirl.
🎸 Ron Ellis Pickups: https://www.ronellispickups.com 🔊 Benson Amps: https://www.bensonamps.com/guitar-amplifiers
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🎸 1967 Gibson ES-335 | Ron Ellis '60s Bette Humbuckers (Patent Era) | Emerson Custom Treble Bleeds 🎛️ Benson Tall Bird+ (Reverb + Harmonic/Amplitude Tremolo) | Benson Amps Stonk Box Fuzz | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 Benson Amps Vincent 2x12" | Scumback H75-PVC | Boss Waza TAE
1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 | Vintage Amp Showcase
A second historic 5E3 joins the channel — a nearly all-original 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe, still wearing its original tweed six decades later. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 — original tweed, original transformers, vintage Jensen P12R — pairs with the Giordano Guitars Veloce, Sunbear '62 Patent Number Humbuckers. The R2R Electric Preamp Super Deluxe, R2R Electric Si Distorter Deluxe, and Effectrode Tube Vibe all feature.
Between this unit and the 1955 5E3 already on the channel, these are the two most historically significant pieces of gear to ever appear here. Original 5E3s in this condition almost never surface — and when they do, they're rarely documented with high-quality audio, boutique reference instruments, and a genuinely musical approach.
The Sunbear '62 Patent Number Humbuckers in the Giordano Veloce are faithful recreations of early-1960s Gibson Patent Number pickups — the brief transitional era when Gibson swapped from the "Patent Applied For" decal to the Patent Number decal while construction remained PAF-spec. Open top end, complex midrange harmonics, and a slightly firmer low end than late-1950s PAFs. Combined with the all-mahogany Veloce's resonant build and articulate response, the pairing lets the Tweed Deluxe breathe from clean bloom into rich, touch-sensitive overdrive.
The 5E3 has two channels — Instrument and Mic — and this demo covers both in depth: clean tones across all three pickup positions from 02:40, the inverse gain relationship between channels explored from 09:24, and channel jumpering from 14:50 for a genuinely vintage-correct blended tone, revisited from 16:27 through 18:08.
The R2R Electric Si Distorter Deluxe — a hand-wired silicon Fuzz Face circuit built from all NOS period-correct components — enters from 18:31 with extensive volume knob cleanup at 19:39. The R2R Electric Preamp Super Deluxe, Chris Vincent's AC107 germanium recreation of the rare 1950s Höfner Preamp circuit, follows from 22:13. Both R2R pedals get stacked together from 25:00, with the Effectrode Tube Vibe layered throughout for lush, dimensional modulation against the 5E3's natural sag and compression.
If you want to hear vintage tone in its most honest form, this is as close as it gets without standing in the room.
🎸 Giordano Guitars: https://www.instagram.com/giordanoguitars/ 🎸 Sunbear Pickups: https://www.sunbearpickups.com 🎛️ R2R Electric: https://www.r2relectric.com
Subscribe for more boutique tone explorations.
🎸 Giordano Guitars Veloce | All-Mahogany | Sunbear '62 Patent Number Humbuckers 🎛️ R2R Electric Preamp Super Deluxe (NOS AC107 Ge, Höfner Circuit) | R2R Electric Si Distorter Deluxe (NOS Silicon Fuzz Face) | Effectrode Tube Vibe 🔊 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 | Original Tweed + Transformers | Vintage Jensen P12R | Cathode Biased 6V6