Cunningham Amps MK1.6 (Texas Instruments 2N404 Germanium Transistors)
The missing link between two of the greatest fuzz circuits ever made — built by hand in New Zealand. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
In this episode the Cunningham Amps MK 1.6 Germanium Fuzz takes center stage — running into my Benson Amps Monarch with NOS Tung Sol tubes, with the Benson Tall Bird running in the Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander effects loop for tube reverb, through my Nash S63 Stratocaster with Lollar Vintage Blonde neck and middle, Lollar Special Strat bridge, and Emerson Custom Treble Bleed.
The MK 1.6 is Tim Cunningham's deeply considered bridge between two mid-1960s legends. The Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face — two transistors, four resistors, the most intimate and touch-sensitive fuzz circuit ever built — defined one end of the classic British fuzz spectrum. The Sola Sound Tone Bender MK 1.5 — the evolutionary predecessor to the MKII, with a booster gain stage driving the fuzz — defined the other. The MK 1.6 sits in the fertile territory between them: the germanium warmth and extraordinary cleanup response of a Fuzz Face combined with the searing, ripping bark of the MK 1.5 Tone Bender.
Built on a hand-etched board with premium components throughout, the MK 1.6 is individually voiced to its specific pair of transistors — these are NOS Texas Instruments 2N404 germanium devices, and no two MK 1.6 pedals are exactly alike. Each is hand-built by Tim Cunningham one at a time in Auckland, New Zealand. Battery powered only, with an on/off switch that disconnects the battery from the circuit when a cable is plugged in — safe to leave wired on your board.
Controls are Attack (fuzz gain, from subtle crunch to full searing saturation) and Level (overall output, with significant headroom to slam your amp). Cleaning up from your guitar's volume knob is the primary expressive tool — the germanium circuit responds to guitar volume in a way no modern fuzz can replicate. The three gain modes explored in this demo reveal how different the MK 1.6's personality becomes across its range.
Every pedal ships with a handmade padded carry bag, signed and numbered certificate of authenticity, and instruction card.
🎛️ Cunningham Amps MK 1.6: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz/product-page/mk-1-6-fuzz-olive-drab-pre-order
🎸 Nash Guitars S63: https://nashguitarsusa.com
🎸 Lollar Vintage Blonde & Special Strat: https://www.lollarguitars.com
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch: https://www.bensonamps.com/amps/monarch
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🎸 Nash S63 | Lollar Vintage Blonde (Neck & Middle) + Special Bridge | Emerson Custom Treble Bleed
🎛️ Cunningham Amps MK 1.6 Germanium Fuzz | NOS TI 2N404 | Hand-Built New Zealand
🔊 Benson Amps Monarch (NOS Tung Sol) | Boss Waza TAE | Benson Tall Bird
