Expresso FX MKI.V Mini Fuzz | Tone Bender MK1.5 Greatness in a Small Package!
Expresso FX returns to the channel with the MK1.V Mini Fuzz — Sof's compact take on the dual-transistor Tone Bender variant that sits between a Fuzz Face and a full MKI. Welcome back to Edge of Breakup.
The Expresso FX MK1.V Mini Fuzz pairs with the Black Bobbin Chicago Phantone — Lollar x Black Bobbin Jazzmaster Pickups, Emerson Custom Pots and Treble Bleed — into the Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" with Scumback H75-PVC speakers and Echo Fix EF-X3 Tape Echo.
Reach out to Sof on Instagram DM for current inventory: https://www.instagram.com/expressofx/ Learn about the MK1.V Mini Fuzz: https://expressofx.com/product/fuzz-bender-mk-i-v-mini-grey-hammertone/
The MK1.V sits between a Fuzz Face and a full three-transistor Tone Bender MKI in character — thicker and wilder than a straightforward Fuzz Face, but less aggressive than the full MKI. This Mini format packs the same circuit into a smaller footprint. Transistors: two NOS Mullard OC75 and one NOS Mullard OC76 germanium, spanning new old stock from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. As with the standard-format MK1.V, the volume knob cleanup is the defining characteristic — glassy, articulate, and highly responsive, explored extensively from 02:55 across both bridge and neck pickup positions.
The Lollar x Black Bobbin Jazzmaster Pickup Set — a collaborative pickup voiced specifically for the Phantone platform — gets a genuine workout here against the MK1.V's dual-transistor character, with the Echo Fix EF-X3's analog tape echo adding depth from 03:56 and increasing further at 08:27.
🎛️ Expresso FX MK1.V Mini Fuzz: https://expressofx.com/product/fuzz-bender-mk-i-v-mini-grey-hammertone/ 🎸 Black Bobbin Chicago: https://blackbobbin.com 🎸 Lollar Pickups: https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-pickups 🔊 Cunningham Amps: https://www.cunninghamamps.co.nz
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🎸 Black Bobbin Chicago Phantone | Lollar x Black Bobbin Jazzmaster Pickups | Emerson Custom Pots + Treble Bleed 🎛️ Expresso FX MK1.V Mini Fuzz | NOS Mullard OC75 x2 + OC76 | Dual-Transistor Tone Bender Variant | Echo Fix EF-X3 🔊 Cunningham Amps Custom 35 2x12" | Scumback H75-PVC
Recording: Universal Audio Apollo x4 | Ohma Ribbon | Lauten Audio LS-208 | Royer R121 & R10 | Ableton Live 12
