Timeline

(Gibson) Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone

Gibson released the first commercial fuzz box in 1962. The Maestro FZ-1 was predominantly sold in the United States, but it was also imported to the United Kingdom by Selmer.

G. P. Electronics Harmonic Generator

G. P. Electronics, in Bovey Tracey (Devon), designed one of the earliest British fuzz boxes in around 1964.

Gary Hurst/Sola Sound Tone Bender 'MKI'

Gary Hurst begins selling the Tone Bender 'MKI' through Macari's Musical Exchange in London. Early examples were housed in wood, while later versions came in folded steel enclosures.

Sola Sound Tone Bender 'MK1.5'

The earliest known 'MK1.5' Tone Benders date to 1965. Strong anecdotal evidence confirms that the 'MK1.5' was in the shops by early 1966, but it's still possible that the model was already being built alongside the 'MKI', in 1965.

WEM Rush Pep Box

The Pep Box was an early British fuzz box, invented by Pepe Rush, and later marketed by WEM. It's unknown when Rush first came up with the design, but WEM was already involved with its promotion and distribution by 1965.

Vox Distortion Booster

The red Vox Distortion Boosters were manufactured in the United Kingdom, and were first demonstrated at the Russell Hotel for a trade show in August 1965.

Sperrin Fuzz Box

Developed in Southport, by 'D. Sperrin', this fuzz box was advertised numerous times in the press during 1966. Details of this model are particularly scarce, given that there are no surviving examples known to have been discovered yet.

Carlsbro Fuzz-Tone

Based in Nottingham, and well known in England for their range of amplifiers, the Carlsbro company also offered a short-lived fuzz box in 1966. The 'Fuzz-Tone' was a three-transistor unit, and was advertised in the press in May 1966.

John Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine

The Zonk Machine was a copy of the Tone Bender 'MKI', and was first mentioned in the press in early 1966. The Zonk Machine was in production at least until 1968, but Hornby Skewes would go on to sell guitar effects units until the 1970s.

Baldwin-Burns Buzzaround

The Buzzaround was a copy of the G. P. Harmonic Generator. This fuzz box appeared on a Burns price list dated April 1966, and was manufactured in reasonable quantities at least until 1969.

Arbiter Fuzz Face

Arbiter's Fuzz Face was first demonstrated at a trade fair in August 1966. The Fuzz Face was a copy of the Tone Bender 'MK1.5', and would continue to be manufactured in the United Kingdom until the mid-1970s.

Selmer Buzz Tone

Selmer was an early supplier of fuzz boxes in London, being import agents for Gibson's Maestro Fuzz-Tone. By August 1966, Selmer developed their own fuzz box, based off the American design, and this was branded as the 'Buzz Tone'.

Rotosound Fuzz Box

The famous British strings manufacturer, Rotosound, sold fuzz boxes from 1966 until approximately the early-1970s. These Fuzz Boxes were built and supplied by Sola Sound, and featured various different versions of the Tone Bender.

Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII

The successor to the Tone Bender 'MK1.5' was announced in the press in late-1966. The Tone Bender MKII was a modified version of Sola Sound's earlier two-transistor fuzz box.

(Dallas) Rangemaster Fuzzbug

'Rangemaster' was name given to a variety of products by J. E. Dallas & Sons (including the famous Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster). The Rangemaster Fuzzbug was a short-lived fuzz box that was supplied to Dallas by Sola Sound.

Marshall SupaFuzz (Sola Sound version)

The SupaFuzz first appeared in 1966, and was supplied to Marshall by Sola Sound. These early versions of the SupaFuzz can be recognised by their angular enclosures. Marshall, themselves, took over production of the SupaFuzz in 1968.

Vox Tone Bender Professional MKII

The Vox Tone Bender Professional MKII was manufactured by Sola Sound during 1967 and 1968. This pedal featured the same three-transistor Tone Bender MKII circuit that Sola Sound were also supplying other brands with at the time.

John Hornby Skewes Zonk II (Sola Sound version)

A more affordable JHS fuzz box was available by 1967. The Zonk II was initially built in cast aluminium enclosures, and was supplied to Hornby Skewes by Sola Sound. By 1969, production of the Zonk II was taken over by Wilsic Sound.

Vox Tone Bender MKIII

The successor to the Tone Bender Professional MKII was released in 1968, and the MKIII would continue to be manufactured (by Sola Sound) through the 1970s.

Marshall SupaFuzz (Marshall version)

In 1968, Sola Sound stopped supplying Marshall with the SupaFuzz, and Marshall took over production themselves. Marshall's own SupaFuzz was housed in a slightly different style enclosure, and production of this version would continue until at least 1973.

John Hornby Skewes Shatterbox

The Shatterbox was a combination of Hornby Skewes' Zonk II & Treble Booster effects units. It was first unveiled at a trade show in Frankfurt, in Spring 1969.

John Hornby Skewes Zonk II (Wilsic Sound version)

By 1969, the Zonk II (previously made by Sola Sound) was being built for Hornby Skewes by Wilsic Sound in Doncaster. This version of the Zonk II was housed in a folded aluminium enclosure, and would continue to be produced into the 1970s.

WEM Project V

This sophisticated fuzz box by WEM first appeared in product catalogues in 1969.

Park Fuzz Sound

Park was another company for whom Sola Sound branded their fuzz boxes. Early Fuzz Sounds, featuring a Tone Bender MKIII circuit, date to 1969. It remains possible that even earlier versions of the Fuzz Sound are yet to be discovered.

Sola Sound Tone Bender MKIV

Sola Sound's Tone Bender MKIV featured the same circuit as the MKIII, but it was housed in a slightly different enclosure. Tone Benders in both the MKIII and the MKIV enclosures were being sold simultaneously during the 1970s.