Introducing... the Black Cat Tone Bender MKI Americano!

[Non-Digital Tom]

Behold, the Black Cat Tone Bender MKI Americano! This was special request commissioned by a customer, so we decided to make five of them (all of which have been sold).

Although we told the customer we could make a MKI for him, it seemed to me that there are already a few DAM good builders who have been doing the point-to-point MKI thing lately. I wanted ours to be unique, so I decided to come up with an angle that would really distinguish ours from the rest. Since Black Cat is a decidedly American brand, what with the Texas origins and all, I came up with the idea of making an American version of the MKI – Black Cat Tone Bender MKI Americano. Rather than using British-made components (or Asian, for that matter), we made a deliberate point of using all AMERICAN components (which, believe me, was no easy feat in this finicky circuit): Texas Instruments 2N404 trannies, Sozo and (USA) Sprague caps, NOS carbon comp resistors, Switchcraft jacks, Carling switch, etc... all inside a custom handmade enclosure. We used red and white cloth wire to go with the blue of those Sozo caps (those big ones were $7 each!). And for a final touch, the legs of each transistor are dressed with red, white and blue wire. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is the result...

http://formusiciansonly.com/blog/pics/MKIamericano1.jpg

http://formusiciansonly.com/blog/pics/MKIamericano2.jpg

http://formusiciansonly.com/blog/pics/MKIamericano3.jpg

http://formusiciansonly.com/blog/pics/MKIamericano4.jpg

http://formusiciansonly.com/blog/pics/MKIamericano5.jpg

[DC1]

Tell me more about the transistors?

GE?

How's it sound?


Going to make any more?



dc

[jfromel]

Nice build, I have built exactly "One" MKI and cussed more than on any other build. Hat's off on making it to 5. If anyone asks me to build them a MKI I will refer them to you or Ryan.

[aziltz]

is that a pedalenclosures.com box? very nice!

[gmr1]

Nice build, I have built exactly "One" MKI and cussed more than on any other build. Hat's off on making it to 5. If anyone asks me to build them a MKI I will refer them to you or Ryan.

Ha! I feel you. Since building these, several people have asked me about building MKI's, and my advice is usually "build a MKII"! (which is still a little on the finicky side...) The MKI is so tricky to get the bias right. WE went through a big pile of the 2N404's to get 5 sets for these builds, and even then - all 5 required quite a bit of tweaking/listening/tweaking. I think the time was well spent, as they all have very low noise for the circuit, and get that less-refined, raw fuzz tone we were going for. It was a fun project, but I wouldn't want to build MKI's as a fulltime job!

It is a pedalenclosures.com box - really nice product.

[tim boehlert]

Tom:

Nice looking pedal - great job!

[Non-Digital Tom]

Tom:

Nice looking pedal - great job!

Thanks Tim! :aok

[JBG]

Beautiful soldering job!

[analogmike]

COOLIO!!

[chinaski]

it's cruel that you would show me something that cool and than say that there are only 5!!!!!No valentine's day card for you!:mad:

[Non-Digital Tom]

COOLIO!!

Hey, we even got the Analog Man seal of approval!

:dude

it's cruel that you would show me something that cool and than say that there are only 5!!!!!No valentine's day card for you!:mad:

Wow, I didn't even think of that... sorry. :(



:dude

[wingwalker]

Beautiful!!!!

The ONLY thing I can say negative about that is that there are only 5 and they are sold out!!!

Very nice work!

[chinaski]

is it out of line to ask for a FEW more?:cry::cry::cry:

[In Tune]

is it out of line to ask for a FEW more?:cry::cry::cry:
Yes it is....we want HUNDREDS MORE!:horse :mob

[GT100]

I'm guessin by the components used that this thing just eats batteries...

[gmr1]

I'm guessin by the components used that this thing just eats batteries...
Why would you think that? Battery life should be pretty good, esp. with the lack of LED.

[Non-Digital Tom]

Beautiful!!!!

The ONLY thing I can say negative about that is that there are only 5 and they are sold out!!!

Very nice work!

is it out of line to ask for a FEW more?:cry::cry::cry:

Yes it is....we want HUNDREDS MORE!:horse :mob

I've gotten a TON of emails and PMs from this and a couple other forums about this pedal. Really kinda caught us off guard. We do have some left over parts, so it's feasible that we could do a few more. The hard part will be finding enough good matching sets of the same transistors. We'll do our best and see what happens...

[chinaski]

:banana:banana:banana:banana

[Baminated]

claim

[Youngpedals]

Very nice, I love 2N404's.

[Jack DeVille]

Yeah, that's downright pretty.

Super whammy job!

[gushtone]

Gorgeous!

[Non-Digital Tom]

Black Cat Custom Tone Bender MKI Americano serial #5 on eBay - auction ends tonight, check it out! (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160410493669)

[erer]

damn! it only went for like 300 bucks...i totally would have paid more....oh well :shrug

[whoismarykelly]

Fantastic work on these guys!

[wingwalker]

damn! it only went for like 300 bucks...i totally would have paid more....oh well :shrug

Me and you both!!!

I started to bid towards the end but I'm just done messing with paypal...

I should have gone for it...I'm sure Tom would have taken cash!

[Non-Digital Tom]

In case anyone didn't know, we did do a second run of the MKI Americano, which we offered exclusively to our email subscribers. We built 10 pedals, sold 8 and have been sitting on the last two. I've been meaning to offer them up publicly for a few weeks, but we've been working on other stuff so I'm just getting to it now.

We changed the graphic slightly, but other than that these are exactly the same as the first batch. If anyone's interested, please email me (info@formusiciansonly.com) and let me know.

Here are pics of the Black Cat Custom Tone Bender MKI Americano v2

http://formusiciansonly.com/Black_Cat/MKIAmericanoV2/MKIAmericanoV2a.jpg

http://formusiciansonly.com/Black_Cat/MKIAmericanoV2/MKIAmericanoV2b.jpg

[Non-Digital Tom]

We've received some fantastic feedback from our MKI Americano customers, so I thought I would share a few of the comments here. Needless to say, we're pretty overwhelmed with the response.

Hi Guys!
I won your MKI Americano on eBay in March and I just had to write to tell you that this is the best damn fuzz I have EVER PLAYED!!!!! This pedal is made so right you guys should be charging DAM prices for them. Never in my 17 years of playing and 4 years of buying VERY expensive boutique gear have I ever had so much joy playing music through a single device! It plays nice with all my guitars - 1998 Fender Strat Eric Clapton with Fralins, 1975 Stock Fender Telecaster, Gibson LP 1958 VOS, Jackson SL-3 etc. I think you guys get the idea. It loves my Mesa Stiletto 2x12 combo and my Marshall 1987x MKII. It works with everything I plug into it/it into. Great work! I have owned the ("insert name") here stuff, and I can honestly say this pedal is Number One. Could you please please please please please please please please I’M REALLY BEGGIN’ HERE GUYS!!!! Build me another one as a backup? DID I SAY PRETTY PLEASE!!!!???
Lots of love, John V

The pedal does have that MKI killer sound, dynamics and overtones; the way the notes bloom out after that are hit and raise to the distortion level, I love it! Great build and solid pedal!
Thanks, Mark H

Tom, I just got my MKI Americano and all I can say is WOW! It has far exceeded my expectations. This is probably the most difficult circuit (as I'm sure you guys know) to get right and you guys nailed it! I have 4 other MKI builds, which are all great pedals, but yours is the most authentic sounding. I think a lot of builders try too hard to make this circuit sound pretty and IMO the primitive sound is what I love about it. I was really hoping this pedal would sound more Yardbirds era Beck, sizzle, spit and all, and I got exactly that. Excellent! I am really surprised you guys got so close using American components, but I guess they are not as important as the builder's skill and ears. Anyway, Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get this incredible pedal, and I will definitely be doing business with you in the future as my finances permit. Thank you Tom and all at the shop for a really fantastic build, I will certainly enjoy it!
Mike B

The MKI arrived bright and early last week. I have to tell ya that I was in heaven over the weekend, bro. My God it's just brilliant, Tom! Absolutely brilliant! You guys hit this thing right outta the ballpark. With a Les Paul and the volume rolled back to around 7 it's so tastefully lethal. It's the 1st time I've ever turned on a pedal, fuzz or otherwise, and heard the sounds I've always heard on all my favorite records. I know you're prolly thinking that it's just the honeymoon period. But after playing for almost 32 years Tom I don't have honeymoons anymore. At this stage of the game it only takes me a few minutes to know whether or not I'm going to like a circuit or not. And after not even a minute I knew the Americano was going to be special for me. I just love it Tom. And I wanted ya to know. So that's all amigo. I just wanted to let you know that your hard work is appreciated. And that I love my MKI a metric ton. Thanks for the awesome circuit, and the lovely craftsmanship too. Peace Always,
Charlie R

:)

[Non-Digital Tom]

Here's a video clip of the Black Cat Custom Tone Bender MKI Americano, Black Cat Custom Professional MKII, and Black Cat Bass Octave Fuzz from the NY Amp Show.

dP8EFOcxxe8

[FreekishBluesFX]

Very Nice! Americano love it! Have the ring mod... great stuff!