Bearfoot FX Bone Bender 1 Fuzz vs BJFE Bone Bender 1 Fuzz

So I acquired my Bearfoot FX Bone Bender back in 2020 (Reverb.com) - and really enjoyed it’s somewhat Face-Bender-ish output - capable of both Fuzz Face and a variety of Tone Bender shades - but not exactly MKI. When I saw and heard Joe Light’s demo (Joe’s Pedals) of the BJFE version - I just had to have that too!

The very original BJFE Bone Benders consisted of 3 x NTE103A NPN Germanium Transistors while for subsequent versions Björn (Juhl) found he achieved better results with a JFET @ Q1 - typically a J113, and then 2 x Ge Transistors - @ Q2 & Q3.

There have been numerous different iterations over the years - including on Q2 & Q3 duty - AC127, AC187, CV112, GT404, and NTE103A.

My Bearfoot variety runs on AC127’s, while my newer but ’original’ BJFE variety sports CV112’s - Military designation Ge Transistors - which I’m unable to find specific OC equivalents for - as is otherwise the case with a lot of the CV line (e.g CV7003 = OC44).

The two fuzzes render quite differently - probably because of those vastly different transistor characteristics - the Bearfoot edition is lower gain, more open, while the CV112 has significantly more gain, richness and fatness as such. That’s not to say the Bearfoot one sounds thin - it actually has a really appealing texture with much later onset along the gain scale - while the CV112 is already pretty fierce already below its midway point.

I would say that the CV112 version is significantly more textured and fatter - while some would say that the AC127 Bearfoot is more elegant and even-handed / better balanced. And where the TB MKI fuzzes always had a healthy low-end to them - with the distinction really between those and the Zonks - being a tighter low-end response / cut for the Zonks - the MK1’s were always somewhat bassier.

And so is the case with the BJFE CV112 variety - thicker, fatter and more full-on - but with more compression and sludge when you skew its bias.

Weirdly I have both Biases in roughly the same position for my preferred settings - even though the taper, range and impact of each is somewhat different.

To all intents and purposes the Bearfoot (AC127) and BJFE (CV112) are quite different fuzzes - loosely related from the same extended family - but totally distinct from each other. I was concerned that the two may overlap too much - but that is really not the case here.

Both have exactly the same controls -  Volume, Bias and Fuzz - but each renders very differently across those dials - you really generally can’t accurately tune one to sound too much like the other - the overall character is too diverse - you would need additional EQ and Compression controls!

The BJFE is richer sounding - but also slightly muddier with it - while the Bearfoot AC127 is less compressed and more balanced and even sounding - it still has a lovely texture - but it’s more of a Tenor or Baritone to the Bassiness of the CV112 beast.

I actually like them pretty much equally - each in its own way - the CV112 is more instantly impactful - while the AC127 is still tuneful and elegant with extra note clarity. Also the sustain on the CV112 is considerably more - aided no doubt by that healthy dose of compression you experience.

I’m surprised I don’t have a preference here - the BJFE is for sure the more richly textured one and more visceral - while there is a real elegance and musicality about the Bearfoot.

My two preferred settings across the two pedals deliver quite different results - and play to the strengths of each :

• Bearfoot FX AC127 - Volume @ Max, Bias @ 1 o’c, Fuzz @ 3 o’c.
• BJFE CV112 - Volume @ Max, Bias @ 2 o’c, Fuzz @ 12 o’c.

The Bearfoot Bone Bender was £135 equivalent as a Pristine Second-hand (Excellent Quality) from Reverb.com, while the BJFE was £269 from Joe’s Pedals. I of course say get both! 

Here follow some pertinent demos of each - first Bearfoot, and then BJFE variants (Transistors generally unknown in each case - while Brft more likely to be AC127’s!