122211: Currently under complete revision. I'm in-process of trimming this system down and sortof putting it in better order. I've learned a lot in the four+ years I've been making these things for customers. Hang in there with me ... Thanks.

This is the one that started it all off.

I released my Tone Plug concept to the public in December of 2007. It started out as a research tool that I developed for myself in 1998 to use in the shop and in the studio to help me design and develope new circuits. It turned out kinda slick so I decided that I'd offer it to the public. Some folks find the entire thing nothing more than a novelty. Others love the idea and have collections of a dozen of more Tone Plugs in their collections. No matter which side of the fence you stand on, keep in mind that I designed this system to help me develope new ideas. So if it seems clunky or perhaps difficult to use, it was never meant to be a consumer-ready item. Like most of my designs it's another tool to be used at your discretion. :)

Farndurk's Tone Plug setup is extremely unique. Tone Plugs are very high quality TRS plugs outfitted with the tonal components inside them that our circuits use to distort. Some Tone Plugs are right angle types, others are straight plug style, depending on the amount of space that the components need for each given plug type. Changing Tone Plugs gives our effects pedals a versatility that no other solid state pedal offers (that we are aware of). Swapping Tone Plugs is a lot like swapping out tubes in a tube amp, in that it changes the character of the distortion, as well as the sound of it, the behavior, and responsiveness. We can build Tone Plugs in many configurations. For instance, here's a few of the Tone Plugs we offer:

• #0: .. This plug exactly duplicates the "Diode Lift" option that very expensive boutique pedals use.
• #1: .. Symetrical...A very familiar tone. The same clipping setup found in over 99% of all distortion/OD pedals made in the last 30 years. Compressed sounding .. very "home" for screamer freaks.
• #2: .. Asymetrical .. another familiar tone. This is the combo that most of your Boutique "mod shops" and builders do to mass produced effects pedals.
• #3: .. A Farndurk Hybrid. More open, less compressed than #1 and #2. A very "clear" tone with this one. More dynamic and responsive to player input than 1 or 2.
• #4: .. Another Farndurk Hybrid. Even less compression and a little more clarity than #3.
• #5: .. Farndurk Hybrid. This one is as compressed as a #3, but starts to get a bit "English" and a little crunchy when driven with this one.
• #6: .. Farndurk Hybrid. Like #5 but with less compression and more headroom, will crunch a bit when driven hard.
• #7: .. Farndurk Hybrid. Very open and smooth tone. Nearly uncompressed, dynamic response is great with this combo. Makes me think "JTM45"!
• #8: .. Farndurk Hybrid. Very British. Crunchy, hard distortion that lends itself well to classic rock ... this plug is fargin loud.
• #9: .. Farndurk Hybrid. Another British cruncher ... least compressed of all my Brit type plugs. Loud loud loud.!
• #10: .. Farndurk Hybrid. We got some Germanium stuff going on in this one. VERY compressed sounding. Clean tones? Forget it. This plug starts clipping even at low gain levels.
• #11: .. Farndurk Hybrid. More Germanium fun .. this one is more open than the 10, about as compressed sounding as a #1.
• #12: .. Farndurk Hybrid. Least compressed and way more open than the 10 and 11. More fun with the Germanium goodies.

With Farndurk's Tone Plug technology you can try an almost unlimited number of distortion types without ever opening up the effect pedal or having to monkey with modifying a PC Board! Isn't this cool? This allows you to tune this pedal to your amp, so that they play well together. Our effects devices that are outfitted with Tone Plugs can be used with any amplifier. And it works well with virtual "software" amps as well.

This is no gimmick, it works well. With other pedals that offer "clipper select" functions you're stuck with whatever distortion components the builder decided to put in there. With devices that use Farndurk Tone Plugs, you are free to choose whatever distortion sound you prefer, without doing any internal mods to your effect!!! You can roll you own, or purchase ready built Tone Plugs from us here at Farndurk. We can build them any way you like. Many more will be offered as time goes on. This feature rocks and we completely believe in this design.

Price

List price: $20.00.