WyvernSilicon Drive

From the vendor

A reproduction of a rare silicon-transistor drive pedal designed by Dan Coggins, formerly of Lovetone, handbuilt in small quantities from 2003–2007.

The Wyvern Silicon Drive is an adaptation of the Tube Bender, a silicon transistor overdrive designed by Dan Coggins of Dinosaural (and formerly of Lovetone). It was originally designed as a DIY project and kit by Guitar Magazine (UK) in February 2003.

In October of the same year, Dan tweaked the voicing of the circuit and added the “Tone Shift” switch and began building it commercially under the Dinosaural name. Around 140 of them were made before production ceased in 2007. In 2016, Dan built another 12 units using the original circuit board, parts and internal wiring, with the only difference being the black enclosure compared to the original white.

Despite the low number of units in existence, the Tube Bender found its way into the hands of several musicians and producers in the UK, including Snow Patrol who have several of them. (According to their manager, their “Eyes Open” album from 2006 had Tube Benders all over it.)

As the name implies, it was designed to land somewhere in between the Tube Screamer and Tone Bender in sound, although the circuit shares nothing in common with either of them from an engineering perspective. And while the schematic does resemble other silicon fuzz circuits such as the Hot Silicon, it’s definitely not voiced like a fuzz.

The Wyvern is based on the commercial version of the Tube Bender which was traced by Aion FX in 2020. The earlier magazine version can also be built with a few parts substitutions that are provided. The only modification in the Wyvern is the use of a 3-position switch for the Tone Shift so you can have a third setting in between the other two.