Muffs

psyx

After reading the thread on the way huge aqua puss in the special offers and deals section, and MikeM's comment ,

Cue a thread about muffs.

I started looking around at prices for the Electro-harmix big muff pi's and I discovered the Big muff Pi germanium 4 pedal ,which is an overdrive as well as a distortion pedal. Here's a youtube review...
=

Now correct me if I'm wrong, but despite this pedal being very versatile and overall very awesome, it sounds to me as though it lacks the essence of the big muff pi.

Would you guys rather recommend going for the "improved" big muff pi with the tonewicker option? It really sounds more like a proper muff than the germanium one. And with the added tweakability with the tone and wicker switches may be what I'm looking for...
I also read the review by Alan about this pedal...
http://museonline.co.za/tech-reviews/electro-harmonix-big-muff-pi-with-tone-wicker/

Also is there anyone who has an idea where I might get the Russian made version?? It sounds quite awesome as well...

AlanRatcliffe

The Tonewicker Muff is a proper Muff, just with a few added (and useful) options.

The Germanium 4 does look interesting, but I've never tried one.

Jayhell

When I was in Korea I had the opportunity to line up all the fuzz pedals one could desire and try them all out and it all comes down to; different strokes for different oaks. Out of the bunch (no russian or Germanium ones though) I preferred the little big muff. Some don't like them, but it had the sound I was looking for. I fell in love with the LBM immediately, I would still like to own the original big muff but the form factor puts me off. I like my muffs small and fuzzy. Your other option is to buy a kit and build it yourself.

I still want to get a shirt that says; 'I like Big Muffs'

Bob-Dubery

Greg

I've got a LBMuff with the tone switch and wicker.

It's awesome, broadband bigmuff sound is HUGE and SO loud but if you switch it off you have regular old LBMuff.

I wouldn't replace it even with a 70s muff, I'd just add the other muff to the board and leave the "white muff" in it's right place.

psyx

So I decided to try building one myself first... Ive found alot of schematics that look easy enough to build and since BMP's use silicone transistors, it should be cheap and easy to get the parts! If im not satisfied with my build, I'll import one... Looks like that will cost around R 1400... Which isn't THAT bad. I also looked at the demos of the musket fuzz and I love the sounds that thing makes, but their a little pricey for my tastes... Maybe someday...

Greg

psyx wrote So I decided to try building one myself first... Ive found alot of schematics that look easy enough to build and since BMP's use silicone transistors, it should be cheap and easy to get the parts! If im not satisfied with my build, I'll import one... Looks like that will cost around R 1400... Which isn't THAT bad. I also looked at the demos of the musket fuzz and I love the sounds that thing makes, but their a little pricey for my tastes... Maybe someday...

Benjamin Craig from Craigamps is working on a silicone based fuzz if I recall correctly. Not sure what that will go for, but check out his page:

https://www.facebook.com/craigamps

nick

I have this which I find better and faaar more versatile than my ex Little Big Muff Pi.

psyx

I watched some vids on the pharoah fuzz some time ago and I actually forgot about it! It seems very versatile, but the guys who import it to SA retail it for an arm and a leg... If I were to pay a few bucks extra I think I would go for the blackout effectors muskett fuzz, the sounds it makes are beyond perfect for what I want! But again... The price...

nick

psyx wrote I watched some vids on the pharoah fuzz some time ago and I actually forgot about it! It seems very versatile, but the guys who import it to SA retail it for an arm and a leg... If I were to pay a few bucks extra I think I would go for the blackout effectors muskett fuzz, the sounds it makes are beyond perfect for what I want! But again... The price...

Proguitarshop.com ships here, get a few people in on an order and shipping is free over a certain amount.

Vick

the Big muff Pi germanium 4 is a overdrive and distortion with a fuzzy character, like most germanium OD and distortion boxes.
It's a nice pedal for the price. I think its going to be kinda picky with amps.

The pharaoh is a grate-super-versatile monster. It does a lot of things well; its an insane doom/sludge pedal, it does classic fuzz superbly(in it own kinda way) and it even does a rangemaster treble booster kind of thing. It just that versatile.

Have a look at the EQD Hoof, its a germanium and silicone highbred, its not overly "boomy", has plenty of gain, useable gain range, its not overly sensitive to temperature changes(in comparison to most germanium pedals), yet it retains the germanium warmth and fuzzy-ness and the bottom end is just the right amount of tight. Its a grate muff.

Devi Ever also makes a muff called The Hyperion, $100, really hige gain, really loud, no tone knob and the only wag to alter the gain is by use of the "pre-gain" knob and your guitars volume knob, its not everyones cup of tee but is a grate pedal when you have learned how to use it.

Excluding the The Hyperion, i think that the Wicker is about as good as a muff gets below $130.

psyx

So after having GAS for a big muff pi for some time now, I picked one up from psean in the classifieds and now I have the tone I wanted... Heres a short video showing off my stuff! :?
Be nice... Its my first video
=

Psean

Good to hear it being put to good use?

Stoner-Riff

Like it has been said many times above . . . it really depends what Muff will resonate with you and your gear best !

I have :

* old big box NYC Bg Muff (i also have the T-Shirt)
* old big box Double Muff
* black Russian Big Muff
* green Bass Muff - use it for guitar though, not bass.

I was super excited when the Tone Wicker model came out, but i did not like it one bit.
Same with the current production Little Big Muff - my gear does not like these two.

And i am now looking for an old (vintage) 1970's Little Big Muff.

psyx

Stoner Riff wrote Like it has been said many times above . . . it really depends what Muff will resonate with you and your gear best !

I have :

* old big box NYC Bg Muff (i also have the T-Shirt)
* old big box Double Muff
* black Russian Big Muff
* green Bass Muff - use it for guitar though, not bass.

I was super excited when the Tone Wicker model came out, but i did not like it one bit.
Same with the current production Little Big Muff - my gear does not like these two.

And i am now looking for an old (vintage) 1970's Little Big Muff.

Nice collection! From what I hear, the circuit of the Russian big muff and the bass muff are very similar. How similar are the sounds?

Stoner-Riff

psyx wrote
Stoner Riff wrote Like it has been said many times above . . . it really depends what Muff will resonate with you and your gear best !

I have :

* old big box NYC Bg Muff (i also have the T-Shirt)
* old big box Double Muff
* black Russian Big Muff
* green Bass Muff - use it for guitar though, not bass.

I was super excited when the Tone Wicker model came out, but i did not like it one bit.
Same with the current production Little Big Muff - my gear does not like these two.

And i am now looking for an old (vintage) 1970's Little Big Muff.
Nice collection! From what I hear, the circuit of the Russian big muff and the bass muff are very similar. How similar are the sounds?

Thank you very much !

To my ears, the black Russian Muff & green Bass Muff sound nothing alike !
The Russian Muff has more of a Dist tone in it's voicing, not a 100% fully blown fuzz tone.
The green Bass Muff on the other hand, sound more like a 'traditional' style fuzz.
I was told by a HUGE Big Muff freak/collector over at Guitargeek.com, that the green Bass Muff is loosely based (circuit wise) on the green Sovtek Big Muff.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/jnl_music/JNL%2520Music%2520blogspot/RussianMuff.jpg

This is the one i am keeping an eye out for now :

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BmV9mYlUpF8/THWXiM2dtiI/AAAAAAAAD_4/b1UOo0zloNM/Mobile%20Photo%2025%20Aug%202010%2023%2012%2013.jpg

psyx

Stoner Riff wrote
Thank you very much !

To my ears, the black Russian Muff & green Bass Muff sound nothing alike !
The Russian Muff has more of a Dist tone in it's voicing, not a 100% fully blown fuzz tone.
The green Bass Muff on the other hand, sound more like a 'traditional' style fuzz.
I was told by a HUGE Big Muff freak/collector over at Guitargeek.com, that the green Bass Muff is loosely based (circuit wise) on the green Sovtek Big Muff.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/jnl_music/JNL%2520Music%2520blogspot/RussianMuff.jpg

This is the one i am keeping an eye out for now :

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BmV9mYlUpF8/THWXiM2dtiI/AAAAAAAAD_4/b1UOo0zloNM/Mobile%20Photo%2025%20Aug%202010%2023%2012%2013.jpg

there are quite alot of interesting versions of the big muff out there. Though ive never seen that second one before... Is that the 70's little big muff? I would like to get my hands on an original Rams head version. Those sound very smooth... And I want to try out one of those OP amp deluxe big muffs too. But both of those are a little rare

Psean

Stoner Riff wrote Like it has been said many times above . . . it really depends what Muff will resonate with you and your gear best !

I have :

* old big box NYC Bg Muff (i also have the T-Shirt)
* old big box Double Muff
* black Russian Big Muff
* green Bass Muff - use it for guitar though, not bass.

I was super excited when the Tone Wicker model came out, but i did not like it one bit.
Same with the current production Little Big Muff - my gear does not like these two.

And i am now looking for an old (vintage) 1970's Little Big Muff.

Man, I would love to see some pics of the two older ones and the russian :yup:

Psean

psyx wrote there are quite alot of interesting versions of the big muff out there. Though ive never seen that second one before... Is that the 70's little big muff? I would like to get my hands on an original Rams head version. Those sound very smooth... And I want to try out one of those OP amp deluxe big muffs too. But both of those are a little rare

I've seen some locally made clones for sale recently - Hammertone. I'm not sure what the story is with the production though.

I wonder how much it would cost to get one of these shipped here: http://www.stompunderfoot.com/RAM_S_HEAD.html

Stoner-Riff

psyx wrote
Stoner Riff wrote
Thank you very much !

To my ears, the black Russian Muff & green Bass Muff sound nothing alike !
The Russian Muff has more of a Dist tone in it's voicing, not a 100% fully blown fuzz tone.
The green Bass Muff on the other hand, sound more like a 'traditional' style fuzz.
I was told by a HUGE Big Muff freak/collector over at Guitargeek.com, that the green Bass Muff is loosely based (circuit wise) on the green Sovtek Big Muff.

http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/jnl_music/JNL%2520Music%2520blogspot/RussianMuff.jpg

This is the one i am keeping an eye out for now :

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_BmV9mYlUpF8/THWXiM2dtiI/AAAAAAAAD_4/b1UOo0zloNM/Mobile%20Photo%2025%20Aug%202010%2023%2012%2013.jpg
there are quite alot of interesting versions of the big muff out there. Though ive never seen that second one before... Is that the 70's little big muff? I would like to get my hands on an original Rams head version. Those sound very smooth... And I want to try out one of those OP amp deluxe big muffs too. But both of those are a little rare

YUP, the 2nd link is the very 1st Little Big Muff.

Lori S, of Acid King uses one, with her JCM800, and gets a killer/massive tone :