what's your favourite muff?

psyx

Well folks, its time for the muff fans to share their experiences. Especially the guys who have boutique stuff!
I have a NY reissue BMP and Im looking at getting a Musket v2, but the Hoof is also a very lucrative option... Any opinions?

peterleroux

*snigger*

I'm a bassist, and the conventional wisdom on the internets is that the Sovteks were best for bass, the green Russian and civil war being the best. I built one to green Russian specs and I'm happy with how much bass it lets through.

It's quite robust circuit though- legend has it that even at the old New York factory, if they ran out of one type of cap, they'd substitute the next closest value until they got stock again, so there are many variations. If you have one that is close to 'vintage' NY spec (whatever that means) then a Musket will get you the Russian end of the spectrum. If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's really an easy circuit, I made mine on perfboard and it still fits into a 1590B

psyx

peterleroux wrote: *snigger*

I'm a bassist, and the conventional wisdom on the internets is that the Sovteks were best for bass, the green Russian and civil war being the best. I built one to green Russian specs and I'm happy with how much bass it lets through.

It's quite robust circuit though- legend has it that even at the old New York factory, if they ran out of one type of cap, they'd substitute the next closest value until they got stock again, so there are many variations. If you have one that is close to 'vintage' NY spec (whatever that means) then a Musket will get you the Russian end of the spectrum. If you're handy with a soldering iron, it's really an easy circuit, I made mine on perfboard and it still fits into a 1590B

I tried my hand at making a musket on perfboard but it turned out to be quite noisy... I guess the high gain of the musket, combined with sloppy build techniques, kind of killed it...

Chocklit_Thunda

Hehehe ?

Doomsower

peterleroux wrote: legend has it that even at the old New York factory, if they ran out of one type of cap, they'd substitute the next closest value until they got stock again

Apparently they used any parts that could be obtained in bulk. So there are a bigilion variations on the circuit.

I did a bit of reading on EHX history last year. There is a full list of variants at:
http://www.kitrae.net/music/big_muff_history.html

I have a Electro Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi. Vary cool but I don't rely like the way the blend was implemented.

I also have a custom fuzz built by Craig from CraigAmps.
The blend is a lot better. It is way more over the top (but that is what I asked for ?).
Love it to bits.

nicovlogg

So many potential answers to this question. Most of them not family friendly.

That said, I have a black arts Pharoah which is a muffy type fuzz and that thing blows everything else out the water for me.

DrGonzo

I bought the Hammertone Fuzz (locally built) from Alan and at first i didnt dig it (because I didnt understand the Fuzz) but now I love it. it gets ridiculous when maxed out and on the neck pickup, the bass overlaods and almost farts and wobbles. - sounds crazy!

Which by the way is a faithful 'Rams Head' gilmour clone...

Jayhell

Standard Little BMP for me, thanks. I haven't tried many others but I love mine. It's not on my current board but every now and again I like to take it out and buzz the paint off the walls with the neck pickup of my vintage Tele. I see there is a nano version coming, could be interesting. The little BMP always reminds me of old Smashing Pumpkins records, even though I don't think they used them.

nicovlogg

Actually I think they were the very basis of the old school SP sound - that and a master volume Marshall!

bottledtone

Lots of SP stuff was the "opamp" big muff, which never sold that well compared to the discete transistor version back then. But worth a penny now due to rarety.

ftcl

Black Arts Pharaoh is my only experience with a muff type fuzz. I like it. Not my favorite fuzz though...

Vick

Musket; its so versatile and sounds good with humbuckers and/or a reasonably dirty amp, thats rare. I'm happy with mine.

That said, I really want to try out a Earthbound/Acid age Supercollider. :?

Demo:

DrGonzo

I really really hate gear demos with a full drums and back track! really bothers me... i wanna hear that raw ugly tone please!

psyx

Vick wrote: Musket; its so versatile and sounds good with humbuckers and/or a reasonably dirty amp, thats rare. I'm happy with mine.

Did you import it yourself?

Vick

Yup, from prymaxe in the form of a twosome...

Vick

DrGonzo wrote: I really really hate gear demos with a full drums and back track! really bothers me... i wanna hear that raw ugly tone please!

I kinda prefer to hear both, especially with a bass line in the back ground...just to give one an idea of how its going to sit...