Many Big Muff users and collectors will tell you that every Big Muff sounds different, even among the same version, which is very true, but I think there are four unique tone eras that just about every Muff falls into: Within each of those tone eras you can find slight variations, even within the exact same model, but they still have the characteristics of their own eras. They were called Big Muffs, and were intended to sound, and do sound like Big Muffs, so I am including them here.

Click the link below for a short summary of the different Big Muff versions. I have included Russian made Big Muffs in the numbering sequence along with USA made versions, since there is a clear sequence to the manufacturing order, with just a bit of crossover. Graphics and color changes alone should not constitute a version change, especially since they changed so frequently. The sheer number of different versions of Big Muffs that have been made is one of the things that interested me in collecting and documenting them.

Within each of the version changes I have tried to list all the variations in graphics and knob styles used, listing these as "editions" of a particular version. I call the numerous different circuits used in the Big Muff, circuit "variants". I have included many photos of the various circuit boards for reference to those of you interested in purchasing or learning about vintage Big Muffs. Hopefully these will aid in seeing the differences in board designs and components used throughout the years to help you determine if a Muff is all original or has been modified.

There are also some tips for buying vintage Muffs in a link above, as well as links to other Big Muff websites.

The Big Muff tone tutorial

None of those are actual Big Muff circuits, and none have any of the signature characteristics of a Big Muff's tone. Those items will be listed in a separate section coming some day. If you have anything Muffish to contribute to this website, find an error, or can clarify a detail or date, please contact me. If you want to read the inspiration for this website, check out this scan of an article from Vintage Guitar, March The Big Muff is cascaded overdrive sections that go through diodes that clip, and that are filtered properly…so that you get a really sweet sustaining tone.

And then you can still blend in a little edge with that. That is a common question that many beginners to the Big Muff ask, and the answers I see on some websites vary from wildy inaccurate, to woefully incomplete. In their defense, it can be confusing considering all the different versions and wildly varying circuits.

All Big Muffs have a similar scooped removed mid range characteristic, and a heavy, clipped distortion tone that is quite unique and "muffish" - but the variation in tones from version to version is quite broad, and there is variance in tone from unit to unit even of the same version. When we look at the circuits of the older Muffs, like the version 1 Triangle or version 2 Ram's Head Big Muffs for example, we see many circuit variants used over the years. These are not all different versions.

The circuit schematics changed several times each year, which was normal operating procedure at Electro-Harmonix, and even occurs to a lesser degree in the modern EHX pedals. He liked it, and he has continued to use one ever since. David has tried many of the different incarnations and models over the years, but his original has often been preferred for most things. Finding another that sounds the same is not easy, I have even placed six in a row that externally appeared to be identical to his original, and they all sounded different.

Often, when you look inside, some components and values are different The fact is, there is no one Triangle schematic or one Ram's Head schematic that EHX followed, nor was there one sound for each. There were dozens of circuit variants. The basic circuit pathways are all the same, but the components in that circuit capacitors, resistors, diodes, and transistors each have different electronic values and properties. I have to play like a stiff to compensate for the looseness, which compromises the soul of the music. Btw congrats on the site and your band, I really dig your music. Two questions first — what amp are you using?

Does the Caprid sound dull in the room or only on the recording? For my really dirty tones I use the Blackstar or the Wampler with Kotb boost my Savage Glas 30 jumpered and at a nice crunch.


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Use a Twin Reverb and a custom passive attenuator from Savage Audio. Your web site IS amazing, your playing outstanding. Glad you enjoy my site: Your guitar and amp will handle most pedals so it really depends on what tones you want. I mean, it is a lot cheaper than both the muff and the fuzz face, do you have a video with the rat and dark side of the moon tones? That would be great Anyway, thank you so much, you are the boss: Hey Bjorn i need help, im between a big muff and a hendrix fuzz face, which one is more versatile?

Also i would like to get a boss blues driver to boost the muff or the fuzz cant found another booster in Chile Thanks in advance: Thank you for this excellent article! I knew David Gilmour used Big Muffs, but I could never coax anything remotely Gilmourish out of mine before reading this ;-. When i use my 15watt zinky on the clean channel, every thing sounds wonderful, the caprid just sings. When i use any other amp like the twin or egnater the muff and even the RAT just sound really trebley and fizzy. Volume doesnt seem to be able to compensate for it either, no matter how loud i crank it, the distortion doesnt really seem to smooth out and open up.

Some amps like pedals. Some handles all sorts of pedals.


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You also need to set each amp individually and not apply settings between them. Always match the channel and master volume also.

The Big Muff tone tutorial |

Just a hair can do wonders. Likewise, your pedals needs different settings with different amps. I had some questions regarding unity volume on BM clones. Does this matter in regards to tone and bedroom level playing? How does this effect the relationship with other pedals and the amp itself? Do you have a preference on which you feel is more useful? Most gain pedals operate on a combination of the gain and volume controls and Muffs and fuzz in particular are very responsive to how you set the volume.

Unity level or lower will often produce a softer tone with less compression and edge but a more pronounced gain structure.

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Increasing the volume produce a more amp like distortion with a smoother break up and more compression. This also means less noise and feedback. I also have a question that has nothing to do with big muffs, I was wondering if youve had any expirience with delay modeling pedals like the line 6 dl4 , or boss dd Are they any good? Also the boss dd say it has Sound on Sound….. See this feature for more details. I know your right, i just wanted to see if what tonal possibilities could come out of it but it works better to leave it behind so thats what i do, thanks and take care.

I am using a chandler tube driver after a skreddy p19 and wren and cuff caprid. I also tried the chandler with pretty much almost no gain, to the point that the volume severely dropped off, and it sounded less choked but it still was not as good as after the muff. I have been just sticking with running it after but i do like to try different things to see what sounds i can get and how it affects the tone. Depends on your amp and pickups and how they interact with the pedals.

With a bright amp with a mids scooped Muff and transparent overdrive it might work but once you start adding mid range and darker sounding components, it will choke up.

Hey Bjorne I was wondering how to dial in OD before a big muff. A booster is usually placed after the high gains. What kind of OD is this? ODs with a boosted mid range will make the Muff sound dark and choked. Also, if you add too much gain into the Muff, this will happen.


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I love listening to your clip doing the Mother solo.