| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
 Posted - 08/03/2007 : 09:55:13
|
Hi Guys
I was wondering if any one here was using a Big Muff?
And which type?
What sort of style of music do you use it for?
IS it harsh, or can one get silky smooth lead runs out of it?
Your comments & opinions would be appreciated.
I was looking at doing a Big Muff Clone as my next DIY pedal.
Anyone built a clone?
Any recommendations for the transistors to use?
Do different transistors make that much of a difference?
Regards Dr. Bob 
|
|
|
StratoSphere
Double Platinum Member
Canada
2232 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 13:31:44
|
hey Dr Bob. i use my Black Russian Big Muff. its actually the one i made a new house for and turned it to the "whacky paki"
its comparable to the PW-2. i really dont find it very useful for me. i find the distortion to be more fuzzy and fat and thats not good for palm mutes. i would say its more of a rhythym pedal and it would be good in a live situation since its so thick. it kinda reminds me of Smashing Pumpkins - Saimese Dream stuff. |
 |
|
|
Caliban
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
145 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 14:30:27
|
I have a USA Big Muff Pi which I love. The sound of the fuzz itself is very distinctive, very 1970's, and not at all subtle. It's a pedal that stamps its signature over your sound, not one to blend into the background.
That said; the pedal itself is very versatile, for a fuzz. It has enough output volume to be used as a straightforward boost/overdriver, and the eq is very powerful, not just a simple treble cut circuit. There are some interesting possibilities when the fuzz is low.
I own the Muff because I love scuzzy grunge fuzz sounds, bands like Mudhoney, but also because of Robert Fripp and David Gilmour, who have made some great records with it. Fripp used it as a sustainer - use the neck pickup of a Les Paul with the tone rolled off and the muff will give you near infinite sustain.
Gilmour uses his as a straightforward overdrive - to belt the front end of a valve amp, with fuzz added when the sound needs thickening. I think the solo on "Money" from "Dark Side of the Moon" is played through a Big Muff.
It's a classic pedal. As Stratosphere says, it's not a clean modern distortion, no good for palm muting and similar; but it's great fun. |
|
|
|
Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 16:22:50
|
Hi Guys
Thanks for the replies so far.
I went to Musiciansfriend.com & listen to the sound samples, it's a dark sounding pedal. And it's very fuzzy.
Lots of great sound samples over there.
Is there much difference between all the generations of the Big Muff?
I have a MXR Dunlop "Fuzz Pedal", (silicon fuzz), and it's a bit to dark for my tastes, I guess it's one of those pedals that needs a graphic, like the GE-6-7
after it, to reshape some of the lost high end signal.
Regards Dr. Bob |
|
|
|
FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 08/03/2007 : 19:44:53
|
I looked into buying a big muff many moons ago and the concensus seems to be that there is a big difference between different era's of this pedal.....also the russian made sovtek version is supposed to be different to the u.s.a one (i think there is a couple of different russian versions as well....a green case and a black case)if i remember correctly the green cased sovtek version was supposed to be fairly like the original from 70's and is looked for by some players and collectors...i think dave gilmour has one he used for a while...i never knew it was a big muff on 'money' i thought it was probably a fuzz face,another fuzz pedal we could start a thesis on about the different models.....germanium vs sillicon etc...... i wish you the best of luck Dr Bob 'cause there is is an endless amount of debate about the germanium vs sillicon transistors in fuzz pedals and which sound better....i think eric johnson uses sillicon fuzzfaces but then you hear that hendrix used germanium... .is there a way you could have them that you could swap them around to see if they made much difference...i.e like plug in connectors or maybe make up two boards,one loaded with sillicon,the other with germanium....???...... ...       ...my junior assistants did the smilies this time around......
p.s i don't think the current model is too expensive to buy,it's about the same or even a little cheaper as the od3 here in europe, and the current russian version is about the price of a ds1... |
Edited by - FRANZONI on 08/03/2007 21:28:10 |
|
|
|
bosshog
Silver Member
Canada
493 Posts |
|
|
Caliban
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
145 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 09:18:28
|
| Is that MXR fuzz the Jimi Hendrix System one, drbob? Red box model? If not you may like to investigate that one: it has germanium transistors in it and it's excellent, smooth and full sounding. It should be way more popular than it is.... |
|
|
|
Goran
Double Platinum Member
Sweden
2203 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 12:59:50
|
I bought the Little Big Muff Pi a couple of weeks ago, I like it a lot. Very smooth fuzz, colour the sound very much, but in a nice way.
For Big Muff history:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Muff |
Edited by - Goran on 08/04/2007 13:00:30 |
|
|
|
bosshog
Silver Member
Canada
493 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 20:12:45
|
If anyone has a vintage Muff to trade or sell I'd be interested.
Bosshog |
|
|
|
mattoqua
Silver Member
Canada
438 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 22:58:21
|
nice link. its interesting to read about where the pedals are from, and where theyre used
Right now, the only knowledge I have is on boss compacts, crybabys and phase 90s. My enitre collection is just those as well, and I want to get some different effects, but I just dont know whats good or not.
What other pedals are good at what they do? |
|
|
|
bosshog
Silver Member
Canada
493 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2007 : 23:24:26
|
Matt,
Maybe pick up a book the subject. I picked up a book
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Guitar-Tone-Effects-Amplifiers/dp/0634060465
It gave me a good overview of categories of effects. It is a good start. Then when listening to samples you can distinguish what you like and what makes your stomach turn. Then take iot from there. Getting a 70's vintage Electro harmonix pedal might spice up your board as well.
BossHog
|
|
|
|
pawnshop_trash
Gold Member
USA
603 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 06:30:44
|
| I'm with Goran... I also have the current-issue Little Big Muff, and it's the highest-gain, nastiest-sounding fuzzbox I own (beating both my Boss PW-2 and my ProCo Vintage Rat in gain, but comparable tone-wise), and it will give you instant Mudhoney tone (at least with single coil p'ups). plus, the Little Big Muff gives you that obnoxious Muff-tone without taking up an obnoxious amount of space on yr pedal board.... |
|
|
|
Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 08:44:10
|
quote:
Originally posted by Caliban
Is that MXR fuzz the Jimi Hendrix System one, drbob? Red box model? If not you may like to investigate that one: it has germanium transistors in it and it's excellent, smooth and full sounding. It should be way more popular than it is....
Hi Caliban
Apologies Caliban, I must have missed your post, when I was reading this Thread.
My MXR - Jimi Hendrix System - FUZZ UNIT is the rarer black one, it's so old that the tech support guys at Dunlop, sent me info on the newer red one.
I told them it was the older black one, but they seem to know nothing about it. The FUZZ UNIT not the Classic Fuzz.
It was rare enough for DiscoFerqFX's site to post up my pics of it.
Someone else here in Oz, has one as well, I think it was Whurly or Ronster, on this forum.
There is an old thread about it some where, do a search for Fuzz Unit or Jimi Hendrix System or JHS, you might be able to find it.
I Have some Pics, I could send you in PM.
It's not a great sounding pedal, & it seems to suck tone big time.
Not like the old Fuzz pedals I built in the mid 70's & 80's.
I guess it's the Silicon transistors.
Do you know which transistor your Red Classic fuzz uses? maybe I could exchange the trannies & re-bias them for Germanium.
I would be thankful, if you could take some internal pics of your unit, component side & solder side of the board.
It would help he out a lot, when it came to the re-build - mod.
Thanks for your reply.
Regards Dr. Bob
|
|
|
|
Caliban
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
145 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2007 : 22:58:11
|
Interesting, Dr Bob - I would love to see this mystery MXR! I will get the photos of mine sorted out ASAP.
We could go on forever about Fuzz pedals; not only could we argue about silicon vs germanium, but about the polarity of the transistors. Are they PNP like Hendrix's fuzz face, or NPN like the later models? (My MXR fuzz is NPN, btw, so that may make conversion a non starter).
I have to say that I'm cynical about the whole silicon / germanium thing: Germanium transistors varied hugely in quality, which is why makers like Roger Mayer gave up on them. 1/10 sounded fantastic, 6/10 sounded OK, 3/10 sounded awful. The voice of Dog, rather than the voice of God. At least silicon sounds like the maker intended!
As far as I'm aware, btw, the Big Muff has always been a silicon transistor based pedal. Quite right too. |
|
|
|
bosshog
Silver Member
Canada
493 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 00:55:06
|
| Send us a Pic or link.... |
|
|
|
Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 08/06/2007 : 09:45:22
|
Hi Guys
Here is the link to DiscofreqFX's site, that has the pics of my
Black Jimi Hendrix System "Fuzz Unit"
http://filters.muziq.be/model/dunlop/hendrix/fuzzunit
All but the first two (2) pics of the external case are of my unit.
I sent him the pics quite a few months ago.
The serial number pic & all the internal shots are from my unit.
Regards Dr. Bob |
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Big Muff Pi - Anyone here using one?
