Favourite Big Muff variants – which circuit and make, and why?

Richard_G

Richard_G

Roadie
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I’m looking to try more variants of these iconic circuits and get a better sense of what separates them.

There are so many different versions (Triangle, Ram’s Head, Civil War, Green Russian, NYC reissues, modern derivatives, etc.) from a wide range of makers.

So what Big Muff do you prefer—both in terms of circuit and specific make?

I’m interested in differences in:
  • Clipping character (softer vs more aggressive, compression feel)
  • Midrange voicing (classic scoop vs flatter or boosted mids)
  • Low-end response and “wooliness”
  • Gain structure and sustain
I’m also interested in build quality and component choices where that’s made a noticeable difference.
  • Are there particular builders or clones that you think really nailed a certain circuit?
  • What mods or deviations from the original topology have you found that actually improve the sound and/or usability?
 
I have a current model NY big muff along with a Deluxe Sovtek . I tend to prefer the Deluxe because it has the tone wicker switch, footswitchable EQ, and most importantly a blend knob. That blend control is so helpful if you’re hitting an amp that’s breaking up - allows you to retain some punch and definition when you’d otherwise disappear.
 
I was going to say the fallout too but Orvillain beat me to it. My current favourite fuzz is the Jumbo Tonebender, it's basically 3/4 of a big muff and everything I ever wanted a big muff to be.
Actually, thinking about it a jumbo Tonebender with the baxandall tone stacks from the fallout could be mega. I'm going to look into that.
 
paisleywookiee said:
As a non-fuzz guy
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Stray Kids Skz GIF
 
Honestly, the differences are subtle, to negligible. The biggest outlier is the Op Amp Muff.
It has the most forward Mids of any of the Muffs. Some of them you just get buried in a mix. :brick

Helps if you run them into another pedal like Gilmour, or a JCM800 like Corgan.
:LOL:

There's a reason a lot of the boutique builders added dedicated "Mids" pot/control.

I also think there is something brilliant about a conventional 3 knob Muff variant. :chef

Something like the Iron Bell from Mojohand is great to try, or their Colossus. The
Stomp Under Foot stuff is great, too, and Matt offers up variants with added "Mids"
pots on them.

For the coin grab a EHX Op Amp and an EHX Ram's Head and you can compare the
differences in circuitry. The Triangle, Ram's Head, and Civil War will all be more similar
to one another than to the Op Amp Pumpkin Pedal.

The boutique route can be fun, but when the OG is still making the pedal they invented
then I don't see no reason to feel like you need to oveturn every rock in the hunt for
the perfect for you Muff. Unless you want to.
:beer
 
la szum said:
I also think there is something brilliant about a conventional 3 knob Muff variant. :chef
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It might just be nostalgia for a bygone era but I’ve kept a giant NYC model around because I enjoy seeing it on a board. Well…also because it sounds awesome for recording.

la szum said:
There's a reason a lot of the boutique builders added dedicated "Mids" pot/control
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Ive always found it difficult to get the muff to translate live, especially living primarily in 2 guitar bands. The 3 knob big muff can be a disappearing act. The Deluxe Muff variants help so much in that regard. I can always get a cool, useful sound out of my Sovtek Deluxe Pi.
 
I have a Seymour Duncan La Super Rica that never leaves my board. The mids are very controllable

 
metropolis_4 said:
I like Civil War variants. The Wren & Cuff Box of War is one of my favorites. I like the midrange quality of them
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That's a good 'un. One of the first boutique Muffs I tried was the big box Caprid from W & C. :chef

There's more great Muffs out there than you can shake a stick at. To me they are a bit like
Tubescreamers, or Fuzzfaces. You go in thinking the differences must be enormous, and then you realize
it is all just splitting hairs and parsing the subtlest of minutiae... and that an Ibanez or Dunlop is just fine. :rofl

I sold an original EHX Ram's Head on eBay over a decade ago for $1150, and I felt bad for
the guy, because I was like "This is not going to make his dick hard like he is assuming it will."

And if it did, then he's a weird fucker!!
:LOL:
 
la szum said:
There's more great Muffs out there than you can shake a stick at. To me they are a bit like
Tubescreamers, or Fuzzfaces. You go in thinking the differences must be enormous, and then you realize
it is all just splitting hairs and parsing the subtlest of minutiae... and that an Ibanez or Dunlop is just fine. :rofl
Click to expand...

Very true! One of my favorites is just the plain old EHX big box version you can grab for $100 at GC
 
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