Electro Harmonix Big Muff
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $129.00
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User Reviews of the Electro Harmonix Big Muff
- Submitted by Trunkpusher from Bridgeport, CT (2 points) on Sep 4, 2012
- I run the big muff from the right line out (no impedance correction) of my Electribe EMX-1SD. In the EMX-1SD I focus it on the low bass kicks like the 88-2 and so forth... Sounds that have significant enough release so that when they are effected, they organize into sustained pitches due to the sustain feature of this pedal which is dimed mostly. From the L output of the electribe, I run it clean out. Both outs then run into a mackie mixer panned left and right respectively and then the combined sound of the clean with the distorted big muff and the sound of the kick becomes epic. I use the Tone knob on the big muff as a rake to clear out all high end by overdriving this all the way and rolling back the tone and then letting that signal cancel with whatever it will, thus leaving an open space for vocal verses. You don't want to mix too many cancelations in, but you can find interesting ways to exploit them.
- Good Points: Beginning superficially, I love the look of this pedal. Mine is all stickered up and electric taped via visual control methods and it resides very nicely amongst the eclectic bits and pieces. It sounds great with a low end dirty kick and rips up synth lines like you were covering Pantera solos. The sustain function is what really makes this pedal unique. It will take the beat that you create and give it swing (make it human) in a way that you really just have to hear. When you are dialing in a kick drum sound, this is a wonderful tool for auditioning the strength.
- Bad Points: Batterys have to be replaced via an unscrewable trapdoor.
- Price Paid: US$60.00
- Purchased At: Used at Guitar Center Orange, CT
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- Submitted by Iain David from United Kingdom (144 points) on Oct 1, 2007
- The US Big Muff has a very specific tone to it, warm and creamy as opposed to being particularly harsh. By itself it probably wouldn't endear itself to many noisicians but when given a leg-up by another distortion this thing can add some interesting textural variation to your chain. Coupled mine up with my DOD Super American Metal at the weekend and it sounded fantastic. Not one to use as a primary fuzz/distortion then, far better of as a supplement to something harsher.
- Good Points: - Adds interesting textures when coupled with another distortion. - Relatively cheap.
- Bad Points: - Huge. - Not really harsh enough to be used by itself.
- Price Paid: US$0.00
- Purchased At:
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- Submitted by Ed from Bowling Green, OH (82 points) on Jan 17, 2007
- One of the staple fuzz pedals for guitarists, bassists, noisicians, nuns, bakers, etc...along with the ProCo Rat. I use this mostly for guitar and mic mangling, which it does a great job with. Use a delicate overdrive with the Big Muff's tone all the way down with a detuned bass, and you've got some serious death frequencies on your hand. Feedback loop wise, this pedal doesn't boost many high frequencies, but it does a great job with low end. It's really muddy any way you slice it, though.
- Good Points: Powerful sustain Big low end Nasty sounding treble with just a few turns of the tone knob built like a tank, as is with most EH pedals
- Bad Points: Battery only power supply...EH seems very inconsistent regarding how their pedals are powered. Very muddy tone, almost too muddy.
- Price Paid: US$0.00
- Purchased At:
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- Submitted by Andrew from Baton Rouge, LA (2 points) on Jul 17, 2006
- i got the blakc russian version new and it is a total piece of crap, the jacks dont hold, the button barely works and its a really boring pedal over all
- Good Points: real easy to circuit bend cool lookin
- Bad Points: cheap parts( broken jacks, sticky switch,poor wiring) no adapter jack
- Price Paid: US$60.00
- Purchased At: ebay
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- Submitted by Paul from Chico, CA (48 points) on Dec 24, 2005
- Wow, I can't believe ther isn't more reviews for this! It's a classic, really what more is there to say? This is where you start if you're into fuzz, and probably where you'll end up as well. I have a third generation EH3034 with the tone bypass switch, which is great for bassy stuff, and a second generation (in third gen enclosure) with the on off switch, which has more gain than... well... anything I think. These rule. If you don't what one sounds like, go put your TV in the dryer while it's plugged in.
- Good Points: Sturdy. Noisy and fuzzy as a wolverine. What more could you want?
- Bad Points: Uh, it's stretching it to say this, but it kind of makes things a little muddy at times. No note definition, but that's not really what it's for anyway.
- Price Paid: US$63.00
- Purchased At: eBay.com
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- Submitted by SPIKE from Houston, TX (116 points) on May 29, 2004
- Classic distortion-crunch box. It has a unique sound to it. I have used it on many occasions to crunch the signal of my Spacebeam and SH-101. What i started using it in are feedback loops. The boost and crunch is nice and the knobs tend to tweek the sound quite a bit!
- Good Points: I have the Black model which is not pictured. It is not as flat and is a lot taller then the silver version. More of a box with a sloping top. It has a cool thick distortion. VERY sturdy construction. Big knobs and a HUGE Bypass Button. It's more like a NUKE switch.
- Bad Points: There is no input for a 9volt power supply. You HAVE to use a battery. It's kinda bulky.
- Price Paid: US$60.00
- Purchased At: Guitar Center
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- Submitted by ArtNoisenik from Bloomington, IN (4 points) on Apr 27, 2004
- Been dying to get one of these until I found the US vesion for cheap on Ebay. It was everything that I was looking for. It creates this beautiful warm tone that the sustain on this just makes everything one long run into the next. It is my main pedal. I also boost it with a Boss DS-1 with gives it a brighter sound to it. Overall I find this pedal amazing to work with as it creates great chaos when all is pumped up to 10 on dials. Even when the guitar is not plugged in and I am just rubbing the exposed cord on the Muff's chasis, it creates amazing squalls and skreeches.
- Good Points: - Sound - Sturdy (so far) - Just plain fun.
- Bad Points: none so far.
- Price Paid: US$55.00
- Purchased At: Ebay
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- Submitted by ben from New London, MN (4 points) on Jan 25, 2004
- i've had my muff for around two years now, and it does all the noisy, sometimes nasty, fuzzy stuff that i need it to. a friend of mine has a sovtek muff and it has a lot more modern distortion sound to it, but i definitely prefer my original. there's got to be a reason that so many people have these things in their arsenal of effects. that reason is that it gives a wonderful range of classic fuzzy tones. it isn't the most versatile, but i think it wails out the fuzzy stuff like no other when the sustain and volume knobs are cranked. i'd definitely suggest this pedal for anyone who's looking for a sound as described above.
- Good Points: classic fuzziness, simple controls.
- Bad Points: the switch is kinda loud, screwdriver required to open battery compartment.
- Price Paid: US$75.00
- Purchased At: local music store
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- Submitted by dave from Redwood City, CA (74 points) on Aug 4, 2003
- This pedal won't be vital in noise. The only real thing you can do with it utilize the tone knob in the middle for a more tinny or low fuzzy tone. It has a nice tone, but gets lost easy in the mix.
- Good Points: Not very heavy, simple construction.
- Bad Points: Bulky and doesn't include power supply.
- Price Paid: US$50.00
- Purchased At: ebay.com
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- Submitted by Ryan from Tulsa, OK (28 points) on Jul 24, 2003
- This is a one trick pony. You can get that unique Muff fuzz, but that's it. It is very overpowering and chaotic. It took me a long time to finally find a setting (the only one I ever found) that was usable. It's not study, and has a loud switch. It comes with a wooden box, which I considered to be it's coffin. I have since sold this useless and very overrated pedal.
- Good Points: Comes with a wood box.
- Bad Points: One trick pony. Very flimsy. Not true-bypass. Overrated. Power supply sold separate.
- Price Paid: US$110.00
- Purchased At: Local store
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- Submitted by Roy from Charleston, SC (10 points) on Sep 1, 2002
- The Big Muff Pi American reissue rules. I can make lots of shrill high-end noise with the tone knob and sustain knob on 10. It makes my small practice amp a fire breathing monster on the verge of exploding. The Big Muff Pi is absolutely my favorite fuzz box.
- Good Points:
- Bad Points: There are none.
- Price Paid: US$70.00
- Purchased At: Musicians Friend
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- Submitted by maarten from Twello (64 points) on Aug 29, 2002
- it has a warm creamy tone and i do not like it at all! even feedback will sound like a guitar and i do ****ing hate that instrument.
- Good Points: it has knobs, they make me horny as always. you do not have to buy it so you can keep your money.
- Bad Points: as the name say's it's big, TOO BIG! sound suck. you have to screw the unit all open to change the battery.
- Price Paid: US$60.00
- Purchased At: www
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- Submitted by Will from Raleigh, NC (34 points) on Apr 11, 2002
- I have the reissue and I love it. Great for noise. Lots of good feedback and distortion in this thing. Everyone should have one and propably do. It is made cheaply though. I have had to solder parts of it back in before.
- Good Points: Sound, cheap.
- Bad Points: Cheaply made in russia.
- Price Paid: US$60.00
- Purchased At: Mars music
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- Submitted by Rob from London (362 points) on Apr 5, 2002
- This is a very smooth & very compressed fuzz. It's way to creamy for noise players, it's designed for Santana wanabees to bore us with their squealing soloing. It's also much more fuzzy than the sovtek. It's more reliable than the Sovtek Muff and it's got an AC socket but it sounds nowhere near as good as the other one. The Sovtek Muff is more defined and much more noisy. Avoid this one if you are a noise player.
- Good Points: Reliable AC socket
- Bad Points: Smooth creamy & utterly boring tone. Very fuzzy and undefined.
- Price Paid: US$50.00
- Purchased At: Shop
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- Submitted by Gus from San Francisco, CA (282 points) on Apr 2, 2002
- The fuzz this thing makes isn't harsh enough for my liking. Too compressed. That having been said, this thing is great for the ammount of gain it has, and for the feedback it generates. A good pedal to use in a feedback loop. Plenty loud enough for all noise aplications.
- Good Points: Loud. Good feedback generator.
- Bad Points: Fuzz is too compressed for my liking. 20+ years old. Fragile.
- Price Paid: US$65.00
- Purchased At: Real Guitars, San Francisco
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