Russian EHX Pedals?

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:32 am

I just picked up the russian black box Small Stone, good tones, mediocre construction, sweet looks. I also just saw this:

I know the russian muff, obviously, but what other pedals did EHX do a russian made run for?

Yarko · Post by **Yarko** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:46 am

they also made a couple of electric mistresses.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:58 am

I have the BMP, of course. Don't know that there were others besides those mentioned.

They feature the worst construction the Soviet Union had to offer. When I was using my BMP it needed weekly repair.

Yarko · Post by **Yarko** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:06 am

on a tangent, living in ukraine after the soviet union fell apart was very interesting. will go back to visit if i ever have the chance.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:13 am

Big Muff, Current Model
Small Stone
Electric Mistress
Bassballs

to my knowledge at least, i'm searching for more

Zack · Post by **Zack** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:17 am

the amps are cooler.

sovtek love.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:30 am

Will wrote:I have the BMP, of course. Don't know that there were others besides those mentioned.

They feature the worst construction the Soviet Union had to offer. When I was using my BMP it needed weekly repair.

were these made actually during the soviet union? I thought they were early 90s after the fall. I can't imagine that new sensor/EHX would be able to buy a factory in russia prior to at least gorbachev and perestroika.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:39 am

first pedal i ever bought was my russian big muff. in 2000, i was thirteen and heard that billy corgan used one. i had no idea there were different versions. the local shop had one for $90, which i realize now is a huge rip-off, but i didn't know any better. still, it came in a cool wooden box.

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:40 am

Some were made before the official fall - only the earliest, though.

Of course, it's not like the factories suddenly doubled in quality once the government democratized. We're talking about a country that favored slot-head to Philips-head screws because their industry couldn't consistently center the cross on a Philips.

Sovtek = Soviet Teknology.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:58 am

I see...

Zack · Post by **Zack** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:00 am

Will wrote:Sovtek = Soviet Teknology.

Truth, but I was under the impression that the name originated because of the use of old soviet parts from the factories in which ehx bought. EHX should start posting again at shortscale. When I bought my pog, I got this article about a bunch of ehx employees going to russia and show casing a bunch of pedals to musicians and everyone being totally stoked. I don't think I have it anymore, but judging by the clothes it must have been the 70s or thereabouts. I think the green box big muffs were made pre-fall but not sold to the us market until the 90s and then they changed to a different box?

While I'm aware of their use of flat heads on guitars and hated dealing with it, that comment rubs me the wrong way man.

wrong way.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:55 pm

Mine is dated 2002 on the inside...

Post by **Doog** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:57 pm

Yarko wrote:they also made a couple of electric mistresses.

Did not know that!

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:59 pm

I sort of don't care if they fall apart and sound wrong, they look class.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:13 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:I sort of don't care if they fall apart and sound wrong, they look class.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:26 pm

Haze wrote:Big Muff

that olive drab BMP in the middle looks amazing.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:40 pm

I've been stomping on a Sovtek Muff on a tri-weekly basis for years now and I haven't come across a single reliability issue.
I guess I must have won at the Soviet manufacture QC lottery? As far as I'm concerned, Sovtek Muff's ONLY drawback is in how loose those mini pots are, combined with chicken head knobs. The thing will basically set itself up randomly if you look at it too hard. At least all the duct tape I have on there kinda works in favour of it's gnarly Soyuz re-entry module crash site artifact aesthetics.

My NYC Muff on the other hand, has been slowly demolishing itself since the day I bought it.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 8:52 pm

laterallateral wrote:I've been stomping on a Sovtek Muff on a tri-weekly basis for years now and I haven't come across a single reliability issue.
I guess I must have won at the Soviet manufacture QC lottery? As far as I'm concerned, Sovtek Muff's ONLY drawback is in how loose those mini pots are, combined with chicken head knobs. The thing will basically set itself up randomly if you look at it too hard. At least all the duct tape I have on there kinda works in favour of it's gnarly Soyuz re-entry module crash site artifact aesthetics.

My NYC Muff on the other hand, has been slowly demolishing itself since the day I bought it.

Yeah I think the quality is very dependent on the year. I haven't heard much bad about the black box reissues, just the green ones.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 8:50 pm

also had no idea about that mistress-- looks cool

Post by **Doog** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:37 pm

Apparently it was never actually put into production.

http://electroharmonix.ronsound.com/ind ... &Itemid=45