I love my Rams Head, it sounds exactly how i expect a Big Muff to sound.
The Tone Wicker is probably the one i would use on stage though, turning the wicker on you can back off on the tone knob to get a little more mids while still having some nice treble bite (at least thats how it sounds to me), but most of the time i just turn the tone bypass on... hey presto mid range and the ability to cut through the mix!
Just sold a black Russian one, got it just as they discontinued them and just never really got on with it. Plus i could get my HM-2 to sound identical.
The NYC Re-issue sounds rubbish compared to all the others, just as everyone else has said. I'm gonna have to mod the shit out of it at some point.
The IC Muff is one i've wanted to try for years but soon as i was able to afford one they started shooting up in price! i guess i should look into a good clone.
Posted: Sun May 13, 2012 11:00 am
by sp3k
the nyc muff was my first one, and my first pedal, i traded it for an sd1, never really loved it.
The new wicker one is ok, i think it sounds a lot like the nyc (?), it can do some cool sounds, but it doesn't really sound that good in my opinion.
I used to have a black sovtek muff, and loved it, it had it own thing, some cool bright lows or something, it just sounded good. Since they don't make them anymore the prices are ridiculous, specially when they're build like shit...
The bass big muff is also really good, not exactly the same, but it's the best one made today in my opinion.
I had a musket fuzz for a while, and i liked it and all, but for what it costs i would buy a bass big muff instead. It has to many knows, i wasted to much time with that thing, and honestly, i always thought i could't really get it to sound good and hear myself when playing with a band.
My favorite muff like pedal will have to be the eau claire thunder, that thing is just awesome, every setting sounds good, and it probably kill you and your moma. I sold mine because i needed some fast money, will buy again has soon has possible!
The double muff is also really cool with single coils and fender amps, doesn't sound like a muff thought.
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:38 am
by Ainm
I like my MBM '78 IC Muff quite a bit. It's probably the best muff I've used for taking chords. I personally found that the NYC reissue and Black Russian Muffs are quite boomy, although they're not as bad as received wisdom suggests. I picked up a Little Big Muff Pi a few weeks ago, and I must admit it is, surprisingly, the best Muff I've tried for single notes. Oh, and I generally prefer single coil pups to humbuckers when playing through a Big Muff.
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:05 pm
by moogmusic
All this talk of different Muffs is getting my interest up, can anyone recommend some good A/B comparisons to gauge the differences?
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:38 pm
by Dave
moogmusic wrote:All this talk of different Muffs is getting my interest up, can anyone recommend some good A/B comparisons to gauge the differences?
Not sure of specific ones but GEARMANNDUDE's youtube channel has hundreds of a/b tests - saw a couple of Fuzz Face ones the otherday. Fuzzboxgirl too...
Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 4:50 pm
by taylornutt
Dave wrote:
moogmusic wrote:All this talk of different Muffs is getting my interest up, can anyone recommend some good A/B comparisons to gauge the differences?
Not sure of specific ones but GEARMANNDUDE's youtube channel has hundreds of a/b tests - saw a couple of Fuzz Face ones the otherday. Fuzzboxgirl too...
I really like when he compares the NYC Big Muff to the Ram's Head.
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 12:15 am
by h8mtv
Violet Rams head and opamp second with one of my short scale atrocities.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 1:49 am
by serfx
I'm a sucker for a les paul with super distortions into a NY muff..
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:19 am
by Rhysyrhys
I use the Stress FX BMP. I'm pretty sure its supposed to be a Triangle muff based muff. Bought it off Tim a year or two back. Didn't like muffs till I got this, feckin' ace, and fairly rare as well.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:17 am
by benecol
Rhysyrhys wrote:its supposed to be a Ram's Head muff based muff.
Fix'd.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 8:32 am
by Mike
Write that thing you texted me about the Dream Box, Tim.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 8:44 am
by jagsonic
Fender Singlecoils into a green big muff. That all into a jtm45 with an 4x12 orangecab.
Nothing beats this.
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:18 am
by benecol
Mike wrote:Write that thing you texted me about the Dream Box, Tim.
DISCLAIMER: I avoid posting stuff about my various MBM treasures since I'm on the payroll, and that would be a bit wrong of me. Mike pays me in pedals; sometimes I keep them, sometimes I get them purely to flip (the last couple have been charity auctions). Since I'm brassic at the moment, I asked for a Dreambox to list on eBay. I don't usually play pedals I've decided to sell, since I invariably change my mind. Like a genius, I played the Dreambox...
"I've just played the Dreambox: you've made one of those genius, magic pedals which is far more than the sum of its parts. You've absolutely NAILED the IC muff in particular. Haven't had the chance to A/B them but think yours is better than mine. Well done, great pedal x"
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 10:22 am
by Mike
And that's why I employed him, because Tim is a hard hearted shill
<3
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 6:30 pm
by paul_
serfx wrote:I'm a sucker for a les paul with super distortions into a NY muff..
I've only done that with a Behringer VD-1, but fuck yeah. I reckon it's cause the SD is such a middy/bassy bucker in the bridge position, not to mention loud as hell.
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:07 am
by avj
My First Muff was the big-box NYC guy, circa 2002. I loved it and still love it, but don't use it with the band because like Stewart, I also enjoy things like "mids" and "being heard in the mix".
For some time now I've been using the Bass Big Muff in Dry mode in conjunction with an SD-1 or a Distortion+ in front. The dry signal passes through at unity gain and the volume control becomes a blend knob to dial in the amount of desired hair. It's terrific.
As for guitars, anything with single coils sounds best to me with fuzz.