Today I was working near a skeezy pawn shop, so I went in during my coffee break to check out what they had, and one of the things on display under the glass was a black Russian big muff. I just got home and tried it, and this thing is absolutely everything I ever wanted in a fuzz. It's full and sick, it can do octaves on the higher frets on the neck pickup, and if I turn on the Jaguar's strangle swhich I get a nice Voxy overdrive sound. Everything about it is amazing. It is exactly the sound I've been searching for. I own another three or four fuzzes and have owned several more before, many costing 2 and 3 times as much, and none of them really have exactly the sound I've been looking for like this one does.
Wow.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 1:38 am
by singlepup
Yay! I preferred the vintage ICBM, but so happy for you. Amazing feeling when you find just the right pedal.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:38 am
by damienblair17
This happened to me today!
I just bought one of the Nano Bass Big Muffs and I brought it to band practice and was blown away. Just exactly what I've been searching for in a (bass) fuzz. These are similar circuits as well if I'm not mistaken.
Congrats!
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:18 am
by Johno
I've had a few of them, my favourite Muffs.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 6:27 am
by Fran
My fave muff as well. I used to use one with a Tubescreamer quite a lot, the mid boost with the Muff gives a great Hendrix solo sound.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 7:58 am
by dezb1
The auld Sovtek is the best fuzz ever... Love mine, coupled with my epiphone Riviera is a wondrous noise.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 8:13 am
by JordanD
I think the Sovtek has a little too much low end for my tastes but it definitely has its uses. I run a BasicAudio Triangle/Rams head clone with a mid control. Sounds really nice and full when you dial the mids back in and still has that traditional muff wall of fuzz sound. When I want to get stupid I turn my IC V3 and this on at the same time and get terrified looks from my bandmates!
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 9:11 am
by Fakir Mustache
It's cool that you like it, but if it's the kind that doesn't say "Sovtek" on it, it's not worth as much as the expensive ones.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:07 pm
by torchindy
This is it. Six screw small box Black Russian, apparently it was modded true bypass, 9v jack and better 1/4 jacks:
Fakir Mustache wrote:It's cool that you like it, but if it's the kind that doesn't say "Sovtek" on it, it's not worth as much as the expensive ones.
It has the Sovtek logo... That being said I'm not too concerned how much it's worth... I doubt I'll ever sell it. I'll probably sell all the others before I sell this one. It still has the battery cover too!
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:16 pm
by YuriK
Aren't all muffs true bypass? otherwise some fuzz would leak into the signal, no?
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:16 pm
by Fakir Mustache
The ones with "Sovtek" on the front have the taller box and are worth several hundred. You did o.k., the price you paid is not bad, especially if you like it that much. Adapter jack is cool too.
Also, apparently it tastes good too:
although I haven't tasted it myself, found the pic on the net.
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2014 5:16 pm
by YuriK
but congrats, big muffs are great. I use mine with a cocked wah ussually.
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 2:08 am
by WayToHip
Happy NPD! I have a Black Russian as well, it's unmodded and it's a tonesuck but why bother turning it off? I like having the volume at unity, sustain at round 9 o'clock, and tone where it snarls around 8 to 2 o'clock for bass. I actually never tried it on guitar, I'm afraid I'll rip my speaker on my amp.
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2014 4:27 am
by JJLipton
I bought one back in the day when it was considered the crappier less desired version of the NYC big muff. Look at it now! MUHAHAA
