Home › Forums › Vintage EHX › 77 – 78 OPAMP BIG MUFF’s
- This topic has 15 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 10 months ago by Ned Flanders.
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December 2, 2008 at 11:08 pm #77328Ned FlandersModerator
Well as you have probably heard EH made the Big Muff with opamps in place of transistors for a period in the 70’s (77&78;models) The opamp BMP was designed by Howard Davis, he designed a lot off cool effects for EHX and is now with pigtronics as their main designer. The 78 version comes with a tone bypass option which bypasses the tonestack and essentially allows you to have flat mids, it sounds pretty cool in bypass, kinda like you’ve tuned the treble and mids up a bit. The 77 version has an on/off switch.
The opamp Big Muff differs from the transistor version in so far as it has more of a crunchy sound, not as mid scooped and is overall a little bit clearer and not as “muffled” (I don’t really consider BMP’s to be muffled but you get the point)
Its still has the unmistakable Big Muff sound that we all love and expect form the BMP but its different enough than the transistor version to warrant owning both versions. The opamp muff is becoming harder to get these days and are being sold on ebay less frequently. Some people sell their vintage muffs on ebay listed as “a standard NYC big muff” unknowing that they have an opamp version so keep an eye out for that.
I’ll record and upload some clips later today of this muff variant.
Bottom line is, this pedal rocks so try to find one and I bet you all my EH pedals* you’ll love it.
*joke.
December 3, 2008 at 1:42 am #88148CowbellMemberCan’t wait to hear it so I can lie and say I don’t love it so I can has all your pedals! *not joke
December 3, 2008 at 3:41 pm #88203jgs61MemberNed (or whoever haha), you hit the nail on the head with your description of the ICBM! I can’t wait to hear your demo so I can compare it to mine. I’ll have to make one also of my ’79 ICBM. I’m so in love with this thing it’s disgusting. haha Btw, any idea when EHX stopped using the Op-Amps?
John
December 3, 2008 at 4:47 pm #88235Fender&EHX4everModeratorQuote:Btw, any idea when EHX stopped using the Op-Amps?John
EHman would know for sure, but I think they stopped when the company dissolved in ’83, then returned to transistors for the Reissue when the company revived in the 90s.
I have a Deluxe Big Muff Pi (blend switch version) from about 1980 or so, which I believe is also an Op-Amp Muff. I wonder if it’s the same circuit, apart from the compressor of course.
December 3, 2008 at 9:51 pm #88324Ned FlandersModeratorClips are coming, eventually, I’m gonna be busy today so maybe tonight if not tomorrow morning I’ll get them up.
December 4, 2008 at 12:02 pm #88390jgs61MemberQuote:Quote:Btw, any idea when EHX stopped using the Op-Amps?John
EHman would know for sure, but I think they stopped when the company dissolved in ’83, then returned to transistors for the Reissue when the company revived in the 90s.
I have a Deluxe Big Muff Pi (blend switch version) from about 1980 or so, which I believe is also an Op-Amp Muff. I wonder if it’s the same circuit, apart from the compressor of course.
I’ve got some pics of the circuit on mine… http://gallery.me.com/johns61#100398
Maybe it’ll help you compare.
December 7, 2008 at 12:13 am #88615Ned FlandersModeratorHeres a comparison between the current NYC bmp and a 78 opamp version, the clip goes current-opamp-current-opamp. Its just one riff repeated so comparison can be easy, its not the best recording as its straight into an RC-2 finished on krystal audio engine, no amp.
OPAMP COMPARISON CLIP
Download to listen, the stream ain’t working for me.December 7, 2008 at 12:21 am #88619electro-melxModeratorcool, it reminds me of the difference between a RatII and a Dirty Rat, very similar but with a nice difference.
December 7, 2008 at 12:27 am #88622Ned FlandersModeratorYeah the difference in real life is more so than on this poor recording, but it does come through still. I really need to get some recording hardware.
Quote:I have a Deluxe Big Muff Pi (blend switch version) from about 1980 or so, which I believe is also an Op-Amp Muff. I wonder if it’s the same circuit, apart from the compressor of course.I read on FS.O that it is the same circuit, this hasn’t been verified by EHX though.
January 22, 2009 at 10:01 am #91384devnulljpParticipantAny love for the late 70s Little Big Muff? They came in transistor and opamp versions IIRC.
Cool little pedals. I used to have one and have been thinking about hunting down another…January 22, 2009 at 12:25 pm #91400asatbluesboyParticipantIsn’t the Swollen Pickle based on the opamp Muff?
January 22, 2009 at 7:49 pm #91433julianModeratorI think the Swollen Pickle is its own muff variation that uses an Op-Amp
January 22, 2009 at 8:49 pm #91435Ned FlandersModeratorThe swollen pickle uses transistors, they look like an opamp but they are not, they are known as a transistor array. Just four transistors in a casing the same as an IC casing.
January 22, 2009 at 8:50 pm #91436julianModeratoroh that’s right
January 22, 2009 at 8:52 pm #91437GoldengloveMemberI’ve got a year and a month till I can get a credit card and start buying stuff of eBay. And the opamp muffs are on top of my “to-buy” list currently.
Any soundclips of the opamp ones? -
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