Fixed! 😆

Swap a few caps and resistors and they can sound exactly like a NYC or any other muff you want it too!

BTW, the trannies do have as much gain its the resistor values limiting that gain is all. Every Sovtek tranny I’ve measured has been near 800hFE. You only need 550 or so to make a realy high gain big muff.LOL

aaand another question… i could have a chance to trade my Sovtek for BM with tone Wicker… what do you think?

All Sovteks need extensive modifications to sound good IMO! But they can sound great with little time spent as the mods are very quick to do.

Funny… I spent 3 months also thinking “which fuzz should I get”. When a new batch of muffs arrived at my favorite shop (Which I pay a visit at least once a week) I had to give it a go… walked out of the shop with a brand new BMP!!!!

Couldn’t be happier with the pedal… I use the gain about 9hours and boost it either with an MRX overdrive or a Microamp for leading solos….simply amazing!!!!

It won’t leave my pedalboard unless it dies!!!

Got the Tone Wicker and am having the same issue. Got good cables and a good amp. Any ideas?

Get rid of it and buy a Hoof or a Stomp Under Foot or one of Ron’s Hairpies (Sorry EHX).

I have a 73 ram’s head muff that’s quite quite and a 77 Guild Foxey lady ram’s head, both with FS36999s, and neither is really noisy — sure there’s always some, but not too bad. My DAM Ram Heads are as quiet as you can get with such a high gain pedal. OTOH I had a 3034 that sounded like you were standing next to a helicopter and my tone wicker was worse than that. I’ve had a half dozen Hoofs over the eyars and none of them came close to the noise levels of the TW or that 3034. A little buzz is acceptable but the overly loud jet engine WOOOOOOOSH is a deal killer (for me anyway).

Hi again!:

Here’s my review after almost ten years using Big Muffs:

* ORIGINALS: I currently own three different units but they are IC instead the 4-transistor circuit. These are the following:

– OP-Amp Big Muff Pi w/Tone Bypass (v5 maybe?): This version is certainly different. I find it less bassier and seems to have more definition. About the so called “cutting through the mix” issue, I think this version performs quite well no matter you set it from lower to brighter sounds (but a bit raspy at max. tone values).
When playing at home with an small tube amp + 1×12″ cab. I liked more the bypassed tone position than the standard one. But when used at rehearsal space with bigger amps & cabs (much louder volume settings, of course), it’s just the opposite: Bypassed tone position is just OK while the “stock” tone control provides much more possibilities.

I purchased it with a “True-Bypass” switching mod, the standard DPDT wiring (“Carling” type switch) without LED.

– Deluxe Big Muff
a) EH-1330 (Blend On-Off version): Pretty cool sounding. The addition of the compressor helps to make the Big Muff sound clearer. As I play in mono, I use always the Blend position. It has enough output and gain to crank any amp. It’s fine for riffs but it goes better for solos. I remain it “all-original”, with the AC-cord (125 volts) – but I use it with an external transformer (for European voltage).

b) EH-3054 (Parallel/Series 2nd version): Like the other Deluxe Big Muff I own. This one is less brilliant than the “Blend On-Off” version. After many hours tweaking and switching between Parallel and Series, I like it more on Series than Parallel: The former is more aggresive while the latter is a little bit “dull” unless you crank it up. This version was changed to “True Bypass” (the usual 3PDT); an AC cord was re-installed again instead a 9-volt socket that previous owner installed.

Both Deluxe BM are pretty cool, but I think i’ll have to take much more time to experiment with them in studio (espceially the use of both output at the same time).

* AMERICAN RI’S: Also, I currently own three USA Big Muff Pi RI’s

a) First Reissue (Early 2000’s): I own two of these. One of them is completely original, and the other has been wired to “True Bypass” using the stock (“Carling” type) DPDT switch + Millenium circuit. It has lots of bass, and not as amazing when more tone is dialed in (i find it too raspy past 3 o’clock). But is quite nice. This version makes a good team with the Octave Multiplexer RI.

b) Second Reissue (2.003 – 2.006?): This is one version with the “A” letter carved in the circuit board. Supposedly, almos identical to early 2.000’s reissues but I find a slight difference in the tone pot performance. Also they feature “True-Bypass” with a 3PDT switching. This version (at least the one I own) has a narrower range at tone comparing it with early RI’s, so it is less “versatile”. Tt works better at low tone values (bassier). I used it with guitar for almost 4 years (2005 to 2009) but I began to use it with bass, which I found mor useful (leaving early RI’s for guitar). Also, it pairs well with the Octave Multiplexer RI. Now I have come back to use it on guitar as I’ve found another Big Muff more suitable for bass frequencies.

* RUSSIAN VERSIONS: Also, I currently two russian-made Big Muff Pi RI’s

a) “Military Green” Sovtek/EH Big Muff Pi: The “thick graphics” version. Well, this has been one of my favs. It’s rather a distortion than a fuzz because it has lots of definition and the tone range is extremely wide. In fact, is the only BM which I can set tone past 12 o’clock without getting raspy and poor. It’s my “little secret weapon”, green, heavy and amazing. I keep using it but a friend of mine had rebuilt it again but housing the new circuit board into the original case. Also, the original “tank-like” switch has been wired to “True Bypass” using DPDT + Millenium system. I regard it as one of the best BM’s I own.

b) “Black Russian” Big Muff: This is one of the latest RI’s (with 3PDT switch for “True-Bypass”. I made it to be modified. First, adding a Boss type 9 volt-socket to get rid of batteries. Second, “reversing” the jacks again, so they are now like most pedals.

I always disliked it for guitar, but the reason for owning one of these is that the “Black Russian” Big Muff is KILLER with bass guitar. And as I’m beginning to use bass more frequently for supporting my side (studio/experimental recs) projects, it’s a key piece to get a huge fuzz sound. A good friend of it is the amazing EH Hog’s Foot Bass Booster from the 70’s.

Yes!, take a Fender Bass, plug into an Ampeg full-stack, place the BRBM and … wow!

I’ll keep it updated for some more Big Muff experiences.

Regards to everybody.

S.W.