Home › Forums › Review Your EHX Gear › Muff Overdrive!
- This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 9 months ago by pcalugaru.
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October 18, 2015 at 6:22 am #84120pcalugaruMember
One of the great things about electro-harmonix is they make pedals that have a HUGE amount of flexibility in shaping a truly original sound. So many companies make over priced “run of the mill” pedals that have no originality nor perform.
I’m a Fuzz/Muff/Overdrive guy who plays trough a Fender ML Deville and a VK 212 cab. Play a lot of Alternative rock, Blues and Jazz… I’m always looking for an original sound that I can call my own…
Hat’s off to this company!!
I’m playing through this $250 boutique overdrive pedal called “Led Boots” yea it’s dynamic full of harmonics… But! Doesn’t match well with my Big Muff, for I love the “oh so sweet violin sustain” that the big muff delivers in spades. and the Led Boots pedal just doesn’t have the kick I was hearing in my head either. I test drove a couple of expensive pedals…. and got nothing. So I’m on the internet surfing through this site and see the Muff Overdrive pedal and like what I heard. So I said “what the hell…” Picked one up for list ($42)
Found the sound I’ve been chasing for years!! Thank you… Thank you… EH!
Thing to note: Price doesn’t always mean quality or performance or…mean that it will get you the sound you want. The $42 Muff Overdrive IMO spanks that Boutique pedal (and others that I tried) and matches up perfectly with my Big Muff. It’s very expressive (roll down the volume knob at it cleans up real nice etc ) It’s got an incredible harmonic quality and every note in a chord comes through… (even 7th, 9th etc etc… !!!)
It’s a really nice pedal if your looking for a fuzz sound and its matches up great with other fuzz pedals.
October 19, 2015 at 4:45 pm #120951Kevy MetalMemberGreat review! I’ve been happy with all of my EHX pedal purchases, with the Double Muff Nano being a pretty amazing box of tones, so it’s cool to know that the Muff Overdrive is just as impressive.
October 20, 2015 at 11:47 am #120953pcalugaruMemberThanks. I play though a ML Hot Rod Deville with a VK212 cab. Celestions all the way around stock. My gain consists of the Muff Overdrive followed by the Big Muff. (after that comes the chorus and delay…I use a sustain compressor before the Muff Overdrive… whole thing get looped into a floor noise gate pedal.
Muff Overdrive is some sweet buisness by itself. It provides me with a gain that’s not quite Distortion, but more than Overdrive, very articulated, almost chimy but not. Every note in a chord can be heard but still has lots of dirt & you can easily do pitch harmonics. Never had a pedal so rich in harmonic quality before (certainly not for $42.00!) (bang out a Gm7 and hear every note…very cool! Very classic sounding! It’s also very expressive…roll down the volume and it cleans up real nice
Here is where it gets interesting.
Leave the Muff Overdrive on and engage the Big Muff. You get some of the best Metal/Hard Rock Gain I’ve heard. It’s dynamic, not muddy, medium tight and full of harmonic quality…pitch harmonics a plenty if you choose (for all you into the heavy)..Disengage the Muff OverDrive and you got the Big Muff with the deep violin type Fuzz and sustain that goes forever!
Best of both worlds (both pedal compliment each other great!)
Might not be for everyone though, You have to like Fuzz. I do it’s what is pleasing to my ears as far as dirt goes.Notice the versatility you get. Three types of workable gain without reaching for the floor. Very practical in a live setting!
October 21, 2015 at 5:28 pm #120956Kevy MetalMemberAfter many years of playing, I’ve fallen hard for fuzz. Can’t get enough of it. There’s just something about the sound, the tones… it’s addictive, to say the least. Not to mention that I currently own more pedals now than I ever have (a healthy chunk of them being Electro-Harmonix).
October 22, 2015 at 12:21 am #120958pcalugaruMemberSame here.
IMO there is a lot more depth and variety in fuzz to craft your own personal sound.
IMO Fuzz works superb with clean amps like Fenders.I hate to sound like I work for Electro-Harmonix: (I don’t) But.. IMO they have some real good products.
Looking to get that Pitch Fork with an expression pedal next.
October 29, 2015 at 11:13 pm #120976gematherMemberI have a little pedal collection.
I can understand you very well.
To create psychedelic high gain sounds i use effect pedals
with treble boosting side effect into any Big Muff Pi i have.
Therefore i own the Muff Overdrive too. It is a great pedal.
Also the Double Muff and a clone from England with different
transistors.Today i think about to buy a Satisfaction Fuzz, because
i heard it has treble boosting side effects too.
I like to combine it the same way.October 30, 2015 at 4:44 pm #120978Kevy MetalMemberQuote:Today i think about to buy a Satisfaction Fuzz, because
i heard it has treble boosting side effects too.
I like to combine it the same way.Looking forward to your review of the Satisfaction. It boosts the treble, that’s for sure, not to mention that it has the ability to create some amazingly nasty noise when cranked up.
November 22, 2015 at 12:32 am #121011JMossMemberI bought this pedal recently. I have to tell you it is a true winner. With just one knob you can do a ton of tones. Its amazing.
November 24, 2015 at 12:45 pm #121015pcalugaruMemberQuote:I bought this pedal recently. I have to tell you it is a true winner. With just one knob you can do a ton of tones. Its amazing.I Know what you mean… This pedal is my “Go To” rhythm dirt. very Classic. Roll your volume back and it cleans up perfectly. IMO…. The Muff Overdrive performs just in between “to much distortion and not enough.” As stated: I’ve had some serious boutique pedals yet no other pedal but this one has the harmonic dynamics and the note clarity in that “in between” zone that I like.
One can do pitch harmonics all day if they choose and bang out Major 9th with a flat 5 and hear every note!
All the overdrive pedals I’ve tried were too flat sounding (lacked the harmonic dynamics) and all the distortion pedals where too distorted for clarity when playing complex chords.
I play a lot of alternative rock and jazz fusion….. For some great gain with sustain that goes and goes…. I’ve placed a Big Muff after the Muff overdrive. I turn both on. The Muff Overdrive cuts some of the low end fuzz out of the Big Muff. It’s not a tight low end dirt (which I never have liked) but more like a mid range.. very full..again very harmonic in dynamics… think pitch harmonics anywhere on the neck) with that violin like quality that only a muff can give.
It’s a great pedal.. no getting around it! :0
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