Just an update to this thread. After seeing a few more of these odd tone bypass V3s, which all appeared to have identical circuit components and values. After getting to examine a few, I have concluded this is a legit V3. Most pots are dated ’79, though at least one person told me he bought his in late ’77 or ’78. Transistors are odd. NPN MPSA18, not 2N5087. I have never seen those in a Big Muff before, but they were used in other pedals. All but one had the hockey puck V5/V6 knobs. One had old V2/V3 Daka Ware knobs and 78 pots. All have the old V2/V3 board, but component values in these different than most of the V3s I own or have seen. Sounds really loud, hairy and gritty, much more than any early V3, but similar to a couple of later V6 Muffs I own. Very mean and dirty sound. I like it.

Base on this and a few other bits of info I have learned from owners and sellers in the past year, I have concluded that what Howard David thought was true – the V3 never actually went out of production during the short time the V4/V5 Muffs were made.

Pix are really big, so you may have to drag them to your desktop to view.

We thought these were 2N5087 before because of the direction they face, like the A18s. I have to correct myself. I have seen a Muff with MPSA18 tranys before, but only once. A V6. I guess EHX had a batch in 78 or 79 for these V3s.

What is more interesting is that EHX had transistor V3 BMPs, as well as V4 and V5 op-amp BMPs, all apparently on the market simultaneously.