Big muff

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Exo-metal

Exo-metal

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I know it's a great title but so many great players use the fuzz pedals. I never have even tried one. A friend turned me into the Whores and his sound is pretty badass so I looked into what he was using and could not believe his setup. Two super leads, a custom wound single coul and you guessed it...a big muff. Anyone else use these for heavier tones and how do you use it with your gear?
 
If you haven't tried a Tubescreamer/SD-1 into a Big Muff, you haven't lived.
Set the Muff as you would, and use the TS/SD-1 as you would into a dirty amp - volume up or close to max, gain off or up a touch.
You'll get that ferocious wall of filth from the Muff, and the TS/SD-1 adds the definition. Kinda what they were going for with the Metal Muff, I believe.
An even better setup is a Way Huge Green Rhino running into the Red Llama - kinda what Way Huge did with the Camel Toe. Sheer insanity.
 
I love a good Fuzz more than almost anything. That’s how you get the most growly, hairy, fire breathing tone! I’ve had many (and most of the most legendary ones) and my 2 favorites are by far the original 70’s Foxx Tone Machine and Russian Big Muff if you want the kinda fuzz that’ll make your powerchords super heavy fire breathing dragons. Some of the other legendary ones like the triangle big muff, 60’s Fuzz face, Sam ash, tone bender, maestro and others are cool too but won’t sound as thick or heavy as the 2 mentioned before and won’t have as complete of a growl as the Foxx Tone Machine (nothing does from my experience)

If you go down the Fuzz rabbit hole like I did, I recommend the vintage ones moreso. Some of the modern made ones can also sound great... until you AB it with the older ones and then they sound comparatively castrated and restrained. My Formula B soviet Tank though is scary close sounding to my original Russian big muff bubble font version and the Danelectro French Toast is surprisingly similar to my original Foxx Tone Machine and only $40! Definitely a good place to start

Also, if you get the vintage ones, you’ll find that different battery brands can noticeably affect the quality of tone. You’ll have to experiment with different ones. Hope that helps
 
Fuzz pretty much covers any type other than distortion and overdrive. So it is a lot of different types of sounds.

First thing you need to figure out is what types of amps and guitars your going to use with the fuzz ?
...Even more important do you run your amp clean or overdriven ?

I've owned over 150 fuzz pedals and used hundreds. I had a roommate years ago that had over 300 fuzz. I still have about 40.

braintheory cool you mentioned the FOXX Tone Machine. I use a Prescription Electronics Experience... it's a Tone Machine with a added mode - backwards.
It is my number 2. My favorite is the Zvex Fat Fuzz Factory.

Big Muff is a fuzzstortion....meaning it's part fuzz and part distortion.
 


My favourite fuzz tone. Boss FZ-2 mode 2, which was supposedly a Super Fuzz with active EQ.
 
I'm not a fuzz expert but I do have a Russian Big Muff (actual Russian letters etc) and it is big and narley. Chorusy if that is a word.
 
Fuzz has never been a real popular topic on RT. A lot of people I know don't like it. I'm thinking about picking up a Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff. The Muff is awesome....the extra control is very useful.
The issue many have with the Muff is the midrange is scooped and it doesn't cut in a mix. Having the extra tone control and gate works for me.

Anyone interested in Big Muffs needs to check this out...

http://www.kitrae.net/music/music_big_muff.html
 
I saw a shootout on YT and some of them were scooped but not all in fact just the opposite. Like I said in my OP if you want to hear seriously brutal and heavy tones the Whores really sound great for noise rock.
 
I love a good fuzz for sludgy tones. I just got a Hovercraft Ionostrofear a few weeks ago that sounds awesome, like its about to explode. Set the amp to the edge of breakup and blast it with a fuzz :rock:

 
braintheory":979y7v91 said:
the Danelectro French Toast is surprisingly similar to my original Foxx Tone Machine and only $40! Definitely a good place to start
Click to expand...

Second that. The Danelectro owner designed the Tone Machine and the French Toast is a pretty good imitation. I rehoused mine, made the octive (intentional misspelling :) footswitchable, and flocked it in blue. Shitty DIY stuff, but a fun project and a tribute to the first pedal my dad ever had back in the 70s. Crazy sounds come from that box.
 
I find a quality fuzz or two more invaluable to my tone-shaping needs than any OD. I rely on the amps capabilities to handle the overdrive and gain, and don't need a diode based stomp in the signal chain to "tighten it up"; just IMHO/YMMV. But a good muff?? (Hey, y'all know I'd hit it :D ) but a good muff or fuzz is definitely needed - they're unique.
 
I sold a Skreddy Zero to the guy in The Whores about ten years ago. :D
Too many variations of the big muff circuit out there to choose what will work best for you. You can't go wrong with the newer reissues from Electro-harmonix. Green russian, triangle, or the op amp is where I'd start. Good luck!
 
drunkenguitarist":1nqwlabb said:
I sold a Skreddy Zero to the guy in The Whores about ten years ago. :D
Too many variations of the big muff circuit out there to choose what will work best for you. You can't go wrong with the newer reissues from Electro-harmonix. Green russian, triangle, or the op amp is where I'd start. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Concur.
The Big Muff Pi with tone-wicker is what I've got from EHX and it works really well.
 
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