The buyer’s gear guide – Big Muff

No other pedal is as closely associated with David Gilmour as the Big Muff. It’s been featured on some of rock history’s most iconic solos. Including Comfortably Numb. In this guide we’ll look at a handful of models and how to incorporate these in your rig, with David Gilmour’s tones in mind.

Updated March 2023

The Big Muff was designed by Mike Matthews and Electro Harmonix in the late 60s. It was a unique take on the still new fuzz circuit and during a time when guitarists had only a few pedals to choose from.

David Gilmour got his first Big Muff, a Ram’s Head model, around 1975 or early 1976, depending on which source you read, and it was used extensively on the recording of Animals. The Big Muff is still one of his main distortion or fuzz pedals to this day.

Fuzz or Big Muff?

Technically the Big Muff is not a fuzz but closer to a distortion. Sonically though, its tone is perhaps closer to a silicon transistor fuzz than a DS1. As a rule of thumb, and for authentic David Gilmour tones, I would say fuzz for 1968-75 and Muff from 1977 to present.

Although a Big Muff can replicate David’s earlier tones, as he himself has done on recent tours, I wouldn’t recommend using a fuzz to replicate the Big Muff tones of Animals, The Wall and onwards. A rusty sounding fuzz just doesn’t sound right for Dogs and Comfortably Numb.

Big Muff on the pedalboard

I recommend placing the Big Muff first or right after wah wahs and compression. This will allow the Big Muff to dominate, if you choose to stack it with an overdrive or EQ for boost.

Big Muffs are less sensitive to buffered pedals than vintage fuzz circuits but in my experience, they do sound better when there’s at least one true bypass pedal on each side in the chain.

David Gilmour’s Big Muff tones are based on mid range oriented Hiwatt amps and a volume that creates a lot of tube and speaker compression. This is crucial for getting that smooth violin like sustain. A Big Muff tend to sound either very harsh or muddy otherwise, which isn’t necessarily bad but not quite what you want for your Gilmour tones.

Lack of mid range and compression can be compensated by using compressors, EQs or, as David often does, an overdrive after the Muff to add a bit of character.

Read more about how to choose the right pedals for your amp.

Vintage Big Muffs VS modern clones

The price for a vintage Big Muff is just ridiculous and you should be aware of what you’re getting into if you’re spending your money on a 50 year old box of electronics.

It’s a well known fact that Electro Harmonix didn’t have the best quality control back in the early days of the company. Add to that years of abuse on the road or storage in an attic, chances are that you’ll end up with a unit that sounds very different from what you’d expect.

Vintage pedals are absolutely worth it if you’re a serious collector but for tone I strongly recommend checking out some of the fantastic reissues and clones.

Be sure to visit Kit Rae’s Big Muff Page for a comprehensive guide to all things Big Muff.

I have played and tested each pedal in this guide, with guitars and amps that are typically associated with David Gilmour.

The Electro Harmonix reissues

Electro Harmonix finally decided to celebrate their own legacy and put out reissues of their own classic Big Muff circuits. It seemed strange that so many clones had been flooding the marked for decades, while Electro Harmonix seemed determined to focus on spin-offs.

The reissues feature the classic Triangle and Ram’s Head and the 90s era Sovtek as well as the late 70s Op-amp.

In my opinion and to my ears, Electro Harmonix hit the home run with these reissues. Each model deliver authentic and uncompromised tone and feel. And, at a price point that absolutely brings serious competition to both collectors and the clone market.

Electro Harmonix Ram’s Head Big Muff Pi
The Ram’s Head reissue faithfully nails that mid 70s violet (after the violet coloured logo) Big Muff, with a bit more gain and an overall brighter character compared to the earlier versions. This one is loud and it comes off as slightly more aggressive compared to the Pete Cornish P1 and that typical David Gilmour Ram’s Head tone. However, and this depends on how hot your pickups are, back off the gain a bit and set the volume around unity and you’ve hit the jack pot! Definitely one of my favourite Big Muffs and one that I always come back to when I want those Animals and The Wall tones. I used the Ram’s Head to record the solos on Dark Shadows (part 2) from my album A Fleeting Glimpse.

Gilmour tones: Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut/Pompeii17

Electro Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff Pi
The Green Russian is based on the early 90s Sovtek Big Muff and the so-called Civil War and green Tall Font in particular. Compared to the Triangle and Ram’s Head, this one has less gain but more mid range and an overall smoother and slightly darker tone. Again, EHX hit the nail with this one, with impressive authenticity. Between all of these reissues, the Green Russian is perhaps the most versatile, much due to the increased mid range, and will fit a wider range of both styles and gear. An excellent choice for David Gilmour’s 1994 Pulse Big Muff tones.

Gilmour tones: Division Bell/Pulse/Pompeii17

Electro Harmonix Triangle Big Muff Pi
The Triangle reissue sounds big and aggressive, with a lot of gain on tap and a considerable low end. There’s not much going on in the mid range but it’s not entirely scooped so you’ll have no issues with cutting through in a mix. To my ears this Triangle sound a bit too compressed when you turn up the gain and especially with hotter pickups and humbuckers but at lower gain settings and the tone backed off a bit, this one sounds very balanced and smooth. A great choice if you’re looking for a huge sounding Big Muff, with that vintage fuzz flavour. I used the Triangle to record the guitar solo on This House from my album A Storm is Coming.

Gilmour tones: Pompeii71/Dark Side of the Moon/Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut

Electro Harmonix offer a wide range of different Big Muff spin-offs. Some based on the big box NY reissue, with a similar tone as the late 70s Op-amp, and others are more elaborate, offering multiple controls and larger tonal palette. These are well worth checking out but I’m not going to feature them here as they’re not your typical David Gilmour models.

Electronic Orange Pig Hoof
The Pig Hoof is based on the mid 70s violet Ram’s Head, with a fairly aggressive and distinctly mids scooped tone. There’s a lot of gain on tap and the low end is massive but it has that almost throaty character that reminds me of David Gilmour’s tone from the The Wall tour and Final Cut. Add a bit of rotary or an Electric Mistress flanger and it’s hard to get any closer. The Pig Hoof, perhaps due to its scooped mid range, also goes very well with humbuckers and hotter pickups. There’s also an MkII version available that’s the result of me wanting a Pig Hoof with less gain and low end for recording. The MkII is featured extensively on my debut solo album Lullabies in a Car Crash (2014).

Gilmour tones: Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut/Pompeii17

TopTone Drive Gate DG1
The DG1 is a take on the Pete Cornish P1 that was designed for David Gilmour and featured in his 1977 stage board. Like the P1, the DG1 is distinctly Ram’s Head, although with less gain and an overall smoother character compared to the recent EHX reissue and other clones. It responds incredibly well to your picking and pickups and the lower gain allows you to stack it with an overdrive or EQ for more tonal options and character. The closest you’ll get to Pete Cornish’s P1? Possibly.

Gilmour tones: Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut/Pompeii17

Jam Pedals Red Muck MkII
The Red Muck combines the vintage flavour of the Triangle and warmth of the Sovtek era Big Muffs. Like the Sovteks, the Red Muck has a moderate amount of gain and a tight low end, with a bit of mid range that allows you to cut through in a band mix. The MkII offer both a front-end boost and different clipping stages for more gain and different Big Muff characters.

Gilmour tones: Division Bell/Pulse/Pompeii17

Past FX Patriarch
The Patriarch is a clone, or rather continuation, of the discontinued Buffalo FX Patriot. It’s based on the early 90s Civil War Sovtek Big Muff, with a massive tone and a bit of mid range. Like the Patriot, the Patriarch has that throaty voicing that you can recognise on Time, Sorrow and Comfortably Numb on Pulse. Not many Sovtek clones does that. In addition to the familiar controls, the Patriarch also feature controls and internal switches for shaping the low end and mid range. See my full review of the Past FX Patriarch here.

Gilmour tones: Division Bell/Pulse/Pompeii17

Custom Pedal Boards Muff War
The Muff War faithfully captures the sound of that early 90s Civil War Sovtek Muff David Gilmour used on Pulse and later on the Rattle That Lock tour. Compared to the EHX Green Russian, the Muff War has a bit more low end and slightly less mids but plenty of gain on tap and a huge tone. Looking for mini pedals? This is no doubt the best sounding mini Big Muff out there! See my review of the Custom Pedal Boards Muff War here.

Gilmour tones: Division Bell/Pulse/Pompeii17

Vick Audio Ram’s Head 73
The Ram’s Head 73 is, as the name implies, a faithful take on the classic circuit. This one got slightly less gain and an overall smoother tone compared to the recent EHX reissue, which place this one right between that reissue and the Pete Cornish P1/TopTone DG1. The Ram’s Head 73 also feature a 3-way switch for selecting between scooped mid range (classic), flat EQ and mid range boost, which makes this a very versatile Big Muff suitable for most setups and guitars.

Gilmour tones: Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut/Pompeii17

Skreddy Pedals P19
The idea behind the P19 is to capture David Gilmour’s The Wall tones as heard on the album and tour. Combine a Stratocaster and loud Hiwatt with a Ram’s Head Big Muff and some heavy studio compression and you’ll have the P19. It’s smooth and warm but it has that aggressive Ram’s Head character, with lots of gain and tight low end. An additional switch allows you to dial in some mid range to be able to cut through a band mix.

Gilmour tones: Animals/DG78/The Wall/Final Cut/Pompeii17

Mojo Hand Iron Bell
The Iron Bell isn’t really based on a specific Big Muff circuit but rather David Gilmour’s tones on Division Bell and Pulse in particular. Perhaps best described as a mix between a Sovtek era Big Muff and Rat, which place the Iron Bell closer to a Pete Cornish G2, this is a versatile fuzz/distortion that will fit a wide range of different setups. An additional control allows you to dial in a bit of mid range too, which allows the pedal to retain its character on smaller bedroom setups.

Gilmour tones: Division Bell/Pulse/Pompeii17

Did I miss something? Please use the comments field below and share your tips and recommendations!

1,228 thoughts on “The buyer’s gear guide – Big Muff”

    1. Yes, it has some really nice tones and OK recreations of classic Muff circuits. I do have other favourites though.

  1. Hello, I was wondering if you knew what year EH quit using the 3.5mm power supply and switched to the negative center on the BM Pi.

  2. Hello Bjorn, I’m Dustin, from the U.S., I’m a huge P.F. fan from the yrs w/ Syd and to my favorite guitarist D.G., who inspired me to want to play the guitar or something lol. I have been using your site since I started playing guitar which hasn’t been long but it’s been 9yrs playing & since I added bass I’ve really been playing a lot more. Well I don’t usually do this but I was on here trying to find the closest to how David runs his pedals and while I was in here I didn’t realize 1 how many posts so i stopped reading lol and was wondering if you have checked out the Swollen Pickle by Way Huge, I currently have it on my board and I have to say, from a fan to another u should. While I was finding whats close to dark side I found the obscure by clouds, dogs other early tones has the Wall to momentary, have yet to try sorrow that is the big what got me wanting the right one but for now it’s fun. Well I just wanted to throw it out there, I enjoy your site and your YouTube videos when I look for my next purchase u r my demo lol.

  3. Hey there, sorry to bother u but I own a few different fuzz pedals and wondering which of my pedals you would recommend me getting mainly for gilmours delicate sounds of thunder Sorrow feedback tone and comfortable numb? I own a rams head Vic’s audio fuzz,skreddy fx rust rod,iron bell fuzz,and a electro harmonics rams head which is way way too noisy imo even with low gain settings! Any advice is well appreciated! Thanks brother and shine on

  4. Holly vom Fastback Tonstudio

    Hi please what do you think about the Wampler Velvet Fuzz? Is it more a inbetween EHX and other
    or more special and a alround Fuzz?
    Thanks for reading my line and give a reply.. Holly

    1. The Velvet Fuzz is kind of a mix between a Big Muff and Rat, with a Big Muff character but more mids and a overall smoother tone making it more versatile and easier to set up on smaller amps.

  5. Geoffrey Merrifield

    Greetings Bjorn,

    First off, a tremendous Thank You for your stellar work compiling information, history and all things tone and equipment related to David Gilmour. Then your playing captures his incredible feel.

    I especially love Gilmour’s tones on The Final Cut album. Thinking of getting a Past FX Patriarch after seeing your video capture that unique emotional feel that’s hard to put in words.

    I use a Kemper Profiler and many Hiwatt profiles for recording. The Kemper’s effects should suffice for EQ, Flanger/Chorus and wondering if adding a Past FX Patriarch would get me close. I use a Keisel strat.

    Again, Thank You so Much!!!

    1. Hi Geoffrey! Thanks for your kind words! I haven’t tried using a Big Muff with the Kemper but I would imagine it would workd. As much as the Patriarch captures the authentic sound of those early 90s Sovtek Big Muff I actually think the EHX Ram’s Head reissue is a better match for the Final Cut tones.

  6. Hello Bjorn. Currently I am running a strat with a Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge into a 100w Marshall Silver Jubilee. Which big muff will sound best with that setup and still allow me to be heard in a live setting without needing any boost, eq, or overdrive. I wanted the ehx rams head reissue but I am worried that there is not enough mids to stand out with a full band.

    1. The Marshall has a lot of mid range, so I wouldn’t worry about cutting through. The EHX Green Russian goes very well with the amp (I have a 2525C combo myself).

      1. Thanks for the reply.
        Do you have any advice or tips on how to run the amp for a David Gilmour type sound?I’m curious how you set both the eq and the gain/volume controls. That plus any other tips on how to use the amp, I’m still figuring out how to get the most of it.

        1. Usually something like this
          presence 7, bass 8, middle 7, treble 3, output as desired, lead master 7, input gain 6. (all numbers are points/marks). This is a typical classic rock sound with my guitars. You might need to adjust to match yours. Works pretty well on the clean channel as well.

          1. Thanks for all your help. Since you said you have a silver jube I just had another little question. I’ve heard that the jube isn’t a great pedal platform because of the plate driven tone stack. Have you had a hard time making pedals work with the amp? Either effects or something like a blues driver? If not, what other pedals do think go well with it.

            1. With the right settings, the clean channel is IMO one of the best sounding on any Marshall amp and it’s fully capable of handling any type of pedal.

    1. You can dial in similar tones and the Deluxe has a lot more options. Depends on whether you like a no frills type pedal or something with more options.

  7. Hello Bjorn! I hope everything is well with you. I have an EHX Big Muff Pi, the large box version, and I have searched for comparisons on the internet between it and the Ram’s Head Reissue, to no avail. I have also listened to the Ram’s Head vs Triangle Big Muffs in a comparison, and actually enjoyed the Triangle a bit more possibly. My first question is: how would you compare the big box Muff to the Ram’s Head? And for my second question, is the Triangle Big Muff different enough from the Ram’s Head that it would have trouble doing the “Gilmour tone”, or is it easy to make them sound similar with the pedal’s own settings? Thanks!

    1. The Big Box Big Muff is based on the late 70s and early 80s Muff, which has a very scooped tone, lots of low end and brightness and tons of gain. Very different from the early 70s models. The Ram’s Head is somewhat similar but with much less gain and top end. Definitely closer to David Gilmour’s tones. The Triangle is slightly darker and more overdrive-like.

  8. Hi Bjorn!

    Can you please recommend a couple of your (personal) favorite muffs that’d pair well with PAFs / Les Paul style guitars? Especially at lower volume?

    Thanks!

  9. Hello Bjorn, first of all thanks for this great site with extensive information and knowledge… much appreciated :)
    If you had to choose between Iron Bell and Pig Hoof mk2 muffs. What is the difference to expect from hoof while having iron bell already in my pedalboard? Is it worth to chceck it out? Home studio usage, running through vintage AC50 at the moment. Thanks Lukas

    1. Thanks for your kind words Lukas!
      The Pig Hoof MkII was a collaboration designed to match my recording setup, so it has less low end and gain compared to a typical Ram’s Head style Big Muff. The Iron Bell captures the sound of a Ram’s Head style Big Muff into a Hiwatt, slightly boosted by a Powerboost for a smoother tone. Between these two, I would go for the Iron Bell for your amp and use.

      1. Well, I had to try the Pig Hoof (yellow) anyway, got a nice deal on it! At first I didnt like it at all, but after watching your review again (thanks for that!), I adjusted the controls, boosted it with BD-2 (after) and found some really nice DG tones :) Seems to me that the volume controll has to be above 12’clock to sound right though. Did not get back to Iron Bell since… IB is more user friendly I would say, usable in all pot spectrum, also does not need a boost and sounds really great… But the Pig Hoof has “something” I like a bit more althoug it is more difficult to set it righ. The overtones are really nice also. Now running through Custom 50 clone and 2-12 cab with Reeves vintage purples :)

        1. Awesome! Yes, the yellow Pig Hoof is tricky but it was designed especially for my recording needs at the time. I wanted a Muff that didn’t have all the low end and too much gain and was easier to control in a recording situation. It needs a bit of boosting but I think it works really well.

  10. Hi Bjorn, first of all, I would like to congrats you for the new site, really nice! Here’s a tough question for you. I have three Buffalo Fx Muffs, a Patriot MkII, an M1 and a RH-X. If you could keep just one on your board for general Gilmour tones, which one would you choose? Cheers from Quebec city! Martin

    1. Thanks for your kind words! Hmmm… I guess you’re the right person to decide as it comes down to taste. Personally I’d go for the Patriot. It covers a lot of ground.

  11. Have you tried the Crazy Tube Circuits Motherload ? Would this pedal be a decent choice to free up space on a board being bolth a muff and a rat in a box. I haven’t really heard it in a gilmour context. Would like to hear your thoughts of that pedal.

      1. Good afternoon Bjorn! My anniversary is coming up and I want to surprise my fiancé by playing our favorite song Comfortably Numb. I’m currently investing to get a nice equipment to get as close to the Comfortably Numb Solo Tone. Do you know the Pedals I should get and what settings for each pedal? I currently have the Big Muff Pi, Boss CS2, Ibanez TS9 and a Walrus ARP87 Delay. I’m having trouble finding the perfect distortion and delay settings.

        Best regards,
        -André

  12. Bjorn, sir, great to see you rocking’ on with the updated site.

    Have gotten some great gear from your recommendations and am looking to add something new.

    Choices, choices. My question is about Mike Vickery’s ’73 Ram’s Head which you recommend strongly.
    But now I see he has added the 1861 and the violet to the lineup. Does it make you reconsider your top recommendation?

    1. Thanks for your kind words! I think they all have their own character and qualities so it depends on what type of Muff you want. The 1861 is based on the early 90s Sovtek, which more mids and less gain, while the Violet is perhaps the most aggressive of the three.

  13. How is the P19 at living room volume? (Hi-Tone Lowatt amp, 69 Strat and LP PAFs)) anything you’d recommend instead for this setup?

    Thanks!

    1. It works very well. It’s designed to capture the tone of a Muff with a booster so you get that smooth compressed tone with a bit of mids, which is what you need on lower levels. The HiTone should be capable of handling any Muff though. Even at lower volume. Just lower the treble and increase the mid range on the amp to compensate for compression and mid range from playng loud.

  14. Hey Bjorn have you played or heard of the Jen Jumbo Fuzz? Apparently it’s a copy of a triangle big muff with a noise gate in it. Greuter Audio made a version of it called the Jumbo Fuzz. Thoughts on it? You can see Rabea demo it in the new fuzz video Andertons made.

  15. Hi Bjorn,
    I recently bought myself an EHX Big Muff Rams Head Reissue and am using it with a Boss Katana 50w. I am really struggling to dial it in especially as I need the volumes to be relatively low (annoying neighbours lol). Would you say that there isn’t much point using it as such low volumes as it sounds nothing like its supposed to or is there a fix for it that you might know of? Your guide on pairing pedals with amps doesn’t really cover this type of amp so I just bought the pedal anyway.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Lewis, low volume compromises the amps and speakers natural compression and mid range frequency. You can compensate this by lowering the higher frequencies, rolling back the treble, and increasing the mid range. You can also add a compressor pedal or built in effect. Check out this feature for some tips on setting up your bedroom tones. Hope this helps.

  16. Hey Bjorn,
    i have Vox ac30, and also purchased a ehx green russian reissue. The problem is this particular muff sounds fizzy and artificial to my ears, even with turbo rat pushing it(after or before sounds the same). Guitar is fender strat. Do you have any solution maybe, any other suggestions for other muffs? Seems like the ac30 deals with muffs differently.
    Thanks in advance
    Filip

  17. Hi Bjorn,

    I’m interest in getting the best Muff to replicate the PULSE sound. What pedal do you think is the best for achieving it?

    (Why nobody talks about the SOVTEK DELUXE BIG MUFF PI? Did you ever had the chance to test it? Would you reccommend this or the smaller Green Russian Big Muff Pi for the job?)

    Best regards,
    Filippo

    1. That depends on what amp and pickup you have. For Pulse, David used an early Sovtek, with his Hiwatt amps and single coils.
      The Deluxe is OK but I’ve never been a big fan of having all those options :) The Green Russian is probably your best choice.

          1. Filippo Pavarini

            Anyway, I use a Marshall Origin 20H as clean as possible (I know you don’t reccommend using Marshalls for DG sound, but this is what I’ve got hahaha*)

            Then I actually have a Stratocaster with Pure Vintage ’65 pickups (but I was thinking of building a strat with EMGs or Lace Sensor Gold)

            *I still think it would be interesting to see your attempt to pull the Gilmour sound out of a Marshall!

            1. I use Marshall all the time and they’re definitely worth checking out for David’s tones. I would go for something vintage sounding though, like a Plexi, JTM or a Silver Jubilee. The 800 and more modern models tend to sound just too bright IMO.

              1. Hey Björn
                I got the Marshall Studio classic sc20h, preamp based on the jcm800 2203. To bright for Gilmour tone?
                Cab is 2×12” celestion 70/80

                // Johan

                1. I always found the JCM800 to be on the bright side but it has a nice clean tone, which will go well with most pedals. I usually roll back the treble and presence almost all the way and keep the mids around noon. Depends on the speakers too.

  18. Hi Bijorn. I wanted to ask if you’ve ever listened to this version of High Hopes. In your opinion, in the fantastic final solo made here with the stratocaster, what does he use? It doesn’t look like a big muff to me, especially considering the period. But maybe I’m wrong. What do you think about it?
    Greetings.
    Links :
    https://youtu.be/m5AW6l-5Nzo

    1. Hard to tell. Could me a number of things but most likely a Big Muff or Tube Driver. He experimented a lot with different pedals during the Division Bell sessions so again, hard to tell for sure.

  19. Hi from Argentina Bjorn, there is a new pedal a rat and muff in one, The crazy tubes circuits “motherload” it seems to be a good one to try

  20. I realize I may incur the wrath of the guitar Gods asking this question however here goes: Has anyone produced a VST plug-in emulation of a Big Muff that would enable us keyboard guys join the party? There are some great guitar emulations from Amplesound and a Big Muff VST plugin would be a great combination.

    1. Have you tried the distortion bundle from Universal Audio? Rat, TS and Big Muff. They sound incredible and works great on keys too. Most Muffs I’ve tried are based on the 90s NYC EHX reissue, which has a lot of gain but the UAD is based on the Triangle and they’ve done a great job.

  21. Hi Bjorn !

    I have a BYOC large beaver ram’s head (Nice pedal !). I would like to ‘boost’ it (before on the chain) and for that I thought of the Past FX TDY? I have a Butler tube driver, but not suitable for playing in a bedroom (I want to sell it for a PastFX TDY or other)
    Is this a good idea, do you have another pedal to do the job? (I thought Buffalo pedal also – very good pedal :-) )

    (amp: Cube head 15W)

    1. Why do you want to boost the Large Beaver? What do you want to achieve by doing that? I think these are important questions because in most cases, a Big Muff can easily stand on it’s own. Boostong in front will add more gain. Boosting after, like Gilmour does, will add more tone, EQ and compression. The TDY is an axcellent clone of the Tube Driver and IMO much more suited for smaller amps, bedrooms etc.

  22. Bjorn – thanks so much for all of your wisdom you share with us! Based on your advice I’m running a MIM strat with CS69/SSL5 into a Vick 73RH into a TD-X, into Laney L5T combo trying to get some Gilmour lead tones. I still don’t feel like I’m “there” with muff tones. Question: where do you typically set your guitar volume? Ordinarily I try to make between 7-8 on the guitar my “normal” volume. This way I have room Bothe roll it back for more clean tones, but also room to push more. I wonder if your suggested Muff settings, etc. may differ quite a bit from my setup if I’m starting with different signal level from my guitar? Thanks!

    1. Thanks for your kind words! For me it starts with the amp and how you set it up. This will be your platform for how much you can adjust the guitar volume and how you should set the pedals. What’s your amp settings?

      1. Bjorn, I started with your recommended settings and tweaked them a little for my guitar and room.

        Clean channel
        Bright mode
        Bass a touch below 3:00
        Mids at 4:00
        Treble 8:00
        Tone around 11:30
        Volume around 10:00

        Thanks again!

        1. OK, I like to have my guitar volume around 8.5-9. Lower than that takes away some of the dynamics and gain. At least on my guitar. Your amp settings looks fine. You may want to try using the gain channel as well, for more mid range. Try using the same settings and set the gain around 8 or as high as you can without getting overdrive. Other than that I would try to just tweak the Big Muff. I’m not sure what the “problem” is but it seems to me that we’re talking nuances here. Keep in mind too that volume plays a huge role in David’s tone, which is something that’s hard to achieve in a bedroom.

          1. I normally run my guitar between 7 and 8 (with excursions higher or lower), so I think I’ll see how things go if I run it a bit higher as you do! And your point on volume is well taken – thanks Bjorn, you’re a legend!

  23. John Ugolotti

    Hey Bjorn! I’m thinking about getting the P19 fuzz. I’m a huge fan of the guitar tones on the wall and have been using a rams head reissue pedal to try and nail those tones but it seems to be too loud for my bedroom setup. Would you say the P19 is the best alternative to getting those wall tones? Thanks!

      1. John R Ugolotti

        I’m using a strat with seymour Duncan SSL-5 pickups fed into a Hiwatt T-5 and Marshall cabinet with my second amp either being a Bugera V5 or my little fender amp. Thoughts?

        1. It should work very well I think. Keep in mind though that the P19 has a lot of gain as it is a stacked effect.

            1. Gain as in overdrive or distortion. Unity gain refer to having the volume set to match the clean signal from a guitar into the amp. A bit confusing, I know :)

  24. The Moen Fuzz Moo is a pretty cool, under-the-radar Big Muff type pedal. The tone knob does something different though and there are more mids available — especially when compared to the 2000s-era NYC Big Muffs with their cavernous scooped mids.

  25. Hey Bjorn,

    I’m currently looking for an affordable pedal that can recreate that Ram’s Head Big Muff tone, I’m torn between the EHX Green Russian/EHX Ram’s Head and the Mooer Triangle Buff.

    What would you think would be better to recreate Gilmour’s Ram’s Head Muff.

    Thanks a lot,
    Eric.

  26. Hello Björn
    I would lire to have the 3 muff on my pedalboard
    The triangle
    The rams
    The Russian
    Please what is from your point of view? The current ehx reissue or the current byoc kit ?
    Thanks in advance

      1. Hello Bjorn
        Thanks for your prompt anwser. I agree the price of the new EHX is very attractive. But Im looking for the best tone and the price is not a problem. The best tone are the EHX or the Byoc clone? Thanks

        1. I think the EHX are better than the BYOC. One of the first Muffs I ever owned, was a first generation 3-knob BYOC Triangle. It sounds amazing but the EHX has much more of that vintage mojo. They all do. Maybe, if you look at brands like Wren and Cuff etc you may find pedals that are better but IMO that’s more about taste. These three from EHX is as close as you can get to the originals but other clones out there may offer other nuances that might please you better. Qualitywise, I wouldn’t hesitate on the EHX.

  27. Hello Bjorn, it’s been a while since I wrote on here. I hope you are well. I need your advice on Big Muff. I am hesitating between the new Green Russian and Ram’s Head Big Muff Reissue. I love the Pulse tone and also Animals, The Wall. I have two combo amps. One is a Laney Cub 12R clone with a 12 inch Celestion Greenback. This one has EL84 and it’s a dark amp. My other amp is a Marshall Origin 20 with a 10 inch Celestion VT-Junior. This one has EL34. I like the Marshall a lot. It’s a great pedal platform amp. This amp is bright. Which Muff would go well with both amps. I am a bedroom player. I play Strats with noiseless single coil pickup in the bridge position.

    1. I’d go with the Green Russian. Like them both but the Green Russian has more compression and mid range, which fits a wider range of amps.

      1. Thank you very muck Bjorn, I just ordered a Mooer Triangle Buff. It was on sale, a great deal. I will try this one out. I have a lot of ODs, I probably will be able to make it sound good. If I can’t make it sound good. I will go for the Green Russian. I have a Mooer Black Secret that I like a lot. Thank you again and take care. Cheers! :0)

  28. Hi Bjorn, not really related to the Big Muff, but I saw some great quality pictures from the Jan 1977 rehearsals in the Animals part of the site.
    I’m collecting these kinds of pictures, and especially the one which shows dave’s guitars is far better than what I already have. Is there any way you could send me the full pictures, without the numbers on? Thanks in advance

    also, thanks for this fantastic site. Because of you I bought the Mooer E Lady the Blues Driver and the Laney Cub Head, and I absolutely LOVE all of them !

  29. Hello Bjorn here’s wishing you well!
    I’m not an EHX fan at all. I’ve tried several different models and sold them all. They feel to me like what they are, an inexpensive pedal. Just not my thing. If I want to try another Green Russian type of pedal, what do you recommend? I’m not rich as in a Cornish, but a better built version then an EHX. What would you choose?
    Thanks again for the greatest info site out there! I’ve learned so much and Spent so much reading all the articles…?
    Thanks for all you do for all of us…?
    Walter H…

    1. Hi Walter, I don’t agree that the EXH reissues sound like inexpensive pedals… whatever that means. I think EHX has done an amazing job replicating the tone of their old classics and the Green Russian in particular. There’s two reasons why EHX pedals are cheap. They use cheaper parts and they sell thousands of each model. That keeps the prices down. Smaller companies have higher costs and some companies, like Cornish, also has a brand. Anyway, tone is a matter of taste. The Buffalo FX Patriot is by far my favourite Sovtek clone. It’s no longer made but I haven’t come across any better. Check out the Wren and Cuff Box of War and the Red Muck from Jam Pedals as well. Both very close to those early Sovteks.

      1. Bjorn thanks for the reply. I never said the EHX Pedals Sound inexpensive ?Reread my comments please…
        What I said is Exactly what you said they use cheap parts and high volume to keep prices down. With that being said I don’t buy JOYO pedals either due to my experience with their quality.
        I will look into the two that are available that you wrote about.
        I do like Jam pedals and own a Ripple per your recommendation already…Every pedal company has a target audience I’m just not an EXH fan…

        1. Ok, I misunderstood your comment then. I see your point and that’s my issue or main concern as well about mass produced pedals. Anyway, I like both of the pedals I mentioned. The Box of War is perhaps a bit darker sounding, while the Red Muck has a tad more vintage flavour, with a blend of the triangle and Sovtek.

          1. ? Thanks Bjorn.
            I respect you and surely did not wish to offend you in anyway. You always help keep me motivated to play better during these crazy times…
            Stay safe, Stay well. ?
            Walter H.

  30. Hallo Bjorn,
    at first thank you for this massive load of information. I have a Fender mexican Strat classic series 50’s, marshall sv20c. My pedals are the dunlop fuzz face mini, tc flashback 2 x4. A short while ago I bought the ehx big muff pi

    https://www.thomannmusic.com/electro_harmonix_bigmuff_pi.htm

    now I have problems to get the Gilmour sound with the muff, especially with the bedroom setup. I’m not very happy with it. Do you think, I should send it back and take another one? I imagine the large beaver is a good choice, but the version with the two muffs inside is not available at this time. I would also take the vick audio 73 ram’s head, but this pedal is a little bit expensive for me. I also found a colorsound clone from aion electronics:

    https://aionfx.com/project/nucleus-vintage-boost/

    or is a tc spark booster better, or maybe the boss bd2?
    what can you recommend to me, to get more gilmour sound?

    1. The current Big Muff Pi isn’t that suited for David’s tones, as you’ve experienced. It’s quite aggressive and aimed at a more modern type of sound. It always depends on how you set the amp, but the SV20c is an excellent pedalplatform if you keep the gain low for a fairly clean tone. Be careful with the treble too. To be honest, I think the EHX reissues are great and the Green Russian in particular. They did an amazing job at capturing the tone of those early 90s Sovteks. For overdrives I’d check out a BD2 or something similar. It depends on what tones you’re looking for and how you want to use the pedal – boosting or overdrive.

  31. Hi Bjorn, thank you for all the effort you’ve put into this great site.
    Do you have any recommendations for an overdrive to stack with a Green Russian reissue? I’ve tried a blues driver, super phat mod and a mojo mojo. They all sound good with my ram’s head reissue but don’t do it with the green Russian.
    I have a small setup with an orange micro terror and 12 inch speaker.
    Thank you for your time.
    Joel

    1. Thanks! The Green Russian is a fairly dark sounding Muff so it often work better with a brighter sounding boost or at least a more transparent one. I’m often using the BD2 but the MojoMojo has a bit too much mid range and compression for my taste… for boosting. It might be an issue with too much gain as well. The Micro Terror doesn’t have all that much headroom and stacking pedals will create more gain and compression so I would try to set the amp as clean as possible and see if the Green Russian could work on its own.

  32. Please, if you could afford for only one of the Electro Harmonix reissues, which one you would choose: Ram’s Head, Green Russian or the Triangle?

        1. I think you get more tone for the buck with the Green Russian. It’s a superb clone of the early 90s Sovtek. You can’t really compare these two. They’re no doubt similar but the Cornish is more pristine sounding, with a slightly different Muff character. Keep in mind too that EHX are selling thousands of their pedals, while Cornish are making only a few and the high price also reflect a brand.

  33. Bjorn, do you have any experience with the sovtek deluxe muff? I currently have the green Russian (got it after I sold my original black box sovtek) and it’s fantastic. Aside from the typical gilmour lead tones, I also use my muffs to play punk/doom/grunge stuff and although the GR and RH both work fine for that, it would be really nice to have the added tone options, especially the interactive mids controls and wicker switch. Thinking about getting it, but I’d be going in blind as no shops near me stock them.

    1. As far as I know it’s based on the same circuit as the Green Russian with more options and features. I like it. It’s easy to dial in the classic tones and add whatever you need for different amps, guitars and musical styles.

  34. Hey Bjorn! love the page, i got a question for you though, i recently got an EHX Big Muff Nano, and im tryna figure out how to get that great round tone in most of the Solos from the wall, my fuzz tone right now seems abit wild and angry, and goes all trebly when i play higher notes,

    Again love your Page

    P.S. your page is so good that im on it instead of focussing in class

    -Caden

      1. i use a PRS S2 Vela (has some seymour duncan saturday night pickups i installed ages ago), and in terms of an amp, i got a Line 6 Spider 240v, with a clean tone, im thinking of getting a better amp one day, but thats what i got right now

        1. OK, I think the combination of your fairly hot humbucker pickups, the amp and the saturated Big Muff is just too much for David’s tones. You can definitely dial in some smooth clean tones and set the pedal with low gain but I think you’ll have a hard time getting THE tone. I’m just being very honest here. It’s been a while since I used the Spider but the best approach would be to set up a clean tone, with a bit of mids boost and the treble rolled back a bit. The Big Muff nano is very hot so you probably want to set the volume to unity level with the amp, roll back the tone and keep the gain around noon. See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different types of amps. Hope this helps.

          1. oh okay, thanks dude, ill probably get a strat eventually, this dudes tone is my end goal lol, anyways, thanks for the advice :)

  35. Hi Bjorn,

    I have to say I really love this site! You have built quite an extensive archive with the wealth of knowledge you continue share on all things Gilmour. no doubt you’ve put so much time into it and helped so many people, so on behalf of the many I just want to say a huge thank you to you for that.
    That said, I would like to pick your brain if I could and I will be happy to make a donation for your time.
    The thing is I would like to accurately replicate the solo tone from Comfortably Numb off The Wall album. The gear I have is a Roland JC40 and an Exotic sp compressor pedal so I’m wondering what the best Muff (and also any other pedal I would need to put in the signal chain) would be. I figure there’s no one more qualified to ask on this subject so I would greatly appreciate any and all advice you can throw my way.

    Kind Regards,
    Eden Bell

  36. Hi Bjorn,
    I’m totally blown away not only how much information you have pumped into your website but also the wealth of knowledge/ wisdom you share. I can’t thank you enough for that.
    That said, I have a Roland JC40 and I’m really chasing the Comfortably Numb solo tone so wondering if you could recommend a particular Muff pedal and also any others to add to the chain that would help me nail it.

    Cheers, Eden

    1. Hi Eden, apologies for the late reply. Thanks for your kind words! The JC40 might not be the best Muff platform as it is very clean. The Muff usually prefer a bit darker and grittier amps. Between all the models I guess the EHX Green Russian will work or, perhaps one with a mid range boost, like the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head. Check out this feature too for some tips on choosing the right pedal for different types of amps.

      1. eden.bell85@hotmail.com

        Hi Bjorn, all good for the steady reply mate, crazy times out there at the moment, I’m just glad your well. Thanks heaps for your reply and guidance mate, you’ll be happy to know I decided to purchasethe 73 rams head by vic audio (as It was the more tweakable option of the 2) I received it today and have to say I’m happy as with how it sounds!
        Thanks again for your guidance you certainly know your shit sir!

  37. Hey Bjorn! I’m definitely going to buy one of these 3, but I don’t have anywhere local to try them. I mainly play with humbuckers, and some single coils. I play through an EVH 5150 III 6L6. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

  38. I loved your reviews of the Green Russian and the Ram’s Head! I’m planing to by one of them and I am a guy who likes to play doom metal every now and then. Which one would fit better for doom metal?

  39. Hi! What do you think about Walrus Jupiter v2? It’s a muff based fuzz. I don’t know if it’s based on a specific muff or if it’s a Walrus Audio’s muff interpretation

  40. Hi Bjorn, i recently got a pedalboard from my brother, whar order would you give to this pedals to get a PULSE tone?
    Guitar: Fender Stratocaster Japanese
    Amp: Fender Blues Junior III
    – MXR Reverb
    – Boss Digital Delay DD-7
    – Boss Digital Delay DD-3
    – Big Muff Pi
    – Digitech Bad Monkey
    – SP Compressor
    – Rocktuner Tuner

  41. Hi Bjon!!! I am a new guitarist and recently read almost all your posts on Pedals for Amps. All in all I have Hughes and Kettner Matrix 100 Amp head. Based on your suggestions I purchased Electro Harmonix Triangle but it is sooo noisy with my Yamaha VFM611 guitar with Seymour Duncans both at Bridge and Neck. Previously I used MXR Badass as distortion and it has no noise so maybe MXR Fuzz will go best with my Amp. I was reading on your page today and you have not reviewed a single Fuzz Pedal from MXR, is there a reason. There are lots of different models and I believe one of them fit Gilmour. Could you please look at MXR Jimmy Hendrix series + Brown acid for me and let us know if they are good for Gilmour sound or if they are made for Jimmy Hendrix sound only. Thanks and regards Shahzad.

    1. The Triangle is nosy but that’s the nature of those vintage style fuzz circuits. You’re adding a ton of gain to the setup and that will be noisy. A fuzz pedal from MXR would behave much in the same fashion. The trick with fuzz is to use a clean amp platform or, a hotter amp and less gain on the pedal. Between the EHX reissues, the Green Russian has the least gain and least amount of noise.

  42. Hey Bjørn. Great article. The Muffuletta v the Thorpy for a deep low end blues sound on a Gretsch.
    Also how would a Green Russian go with a Thorpy or is that just too much.
    Appreciate your thoughts as I’m about to enter the Muff domain.

    1. The Muffuletta has a lot of great tones so you might want to check that out. Very versatile. I wouldn’t stack two Big Muffs. Way too much gain and noise.

  43. Humberto Cavalcante

    Do you know this fuzz “Analog Design Audio Model 1 – Clone Do Pete Cornish P1”? Pedal built by the company Analog Design Audio, located in Greece and led by Builder M. Koutroulis. I am thinking of buying it

  44. Hello, Bjørn

    If I may make a suggestion, Wren and Cuff The Caprid, the big box and the little foot versions. I would love to see those two compared. The big box as I know, the circuit board and most of the circuits are an exact replica of the big muff, all the way down to the solder lines but I do believe it is discontinued. I would also love to see a demo of the Tru-Fi Rams Head Floyd Fuzz. It sound pretty true to the Gilmour tone and then some. Gilmour used the Alembic F-2B preamp for his Yamaha RA-200r, there is a clone of that called the Frog FX-1 Ruggedized. I’d love to hear how it would sound in before and after fashion. Also, ThoropyFX is releasing a pedal called the ‘Camoflange’ it is what I feel to be the only true heir to the EHX 70s Electric Mistress. The Camoflange has 3 more knobs including Treble, Harmonics, and Blend. It sounds just as good, if not better than the original. As a bonus, it’s completely analog. There’s very limited reviews on all of these pedals. It would be nice to see demos of Gilmour tones for these pedals.

    Thanks!

  45. Hi Bjorn !
    It’s never enough thanking you for all your work and effort :)
    I had a question concerning the Buffalo FX TD-X, how does it compare to the buffalo power boost ? By having the Evolution I’m looking for adding one of these two .
    I have a Big Muff Pi , but that easy to balance with the rest of the pedals.
    Would you consider a pedal switcher on your pedalboard ?
    Cheers , Thanks !

    1. Hi Daniel! Sorry for my late reply. The TDX, or Tube Driver, is slightly more amp-like, with a bit of mids and compression although very open sounding. Much like an old Plexi really. The Power Boost is much more transparent, with very little mid range and compression. Two different sounding pedals although they cover much of the same tones.

  46. Hello bjorn,
    I’m running single coils into a fender twin reverb bf.
    When playing using my clean tone along with my muff and powerboost I need some mid boost. I have both a boss ge7 and a ts9. Using either pedal for a mid boost is it best to place it before or after my muff and powerboost pedals.
    I basically want an always on mid boost pedal. Either my ts9 set on clean or ge7. Should I place my eq before or after my od and fuzz pedals? I want my ts9 for just the mid boost but want to hear my muff and powerboost tones most dominant. Want the ts9 to color my tone as least as possible but still getting the mid hump.
    Thanks.
    Rob h

  47. Hi Björn, i have bought the last BM Rams Head and i think it really nails the sound of the wall. Especialy comfortably numb and young lust. But – why hasn‘t David played young lust on his tours ever. And why is Animals behaved like the redhaired stepchild by the Floyds?
    Any opinion?

    1. I have no idea. Young Lust has never been a song the band has focused on and Animals, although very much a Gilmour album in terms of the arrangements, is a Waters concept. No artist can ever please every fan :)

    2. I agree about animals. It’s my favorite floyd album. The wall in my opinion is just ok but animals kicks but. Gilmour really shines with his tele, colorboost and rams head.
      I think after the breakup with Roger, floyd wanted to stay away from waters main albums, animals and the wall. Probably brought back very bad memories from working with roger being so controlling. But they have to perform the walls big hits for the fans. (Roger does animals songs in concert all the time. I saw Roger in Miami Florida twice doing animals full album tour. Was the best show Ive seen out of over 200 concerts and seeing floyd twice in 94. The animals album cover came to life in the arena. The pig n power plant rose from the audience. Omg.
      Or maybe they weren’t allowed to do those particular songs due to a court order.
      Roger battled with the band in court it was a real blood bath from what I researched.

      1. Roger has the rights to the Wall concept but Floyd are allowed, like any artist, to perform the songs. They had to do Another Brick in the 80s and 90s as it is undoubtedly their biggest hit but Run and Numb was initially written by David for his 78 solo album, so they’re as much his as Roger’s. Roger doesn’t own Animals other than writing credits and royalties on the songs. David has stated many times that he’s very proud of Dogs but I don’t think he feels that they represent him and his contributions to the band, although he wrote much of the music. Animals is very much a Waters album.

  48. Hi Bjorn. I find myself these days without a proper fuzz/muff pedal and think it’s time to correct that. Do you still recommend these days the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof MKII?

    1. The MkII was design to fit my recording setup. It’s got less gain and low end compared to the MkI or your average Ram’s Head. It needs a booster after it I think, which was the initial idea too. As you probably know, Muffs depend on having the right amp so on a loud Hiwatt or Marshall, the MkII will sound like a monster. For a bedroom setup or a more scooped amp, you probably want to go for a Sovtek/Green Russian style Muff.

  49. Bjorn, You are my guru about all things Gilmour. Your info is more accurate than anything I’ve found anywhere on the web, and your extensive knowledge and experience is truly remarkable! That’s why I’d like your opinion on what muff to get to nail the Comfortably Numb tone on PULSE? I have a Hiwatt Little D amp on order (although they’ve changed the name) and the proper Strat and pickups. I currently have an original BuffaloFX Patriot but I’m wondering if there is a better pedal to nail the PULSE tone? I don’t care about brand or price, I just want to nail the PULSE tone as closely as possible. Which pedal would you suggest as the best for that?

    1. Thanks for the kind words Fred! David used a Civil War Sovtek Big Muff often combined with a bit of compression and a clean set Tube Driver for a bit of tone shaping. The new Green Russian from EHX is really great and you’d have no problems nailing the tones with it. To my ears, the closest I’ve come is the Patriot from Buffalo FX. It’s a tad darker but the sustain is amazing and it has that slightly nasal throaty tone :) Check out my review of the Patriot here and more about David Gilmour’s PULSE setup here.

  50. Hi bjorn, it’s me again. Will you review/discuss the reissued big muff rams head in your YouTube channel??? Also, I’m not sure how to combine the reissue and the dallas arbiter fuzz face together along with the glove OD overdrive to get more Gilmour like sounds since I just got the Reissue rams head today…

    1. The only thing that happens when I do is either a certain combination of those pedals is either it gets really loud and sounds like a microphone screeching or it cancels out the signal and I can’t hear the guitar. I think this might have to do with true bypass in the big muff ram’s head but I’m not sure…

      1. Hey Bjorn, What settings would you recommend For The Wall earls Court tones on the Rams Head Reissue? I set up .y amp clean but not bright but enough to cut through the mix
        With my Squier Strat with a dimarzio FS1 cheers

  51. NEW BIG MUFF RAMS HEAD RE-ISSUE

    Good day bjorn,
    Just purchased and received my new electro hormonics rams head big muff reissue,
    My reviews,
    Awsome sound and hormonics.
    Looks sounds great when playing.
    Negs,
    So damn noisy. Even with humbuckers so freaking noisy. I’ve tried switching placement and wires with other pedal but no matter what I do all other pedals no noise at all. This one loud hiss n hum no matter what I do or where it goes. It’s the noisiest pedal I’ve ever owned.
    My question,
    is this normal or is this pedal defected? I have four other big muffs all reissues and never had this much noise.
    Going to exchange for a different one. If same issue occurs might try the muffletta or another
    Clone instead or just stay with my pi, sovtek which I already own but love the gilmour tone especially with animals album era, so really kinda need the ramshead version tone type.
    Your thoughts please bjorn?
    Thank you very for reading my post.
    Thanks
    Rob h.

    1. I haven’t had the chance to try it yet but my experience with Rqm’s Heads is that they have much more gain compared to a triangle and Sovtek, so there will be more noise. I’m not sure how they did the new circuit or exactly what ram’s head specs they used but I suspect that it will be the noisiest of the lot. Whether or not your pedal is faulty I can’t tell.

      1. I don’t think the pedal is faulty, just noisy.
        When I compare to my deluxe big muff pi with the gate off its almost the same noise. Just a tiny bit more but I guess that’s due to the higher gain ramshead.
        I’m glad you mentioned that to me. Makes me feel better about the pedal cause I really like it just not the noise lol.
        Plus when I turn my guitar away from my pedalboard the noise changes it dissipates a bit when standing in certain positions so it’s not the pedal. I’m going to keep it and look for a really good gate for it. any good recommendations on a noise gate/reducer pedal. the cheap one I have now doesn’t even work because the feedback hum is so much lol. Need one that works like the one in my deluxe muff pi.
        Thanks for your feedback bjorn. :)
        Rob h

        1. Wish it was a deluxe ramshead with a gate like my nyc pi and sovtek. That would’ve been perfect. Maybe next year lol.

        2. The TC Electronic Sentry is very good, the Boss NS-2 is also + has a mute switch witch can be useful for someone who doesn’t use a volume pedal, but the Electro Harmonix Silencer is just as good but costs much less. The MXR Smartgate is not up to standard as the previous 3 pedals I mentioned. I do in fact own each of these pedals in various rigs. The MXR is on $*!+ duty on the reject board.

  52. Anxiously awaiting your review of the just released Ram’s Head reissue. Also, the Boss DD-8. I was ready to get the TC Flashback 2 when the DD-8 came out. I’m a fan of Boss and EHX, and I prefer buffered pedals, so the DD-8 will probably be on my pedalboard soon.

      1. That’s great! Thanks, Bjorn.

        Like so many others around the world, you’re site is very much appreciated. Thanks for all the time, effort, and money you put in to providing this great resource!!

        And, a GREAT BIG THANKS to David GIlmour!! He has surpassed every other guitar player when it comes to the amount of attention poured over his playing.

        I remember when Dark Side of the Moon first came out. There was nothing else like it at the time. There were so many great “new” sounds coming out from so many bands. Rock n Roll was an exploding,explorative art form. Pink Floyd were audio and visual pioneers before light shows were commonplace. It should be noted that psychedelic drugs played a big part in the art form exploding. It was hip back then, even fashionable, to tune in, turn on, and drop out. Today is boring in comparison. Or, maybe I’ve just turned into my Dad and become an old fogey. Lol

  53. what do you think of the electro-harmonix announcement of the release of the big muff Ram’s Head PI bjorn???

  54. Hi Bjorn,

    Looks like EHX released a reissue of the Ram’s Head. We might be in for a treat! Are you considering getting one?

  55. I’m sure you’ve already seen the news, a rams head reissue from ehx.

    You’ll have a review asap for us right?

    I had the green russian. Got rid of it for the triangle. Was about to get a green Russian again then ehx drops the news of the rams head reissue.

  56. Hey Bjorn!

    Let me start off by saying that I love your website! Talk about a niche offering…

    I found it very interesting that you say the best big muff depends on the type of amp the player has. I’m currently debating between the Green Russian and the Triangle. My amp is the Orange Dark Terror, which is quite dark sounding and bass heavy naturally.

    Which one would you recommend?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Thanks for the kind words! Between the two I’d go for the Green Russian although I guess you might find both of them a bit too dark on your Orange.

  57. Hi Bjorn, thank you for the excellent guide, I thoroughly enjoy reading the articles on your website.

    I’m thinking of getting one of the new EHX Big Muff pedals, either the Green Russian or Triangle, which one do you think would be better through a Fender Blues Junior?

    Do you think there will be a Ram’s Head version soon from EHX?

    1. Thanks for the kind words! I’d go for the Green Russian. It has a tad more mid range and compression, which goes nicely with the BJ. I’ve no idea if they’re working on a Ram’s Head :)

  58. I have been playing a Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff Pi these past few days and I really like — really really

    I can’t wait to hear your take on it and, hopefully, your demo of it

  59. Hello Bjorn. I just can’t imagine the amount of time that you put in to answer all the questions and add/update all the information on this site. Thanks for sharing all this with us. I did not know under which section I should put my question so I’ve put here.

    I have been buying pedals for a while and would like your input as to what should go on my pedalboard given the amps that I have. I have read your section on “know your amp” and I am aiming for the Gilmour/Waters sound era sound. I have the following:

    Strat rosewood neck, PU are Fat 50, CS 69 and SSL 5.
    Amps are Fender BJ USA with the Cannabis Rex (your recommendation) update; DR Z Maz Sr 38 (Celestion V30, and G12H Vintage Series 70th anniversary Special Ed.).
    Pedals are: Boss CS-2, J. Rocket The Dude, Boss BD-2, Vick Audio Ram ’73 (your recommendation), RAT, Boss Chorus CE-2, MXR 1974 Vintage Phase 90 CSP-026, Boss RT-20, Eventide Time Factor, TC Electronic HOF, Eventide Mod Factor.
    Of the board I also have an MXR ’76 Vintage Dyna Comp custom shop, TS808, Purple Fulltone ’70 fuzz and an MXR 1974 Distortion +
    .
    I would be willing to shop for another amp such as the Peavey Classic 20H or the Laney Cub 15 (so something with enough power but also easy to carry) if need be for a better sound however I suppose that I would have to change my pedals so I would like to start with what I have. For the sound I am shooting for, am I missing something else? Which pedals should be on my board? Thanks again!

    1. Thanks for the kind words!
      I guess all of your pedals will provide typical Gilmour tones but for authenticity for the Waters/Gilmour era, you might want to reconsider typical 80s effects like chorus as David didn’t use that in the 70s. I guess it also depens on the amp. I’m not that familiar with teh Z but pedals like the Dude, which is based on the Klon, is something I’d consider using as an EQ on the BJ for a bit more mid range. Try setting it clean, with unity gain placed after the other dirt pedals.

      1. Might not be glamorous, but I’d get a Radial BigShot ABY so you can use both those amps together…I paired a Blues Junior (C Rex as well) with a Marshall DSL15 combo and it went a long way towards getting the bigness out of a smaller rig. Plus, the bottom end and frequency response is so much clearer…plus…wet/dry rigs, chorus or leslie sim on just one one amp….it goes a long way toward replicating the effect of 2 Hiwatt stacks and 2 RA200’s/Dopplas..etc

  60. FELIPE MIRANDA DA ROCHA FERREIRA

    Hi Bjorn. I´m using Top Tone DG1 – Top Tone Shine Boost – E-lady – Flashback delay in a clean Fender Bassman to play Comfortably Numb but I don´t like the result. What do you think in using this boost after th DG1? Can you give some advice? Thanks a lot!!!!!

  61. Hi! I’ve got a VintageFX Colordrive 2 and I’m running a Fender Blues Jr. VI. I’d like to get a decent Gilmore tone and I figured I’m half-way there with the Colordrive 2. I wonder if the nano version of the big muff pi would be a good economical way to get a decent GIlmore-ish tone. If not, are there other more moderately priced muff-style pedals you’d recommend? I’ve heard good things about the Tru-Fi Floyd Fuzz. What do you think? I’m trying not to completely overhaul my setup.

  62. Edvin Strandberg

    Hi Björn! I’ve got an Orange Micro Dark and I wonder if it’s possible to use that amp for Gilmour tones and what Muff would work best with it?

    1. Those Orange micro amps doesn’t have that much headroom so you might find it a bit too agressive but thry the EHX Green Russian. It’s fairlhy mellow for a Big Muff and compliments Marshall and Orange very well.

  63. Hey Bjorn,
    Awesome website!
    What big muff do you think would be suitable but for the ac15, or is it too difficult to get gilmouresque muff tones out of the amp?
    Thanks

  64. Hello Bjorn, as always a great post on a great site.
    You have helped my create some incredible tones so far, Thank You.
    With your guidance I’ve purchased a Laney Cub 12 R to replace a solid state Fender and it is breaking in nicely and sounding better every day. I replaced the V1 tube with a JJ 5751 Gold Pin preamp tube so far to clean up the gain and grit a bit. An old SRV trick I understand. I’ll be replacing the other preamp 12AX7 tubes next to smooth it out a bit more.
    I’m now ready for a Muff style pedal.I use my Vick Audio Tree of Life for boost and a Svisound Overzoid+ for gain, growl and to push the amp.
    I know there is a lot of variables but what Muff with that Laney amp would you like? I like the tones of the Newer EHX Green Russian but I don’t know if it will sound warm and creamy as you say or sound like a fart another Bjorn quote.
    I’m open to your suggestions. You said that the Laney Cub12R was a Marshall like a JTM or Plexi but not quite. There are so many choices I was hoping to get a very good match on the first try.
    Looking forward to your remarks, Walter H…

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Walter! The Green Russian would work nicely. As I’ve commented on before, Muffs needs a bit of volume, compression and mid range to get that smooth violin sustain. A bedroom doesn’t allow much volume but increase the mids on your amp to compensate. The Green Russian has a bit of mids and a smoother gain compared to most Muffs.

      1. Bjorn, One more question please. Any input on the JHS mod Green Russian vs the std? Is it worth $55.00 more in your opinion? Sorry I forgot to ask last night.
        Walter H.

  65. Hi Bjorn,
    Not sure if this is the best way to reach you because it is such an old post but I have a Laney Lionheart l20T and I’m wondering which fuzz to get. Out of the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, Buffalo FX Patriot, Electroc Harmonix Green Russian and Electronic Orange Pig Hoof which one would you recommend to combine with my amp for the best tone?
    Thanks

    1. All of them really but it depends on how you set the amp and what pickups you have. The Lionheart can handle pretty much anything but you need to have the mids pretty high, at least at 3 o’clock or else vintage style fuzz and Muffs will sound thin and drown in a band mix. The Pig Hoof is probably the most mids scooped so as much as I love that one, I’d probably go for a Green Russian or a Patriot MkII. Both fits the amp very well.

  66. Philip Cornelius

    Hey bjorn, im using a fender strat into a fender deluxe reverb and having trouble deciding between this pedal or tve buffalo patriot. I know the amp is mid scooped so this pedal obviously has the mid hunp needed. Would tha patriot be worth it maybe if stacked with a ts9 or would it best to just get this one? Thanks

  67. Dominique Vermoet

    Hey Bjorn,

    First of all, thanks for all of the amazing info on this website, its been super interesting to read!
    I’m currently using a Fender Super Champ X2 > Line 6 Pod HD500 > Full drive 2 mosfet and while the sound is pretty decent in a bedroom, I wanted to change things up and sell the pod and replace some of the features with individual effects. I’ve read about fender amps not working well with big muffs because of their mids and was wondering if you could make it work if you combine it with a compressor and/or EQ pedal? All this time I’ve mainly played bluesy stuff a la John Mayer and the full drive 2 has been pretty great for that but it definitely lacks that big sustained Muff sound.

  68. Hi again Bjorn,

    I had no idea that Buffalo had also released the Patriot MkII. In your opinion, is there much of a difference between the original Patriot and MkII? I see it has the 2 added controls on the outside (mids and lows). Which one would you choose? Thank you, Tim

    1. Basically the same pedal and tone but the MkII has a bit more tone sculpting option, inclduing more mid range.

  69. Bjorn, I really loved that sorrow video you did with the Buffalo FX Patriot pedal a few years back. I know there’s a lot of variables in capturing that badass sustain harmonic feedback sound in my bedroom when I’m concerned also about neighbors and loudness. I use both Fenders and Gibson’s and a mesa boogie lonestar with your suggested settings. My current chain starts with MXR 1974 Phase 90, then Effectrode PC-A, then Vicks Audio 73 Rams Head, then EHX Deluxe Electric Mistress, then Boss DD-2. Do you think a Buffalo FX Patriot would have a sweeter feedback harmonic sound then the Vick 73 rams head or should I be using an overdrive in my chain (if so, what overdrive do you like?). I also commonly substitute an EHX Soul Food, OCD Fulltone and Buffalo Evolution in my chain. Obviously nothing comes close except my Vicks 73 Rams Head in capturing the song sorrow. Thank you Tim

    1. That feedback sounds very Pulse to me. Not to brag but it does and it’s basically just my Reeves/Hiwatt and the Patriot with a bit of delay. I may have been using some modulation but that’s not important. I did play VERY loud but you should be able to find that sweetspot with less volume. Anyway, the Patriot reallt capture that throaty and fat Muff sound David has on Sorrow from Pulse and the tone of the feedback just came very natural. You can’t get that with a ram’s head or triangle. Close but not the same feel and tone.

  70. Hi Bjorn, thank you for sharing your knowledge on Muff pedals. Have you tried the Vick Audio Triangle and how do you think it compares to the VA 73 Rams Head? Thanks, Joel

    1. Actually I haven’t. I would imagine though that the Ram’s Head is brighter and slightly more aggressive sounding.

  71. Hello Bjorn, thanks for this comprehensive website for Gilmour’s tone. I am more than joyful to learn from you.
    I am looking to build a Big Muff Triangle or Russian diy. I learnt from you that BYOC is an excellent choice. I wonder if you ever try a Big Muff from guitarPCB.com. They also have Big Muff kit which has several mods and even an add-on PCB for active tone control. What do you say?
    Ken

  72. This site is just epic! Thank you for putting this together! I have several Muffs- a Rams Head clone, a Triangle, a vintage black Sovtek, and an Op Amp. I use mostly the Triangle, the Ram’s Head and Sovtek for Gilmour tones in combo with the various mod pedals. Usually I can dial in everything from WYWH on, more or less. But which, if any of these pedals, would be best for getting close to some of the earlier tones, particularly DSotM? Thanks! PS- I’m adding an EHX Crayon to the mix. Wondering if that might help too!

    1. Thanks for the kind words Chris! The triangle would perhaps be the closest to a fuzz. You could use any of these but I think I’d go with the triangle and without boost as that would sound more compressed and “modern”.

  73. Hey Bjorn! I am in the market for another big muff after my BYOC triangle died. No loose wires or anything, it just stops working, and starts working when it wants, and I cant have that lol. So I was curious on your opinion; My setup is SSL5 bridge pickup, and an orange Crush CR60. From what I have read, you have very little experience with Orange amps, so I’ll just say it is solid state, but reacts very well when pushed loud like a tube amp. Also it is a darker sounding British amp with a pronounced mid range. I was looking at the Vick audio violet rams head, or the EHX Triangle reissue. Or even just wait for EHX to come out with a Rams Head themselves. I know a lot of those old rams heads can sound like triangles, and vice versa, so a triangle reissue could suffice. Also from what I have heard, a violet rams head is a brighter sounding muff to counter act a darker amp. Dont know how true that is because I cant test one. Thanks again for all your hard work. Between you and Kit Rae, there is just a plethora of info that i just get lost in reading, and it always helps my tone. Oh and i play mostly Animals/Wall Gilmour tones.

    1. Thanks for the kind words, Frank! Are you sure it’s not just the bypass switch? Happened to mine. I guess the ones that are closest to the BYOC TRiangle is the Vick Audio 1862 and EHX Green Russian. They’re not triangles, but have that same slight overdrive dark character. The other ones you mention are very bright and aggressive. Might not be the best choice for a solid state amp.

      1. Thanks, Bjorn I’ll look into the bypass switch. It really is a great sounding pedal otherwise. Green Russian I have heard nothing but fantastic things from everyone also.

  74. Can a peavey 5150 handle a big muff for gilmour tones?
    Also how would a peavey classic 30 compare to a hiwatt?

    1. I have very little experience with the 5150 so I can’t really answer that. The Classic 30 is much more of a Marshall kind of amp. Darker, more compressed and mid rangy compared to a Hiwatt. Great amp for Gilmour tones tho and a good platform for most pedals.

      1. Ok thanks for the reply
        Also what GR big muff settings would you recommend for pulse?
        I use a hiwatt maxwatt g40 12r
        Stock squire neck and middle pickups and a dimarzio FS1 in the bridge,

          1. Thx for the reply.
            Also I heard that david gilmour had his tube driver before the muff on pulse.
            But I guess it’s just the matter to taste and sound
            Also keep up the good work mate. and don’t stop

      2. Hey Bjorn! Gilmour used a P-19 muff from what i hear, I have one and I don’t know what settings to use it on. Thanks

  75. Hey Bjorn,

    Thanks for all the great work you’ve done on this site :) Love your content.

    I had a question regarding muffs for rhythm. I currently have a Skreddy P19 which I love to death. I’m currently on the hunt for a more raunchy muff that would be good for rhythm sounds. It would be awesome if they sounded great at lower gain too :)

    Currently I’m looking at a Ram’s Head style muff, am I headed in the right direction vs. the P19?

    I use a PAF-equipped LP, along with a 15W Laney amp.The other drives in my signal chain are a Snouse BB2, Barber Direct Drive (big box), Skreddy Screwdriver Mini Deluxe, and of course the P19.

    Best regards,
    Nicholas Quek.

    [something which I’m looking for might be akin to Ernie Isley’s tone on Back to Square One (which might not even be a muff tbh) would appreciate your wisdom.]

    1. I would definitely look into the EHX Green Russian. It’s great for overdrive and rhythm tones, as well as pretty heavy leads. A Ram’s Head would be too aggressive for PAFs if you want overdrive.

  76. Hey Bjorn,
    You mention many amps but not Mesa Boogie (as far as i know). Problem is i don’t feel safe to match it with any distortion or fuzz pedal cause on both distortion channels is already breaking up very quickly (very little headroom) and i don’t know if the clean channel is a good match for such pedal. Any ideas?

    1. I often use Mesa Dual Rectifiers on stage while travelling. The clean channel is not as middy and compressed as a Hiwatt or Marshall but it’s great with most pedals. I often roll back the treble quite a lot and boost the mids and bass to around 3:00. The gain about 2/3 of the master depedinding on speakers and pickups. Obviously this varies depending on what Mesa you’re using. Some are more Fenderish than others. See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different amps.

      1. Yes also I tried the boss bd2w before and after the muff I prefer it atfer the settings I find best is at gain just at the edge of breakup tone at 1:00 and volume slightly above unity because I’m in a band and it’s mid scooped

        1. I don’t really have that much experience with the Maxwatt but it’s got enough mids for you to cut through. The BD2 is fairly flat. I wouldn’t say it’s scooped aqnd the more you crank it the more it starts to compress and more of the mid range cuts through. But no, it’s not as mids boosted as a TS or OCD. See this feature for amp setup tips.

            1. Start with the volume at unity level or slightly higher, tone 11:00 and gain all the way up. If you’re stacking pedals, you may need to roll back that gain a bit.

  77. what do you think of as an alternative to the big muff green russian of the TC Electronic Honey Pot Fuzz??
    Thank you bjoern

    1. I haven’t tried the TC so I can’t really tell but the Green Russian is hard to beat. EHX did an amazing job replicating the classic tones.

      1. Vox vt40x mark 2 British which sounds like David Gilmour 1978 stock squire neck and middle pickups and a dimarzio FS1 in the bridge

                1. I always have the booster after but try both before and after and hear how that sounds. Before adds more gain and after adds more tone and volume.

    1. Hi Chaz! Sorry for my very late reply. Been busy recording a new album :)
      Two very different sounding Big Muffs. The Russian has a darker tone, with more mids and a hint of compression. The M1 has much less mids, similar to a ram’s head.

  78. Hi I am just wondering the big muff settings sustain 70 volume 50 60 and tone 30 40 the tone is it backwards like the rat or was it set like the modern muffs

    1. It’s for the modern Muffs. Keep in mind though that settings depends on your specific pedal, pickups and amp. David’s, or any other setting that’s suggested, might not apply to your rig.

      1. But I mean as in the tone was it setup like turn to the left all bass and right all treble or left treble and right all bass? Also I am using a squire Strat with stock neck and middle a dinarzio fe1 a mxr Dyna comp block a Moore triangle buff an ibanez ts mini Infront of the muff a boss ce2w boss dd3 joyo classic flanger based of an electric mistress and a mxr phase 90 but I have more pedals
        A vox vt 40x set to a British amp I get pretty close to 1971 1983

  79. Hi Bjorn,
    I am little bit in trouble to find good fuzz sound of david gilmour.
    I have tried already the green russian but its not what i am looking for.now i am thinking to try buffalo patriot or iron bell mojo fx or even something else what will get close to the sound as a ampli i have katana 50 and i never play gigs or anything like that its really for bedroom set up.
    Thank you for help

  80. Thought I would chime in re: Swollen Pickle. I recently acquired one and have been experimenting with it. There’s a lot of tone shaping capability in it for sure. Also, there are two trim pots on the inside of the pedal for even more tweaking. So a total of five(5) tonal / character shaping controls in addition to volume(loudness) and distortion(sustain). The jury is still out on it as I still need to spend some time with it before actually putting it in my rig for show-time. I posted to this forum and mentioned it to Bjorn. So far I a/b’d it with my EHX Green Russian Reissue and also my Moen Fuzz-Moo (Ram’s Head style BMF). I can get it to sound pretty much like either one of them and this is with somewhat limited time doing so but I plan to experiment further. A very versatile fuzz. I picked mine up used for $50 in mint condition.

      1. Have you played around with it? I have been curious about the Green Russian and the Ram’s Head, but was wondering if the Sovtek Deluxe would be the perfect fit or if its trying to do too much…

  81. Love the Vic Audio Ram’s head pedal so versatile. Not only for Gilmour but many other uses. My review:

    https://youtu.be/C4UDHoVwaL4

    Question for Bjorn regarding Fuzz, have you tried the Way Huge Swollen Pickle fuzz pedal? I tried one today and it was quite a scream.

    Cheers,
    Ben

    PS: been saving up for a Fender black strat and Laney amp for the Gilmour sound.

  82. Hi- Since I also play lots of Bass I was leaning towards a Tone Wicker (based on other reviews) but after your Green Russian review I’m questioning it.
    I’ve never owned a Big Muff & like most am trying to keep a budget (don’t want to buy 3 Muffs). At this point I feel like I should start over & dig deeper – sure would be nice if I could line up several of them in my studio & try them on both my rigs – guitar & bass.
    Any recommendations for the best guitar/bass muff?
    Thanks, Dru

    1. I think you’ll be very pleased with either the Bass Muff or Green Russian. They’re very similar so it really doesn’t matter much which you choose. I think both are better than the Tine Wicker and all of the more modern pedals. What you want is enough low end so that the bass doesn’t lose its character. A bit of mids also helps the tone to stay focused.

  83. Hi Bjorn! I’ve recently been trying to chase the comfortably numb solo tone. Im using a Vick 73 rams head, Vick Overdriver, e-lady, and nova delay, all running into a Mesa boogie Mark iv. My problems are that when all used in conjunction with one another, it rounds rather dark and muffled. Is the problem a lack of mids? It sounds better when I turn the Overdriver off. I just can’t seem to get close. Also, the e-lady sounds way too dominant. I’m open to any ideas haha

    1. If it helps turning off the Overdrive then that’s probably what you should do. Keep in mind that you probably have a different setup than David did so his approach might not apply to you. The Vick Ram’s Head also has a lot of gain so to my ears it’s better used alone. The ELady or the old Mistress is dominating. It’s just it’s nature. Of you listen to live recordings from the 10980-81 Wall tour you can hear it all over the place. On the album he used a Muff only and the signal was split between a Hiwatt and Yamaha rotating speaker cabinet for a hint of modulation. Your amp is not as bright and mid rangy as David’s Hiwatts so you would have to use settings that applies to your amp and not his. I could go on and on but tone is very subjevtive and depending on the rig you have.

    2. I use an E-Lady and the Sovtek Green Russian reissue running into my Mesa boogie Mark IIC so I am aware of your problems. I ended up using a Boss LS-2 line selector pedal and run the e-lady and a Boss GE-7 eq pedal into it, through the amp effects loop which also includes a Flashback II for some delay, that way I can mix to the proper levels and also add some eq. I run my boogie with the mid and bass (shifted) at 5 and treble and presence control at 7. I run my stock American Strat through a Boss CP-1X compressor, muff then straight to the amp. With the proper settings I can get pretty close to the desired tone. Expensive way for three songs off our set list but the compliments are well worth it IMO!

  84. Is very hard get a gilmour tones without a Big Muff. But if you don’t have one, a good distortion pedal can bring you nice solo tones. I use Mooer Black Secret to play some David solos. But in specific songs, Big Muff is definitively hard to beat! Especially Ehx Green Russian. My advice? Get one! But keep a good distortion pedal in your set to.

  85. HI, Bjorn!

    Thanks for all of the guidance! Sorry, but I’m confused about which Electronic Orange Pig Hoof is better for bedroom playing. If I’m reading correctly, you seem to indicate they both work at bedroom levels. I know you had the MK II created for your tastes and studio work, but do you think the red or the blue Mk II is generally preferable for us bedroom players? Thanks! Greg

    1. Depends on your amp. Both are very mids scooped so they might not be the best choice for Fender, Vox etc. Between the two I guess I’d go for the MkI.

  86. Hi!
    I am about to buy my first muff.
    I have a question, which one do you recommend? Electronic Orange Pig Hoof MkI or new EHX Green Russian?

    1. Depends on your amp. The Pig Hoof has lots of gain and low end but a very scooped mid range. Can sound thin on Fender, Vox etc. The Green Russian has a bit more mids and compression. Two very different sounding Muffs.

  87. Hi Bjorn. Thanks for such an enjoyable and informative website. I would like your opinion on a Big Muff choice. I use a Carvin Strat type guitar with three low output single coil pickups. Both of my amps are Fenderish Rivera amps. I also have an excellent “booster”/light overdrive that I would use after the muff which has a tendency to smooth out the grit of a muff a bit but doesn’t choke it at all. The overdrive is by a company called Gizmo Audio and it is called the “sawmill”. This overdrive also seems to increase touch sensitivity. I’m not necessarily looking to nail a particular era of Gilmour, just looking for a muff that would sound great with this setup for Gilmourish leads. I was looking into the EXH Green Russian, the Vick Audio Ram’s Head, and the Vick Audio Violet Ram’s head. Thanks!

    1. Hi Matt! Sorry for my very late reply. I haven’t tried your amp so I can’t really tell and normally I’d recommend other distortion pedals for Fender-ish amps but I guess the Green Russian would be your safest choice. It has a nice and warm character, with a bit of compression and mid range that should work nicely with your amp.

  88. Just wondering, have you used the Way Huge Swollen Pickle? I’ve gotten a lot of Big Muff tones out of it but it also can turn into a nice vintage blues fuzz (like an 108 tone) since they’re at least 7 knobs all together on the pedal. I haven’t found another fuzz to replace its versatility or footprint. My question is, would you consider it more of a muff or more of fuzz?

  89. Hey Bjorn! I have two questions:

    1) I’ve a Fender blackface Vibroverb and stuck an Effectrode Tube Drive in front of it. The TD is a lot like a Fender hot rod style front end but with tons more gain on tap: dialed back it’s lightly dirty while cranked up it’s pretty grungy.

    I’m considering getting the Vick Audio ’73 Ram’s Head but I figured I’d ask you about it first…? I’m looking to get some credible Wall tones. Is there a Muff that would work better with my setup or is that a safe bet? Although my amp has miles of headroom and is pretty scoopy, the TD makes it the exact opposite.

    2) Also I was wondering if you had plans to try out any of the new Tru-Fi Floyd Fuzz muff clones? Dan from That Pedal Show tried the Ram’s Head variant on TPS recently and said it was his favorite Ram’s Head at the moment.

    Thanks a lot!

    1. I haven’t tried the Tru-Fi so I can’t comment on it. My experince is that Fender amps are often better paired with more mid rangy pedals, like a Rat, OCD or similar. Muffs tend to get too bright and scooped. The new EHX Green Russian or a Vick, with a mids boost, are perhaps your best choice.

  90. Hey Bjorn! I’m in the market for a muff, so what would you recommend for a good animals and wall era fuzz between the Vick 73 rams head or the new ehx triangle muff?

    1. Depends on your amp. The Vick has a mid range booster switch that’s handy on the more mids scooped amps. The triangle is the more vintage sounding.

  91. So EHX just released a triangle version similar to the Russian reissue. Which do you think are better for bedroom players (Strat -> Fender Princeton)?

  92. Hello, Bjorn. EPICALLY great Gilmore tone, etc reference site. Thank you very much for all the effort you’ve put into everything.

    My question is (and perhaps it’s been answered and I missed it) what Big Muff “substitute” do you recommend for Fender owners? I own a HRDv, one of the most popular combos on the planet. Out of all the countless mass produced, boutique, and inexpensive clone pedals available, there’s gotta be something that’s voiced “decently enough” in a way that compensates for the lack of mids in Fender amps. I believe I remember reading somewhere on this site that your opinion was if you owned a Fender amp, that essentially a Big Muff shouldn’t be part of the signal chain….at least of course pertaining to getting Gilmour’s tones. I’m not looking to necessarily “nail” the tone, but at least get very close. I find it hard to believe there’s no acceptable substitute, regardless of the fact it’s a Fender amp.

    There’s gotta be some sort of “Mid heavy, Muff like” pedal that is voiced in a way as to compensate for a scooped mid amp like the Fender HRD. What pedal(s), in your opinion, would best suit my requirements for a proper Muff like tone?

    Thanks for your time.
    -Michael

  93. Dear Bjorn, I think your work is great, but it really needs to be upgraded with some Stomp Under Foot reviews. Matt is one of the best muff expert, and his muffs deserve attention. Specially the 73 RH (which I owned) and the Civil War, which I proudly have in board right now. The 73 RH was way better sounding than the Cornish P2, and the CW is really amazing.
    Also, if you could you should try the Arc Effects Shepherd and the Castledine V2.
    Cheers,

    Rob

  94. Ignacio Olmedo Godoy

    Hi Bjorn

    Thanks for all the work invested on the page.

    I’m interested in the new Green Russian Big Muff, but when I heard the many different reviews, I notice a “lack of force”. So, I’m searching something like the ram’s head, but I have a pair of questions:

    – Do you have experience with the Chicago Stompworks ram’s head clone? (Moose Pie)
    – I know than in Comfortably Numb’s solo in Gdansk, Gilmour use a Pete Cornish pedal, but, to have that exactly tone, do you recommend the ram’s head (or something similar) or the green russian?

    Much thanks for your time.

    Best Regards from Chile

    1. Sorry for my late reply. It depends on your amp, pickups and how you use the pedal. The Green Russian is certainly capable of producing heavy tones, with lots of grit and sustain so I warmly recommend it for David’s tones but again, depends on what gear you have with it. Keep in mind too that it comes down to taste. Compared to some of the other Muffs, the Green Russian and the early 90s Sovteks have less gain so if you’re looking for something with a more fuzz-like character, then you might want to look elsewhere. I haven’t tried the Chicago.

    1. I hope to do something useful by publishing this video. What do you think about it ? how do you feel the triangle compared to the other video muffs? greetings (a curiosity: having already a vick audio 73 ram’s head, which of these four would you put alongside in the pedalboard?)

      1. I hope to have a review up very soon of the triangle. It sounds very promising I think and I have very high expectations based on what they did with the Green Russian. The Green Russian is probably the one that’s least similar to your Vick.

        1. So do you recommend putting green russian next to the vick sound 73 ram’s head? I was undecided between the green and the triangle reissue. However, in my opinion the nano big muff (in the video) has been underestimated. In my opinion it sounds really good) Greetings

          1. Well it all comes down to taste. I can’t tell you how you will appreciate these pedals and how they’ll end up sounding with your gear.

  95. Big day with the release of the new EHX Big Muff Triangle. I look forward to your opinion. I wonder why they chose the Triangle over the “Ram’s Head” version to reissue.

  96. Bjorn, i’m stuck between the Vick Audio Ram’s Head and the EHX Green Russian muff. Which one do you think works best? I’m playing a strat with a SD SSL-5 in the bridge through the Laney Lionheart L5 Studio(with aan very nice 12 inch Celestion Blue <3) thanks in advance

    1. I love them both! The Vick is perhaps the most vintage sounding, close to the ram’s head, and it has a 3-way mid range booster. The Green Russian is probably as close as you’ll get to David’s 94 Muff tones, with the old Sovtek Muff. Both works nicely with the Lionheart.

      1. I went with the Vick and i absolutely love IT! I use it in scooped mode with a bd-2 set for a light treble boost (tone 13:30). Really opens it up. Is sounds sooo lovely!! Thanks for the advice Björn! Really appreciate it.

  97. thank you very much for doing apiece on Electro Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff

    I got and am amazed at how well I can use it

    what amazes me is how well rounded and warm it sounds even on higher frets with humbuckers

    I only wish that its gain knob had a more gradual gain increase. It immediately hits me with a lot of gain, but that’s Ok

    and the price!

    it’s only 100 dollars canadian — so much value for so little money

  98. Hi Bjorn — love this site, extremely helpful demos and great playing. In your opinion, how do the Buffalo FX Patriot and the M-1 pedals compare in terms of singing, soaring, liquidy sustain?

    1. Thank you! I think both has a very smooth character and lots of sustain. The Patriot is, as the original, slightly darker, with more low end and perhaps a tad less gain. The M1 is based on the tone you get from stacking a ram’s head Muff with a booster and overdrive. As a result, the tone is slightly more compressed but also brighter, with more gain. I don’t know. Depends on the amp, pickups and your taste I guess :)

  99. Hi Bjorn,
    I’m looking for a well balanced big muff with devastating mid, bass and highs range.
    What do you propose to buy ?

    Bye.

  100. The Green Russian reissue really does sound lovely! It’s somehow crunchy and smooth at the same time. And it sounds ‘big’ even on my little Vox Valvetronix amp. I was inspired to get one when I noticed that Stuart Braithwaite of Mogwai was using one recently at a gig I attended in Manchester, and ‘Gilmourish’s’ seal of approval on top convinced me. It’s well worth checking out. Not only does it sound lovely, it’s also hard to get a ‘bad’ sound out of it, with all the knob positions being usable to a greater or lesser extent.

  101. Hi
    I have a “small” black box Russian Muff, I think from the late ‘90s. Do you think can be used to emulate Gilmour sound? Have you ever tried it? Thanks

  102. …… very good:

    0. T-PEDALS mod. MUSHROOM: custom muff based on “triangle” circuit modified for better dynamic and low- gain distortion but still capable of sustained tones (www.t-pedals.com custom section)

    1. T-PEDALS mod. WATT-DRIVE

    2. T-PEDALS mod. T-FUZZ

    ….. very interesting electronic system sound instrument.

  103. Hello Bjorn! Thanks for all the great info! I am back to playing through Plexis (I love the classic vintage Marshall sound). My Tube Driver sounds amazing through a Plexi but most big Muffs, like you mention, sound a little too aggressive. Would a lower gain muff like the Pig Hoof Mk 2 work better with a Plexi than higher gain Muffs? I play Teles and Strats, all single coils. Thank you again.

    1. Depends on how you’ve set the amp. The MkII is quite bright so it might be a bit too bright for a Marshall. I usually set my Silver Jubilee like Billy Gibbons, with the mids and bass cranked and the treble and presence rolled all the way down and it works nicely with most Muffs. I think the EHX Green Russian would be a better option. It has a nice headroom and a slightly dakrer character.

      1. Hi Bjorn ,

        As a Gilmour fan I am truly grateful for this site . You are very talented and knowledgeable and I hope for the best in your new endeavors.

        This is my first time posting and I am hoping you can help guide me in the right direction before I waste hard earned money on gear that will be counterproductive in achieving my long term goals.

        I am a Gilmour fan , so much that I started playing 2 years ago and I have literally hit the ground running . I started with the an acoustic and made the jump to electric last year .

        Because of my very limited knowledge on amps , pedals , how they work etc… I have spent countless hours on your site,as well as instructors and you tube educating myself .My short term goal is to be able to play solos in the pulse , Division bell ,era with “Marooned ” “Coming back to life ” high up on the list .

        I started with a MIM strat and recently put emg dg 20 “s and had the strings changed to boomers into JHS pedals ,Pulp n peel , Charlie Brown , I just ordered muffuletta and finally into a Boss Katana 50 .

        So far the pickups and pedals are a good improvement on the tone but it does not seem quite there yet .I am hoping the muffuletta is the missing piece but was told to switch the boss to either a Roland Jazz Chorus or a Fender for better results . Will the JHS pedals match up well with these amps or am I suddenly heading in a wrong direction . I am really trying to pinpoint that smooth “Muff” tone with some bite to it .

        Would really value your expert opinion .

        Best Wishes !

        1. Hi Ed! You’re tapping into the biggest and most difficult topic and it’s always hard to provide a good answer. The main reason is that tone is subjective. I’m sure what I like, does’t apply to you. And vice versa. I’ve written about this throughout this site and I recommend that you read through a couple of features first and let me know if you need more input after that. This one for some general Muff tone tips, this one for knowing which pedals to choose for your amp and this one for some amp setup tips.

  104. Hello Bjorn,
    I’m looking for Gdanks 2006 solo tone especially Echoes’ and CNumb’s last solo tone. This crying screamy and mealy tone enchants me. Which pedals do you recommend for this tone?

    I’m using Marshall style amp now and I will buy a Hi-Tone amp with 2×12 Eclipse cab.
    I have Seymour duncan 805 > Truetone Jekyll n Hyde > JHS Muffuletta > Boss blues driver ( Keeley mod ).
    I am really happy with this setup and I can get almost all eras Gilmur tones but I can’t get Gdansk crying mealy solo tone and I need your help.
    I am looking for Toptone DG2, Vick Audio Tree of life, Byoc large beaver, Blackout effectors Musket, Stomp under foot Violet rams head.
    For your opinion, which one can be the best one for this job? Or do you have a better advice?
    Thanks.

    1. The Muffuletta should do the job but keep in mind that the tone you describe is a combination of David’s Stratocaster, his Hiwatt amps and the Muff or G2 that he used. Volume is also crucial because once you drive those amps, the Muff will sound much more compressed and smooth. You can compensate that to some degree by either adding a booster, EQ or perhaps swapping the Muff with a more middy and compressed pedal like the OCD or Tree of Life but it won’t sound exacltly the same. That nasal character is a Muff and a very hot Hiwatt.

  105. Hi Bjorn!
    I was wondering if you had tried out the new op amp big muff reissue yet? If so, what did you think? Thanks.

  106. Wow! Perfect score for the Green Muff… I just bought one for 80 bucks… I really didn’t need it, but such a great buy

  107. Hi Bjorn!

    First of all, I’d like to thank you for all the fantastic work you’ve done for so many years! Gilmourish has always been my Bible to improve my David’s tone!
    As I’m a big fan of Pulse era, I purchased the Buffalo Patriot a few years ago. I must say I totally agree with your comments : I love this pedal!!
    Today, I plan to diversify my sound with a more “Ram’s Head-ish” tone.
    Your BigMuff buyer’s gear guide is very helpful but it doesn’t include the Buffalo M-1 for which you posted a very enthusiastic review in September 2016. How would you compare it with the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head?

    I’m looking forward for your reply!
    Thank you again for all your work on Gilmourish.com!!

    Best Regards from France!

    Raphaël

    1. Hi Raphaël! Thanks for your kind words! Sorry for my late reply. The M1 is kind of based on that stacked tone with a Ram’s Head paired with a Powerbooster. Compared to a stand alone Ram’s Head, it’s slightly more saturated and smoother. It’s a matter of taste but it’s a really cool pedal. The Vick is fairly bright and it has a lot of gain but the added mid range boost makes it very versatile.

  108. Hey bjorn. I would like to hear your wise advise on a dilemma I’m facing. Here’s the thing: I own two Marshall amps, a jcm 2550 connected to a 2×12 orange cabinet loaded with vintage 30’s celestion speakers, and a 25 watts Sl5, so than means lots of mid range coming from them. That said, following your reviews I bought a Byoc large beaver triangle which I find, as you mentioned on its review, a bit too smooth compared to gilmour’s lead tone when he uses his ram’s head. I also have to mentioned that currently I have a fat’s 50s pick up fiitted in my fender strat bridge, so if not mistaken I guess that means even less aggressiveness from that pedal. Because of it I feel like there’s something missing in my pedalboard to achieve David’s legendary bigg muff tone, and because of that I wanted to ask you, having into account the gear mentioned above, which pedal would you buy if you had to choose between a BYOC large beaver ram’s head and a vick audio 73 ram’s head, which one would be more suitable?

    1. Always hard to give an exact answer when I haven’t played your rig but you’re right, the combination of the mid range boosted Marshall and the SSL5, will make certain pedals sound darker and more compressed. You can compensate to some extent by lowering the mids on your amp and making sure that you get the most headroom in your clean tones but those modern Marshall amps are not meant to sound like a vintage Fender :) A Ram’s Head in general is noticeably brighter and more aggressive sounding compared to a Triangle. The Vick has got a lot of gain so you might want to consider the BOYC for your Marshall, which has less gain and a more open character.

  109. Hi Bjorn, have you had a chance to try the Big Green by Arc Effects, i was curious of your thoughts on it….and again thank you for everything you do for us….Chris

  110. https://youtu.be/CdKjhXWpjq8

    Hi bjorn. I think this video can help those who have not yet understood which pedals are good for different types of amplifiers. Here in particular we can hear the difference in the sound of a big muff used on a twin fender amp and on a marshall, as we can hear the same difference if we use a sd-1 boss. Greetings.

  111. This is SO USEFUL, thank you. I’ve been finding manufacturers and reviewers coyness about what each new fuzz is cloning maddening, and it’s great to have these two pages on Muffs and Fuzzes to work out what pedals are supposed to be sounding like.

    A question:

    I’m have the Nano Big Muff and the EHX Green Russian Reissue, but I’m interested in the Musket. Can that give me the tones of both the EHX pedals?

    1. Thanks for the kind words! I would say that the Musket is closer to the Green Russian, with a slightly more modern flavour. Not as much low end but you go a few extra controls to shape the tone. Very versatile and great sounding pedal. Whether or not you should go and get it as you already have the two other is up to you to decide :)

      1. I definitely prefer the sound of the Green Russian Reissue, which I got just a week ago. The Nano Big Muff sounds fizzy and brittle in comparison, but I guess things that are louder and bassier often sound ‘better’ even if they’re not as useful… I think I’ll just have to get the Musket from somewhere where it’s returnable and make the comparison myself, but your response has made me decide it’s worth a try, so thank you.

        1. So I got a Musket and I’ve got to say, as versatile as it is, it doesn’t sound much like either of my EHX Big Muffs. Great sound, and probably more ‘usable’, but might not be what I’m really after. I’ll keep it for a while to see if I get used to its differences, but I can’t quite justify owning three!

          Does the ‘Pre’ control work the same way as a booster in front of the pedal? It didn’t come with any instructions! (Maybe there’s some on their website…)

  112. Bjorn,
    First off, excellent work on your site. The attention to detail and information is second to none. In your opinion, do you think a Green Russian would pair well with a fender hot rod deluxe 3? And if so, what pedal(s) would you recommend in combo with the Green Russian as a booster/overdrive? Thanks and keep up the great work.

  113. I did not like my Mooer Triangle Buff to much. But I tried it lately on 12v (which can be done according to manual), and the sound is much smoother and better. Makes the difference, on my pedalboard now.
    Great site!!!

  114. Bjorn, what transistor muff model/clone does the best job of emulating the op-amp/ic muff model/clone or are they just too different? I sold my swollen pickle and would like to get a best of both worlds, which, I know is impossible (though green carrot pedals offers a two in one enclosure that would work.) Is it better to try say a ram’s head to emulate an op-amp muff or an op-amp to emulate a ram’s head or other transistor muff? Any info would be greatly appreciated and if there is any way of donating money to you let me know.

    1. EHX just released a reissue of the late 70s op-amp so check out that one. You’ll find a Paypal donate button one the blog and contact pages. Thanks!

      1. No problem; for you to reply to every single comment is amazing and should be rewarded with more than just a thank you. That said, thanks for the reply. And as far as the ehx new op-amp muff I’ve seen it but I’m thinking about getting the eqd hoof and just seeing if I could get that to be an all around versatile muff.

  115. Hi Bjorn

    First of all, thanks a lot for all the work you’ve put in here. This is a really great website and I’ve learned a lot.

    I got an EHX Nano BMP last year but I’m a bit disappointed because I don’t get the smooth singing lead sounds out of it. I am playing a Standard Mexico Strat and a Standard Mexico Tele through a VOX AC15C1. I already tried many different settings and combinatios with my other pedals (Maxon OD808, BOSS BD-2 and MXR Carbon Copy Bright) but I am not able to reach the sound I’m dreaming of. The EHX Nano BMP always sounds much too aggressive, except for very low volumes.

    Now I’m thinking about buying either the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head or the EHX Green Russian BMP. Would this make sense to get a smoother sound? Which one would you recommend to get smooth lead sound with my bedroom setup?

    Looking forward to your answer!

    Thank you and best regards from Germany
    Markus

    1. The current BMP has a much more scooped and more aggressive character than the 70s models and the 90s Sovteks. It’s just the nature of the pedal. You might want to check out the Green Russian reissue, which is considerably smoother and easier to set up for Gilmour’s tones. Be sure to check out this feature too for some tips on how to choose the right pedal for your amp.

      1. Thanks for your feedback, Bjorn! I already got the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head in the meantime and it works much better with my setup than the EHX Nano BMP. I figured out a setting to get a much smoother sustain: Guitar > Keeley Compressor Plus > VA 73 Ram’s Head > Boss BD-2 > MXR Carbon Copy Bright. It’s not really Gilmour’s sound but quite goods in its own way. I think I will have to look for new pick-ups in the long run.

  116. Bjorn, I don’t know what to do. I have a modern reissue of the Big Muff. I have tried boosting it with a BD-2 before it, after it, not at all-everything. I’ve tried a ton of different settings on each and I just can not get a smooth, tight muff sound. It sounds super square wave and muddy. What do you recommend?

      1. I run stereo. One side is a Peavy VT Classic. It’s a 50 W 2×12. That is more quiet than the other one because it’s my “rotary speaker”. The other is a Fender Stage 160. I play quite loud (volume on the Fender pushing 8) so I can get the warmth that you suggested. The pickups are the stock pickups in my MIM Fender Standard Stratocaster. I plan to upgrade them to Custom ’69s though I’m the future. I have read pretty much all of the articles on your sight to get as much information as possible. (By the way, fantastic sight. I think I suggested it before, but please do an article just on delay. How to use it like Gilmour, how to use it with reverb or how to imitate reverb, and specific settings for certain songs. That would be fantastic) Thanks so much for the help Bjorn!

  117. Hello Bjorn,

    I’ve been really loving your gear reviews. A couple questions:
    My current rig is Stratocaster/Tree Of Life/EP Booster/Diamond Halo/Echosex/MXR Script Phase 90/65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue

    I’m looking into the Effectrode PC-2A for compression.

    And I’m looking into something heavy, along the Muff lines. I’m looking for the creamiest “fuzz” type sound. The Analogman Sun Face and Sun Bender were not right. Is the Vick Audio Rams Head my best bet? Or maybe a Rat set right?

    Do you have any comments on my signal chain order?

    And, do you have a recommendation for David Gilmour music books? I much prefer standard notation to tab.

    Thanks!
    Jesse

    1. Hi Jesse! I don’t think a Muff will be much better than what you’ve already tried. Fender amps and fuzz pedals doesn’t go that well together if you want David’s smooth and compressed tones. You’re probably better off with a Rat or OCD for those high gain tones.
      I’m sure you can track down most of the Floyd albums in tab books. Not sure if they still print them but EBay or Amazon is a good place to start.

  118. Hi bjorn, thanks for your answer last time. I want you to see alh pedals. It’s a french fan of David Gilmour who builds pedals for nail David’s tone for a cheap price (nearly 120 euros). He reproduce the ram’s head, tube driver, color sound and many over… You should see that, it’s realy cool !

  119. Vick Audio offer a full list of 4 different Muffs…
    Can’t get them out of my head!
    Anyway…
    Pig Hoof, or Vick Audio Ram’s Head?

    1. Depends on what you’re looking for and how well your amp can handle scooped pedals. I would say the Pig Hoof for authentic mid 70s tones and the Vick for a more versatile and easier to set up version.

  120. Hi Just watched your new EHX Green Russian re issue review, Brilliant and very helpful thank you.

    Have you heard the TC electronic Honey pot Fuzz and do you have an opinion on this pedal?

    Trying to decide between the two.

    Thanks

    Andrew.

  121. Hello, not sure if you have been asked this before but have you’ve checked out the Nano Big Muff? I seen one on Guitar Center’s site.

    1. Yes, it’s similar to the big box US reissue. Nothing I’d recommend for David’s tones. The new Green Russian is the way to go :)

  122. Hello Bjorn, I would really appreciate your help. I have a Fender Strato and a Fender Super Champ XD amplifier, and I want to buy a Muff but I have doubts about which one to buy because I know I need one that has more mids due to Fender. My current setup: MXR Dyna Comp, Tube Screamer, The Rat, OCD, Fat Boost, RT20, Elec Lady, Flashback delay, D-seed delay. I would also like to know which loop switcher you use or recommend. Thank you very much! Congratulations on your incredible work!

    1. Thanks! Not sure if a Muff would be the best option for your amp. They often sound bright and harsh on Fender amps. I think you’d be better off with the RAT and OCD for distortion tones. Having said that, I think the Vick 73 or 1861 with the mid range switch would be the best choice.

      1. Thanks for your kind reply. It´s a honour talk to you. I decided to keep my Rat and OCD like you said. Do you have some settings for them? I feel they´re very harsch and don´t have that “violin like” tone (maybe it´s my settings). I´d like to know also how would you use my setup (Tube screamer, OCD and Rat), in terms of boosting, and what of them would you use for distortion and for overdrive. Thank you very much!!

        1. Well, settings are tricky because it depends on the whole rig. Not just the pedals. A good starting point is to set the volume to unity with the straight signal from the guitar to the amp. I usually keep the tone around 9 or 10 o’clock and the gain set for whatever I need. But before you start though, always make sure you got the best platform coming from your amp. I use tube amps and like them clean but not too clean. A hint of breakup from the tubes makes them much better suited for pedals. Mid range and compression will often make pedals sound smoother but try to crank the volume control as well. The OCD sound much smoother with the volume set around 1 or 2 o’clock but it’s very loud too :)

  123. Hi Bjorn,
    How much until the review of the new green russian?
    I surprisingly found it suitable for all the era, especially in combo with Mistress or Chorus.

      1. Hi Bjorn

        This is great news. Very much looking forward to *your* review of it–many of the others don’t go as in depth as I would (personally) like them to.

        You mentioned in a previous comment that there appears to be a difference in the circuit–will you be able to address that in the comments of the video, if not the video itself? I can’t seem to find any information about the difference between the circuits.

        Really looking forward!

        1. I’ll have the review up within a day or two. The circuit is new, designed earlier this year, based on the tall font Green Sovtek, which is more or less identical to the Civil War. They did an amazing job!

  124. Hi Björn, i’m having some trouble to decide what Muff clone will sound right with my setup, i’ll pair the pedal with Vick’s TreeOfLife and MooerEleclady along my Fender HotRodDeluxe.

    I’m really divided between the Vick’s ‘73 and the Pig Hoof clones that seems to have much more aggressive tone.

    All the best, Meadowser

  125. Hey Bjorn! I just saw that BYOC has come out with a smaller, cheaper version of the Large Beaver, named Lil’ Beaver. It hasn’t got the tone switching knob (which is now 4-way on newer versions of the Large Beaver), but it still sounds great and identical to vintage Muffs in demo videos.
    Did you ever try one? What do you think about it?
    Cheers!

  126. Hi Bjorn,
    I’m thinking about getting the Power Booster to pair it with my Vic’s 73 Ram’s Head and/or B-FX Patriot and the Fire Bottle just for tone enhancement.
    I’m assuming I can use Power Booster with Vic’s 73 or B-FX Evolution that I use for clean drive. I use the TC Electronics Spark for clean boost, I would imagine Power Booster would be a much better replacement for the Spark!
    On the Fire Bottle review, do you literally mean first before Compressor or right after compressor? I have the Effectrode PC-2A.
    I’m also using the BK Butler Tube Drive for adding Midrange to my Fender amps and have it set for open smooth rhythm. would you recommend Fire Bottle for that and set the Tube Drive for light distortion solos.?
    I know there’s many ways to set them up, but I would like to know how would you set up and use these pedals in which order, to get the most sweet spot tone that they’ve been designed for.

    1. Hi Bjorn,

      I can summarize my question above as follows…

      If you had the following pedals playing through DG Strat and Fender Deluxe Reverb and Hod Rod Deluxe, which effect would be best to use each pedal for and in what sequence.

      My current chain setup and effect usage:
      – Pure Tone Dual Pro Buffer
      – CostaLab Compressor
      – BK Buttler Tube Driver (Mid-range Clean Boost)
      – Buffalo FX Evolution (Clean Drive)
      – VIck’s Audio 73 Rams Head (light distortion/Drive)
      – Bufallo FX Patriot (Muff, Sorrow Intro)
      – CostaLab Chorus
      – TC Elec Flashback X4 (Tape, Tube, 2290 Delay, Stereo Echo)
      – Boss RC-3 Looper

      Thanks a bunch,

      –Ara

      1. Forgot to mention…

        I’m planning to get:
        – Buff-FX Power Booster to replace mt TC Elec Spark for transparent boost
        – Fire Bottle to either replace Vic’s Audio 73 or use it for heavier distortion effect somewhere between Vic’s 73 and Patriot.

        I would truly appreciate your thoughts and your insights on where the sweet spot is on each pedal and how would you use them if you had my “set up”.

        –Ara

    2. The Fire Bootle is designed for passive single coils and to be placed between the guitar and the first pedal. The Powerbooster will work nicely with your pedals. Compared to the Spark Boost, it’s got more of that vintage flavour and a wider range of tones, from clean boost to near fuzz.

  127. Sylvain Vaillancourt

    hi Bjorn what advice for a big muff/fuzz
    my gear
    Fender american deluxe
    fender blues jr.(Eminence Cannabis Rex.)
    BOSS CS-3
    ibanez ts-808
    Okko Diablo Plus
    boss DS-1
    boss HM-2
    boss CE-5
    TC Electronics Flashback
    Thanks you. Sylvain

    1. I would look into one of the Vick Audio models, with the 3-way mid range switch, which comes handy for your amp. You’ll find reviews here on the site.

  128. Hi bjorn,

    Do you think the big hoof is a good combination with an OCD fulltone, Buffalo power booster and a Dr No evil mother fuzzer ? I have a actually an big muff tone twicker… Thank you

    1. I would go for the Buffalo. The OCD has too much gain. I haven’t tried the Dr No so I can’t really tell about that one.

  129. Hey Bjorn, i’ve searched the net and cant quite get an answer to my question, I’m sure you or the dedicated readers here will know…. I’m about to build a Big Muff, I can go for the Civil War or Rams head (or even the VRH) BUT what I’m looking for is the sweetest, less fizzy least /fuzzy, creamiest, least harsh, least aggressive and least raspy muff (and I don’t care too much about masses of gain, I’m going into a beautiful Laney Lionheart 5W combo – bought after your recommendation!) which of all the muff’s do you think would fit this? Thank you!

    1. At the moment I’m using a Vick 1861 with my Lionheart L20 and it sounds amazing. Spot on, to my ears at least, to what you are describing. It’s a clone of the early 90s Civil War model.

      1. Thats Great Bjorn, thank you for the quick reply. I’d love to be able to buy one of the Vick pedals, but money says I have to build my own :( so I think from what you’re saying; its the Civil War that is sweeter and creamer will meet my needs then? Thank you!.

          1. Interesting, looking at the Gear for the ‘new’ pompei gig the CW was used for Sorrow and the RH for comfortably, which to my ears is sweeter and less raspy than sorrow, I appreciate their setup could be very different but If I had to choose based on those two songs and their sounds I’d have chosen the RH!

            1. Hey!

              I own the 73 Ram’s Head and the 1861 from Vick Audio too, and the 1861 is clearly the smoothest of them.

              If money is a concern, I can suggest the new EHX Green Russian Big Muff, I A/B’d it with the 1861 and they sound practically identical to me, except that the EHX has a bit more volume and is just a tiny bit darker in tone.

              Cheers!

              Alexis

              1. Alexis, You’re a star, thank you for contributing and advice! To have someone who owns both is perfect. My mind is made up thanks to your input…I’m going for the Civil War!

              2. It’s probably due to the Civil War’s gain set to 100% and the Ram’s Head’s to maybe like 65, that you get the impression the CV sounds more raw. Comfortably Numb was colored by the Mistress though, so not sure how you could judge by that :P

                1. The CW has less gain than the Ram’s Head so the setting differences makes up about the same amount of gain. There are distinct tonal differences between the two though. The Mistress will make Muffs sound a tad brighter and smoother.

  130. Hi Bjorn! There’s a new EHX Green Russian Reissue out and I was wondering what is your opinion on that one. People claim they sound just like the original Civil War V2/Tall Font Green versions.
    Cheers!

  131. Hello Björn

    many thanks for your wonderful site!
    I’ve been using the BYOC triange for a few years now with
    my band and I’m very pleased with it.
    I use it with a Peavey Classic 30, a Strat (SSL5+2xSSL1)
    and a Tele (“vintage” low output humbuckers).
    I don’t use any booster as the mid filter on the BYOC
    does wonder to tweak the tone I want, at least for our
    music style.
    We recently wrote songs that need more bite.
    I don’t like that much distortion boxes and I prefer by
    far the sound of ram’s head Big Muffs for nastier sounds.
    Any advice about the model that would suit well my taste
    and rig? The BYOC ram’s head seems to be a good choice…
    Could a ram’s head with a booster be tweaked and tamed to
    sound like a triangle Muff?
    Best regards,
    Sheila

    1. Depends on how much top end and harmonics you want. The ram’s head is the brightest sounding of the Muffs but your might also want to check out pedals like the Rat or the Buffalo FX Evolution for vintage tones but more grit and mid range.

      1. Thanks for your help! In fact, I already have a Rattler+ and a modded DS-1 but every time I had one of them on my pedalboard next to the BYOC Triangle, I did not use it. Compare to the BYOC, the sound seems to me much less defined, less complex… I decided yesterday to uninstall the BYOC and bring back these two distortions so that I can no longer compare. I must admit that they did the job very well but still, there is this thing with the Muff…
        Also, I carefully read your review on the Evolution and listen to the demos, I found the sound pretty impressive. It seems richer than the Rattler but this might be only my impression…

  132. Hy Bjorn,
    recently Electro Harmonix have a new product.
    It’s the Green Russian Big Muff.
    What do you think?
    Now with my guitar and other effect, i use a Bass Big Muff.
    Do you think that the Bass big muff have the same sound like the Green Russian Big Muff?
    I would buy it, but I do not know if it is the same.
    Thanks so much!
    Best regards
    Elia

    1. I haven’t tried yet but from what I can understand it’s a new design based on the original so-called green Tall Font. It’s not the same as the Bass Muff.

  133. The Wren and Cuff Box of War. A funny thing happened. I bought a box of war over a year ago and didnt like it. Ive been trying to move it on for a year and nobody wanted it, even really cheap. Id tried it a few times and just gave up. Watched Pompeii and thought, ok, one last try. Plugged it in yesterday and now it sounds great and it kicked my rams heads, so its no longer for sale. It just nails the gilmour sound, (stray from playing that though and its still a box of bees) Weird. Putting a vick overdriver after it works too, or just alone.

    I guess you could say I became comfortably numb.

    hahahaha And now theres a new version in a regular size, and im stuck with trying to fit the huge one on the board

    1. Haven’t tried the Moon so I can’t really comment on that. The Sun and Custom is very similar, with strong ties to the early Big Muffs. I guess the Custom is slightly brighter, with more of that vintage vibe to it. The Sun is darker, has more harmonics and it sounds great on lower volume as well as when you crank it.

  134. Hi Bjorn… I recently purchased Vick’s Audio 73 Rams Head, to get the tones that you have played in its review. I have tried your review settings with +/- of each setting, but I can’t even come close to creamy tone in your review which was the main reason I purchased pedal for.

    Pedals BEFORE: Pure Tone Dual Buffer (ON), Effectrode PC-2A (ON), B.K. Butler (ON/OFF), CostaLab Chorus (ON/OFF) Buffalo Fx Evolution (ON/OFF Clean Drive).
    Pedals AFTER: Buff FX Patriot (OFF), TC Elec. SPARK (ON/OFF).

    Any advise on pedals, settings, or ON/OFF, to get your review tone?

      1. Sorry, forgot to mention that. I have DG Strat with Fat 50 neck, custom shop 69 middle, SSL5 bridge.

        I’m playing through Fender Hot Rod Delux on 3.5 and Special Edition Delux Reverb on 4.25, and Flashback X4 using either one of Tape/Tube/2290 delays.

        With ONLY Effectrode PC-2A Compressor ON and 9 vol/12 Tone/9 gain settings on Vick’s 73 Rams Head through X4 delay. I get somewhere between fuzz/distortion decent tone. Any other settings, is like few dozen angry bees flying around!

        I’m using the Buff FX Evolution and Petriot for clean drive and fuzz/distortion. I wanted to get clean creamy overdrive/sustain tone from the Vick’s 73 like in your demo.

        Note: The new model does not have the Pie logo on it, everything else is the same.

        Thanks again!

          1. I would like to add as FYI… the tone knob on Strat is at 10 and normally I get my tone with volume around 7, but with Vick 73 R’sH, bounce buffer and Effectrode Compressor, I can only go around 5 on Strat volume.

            I also use – mostly for solos – B. K. Butler TubeDrive to boost/equalize the midrange with gain 12, Hi 2, Low 12, and barely engage the tube around 8, few clicks after engaging the tube. I’ve also changed its tube to Old Sylvenia AU7A… color tube which makes the BKB somewhat tame able in bedroom setting.

            I also have CostaChros -which I love madly, that I have before Vick 73. But either ON or OFF it does not make much difference.

            Thanks a million…!

        1. Sorry for my late reply. I don’t really like to suggest settings because they can be very misleading. Unless you the EXACT setup as me, it won’t work. Not to mention how the gear sound in different rooms and environments. Based on what you write, your setup and settings looks fine. However, your amp is far from a Hiwatt, which is what David and I are using. Fender amps has less mid range and compression, which makes a Muff often sound brighter and less smooth. Check out this feature for some tips on how to chose the right pedals for your amp… hope you get some tips there :)

          1. Thanks Bjorn… I’ve read your write up many times and appreciate your through knowledge and explanation.

            I can move the 73 Ram after my Effectrode compressor – before BK Butler. Would it better to move the ChorsLab after it as well?

            I love my dual buffer which makes a huge difference in my tone. Would you recommend just use the front-end buffer only and not the back-end one.

            Thanks as always…!

            –Ara

            1. I would place the Muff after the compressor and the chorus after all of the gain pedals. Buffers are best placed first so that they can drive the signal through the pedals into the amp.

  135. Hey Bjorn, did you heard about the new EHX reissue of the Sovtek Green Big Muff? I’m sure it will be an interesting pedal

  136. Do you have any experience with the OneControl Baltic Blue Fuzz? It supposedly sounds similar to early big muffs.

  137. Christopher Hockey

    Hey Bjorn, I bought the Red Muck but it doesnt have enough bottom end or sustain for me. What would you recommend instead? Really looking for as much bass and as much sustain as possible

    1. The MojoHand Colossus has tons of low end and gain so I don’think there’s any other Muffs that’s as extreme as that one. Check out the Buffalo FX Patriot if you want something between the Red Much and Colossus.

  138. Hi Bjorn,
    Have you ever tried the JHS 73′ Rams Head. I’m thinking about getting one and am interested in hearing your thoughts if you’ve tried it out.
    Thanks

    1. I haven’t tried it but I really like the RH circuit in the Muffuletta so if they’ve used the same approach, then it’s definitely worth checking out.

  139. Hi Bjorn,since you named also cheap pedals like the Behringer, can I suggest one for you to try? I don’t know if you know the Moen Fuzz Moo, I got one and there are many demos on the net. I found it very similar to the Green russian for pulse tone and incredibly cheap for its sound. I’d like to have your opinion.

      1. I 2nd the Moen Fuzz Moo (the older through-hole construction version) they have a newer version that’s in a smaller MXR size enclosure which I have not tried so I can’t tell you that they sound the same. I did contact the seller and was told that Moen has discontinued production of the older style Fuzz Moo and they confirmed that the newer one used SMD construction. I was interested in getting one of the older units because I had read that they were based on the Ram’s Head version of the BMP. My intention was to use it as a test bead for experimentation and socket some of the components to tweak it to my liking. Btw, I also have an EHX Green Russian reissue and have to say it has exceeded my expectations. It’s a really nice BMP and I have to give kudos to EHX for producing this version. I really like it. Back to the Fuzz Moo, I received one just a few days ago for about $42 shipped. Upon inspection of the circuit board I can verify that it is in fact built to the Ram’s Head spec “ballpark values” as out-lined on Kit Rae’s website. Additionally, they have used very good quality film caps and 5% resistors. I see no need to do anything to it but play through it. It sounds really good. Compared to the reissue Green Russian, the Fuzz Moo has a little bit more bite and a slightly (very slightly) more aggressive nature to it but is easily tamed with the tone control. I play in a Floyd tribute band “Texas Floyd” in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. I’ve been using the Green Russian reissue lately but am going to put the Moen on my board for the next gig as well. Great site Bjorn, an awesome resource for all things Floyd. Keep up the good work!

          1. I have played several gigs with the big-box original version Moen Fuzz Moo and it is in my opinion a very good take on a Rams Head Muff. I still like my Green Russian Reissue though. Not necessarily better just different. Both of them have enough mid-range character to get the job done but as I had mentioned before the Moen seems to have a little bit more bite for lack of a better description. They did a good job with it.

            Just yesterday I came to own a Way Huge Swollen Pickle which looks to be a highly tweakable Big Muff with a lot of tone shaping capabilities.

            The video my wife took at one of our gigs doesn’t have the best audio quality though I could tell from the performance that the “tone was in the zone”.

            We’re playing again this weekend so maybe some good ones will show up.

            Will report back!

  140. My favorites are the Thorpy of course and the Deluxe Big Muff… I actually replaced the muffaletta with the DBMP on my board… I definitely wouod like to know more Rams Head settings for the delixe big muff… I visited Kitrae’s website but he only has 1 violet rams head setting… sounds pretty good…but anybody out there have more rams head settings for the DBM? Thanks

  141. Hi Bjorn,

    A poor man’s option if someone can pick up a small box black russian cheap enough and have some good soldering skills, is to version mod it to be more like the Ram’s Head. The Muff circuit is quite simple and schematics are easy to come by. All I had to do was change about a dozen (plus or minus) components to match the values of the Ram’s Head. Cost about $10 in parts and an hour or two of soldering. I didn’t change the transistors and don’t know how much difference that makes (but the gain factor was pretty close to the specs for RH transistors. While I have no frame of reference for exactly how a Ram’s head should sound, I do find it removed the boominess that made the small box Black Russian less usable for earlier Gilmour stuff and sounds much better (to my ears and on my setup) for reproducing Gilmour’s tone.

    I will soon acquire a BYOC Big Beaver or a JHS ’73 Ram’s head and will post back with comments when I can compare the two. At any rate for the DIYers it is a simple (and reversible) process.

    There is even a sight that has a schematic of the Ram’s head version that the author of the site feels most closely resembles Gilmour’s. Just search ‘Big Muff pages Gilmour’s Ram’s Head schematic’

    I’d put the link but don’t know what your policy is on that.

    1. I made it to the music store today and compared it to a JHS ’73 Ram’s Head. Overall the sound was pretty close (close enough to not be able to justify buying the JHS). However, when matching the amount of fuzz/breakup in the lower register, the high end of mine broke up more than the Ram’s head (clone), which stays much cleaner in the highs (perhaps a key to Gilmour’s tone). Going to experiment with the value of the coupling caps to get that dialed in and I think it’ll be pretty much exact. When I find the perfect formula I will post a recipe if anyone is interested.

      1. Hi again Bjorn,

        I’m ordering a BYOC Large Beaver and will post some links for comparison when I get it built.

        So a question on Triangle vs. Ram’s Head builds: I am big on David’s wall tones and later. Which build (Ram’s head or triangle) would you recommend for a slightly darker sounding HIWATT Custom 50 (1×12 bulldog combo Biacrown era) that tends ot have a bit of a darker tone than some HIWATTS? I was thinking Ram’s head but after reading more on it (and that you prefer the Triangle) I now am wondering if the Triangle might be a better fit with my rig. I also pair it frequently with a Boss Blues Driver (which tends to be bright enough to break glass, even on my darker amp) but I plan to mod that soon to tame some of the brittleness (although won’t be changing values, only upgrading quality of some of the caps).

        Cheers again,

        1. I think I’d go for the Ram’s Head. I do like the triangle but the ram’s head has that aggressive character needed for that period. It also har a bit more gain and top, which I think will go nicely with your amp.

  142. Hey Bjorn, what do you think about joyo pedals. I’ve been using their voodoo octave and it sounds great to me. I don’t know how it stands up against the muff as I’m not that familiar with its sound. I would love to hear your opinion on this. Thanks!

    1. I haven’t tried the Voodoo but based on the reviews I’ve heard it sounds very much like a silicon fuzz, although the ram’s head logo sugguests that it is a Muff but I don’t think it is. I’ve tried a couple of the Joyo pedals and they all sound very good and considering the price I think it’s well worth checking out some of them.

      1. Thanks for answering! What settings would you recommend for it? I’m using a Marshall 100DFX combo and a Jay Truser strat (not the best rig but it gets the job done).

        1. Again, I haven’t tried it so I can’t really tell. Depends on how the pots are set up and how much they offer. Usually, fuzz pedals tend to sound best with the volume slightly above unity for a bit of boost and depending on how hot the pedal is, I often keep the gain somewhere between 60-100%.

  143. Hello Bjorn, first off your insight and knowledge is unbelievable! …Thus I visit your sight regularly. I’m building my rig off theses two ingredients: the Gilmour signature Strat (finally able to get it!) and a Morgan AC20 amp. This is a bedroom setup and I would be grateful for some direction – which muff would you recommend? And for that matter, your opinion for boost and compression? A very sincere thank you!

    1. Hi Michael, thanks for your kind words! I haven’t tried the AC20 myself but as far as I know, it’s based on the old Vox amps. Perhaps not the ideal amp for a Muff… at least not with Gilmour in mind. I think I’d I’d go for one of the Vick Audio models, which has the mid range boost option that’s needed for Vox amps. You might also look into something a bit more versatile, like a Vick Audio Tree of Life, Fulltone OCD or the a RAT (or clone). They will give that classic tone, with more compression and mid range, which will suit the amp perfectly. I’d prioritise a delay and perhaps an overdrive before a booster and compressor.

      1. Thank you Bjorn. Already putting our advise to good work with the RAT, and it sounds amazing!! Could you recommend a good compressor, booster, and overdrive that might pair well with my Strat and Morgan amp as well? Sorry for the questions it’s just that your insight is spot on!! And by the way thanks for the various videos your playing is excellent!

        1. You could go for any compressor. Depends on what sort of compression you need. Check out the compressor buyer’s guide for some tips. As for the overdrive I’d look into the Fulltone OCD or, my favourite, the Tree of Life from Vick Audio, which doubles nicely as a booster.

          1. Thank you very much Bjorn! I’ve become a huge fan of your reviews and videos. Thanks for all the effort, not to mention the replies!! Cheers from Texas!

  144. Hi Bjorn, I’m looking to buy a Big Muff and I’d like to hear your opinion. There’s only a few select pedals I have in mind because unfortunately, living in Canada there’s not many Canadian sites that have wide selections of pedals, and with the exchange rate, the shipping costs on non-Canadian sites get expensive pretty quickly. I play a Strat with custom wound pickups that have specs similar to the pickups on those relic Black Strats, and my amp is a Blues Jr II. I’m mainly interested in getting the tones Gilmour got in the 70s, so that’s why I was interested in getting something like the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, but considering the exchange rate to order from US sites, and with the shipping costs and everything, that’s a bit out of my budget. The pedals I had in mind were the Mooer Triangle Buff, North Effects Red Ram, and any of the current stock EHX Muffs, like the Tone Wicker, Bass Big Muff, Little Big Muff, or any of the other current EHX models.

    1. Hi Adam, Fender amps are not ideal for a Big Muff because the pedal needs quite a bit of compression and mid range to get that smooth fat tone. Still, the Blues Jr is your best option within the Fender family. I really like the North Effects stuff but do also check out the EHX Bass Muff. It’s very close to the old Sovtek circuit and by far the best sounding of the current EHX series.

      1. Thanks for the reply. Do you have any recommendation for which North Effects pedal would be best for my setup? The Red Ram caught my eye as it’s meant to be a clone of the original Ram’s Head, but I also saw your review here of their Violet Ram, but you only gave that a 5/10 for small combos/low volume. Do you have a reccomendation between these two for a Blues Jr? Or maybe I’d be better off with the EHX Tone Wicker, Bass Big Muff, or the Mooer Triangle Buff?

        1. Between all of these I’d go for the Bass Muff. Thing about ram’s, violet and triangle is that they don’t have that much mid range and the tone is fairly bright, which can make them sound pretty harsh on small Fender amps. Ideally I’d go for something a bit more verstaile that a Muff but the Bass Muff is probably your best choice.

  145. Hi Björn!
    All do we love the tones from PULSE, my favourite being Comfortably Numb in particular. I’ve read your setup-guide on what pedals David might have used on the tour, and one thing always strikes me, the fact that he’s using a Sovtek B-M boosted with a Tube Driver (Volume Boost).
    For many of us that’s a fact, but i got a bit confused over the fact that the Sovtek seems listed as the dominating distortion unit for that particular song.

    Because whenever i hear that heavenly solo, a Muff never comes to my conclusion. The tone sounds so silky and creamy, nothing that i’ve heard out of a Muff before. But the pedal is still boosted slightly, so do you think that makes up for it? Also, do you think the tone is achieved by massive compression from the pedals and the amps? Maybe also from the electronics on David’s guitar?

    Cheers from one of your yellow-blue neighbours in the east! ✌

    1. Hi, it’s the combination of the Muff, the Hiwatts and loud volume that’s the key to David’s smooth Muff tones. The Hiwatts has the compression needed to smooth out that square wave Muff and the mid range to add the much needed presence. The fact that he playes loud, will also make the tubes and speakers produce even more compression and mid range. On lower volume and amps with less compression and mid range, like a typical Fender, Muffs will sound thinner and perhaps even a bit harsh. The Tube Driver is placed after, much like an EQ and he doesn’t really boost that much but rather use the TD like a tone enhancer, adding a bit of mid range and presence.

  146. Hello Bjorn!

    Any chances you’ll get your hands on the new Vick Audio 1861? They say it is based on the Civil War Big Muff.
    I’m looking for a CV Big Muff to nail the PULSE tones and I know you love the Patriot, but between the TD-X, Evolution, Boss CS-2 and Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, the gain section of my pedalboard starts to be cramped! :D
    So if the 1861 and Patriot are fairly similar, the friendly footprint of the Vick Audio effect could be my choice.

    Cheers!

    Alexis

  147. Brand new to your site today (courtesy of That Pedal Show recommendation) and enjoying it immensely! This is an incredibly comprehensive list of Muff tones and therefore very useful. Only one downside, after reading my inner gear addict is once more awakened…

  148. I really should’ve just took your word for it , but I had to buy both and compare.The Mooer Triangle Buff is much, much smoother than the Big Muff Pi Tone Wicker. I tried a half-dozen times to convince myself otherwise, but after many hours of playing and trying every conceivable setting, the Mooer won every time. Time consuming testing, but at least I don’t have to wonder anymore. Mooer products have really blown me away everytime I use them.

      1. Dear Bjorn, Will i get the comfortably numb tone with the Triangle Buff from Mooer? Complimenting it i have the Blue Mood also from Mooer ( Clone of the Blues Driver from Boss). Another option for me are the Electro Harmonix Muffs. Will appreciate your help and thanks again for your amazing work

  149. Best soundig Muff on the list is the Thorpy without a doubt. And the best bang for your buck is the Deluxe Big Muff… it says you can recreate almost every other muff tone with impressive accuracy… I don’t know aboht that though… I’ve been able to get triabglr and rams head tobes oh and also some sovtek tones but Kit Rae’s website only has about 4 conparisons… I wish they would put more deluce big muff settings so people can see how versatile it is!
    For the price it is the original and in many ways the best sounding one if you find the sweet spot… but the active EQ on the Thorpy is very hard to beat… you can keep as much low end and add high wnd and keep both… unlike the tone knob that either makes it darker or brighter… but the deluxe muff has a bass boost that adds tobs of low end! And also the attack knob is amazing! It blends your original signal to add your original attack… makes it great to play chords or just keep everything clear and articulate. The muffetta I did not like… the rest are all ok, they are great pedals… except the Velvet Fuzz… it sounds great on its sweet spot but I have found that many pedals sound different , not very constant. Also, it only has the Gilmour tone, you can’t do many other fuzz tones.
    Buy the Thorpy if you have the money and already own other original Big Muffs, if not but the Deluxe Big Muff, you will be impressed.

  150. I’ve used a Wampler Velvet Fuzz for a while. I think it gets much closer to the Eric Johnson sound than the Gilmour sound. I wish it had a working tone knob. As it is, the tone knob is much more of a decoration than something that really shapes the sound.

  151. Hi Björn,

    Thanks for many hours of reading.

    I really want to nail the tone in Marooned. I’ve tried many combinations on my set-up but I can’t find the right tone.
    Do I really need at Fuzz or Big Muff? Hope you can help.
    EJ strat + fender 57 deluxe amp. + Pro Co RAT and TS808 + T-Rex Replica.

    Kind regards Mathias

    1. ..Sorry. -What I think i’m trying to ask you about is if I should try either a Buffalo fx TD-X or the Evolution as you recommend. Thanks.

    2. Hi Mathias! For the recording of the song, David used his red Strat with the EMG pickups into a combination of a Hiwatt and Fender Bassman. Effects were a compressor, Tube Driver and delay. I would go for something similar, like a Fulltone OCD or Boss BD2. I think the OCD will be the closest, given your amp. A Muff, fuzz or, in your case a RAT, is a bit too much for this song.

  152. Hi Bjorn! First of all, thanks for all your hard work, and making life much easier for us, “D” fans. Tnx my friend. I have just one question for you. Should you recommend me to buy buffalo fx patriot (in small box) for Pulse and Delicate sounds? Is less box, less sound in this case? I can buy it for about 150 euros. Do you think it’s fair price for that kind of pedal? Do I need some kind of booster? You said that it’s the same circuit, but I just wanted to check if it’s sonically different. I trust you. Greetings from Belgrade. Thanks.

  153. Hi Bjorn! Happy New Year! Thank you once again for taking time to answer all our questions and what not. I’m days away from ordering a Big Muff Clone but am stuck once again when it comes to which one to get. I’m looking at the Jam Pedals Red Muck, the Buffalo FX Patriot, the Buffalo FX Rams Head and the Vick Audio. The thing is, I live Cyprus so I have all Jam Pedals readily available at music stores here, so I can easily go and pick up a Red Muck tomorrow, after having tried it and bargained a price and I don’t have to pay any postage or anything… If I want to buy one of the other three, I have to order them from the US which means expensive postage. Do you think the three I’ve mentioned are significantly better than the Red Muck so that it would make sense to get one of those or would the Red Muck cover all my needs (to be able to have a Muff Clone to cover all of Davids Muff tones)? In other words, is it worth ordering a pedal online and waiting for it to arrive and all that hassle or is the Red Muck fine? I use a Fender Strat with a Peavey Bandit amp but am looking to replace the amp at some point in the near future. I have a Boss Blues Driver and a Tube Screamer as overdrive pedals. Thanks for replying in advance!

    1. Hi, first of all I’m not sure of your Bandit amp is the ideal amp for a Muff. You mention that you will replace it and I’m sure you can get some decent tones with some tweaking but I wouldn’t expect a Muff to sound as smooth and big as with some better suited amps. All of the Muffs you mention sound great so it’s more a matter of nuances and which Muff voicing you prefer. The Red Muck is kind of a mix between a triangle and Sovtek, which will provide some musical and smooth tones.

      1. Thanks for you reply! I will be going abroad to study very soon and so will either buy a Laney Cub or a Blues Jr to have in my room. My main concern is if the Red Muck will be able to get The Wall, the Final Cut and Animals tones. Also, do you think that the tube Screamer or the blues driver would be better to boost a muff?

        1. For Muff tones, I’d go with a Cub. And yes, the Red Muck will get you there. for boosting I’d go with a Tube Driver or somthing similar, like he Boss BD2. A Tube Screamer has lots of mid range and compression, which often makes a Muff sound choked and too dark.

          1. Will do! Thanks for the advice. I went and tried the Red Muck yesterday and played around with it for a while and it really is a great pedal. I am going to buy it on Saturday. What did you do to get Floyd tones out of it?

  154. Very dissapointed how the Fallout Cloud is rated… 8 out of 10 is not bad, but relative to the other pedals rated here, it seems a little biased.
    The Thorpy pedal is defintwly hands down the best sounding pedal on this list…. but oh well, what do I know?

    1. Says who? All my reviews are subjective and based on my opinions alone. I’m sure not everyone agrees but I can’t give a pedal full score just because someone claim it’s the best. Tone is subjective and that’s why I always tell everyone to cross reference my reviews with others to get more opinions.

  155. Hi Bjorn,

    I really enjoy your reviews! I was wondering what you think about the Dirty Beaver Rams Head. I’m considering buying it but I’m not sure. You should make a review on it. I would really appreciate it.

  156. Hi Bjorn,

    What a great site you have. I have a few questions for you.
    I’m building a new pedalboard with a lot of varieties of pedals.
    my setup is Fender with DG 20, Dunlop Wha, Boss CS-2, Soothsayer, Buffalo TD-X, Bad Monkey, Drybell Vibe, Mooer Fanger, Nova Delay-1, Boss CE-3, Boss RC-3, Fender Twin red button. I am a living room player.
    I’m looking for a good Muff for the Gilmour sound DSOTM/PUlSE/GDANSK.
    I know I come close with the Soothsayer and TD-X .
    But stil I am looking around for a good Muff that go with my Fender Twin.
    The Musket and the Costa Lab sounds and seems good or are there better choises.
    So what is your advice.?
    What do you think of my setup?

    Greetings Jack

    1. Hi Jack! As you may know, Fender Twins and Muffs can be a challenge as Muffs often need a bit of mid range and compression to sound smooth, and the Twin doesn’t have much of either. A Sovtek model, like the Buffalo Patriot, might be your best choice but I think you’re better off with the Soothsayer. To be very honest…

  157. Hello Bjorn

    Thank you so much for all your effort in posting such great information .

    Based on your recommendation I have recently purchased a Blackstar HT 20 head. I love it very much . But I have a problem with my Vic audio ram head.

    Before I played it in a very little cheap amp with 8 inch speaker and it sounded really good to me . Now I’m having trouble getting the same bite and Throughty character. I’m playing at bedroom level maybe I should have gone for the Ht 5 instead? Or maybe that my cab is not the right one . My head is connected to a Peavey 4 x 12 cabinet . I’m thinking of getting something smaller do you think it would help?

    Any comment would be appreciated thank you very much .

    Paul.C

    Hull Quebec.

    1. What sort of amp did you have? Have you replicated the setting from your old amp? The Blackstar has a typical Marshall tone, with lots of mid range and compression, which can make some Muffs sound bright and too aggressive. Try back down the treble and mids on your amp and experiment with both the clean channel and gain channel, keeping the gain low on the gain channel. You probably want the master volume lower than the channel volume but again, experiment.

  158. Hi Bjorn! Fan of your work for ages now. Wondering if you might be able to suggest a Muff/clone/kit to me as I have a knack for picking the wrong one. Started with the slim black Russian (kept the wooden crate) and now I’m on a Little Big Muff. My Strat is an all stock (except for the block) MiM 50’s Classic, amp is a ’65 DRRI and I have a Soul Food or an MXR Wylde OD at my disposal as well. Ideally I’d be looking at something in the same price range as a Soul Food… I know you’re likely a busy fellow but I’d really appreciate if you could point me in the right direction.

  159. Hi Bjorn, about to step out of the modeling amp world and into tube amps. Going to most likely pick up a Fender Blues Jr. and swap speaker to a Cannabis Rex or a Thames. Was hoping you could steer me into the right direction with pedals with that amp, as I am seeing most stores don’t carry a lot of these. Looking into: Compressor- undecided, Univibe- Drybell Vibe Machine, Phaser- MXR Phase 90 script, Muff- maybe 73 Rams Head or Electronic Orange Pig Hoof, Boost- TopTone Shine Boost, Tube Driver- Buffalo FX TD-X, Mooer ElecLady, and Analogman EHX Deluxe Memory Man. Will these choices work or are there better options for my setup? Using a Strat and Tele and strictly a home player. Finally should those pedal cover most of Floyd and Bjorn territory or is there something I am missing or do not need? Muff choice has got me the most confused. Thank you in advance for any wisdom!

    1. Hi Trevar, for the Blues Jr I’d go with the Cannabis. The amp is very bright so for David’s tones, you’d want to tame that top end a bit. The Thames would be all too bright. Your choice of pedals should go nicely with the amp. Muffs often sound bright and harsh on Fender amps, although they do sound better with the Blues Jr. I’d look into a more versatile distortion, like the Fulltone OCD, Buffalo FX Evolution or similar. The TD-X, as an overdrive goes nicely with the Blues Jr.

      1. Evolution sounds great and if my above were to be my pedal chain would I place evolution where muff goes? Thanks for your time!

  160. Could you tell me what you think of the Stone Deaf Fig Fum? Also what do you think of the Vick Audio Violet Ram’s Head clone? Will that do as good as the Pig Hoof?

  161. Hi Bjorn. It’s haunting me; what do you think/know that David is using during Sorrow at the Strat Pack concert? It sounds very crunchy, I would say the G-2? Thanks, Richard (Looking forward to your new album by the way!)

  162. Hey Bjorn,
    As mentioned in all the replies, you have created a great review of pedals here. I am a huge Pink Floyd and smashing pumpkins fan, and love the Pulse, and Siamese Dream albums tones. I have owned several different muffs as well as other fuzz pedals. I am very close to making the jump on the Vick audio 73′ rams head for starters, to hopefully get the range of Floyd I desire, but I’m still up in the air about the Smashing Pumkins Siamese Dream sound. Billy Corgan used the mid 70’s op-amp circuit big muffs. These are hard to come by, and seem to tend to be plagued with issues requiring them to be in the repair shop. I have found a couple “clone” type pedals that seem pretty accurate, but just wondering if you have had the opportunity to try them out for yourself. The first is DAREDEVIL PEDALS ’77 IC OP-AMP FUZZ V5 CREAM/VIOLET. Really good video by Chicago music exchange and accurate sounding pedal, but I came across another, Wowpedal “Hello Meow”- Analog. Opamp. Fuzz. Big Muff Pi Fuzz. The tone in the video seems pretty accurate, but the video is short, there is no narration, and there is very little info to be found on the company. I like this pedal as well due to its size. It’s smaller like the Vick Audio (MXR size) which is ideal for me as I am trying to minimize the pedalboard I use and the smaller the pedal without compromising the tone characteristics the better.

    1. Hi Chris! The OP-amp Muff has never been a favourite of mine, so I don’t have much experience with trying different clones etc. I know the Sovtek Muffs are probably your closest match and, as you probably know, a lot of the early 90s grunge bands used these. There are lots of great clones out there, like the Buffalo FX Patriot and you might want to check out the Skreddy Rust Rod as well, which is somewhat similar to the OP-amp and Sovtek. The Vick will come close but it’s a ram’s head and the overall tone is brighter, with less low end.

  163. Hi Bjorn,

    As first what a great site you have.
    I’m looking for a muff, my setup is: Fender strat EMG DG20, Dunlop wah, Boss CS2, Columbus Dist., Buffalo TD-X, Bad Monkey, DryBell Vibe, Boss C3, TC Nova Delay, Boss RC 3, Fender The Twin Red button.
    Bedroom settings.
    Now my question what for Muffs would you advise For DSOTM/ Delicate/ Pulse sounds ?

    Greetings Jack

    1. Hi Jack, sorry for my late reply. I usually recommend something differnt for Fender amps, as their lack of compression and mid range, can often make a Muff sound bright and harsh. The Sovtek Muffs works OK, so check out the EHX Bass Muff and other Sovtek/Civil War Muff clones. You might also want to look into more versatile pedals, still with a Muff flavour, like the Rat, Buffalo FX Evolution etc.

  164. Hi Bjorn! I’m having a little problem with volume and I wonder if you can help. At the moment I’m using a Fender Stratocaster 70’s reissue with stock pickups into a Hartke GT60 and I recently bought a Ibanez TK999OD to run as Gilmour’s Tube Drive and a CostaLab Custom Fuzz. The volume between the TK999OD and the Amp it’s pretty easy to match, but when I turn on the CostaLab it just get TOO loud. If I turn the TK999OD with the Custom Fuzz, sounds amazing, but the volume blows the roof off. The GT60 has a Effects Loop in and out, at the moment I’m plugging booth drives in front of the amp. How do I control the volume between clean, TK999OD and the Custom Fuzz?

      1. After. One Thing that I’ve noticed it’s that this Costalab is freaking noisy. I figured it out that somehow, the volume knob was replaced with the distortion know, so I was turning down the distortion and turning up the volume, that’s why the volume was SO loud. But I still having issues with that muff. I don’t know if all the muffs are that loud or there’s something wrong with mine, but it captures so many noises and make it impossible to leave my hand of the guitar neck without turning the volume off.
        I didn’t find any article about amps FX output. Do you use it?

        1. But you’re using the TK to boost the fuzz? Keep in mind that stacking two or more gain pedals will create some noise, depending on how much gain each pedal has. It’s just the nature of things. The TK also has a lot of mid range and compression, which is not ideal for stacking. Try using a more scooped and cleaner pedal for boosting, like a TC Spark Booster, BD2 or a Powerbooster clone.
          Check out this feature for some insights on the FX Loop.

      2. The fuzz is placed after the OD. I finally figured out that the knobs are miss placed, so the Volume is the right knob and the distortion it’s in the left. But it`s still so freaking noisy and I don’t know if is it normal or the pedal have some king of issue. When I turn the Fuzz on I feel like I woke up a wild beast, I have to immediately turn the guitar volume down and only turn it up if I`m sure that I’ll play right after. Two more questions….do you use the Effects loop on your amp and any chance that you’ll do the settings and setup from the Rattle That Lock album and tour?

  165. Hey Bjorn, ever have a look at the Daredevil Pedals Black Yorba Fuzz? Handmade in Chicago IL and based on the green, “bubble font” Sovtek. Only demos online are in the stoner rock/metal realm, but it looks like a good bet and for cheap (they’re going used on Reverb for < $100 USD).

  166. Hello Bjorn! Quick question for you… I’ve been through a lot of Muff clones before finally getting a RH-X and a Patriot. I’m now fully converted to Buffalo FX. Probably my favorite thing about their muffs is how powerful but articulate they are. Steve seems to have a phenomenal understanding of how to maintain tonal clarity even under high gain. I’m always looking for new muffs, of the ones you’ve tried, are there any others that share these characteristics?

    1. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof. It’s been my main Big Muff for years. It’s got that same huge character but lots of harmonics and nuances as well. It’s very scooped though, which can be a drawback on some amps. I also think Skreddy makes some amazing stuff and the Rust Rod is, for me, right up there with the best.

      1. Thanks for the tip! One of my favorite Muff tones is the solo on Your Possible Pasts. I’ve had some trouble getting that tone with many of the mids-boosted muffs, so I think the Pig Hoof should be the next stop because the scoop may be just what I need to get this sound. I am using a strat into a Laney Lionheart 50 and I usually just use a muff and a Nova Delay.

  167. HI Bjorn! Thanks for your amazing site. I love all the great info. I was wondering why no Stomp Under Foot stuff is listed at all on this page? They make really goof muff clones.

  168. Hello you don’t talkie-walkie about noise level for the buffalo fx evolution.
    Have you got news about the buffalo fx m1for guilmour sound ?

  169. hi Bjorn i been reading your review on clone pedals trying to get the sound of vintage pedals i have a couple of good boutique clone pedals like big muff rams head russian green muff that i purchased on reading your reviews that you recommend im very happy with this pedals they work very well but i have couple of vintage pedals 1974 rams head 1990 civil war 1994 russian green muff 1978 electro harmonic deluxe flanger now since 2 years i have been trying the clone pedals v vintage pedals and to my taste the sound that i get from the vintage pedals is a level higher but clone pedal will always be on my pedal board but if i want david gilmour sound to be the closest match il go with my vintage pedals if one day you have the chance to see the wall theatre experience it is a group hear in canada quebec i recommend thanks for reading

  170. Hi Bjorn. Do you know when you will be doing a demo of the Buffalo M-1. In pursuit of a muff/fuzz, and really interested in this pedal. Thank you Eric

  171. Bjorn, perhaps this has already been asked & answered but I couldn’t find it in any of the comments. What is your opinion of Wren & Cuff’s Violet World? What Gilmoursh.com score would you give it, assuming you’ve tried it? Thanks in advance for your time!

      1. To Regan – I have that muff. I think it’s overall very good. Pretty articulate, but it can be dark compared to others. Also, INCREDIBLY loud. I have to set my RH-X at about 70% to match the Tri Ram Muff at about 30%. I think it’s a good pedal, but not maybe the best available at that price point. My main complaint is that is seems to lack a certain harmonic sweetness that other clones I’ve played (VA 73 Ram’s Head, TopTone DG-1, Blackout Effectors Musket, Buffalo FX RH-X) have.

  172. Hey Bjorn! I thought I would stop by again to ask you opinion on how you feel about the EQD Hoof vs the Mojo Hand Iron Bell.

    I have been building a board for the last couple years. It’s sort of a hybrid between Jimmy Page and David Gilmour’s style. I had been sold on the Iron Bell for my muff tones, and bought the pedal. It sounds great! Now I’m near the end of my journey and I recently heard the samples of the Hoof. I bought a Tone Reaper to cover some tone bender tones and I know that the Reaper and the Hoof play nice because they are packaged together. In your opinion, is the Hoof much better than the Iron Bell or do you think I should just stick with the Iron Bell? I tend to like Gilmour’s later tones (90s, Pulse, Island) if that helps any. Thanks again for always answering my questions with thoughtful responses.

    Jacob

    1. They’re two different pedals. Obvisouly, both are based on the Big Muff circuit but the Hoof has a more vintage flavour, with more of those fuzz harmonics, less mids and compression. The Iron Bell is kind of a mix between a Muff and a Rat, which is what you get when stackig a Muff with an overdrive. A bit more modern sounding compared to the Hoof.

  173. Will you be reviewing the new Buffalo FX M1 pedal? I am going to buy one. I can mail you mine to review if you will mail it back. Im in the US

  174. Hello! I have another question, this one pedal related. I have a Laney Lionheart and a Mesa Boogie Lonestar Classic combo. I love the Mesa for it’s cleans and pedal friendliness, but I’m currently using a 73 Ram’s Head from Vick Audio, which, to me, is a dark sounding muff. The Lone Star Classic is also a very bassy amp, so when i run the two together I get a very boomy muddy sound compared to when I run it through the Laney. Of the muffs you’ve reviewed, which one would be the best for a dark amp? You described the Skreddy P19 having a “hollow throaty” sound. Would that be the best one to get more definition and a have a less muddy character? Or would the Blackout Musket be a better option with it’s focus controls? Thanks so much and keep up the great work.

    1. I don’t have much experience with the Lone Star but I use the Vick 73 with the Lionheart, which I run very dark, and it sounds really nice. To me, the Vick is a bright Muff, with a scooped tone and lots of top end, which is the nature of most Ram’s Heads. You could try the Blackout Effector Musket, which has a very cool presence control or the Skreddy Rust Rod, which has a nice upper mids boost.

  175. Hi Bjorn
    I have a vick audio 73 ram´s head and a Boss BD-2 but i cant make it sound good, sounds too saturated and noisy even when i turn down the guitar volume.
    what can i do to make the muff sound better?

    btw i love your site :D

      1. Sorry for my late reply. The Vox amps aren’t that suited for Muffs. At least not for replicating David’s tones, as you need quite a lot of mid range. I would use either the flat or boosted mids mode on the 73 and be careful with the amount of gain. It shouldn’t be set any higher than around 60%. Try to set the amp as clean as possible and roll back the treble if you get any harshness. If it doesn’t work, you might want to consider a more versatile pedal for your amp, like a Rat or OCD type of pedal. Check out the Overdrive and Distortion Buyer’s Guide for more.

  176. Hi Bjorn, I bought recently new JHS Muffuletta after I read review on your web site. So thanks for all info and review. Just want to know which settings you prefer and which mode you think is most useful to replicate Dave’s Muff sound? I would appreciate for all your suggestions and tips. I will combine it on strat with Dave’s pickups, and till few days I had only Marshall amp, and now I purchased Hiwatt head with 2×12 hiwatt cab ( purple Fane speakers ). Thanks for all! Regards from Croatia.

    1. Although Dvaid used a Ram’s Head Muff for the Delicate period, I think I’d use either the Sovtek or JHS modes, which has a bit darker and mid rangy flavour. Settings depends very much on your pickups and how you set the amps, but a good start is to set the volume to unity with the amp, tone around 10-11 o’clock and the gain fairly moderate.

  177. Hi Bjorn!
    Really excellent site and article!! Incredibly informative. I’ve been a big fan of David’s tones for years, and it is a sound I aspire to capture, and a massive part of that sound is the Muff. I’ve owned a few Muffs over the past few years, but never been able to crack the particular sound I was after. Closest I’ve gotten was probably the Little Big muff, which like you, I prefer to the current standard big muff, which I really didn’t like at all. Too boomy and dark and choked sounding with probably too much gain for my taste. I also currently use a Maxon OD808 which I really love, and I’m considering trying their OD9 overdrive too. But anyways back to the main topic. I’m esentially looking for a more articulate and controlable muff with a tighter low end, really clear midrange with great detail, and definition, and crispy top end like a ram’s head (I guess that is my main reference for good muff tones). So I guess what I’m after is a ram’s head with a tighter, clearer sound with more clarity, and definition on each note. Not looking for anything dark, boomy, or remotly choked sounding. I primarily play a Standard Strat with EMG SAs (best tone upgrade I’ve made yet, love them). My favorite Gilmour sound(s) is probably the wall period and the post-Roger era studio and live albums, especially the late 80s stuff. from what I’ve read so far it seems like the Drivegate DG-1 might be up my alley, but I’m not sure… so many muffs out there!! Lol Any suggestions or replies would be super appreciated!!
    Thank you! :)

        1. Sorry for my very late reply, Andrew. Although the Blues Jr has more mid range and compression than most Fender amps, it can make Muffs sound pretty bright and harsh. Especially models like the Ram’s Head, which has a very scooped mid range tone. The best Muffs for Fenders that I’ve played, are the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, which has a mid range booster or, the Mojo Hand Iron Bell, which is kind of a mix between a conventional Muff and a more modern distortion. You could also go for something a bit more versatile, like the Buffalo FX Evolution.

  178. hi, bjorn, I heard Electro Harmonix Germanium 4 Big Muff has 4 Ge tube, so it’s more like a fuzz pedal rather than a big muff, so could it be the good pedal for DG’s fuzz replacement?
    Thanks

        1. Depends on what type of germanium tone you want. I think the AnalogMan Sun Face NKT275 is the closest you get to the classic Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face from the late 60s but there are a million variations on that tone. The EHX Germanium Muff does a nice job.

  179. Hi Bjorn, I was wondering if the tc electronic spark would be a good booster to accompany either the Vick audio Rams head or the JHS muffuletta and if so what would would be appropriate eq settings?
    -Thanks, Hershel.

    1. I don’t think neither of those needs boosting as you can either choose a mode or setting that has more mids and gain. Still, the Spark is a nice clean booster, which should fit nicely. Which EQ mode you should use, depends on your pickups and amp. Scooped pickups and amp, would require a bit more mids to get that silky smooth tone.

      1. Thanks, Bjorn!, as for pickups I am using the typical ssl 5 and 69 style Strat pickups and a bugera v22-v55 style amp, thanks again for the advice!

            1. Autocorrect, whoops. Boss bd2, and also I was wondering also on the plexidrive, Vick audio overdrive and Buffalo td x for a muff booster.

              1. The BD2 and Overdriver works nicely for boosting. The PlexiDrive has a bit too much mids and compression for boosting, which can make the Muff sound too dark and muddy.

  180. by the way, since I’m buying via atlanticguitars.co.uk to Portugal, does anyone know if I’m going to pay for customs with the Brexit going on?

  181. Hi Bjorn, unfortunately I had to sell my Musket :( so now I’m thinking about getting one of the much praised (and much cheaper) Vick Audio muffs, but I cant decide which one to choose. I’m trying to get the tones from all eras, but keep asking myself “will the ram’s head be too agressive and bright to do pulse? and is the black russian too mild for the wall?”, is the triangle a compromise in between? I really need your help on this one, my rig is fat 50’s/stock/ss-5 strat into cub12 combo

    Thanks a lot

    1. The ’73 should be able to give you some nice Pulse tones on that rig. You might find that with the mids booster in flat or boosted mode, will get you very close :)

  182. Hi Bjorn. I’m using an Electronic Orange Pig Hoof. I’m overall satisfied with the pedal. You’re review was very accurate. It’s noisy though. What can I do to lower the noise? Thanks, Eddy

    1. Roll down the gain. The Pig Hoof has a lot of gain and low end, which creates the tone, but also some noise. How much, depends on how well your rig is shielded and how much headroom your pickups and amp have. Be careful with combining the Hoof with compressors and boosters, and always run the amp as clean as possible.

  183. Hi Bjorn, I noticed you don’t recomend the muffuletta for Delicate/PULSE/Gdansk/Rattle tones, was it a mishap or do you have a specific reason for it?

  184. Man, I am so sad that you haven’t laid your hands on Stu Castledine’s V2, which if you have any faith in my opinion at all, I swear mine is the closer to what I hear on Animals than any Muff I’ve played, or heard. Unfortunately, there are NO GOOD CLIPS THAT SOUND ANYTHING LIKE THE PEDAL SOUNDS. I understand that it’s hard for people to get excited about a pedal they hear in poorly done clips, where the people obviously aren’t Muff players, or Gilmour fanatics, but I assure you, the pedal is very, very close to the perfect Violet Ram’s Head. If you ever get an hour with one, you’ll be delighted . I hope that you get the chance to review the V2, as I’m certain you’ll love it as much as I do!

    Peace to all, Thanks for the updated guide Bjorn, KEITH

      1. Yep, I’m still disappointed that Lindy spaced on me after he said he’d send you the pickups. I need to remind him, but having been broke, and my health issues having taken front seat the past 18 months or so, I haven’t talked to Lindy, or been by his ship since he said he’d send them to you Christmas before last! Maybe Stu would be easier to get a review unit from, he’s not quite as forgetful as Lindy has always been. It’ll give me something to work on!
        Peace, Doctor told me yesterday that he believes the treatment will make me the energetic, ready to go guy I was 4-5 years ago, about 3 months to go!

        Thanks for everything, Keith

        1. That’s great news, Keith! Hope everything turns out well. No worries about the reviews. There’s tons of stuff out there that I want to review for you guys, and as much as I want to check out Lindy’s and Stu’s stuff, I’m in no position to buy all these things myself. I’d go bankrupt within a week LOL! I’m sure something will turn up eventually :)

  185. hi, bjorn, how are you!
    I just brought a Bass Big Muff Pi, and have no time to try it yet. And I would live to ask your advice about the pedal chain as: Keely c2->BBM->Tube Driver (12AU7)->DM2(3005 Chip)->maz18. Any advice? Thanks

    David

      1. Thanks, what do you think if I use 12AT7 on a overdrive Tube Driver? or it’s more suitable for a boosting TD?

        1. Depends on how much headroom you want. A AT7 is somewhere between a 12AX7 and AU7. I did use a AU7 at one point and got a very nice clean boost from that, but on a Hiwatt, which has lots of headroom, the pedal didn’t work that well for overdrive.

          1. Thanks Bjorn, I tried AT7 on overdrive TD, it’s more smoother, and not that aggressive than AX7.Thansk for your guide!

  186. Wren and Cuff makes a number of Big Muffs, in addition to the Box of War. I looked at a number of muffs, already having the Mojo Hand BMP1 and wanting to get more variety. I settled on the Vick ’73 Ram’s head. Looking forward to trying it out.

  187. Are you familiar with the ‘Wren and Cuff The Caprid’? It’s supposed to be a combination of all for Big Muff models that were released over the years. Here is what they list as the features-Original “3003″ style circuit board
    All carbon composition 1/2 watt “brown-tone” resistors
    Mullard “tropical fish” capacitor clipping sections
    Standard 2.1mm center negative DC jack (Boss-type)
    True hard-wire 3PDT bypass switch
    Extra heavy duty enclosure built to take a beating
    On/Off slide switch like the original units

  188. Hi there!

    I really like your reviews and your “Gilmouristic” point of views :)

    I have a question, have you tried the Way Huge Pedals (from the Dunlop Company)?

    Thank you very much & greetings from Spain

    1. Thanks! I’ve tried a couple of them… The Green Rhino is a Tube Screamer, with a few different upgrades or improvements. The Pork Loin is a Tube Driver/Powerbooster type of overdrive and the Sollen Pickle is a nice take on the Big Muff.

      1. Thanks for your reply. So, have you tryed the Havalina or Jumbo fuzz from Way Huge?

        Anyway, sometimes is hard to choose one pedal that it fits you with your sound.

        Greetings!

  189. Alessandro Borges Cordeiro

    Hi Bjorn, Congratulations again for your great site!

    I Have, between my gain pedals, a Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, a TopTone DG 1, a TopTone DG 2, a Mooer Black Secret and a Dunlop Germanium Mini FuzzFace.
    I need to make better use of the space of my pedalboard, so I thought I only use three of them. Thinking of a versatile setup which, in your opinion, should keep in pedalboard?
    I can replicate fuzzface tones with Vick Ram’s Head or the DG 1?
    what do you think works best as distortion: the DG 2 or mooer Black Secret?

    Note: my overdrives are the BK Butler TD, OCD, TS 808 and Mooer Blues Mood.

    Thanks!

    1. Alessandro Borges Cordeiro

      I forgot to tell: my amps are Fender Blues Deluxe, with Jensen C12N Speaker and Bugera V5 to play at home. My Guitar is a Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe With N3 pickups.

    2. Whether or not it is versatile depends on what tones you want. A Muff isn’t that suited for replicating germanium tones, which have more of that overdrive character. The Vick 73 and DG1 are somewhat overlapping, while the Black Secret and DG2 are very similar as well. If you want to save space, I’d keep only two of these, choosing between the best sounding Muff and Rat style pedals :)

  190. Hey Bjorn! Hope all is well! Thank you again for your unbelievable site! I was hoping that you might provide some of your wisdom with deciding between a few muff options-between the vick audio 73 rams head, the Bjorn modded VA 73 rams head or the Skreddy P19-what would you recommend for Animals era big muff sounds? I am playing a fender strat through a reeves custom 12 with a vintage purple speaker. Do you think the Skreddy would be best as it is a stacked pedal or do you think one of the vick audio options with a booster?

    Thanks so much again!
    Josh

    1. Sorry for my late reply. Thanks a lot for your kind words! I haven’t played a Muff on the Reeves 12 but all three would go nicely, based on the specs. The Vick Bjorn modded, is tweaked to better fit my setup, with a tad more top and less gain but the 3-way mid range switch makes it really versatile. The P19 sounds very much like a Muff paired with a booster behind it, creating a very smooth and compressed tone. For your amp, I think I would go for one of the Vicks, as the P19 may be a bit too mid rangy.

  191. I watched both reviews on the Pighoof and the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head and both sound amazing. It looks like you prefer the Vick Audio but the tone you achieved with the Pighoof in your video playing Mother is exactly what I’m looking for. Can you get the same tone or sound with the Vick Audio Ram’s Head? Thank you for all you do! I refer to this site frequently.

          1. Jonathan Thomas

            Hi Greg, I’ve owned two UK L5t-112’s and I currently own a China L5H Studio…honestly, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I much prefer the little head for versatility in featured. I run mine through a load box and a Torpedo CAB and it sounds incredible. You won’t regret it.

        1. You won’t get them to sound exactly the same. The Vick has more mids, and a 3-way mid range switch for even more, and an overall more saturared tone. The Pig Hoof has a more scooped tone, with an overall more vintage flavour. The Lionheart can take both so it depends more on what type of voicing you want.

  192. Hi Bjorn!

    First, I have been reading and searching for informations on your website for a few months now, and I have to say it’s really awesome. Such a great ressource about DG’s tone and gear. Keep up the good work!

    I have a question: have you ever heard about the brand called “Wren and Cuff”? They make replicas of Ram’s Head (Caprid) and Sovtek Civil War (Box of War) Big Muffs. If yes, how do they compare to the Pig Hoof and Patriot for instance? If not, maybe you could ask them to send you one of each so you can test them :D That could be interesting. The very few reviews I could find were very positive.

    Cheers,
    Lozo

    1. Thanks for your kind words! I’ve tried most of their pedals. Really great stuff. At that level, it doesn’t really matter what brand you choose. Most clones are really good so what’s more important is whether or not your amp can handle a Big Muff. If it can, then you need to decide on what type of Big Muff you want. Triangle, Ram’s Head or Sovtek? Most clones out there are either based on a specific pedal, reverse-engineered, or, based on different modifications on the circuit to emulate a certain Big Muff tone. Read more in the Big Muff Tone Tutorial and the Knowing what pedals to choose for your amp feature.

      1. Thanks for your answer!

        Well, I have a little cheap transistor amp atm (since I study abroad and play at my place with low volume or headset most of the time, I don’t want to make noise for the neighbours) but plan to buy a proper tube amp when I’m back. Of course I would want to try some models first (including the Laney L20T-212 thanks to your review) and chose what type of Muff I want based on that. If the amp I chose has enough mids, I’ll definitely go with a Ram’s Head clone.
        I also plan to buy a Two Notes Torpedo Live, so no problem playing the amp at home.

        Cheers,
        Lozo

        1. Well, I would decide on the amp first and then the pedals. Your current setup won’t go that well with a Muff but if you do decide to go for a new amp, you may want to consider one with more compression and mid range. The Lionheart is great but there are lots of different alternatives out there.

  193. Chad from Dallas

    Bjorn,

    I have a quick question. I am looking at trying either the Skreddy P19 or Mojo Hand Iron Bell. From what I have read from your reviews and many others, they are both pretty versatile at covering Gilmour tones, as well as better as stand alone pedals. I am playing through a TC Electronics G-system for effects and a Mesa Lone Star. I have also learned through you that Muffs often don’t sound good through mid scooped type amps and have been using a Soothsayer for this reason. I just keep getting drawn to a Muff though! Do you think either of these would be a good fit and if so would pick one over the other, based on what I have?
    Also, did you get my pics I sent of Davids board at MSG a few weeks back?

    Thanks!
    Chad

    1. Hi Chad! Very sorry for my late reply. Yeah, I saw those pics! Awesome stuff! Thanks! Both of these pedals should work nicely… or at least better than most Muffs on a scooped amp. The P19 has the smoothest tone, with more gain and mids hump but it can be a bit too aggressive. The Iron Bell is really great and it tends towards a hint of that Rat tone as well.

      1. Chad from Dallas

        Thank you Bjorn. I got my Iron Bell a few days ago. Not sure if it will replace the Soothsayer or not, but it does sound very cool indeed! Thank you for the reply. I am greatly looking forward to the new Air Bag album. I am going to pre order it tonight!

        Chad

  194. Hi Bjorn!

    Which muff do you think would best get me Pompeii tones all the way to Pulse era Gilmour? I used to have a Sunface Fuzz and a muff but pedal real estate has made me look for one pedal that can cover both bases. I play a Strat through a Fender HRD III. As always your opinion and suggestions are highly appreciated!

    1. I would go for something versatile, like a Rat, Buffalo FX Evolution or the excellent Bad Angel from CostaLab (review coming soon). They’re all capable of covering a lot of Davids tones and they also work nicely with a Fender, adding a bit of that needed mid range.

  195. Hi Bjorn, i’m thinking about buying the EHX germanium Big Muff, not only to play Gilmour songs, but also other 60’s tunes. As you’ve said in this post, that pedal will allow me to get some early Gilmour tones. However, if i want to cover more ground, using the overdrive channel as a power booster/tube driver, should i buy what type of big muff ? And should i place the “real muff” before or after the germanium muff ? My guitar is a Les Paul with p90 and my amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe.

    1. The Germanium Muff might be a better choice if you’re looking for something versatile and slightly different than a regular Muff, which doesn’t really lend it self that well to blues and milder tones. You may also want to look into a germanium fuzz for even more accurate 60s tones. Mind that the Germanium Muff do sound very different from a rams head or triangle Muff so if you’re looking for something to cover as much ground as possible, you might want to consider getting one of each or, something like a Rat or the Evolution from Buffalo FX, which can give you a bit of both.

      1. Thanks Bjorn. So i think i wouldn’t be able to do what I planned (overdrive channel from Germanium muff as overdrive, distortion channel from Germanium muff as a 60’s germanium fuzz and use another muff for “real muff tones”). Maybe a Rat style pedal would be a better option. In this case, which overdrive\booster do you recommend to match a Rat and a 60’s germanium fuzz at the same time ?

  196. hey bjorn! I’m really looking for those pulse tones in my strat with DG-20s, and I was wondering if I should get the stomp under foot civil war or save up more to get the tube driver…

    1. As I’m sure you know, the Civil War is a Big Muff distortion/fuzz, while the Tube Driver is an overdrive. Two very different sounding pedals so it depends on what tones you want. You probably want both if you want to cover the Pulse tones. What kind of amp do you have?

      1. I’m looking for a new tube amp also, but as of now I have a fender… should I get another fender like a blues junior or a Marshall or maybe something else? and what I meant was I already have a Nano big muffins a boss SD-1 but I wanted either the SUF to replace the muff, or the TD to replace the SD-1. I will eventually get both, but I just wanted to know which was the better choice first! thanks!

        1. Ive always considered a high gain overdrive to be more versatile than a Big Muff or distortion, so Id get the TD first. As for the amp – Fender and Marshall are the two opposites so I guess my best advice would be to take your guitar to a dealer and sit down for a few hours and just try a bunch of amps. Hear how some have more mid range, while others might have more headroom. Decide based on which you think suits your playing, tone preference and environment the most.

  197. Hi Bjorn! this is an amazing site! I just can’t stop reading!
    I have a question, I have a Laney cub 12r amp, I want to buy my first Muff. I play on my small bedroom, with low volume and with headphones at late night. Is it ok if I go to the “Electro Harmonix Deluxe Big Muff Pi”? will it sound good and at that low level?
    I have a Fender Strat Standard Mex with the default pickups.

    1. I haven’t tried that one on the Cub (only a Lionheart and Reeves) but it’s very versatile and I would assume that you can dial in pretty much anything you want and need for the amp.

  198. Hi Bjorn, love your site! I had a question regarding the Vick 73 Rams Head. How would you rate it in terms of noise when using single coils? I mean, I see above you have it as 10/10 for noise – does this mean that you found it to be relatively quiet in comparison to other muffs as far as white noise/buzz/hum/hiss (or however you want to describe it)? I ask because I recently acquired one used and it may be the noisiest muff I’ve personally used. I currently have a mid-90s green russian and a newer nano big muff, both of which are practically silent compared to the Vick, even using standard single coils and a booster (which raises the noise floor even more on the Vick). The thing is, I’m even only running the Vick with the sustain at 9 o’clock and it’s still noisier than the other two at 1 or 2 o’clock. Somehow this seems wrong and I’m thinking of sending it to Mike Vickery for him to check out and make sure that it isn’t something wrong with the pedal. I just wondered what kind of noise you’ve experienced with your own Vick using single coils and boosters.

    1. Hmmm… Noise isn’t always easy to explain. I have three different 73s and they’re all very quiet. Now, when I say quiet, I mean that the circuit is quiet. There’s hardly any noise coming from the pedal. However, the 73 has quite a lot of gain and it’s fairly loud, so you will experience more noise from the gain, compared to a triangle or Sovtek, which has less gain. More gain and loudness also mean that the pedal will amplify any noise that’s in the chain, which might be coming from the single coils, other pedals, powering etc. Placement of the pedal can also be an issue. Too close to a power source can create some low frequency hum. Next to a pedal with a special circuit, buffer or hardwire bypass can also cause some noise. Ask Mike for advice but I’d start with trying to eliminate as many sources as possible.

      1. Thanks for replying, Bjorn! The pedal is noisy by itself or in a chain, with an isolated power supply or with a one spot, and when in a chain doesn’t seem to be affected by anything else in the chain that’s not turned on, regardless of buffer or not. Different boosters when engaged naturally amplify the existing noise a lot or only a little depending on the booster (my bb preamp for example makes it much, much worse than my spark booster). I hear you on the Sovtek, but I will say that the Vick is nowhere near as loud or high gain as the nano big muff, but the noise is at least double or triple on the Vick even at very low sustain settings and this is what makes me think it’s the pedal. Same power supplies, same guitars, amps, etc and the Vick is a white noise machine when not playing (and it is still a little noticeable even when playing). I really love the sound of the actual effect, and it is really frustrating that it’s this noisy. I have been in touch with Mike and he’s willing to take a look at it, but by the time I pay for shipping there and back, I will have been better off getting a brand new one in the first place; not to mention if he wants to charge for any repair that might be needed. I guess I’ll send it to him anyway and hope that it’s a fixable problem and not some “nature of the beast” sort of thing where he sends it back saying it’s all good. I’ve owned several muffs over the years, but this is the first non-electro harmonix one I’ve taken a chance on. Mike said every muff he’s tried with single coils has been noisy, but this just hasn’t been my experience over 20+ years of playing (noisier than with humbuckers, yes, but not so much that it is as obtrusive as the noise produced by the Vick). I heard so many good things about the Vick, including your review and I felt confident that it would be at the very least as good as any EHX muff I have or have tried (and the actual distortion effect is in fact a lot better and more musical to my ears); now I’m not as enthusiastic. Thanks again for the reply.

  199. Hi Bjorn,
    How are you!
    I just reviewed this post, and have an question about BD-2 and Tube Driver, that as you said.”the Boss BD2 could easily cover for a Colorsound Powerboost but it’s really a close resemblance of the Tube Driver and it works just as good as a booster as an overdrive”, and I have a TD as a booster, should I employ BD-2 as well? it seems similar as your comment.
    Thanks

    1. They’re very similar so it’s more down to whether you need a booster and a dedicated overdrive, which I think makes a more versatile setup :)

      1. Thanks Bjorn, I have a TD for overdrive, and one TD(12au7) for Boostering, and I just employed a ep booster, so I don’t know if it’s good enough for copy DG’s tone.

        1. The EP booster you mean? He’s never used a booster as such but the EP is great for adding a bit of life and punch to your amp, and it also has a tad mid range, which goes very well with David’s tones and for boosting overdrives and Muffs.

          1. yes! now here is my chain: Guitar-> boos cs3->tube dirver(OD)->tube driver(booster)->ep booster->tc nova delay->Laney irt studio (Clean Channel), any suggestion?

            1. Not really. Looks great :) Personally Id throw in a few modulation pedals, like a flanger and phaser or a UniVibe :)

              1. you are right! I am planning to buy a phaser, according to your blog. but I have to choose one: Phaser 90 or EH Small stone?

  200. Hi Bjorn! I have a bedroom setup with a Dynacomp, a boss sd-1, a EH nano big muff, a TC electronics nova delay, a boss CE-2 , and a small fender amp. I also have a red strat with EMG DG-20s. I’m in love with the PULSE and Delicate tones, and I really want something better than my current big muff. The Sovtek Civil war muff was the first one that came to my mind to get, but I soon found out they are way too expensive. How do you feel about the Stomp Under Foot Civil War muff? I can’t find a real AB comparison on YouTube, and that’s the main way I find out how good clones are.
    Thanks!

    1. My favourite Civil War Muff is the Patriot from Buffalo FX. It’s as close as you’ll get. The SUF is great too and worth checking out. Keep in mind that Big Muffs are moody beasts and how they ultimately sound, depends very much on the amp. Fender amps might not be the best choice for a Muff. Especially for those DG tones. You might want to consider a pedal that’s a bit more versatile, like the Evolution from Buffalo FX or something similar. If you’re really desperate to get THE tone, then you might want to consider getting an amp with more mid range and an overall darker tone.

  201. Hey Bjorn, I live in the Netherlands and i’ve been looking around for the Buffalo FX Patriot for a while in my own country but it seems like it’s only sold in the usa. How did you get yours?

    1. Check out the order form on their page or simply send them an e-mail and ask for the easiest way to order. They’re located in France, BTW :)

  202. Hey Bjørn! I just purchased the Vick Audio 73 Rams Head and I must tell everyone that my 7 year search for the perfect Big Muff is over. I’ve tried dozens of models and just last week bought the newer Deluxe Big Muff from EHX on a great open box deal but then the Vick came up for auction so I’ve gotten the chance to A/B the 2 and there really is no comparison. Kudos to Vick Audio for such a spot on version that’s miles better for basically the same cost. It’s a shame that EHX is falling behind with the Muff and the Elec. Mistress and being upstaged by others for two of their flagship pedals. I find that the Vick is great on its own and really needs no boosting at least in a bedroom situation.

  203. No love for the Swollen Pickle? “Sorrow” right there… And yeah Bjorn , you gotta talk about the Muffroom Cloud, you just gotta!!!

  204. Hi Bjorn a have just recently found your website and was blown away by the info on here. After reading your section on muffs I tried driving mine with different pedals. I ended up with a great live sound using a bad monkey into little big muff into a boss dd 3 delay I could not believe with a tiny amount of drive how amazing the muff sounds. Cheers for all the info. P,S could you tell me what he used on obscured by clouds mainly The
    gold its in the. CHEERS PAUL.

    1. The Caprid is a ram’s head type of Muff, with a fairly bright tone, scooped mids and an overall aggressive tone. The Box of War is a clone of the early 90s Sovtek Civil War Muff, which has much more mid range and an overall warmer tone.

  205. Hi can you help me i got a blackstar I’d core and Fender deluxe stratocaster with seymour Duncan ssl 5 in the bridge and ssl 1 in the neck and middle I got patriot but it does not sound very good can help with the settings or can you
    Recommend me with pedals for the amp I am useiing thanks

  206. Hi Bjorn, it can never be reinforced enough how amazing this site is and to thank you for all the dedication and time given to us Gilmour fans :D

    Now, I’m a massive On An Island fan and that Castellorizon tone just give me the shivers, unfortunately I’m on a very very very, very tight budget, so I was wondering if the Germanium 4 Big Muff could be used as a rather poor man’s G2 as they both are germanium Big Muff-ish distortions or should i be better served with the Mooer Black Secret instead? I’m playing with a Squier Std w/ SSL-5 (bridge) and Fat 50s (neck) into a Laney Cub 12r combo.

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Hi Diogo! Thanks for your kind words! Much appreciated :) A Big Muff is very limited, I think. They sound like a Muff and little else, so if you’re on tight budget I would suggest something a bit more versatile. The Black Secret is an excellent Rat clone and it does a very good job doubling as both a Muff and a G2 :)

      1. Thanks for replying, Bjorn :D
        The thing is, I already have a Musket, so the Big Muff part is already covered, but what I was affraid of was that the black secret would have too much gain to stand in as a creamy germanium overdrive, or am i just talking nonsense?

        1. It should provide overdrive tones as well but if gain is your concern, then check out the Mooer Hustle Drive, which is a clone of the Fulltone OCD. It’s capable of warm overdrive and saturated distortion.

          1. Yes, when the time came i chose the blues mood over the hustle drive because it could be used as a booster as well, but hustle drive it is i guess…
            thanks Bjorn, keep up with the good work!

      1. I got the Hustle Drive instead, although obviously its nowhere near the germanium OD, i can squeeze some nice Gdansk tones out of it, it filled that missing spot between my Blues Mood and my Musket :) But you think that the Deluxe could replicate the G-2 (or at least do a convincing impersonation)?

  207. Hi Bjorn, Great site. I spend way too much time on here! I just sold a few pedals and since I have some money to spend…how about a new muff. In your humble opinion, where is my money best spent…original Sovtek Civil War Muff, Buffalo Patriot, or other. I currently have the Stomp under food Red Army, and a Noel revu, but I can’t quit looking at the original Sovtek pedals. Do you think the originals are worth a few extra bucks? I typically play through a cranked Laney Cub w/ a black strat replica. I have a BK Tube Driver and Buffalo Powerbooster available to boost when needed. Thanks!

    1. Hi Noah! Thanks for your kind words! Those old Sovtek pedals are getting very pricy so you have to decide if you think they’re worth it :) I’d much rather spend my money on a good clone. My favourite Civil War clone is the Buffalo Patriot. It nails that dark and throaty tone, with a nice mids boost and lots of sustain :)

  208. Hi Bjorn,
    Nice to see you back. It’s probably hard to imagine how many hundreds of people are worried about you not showing up for a few days! Hope all is well. Thanks for getting back to me in the other thread.
    I’m still muff searching. Kinda obsessed!!!
    I just heard a couple of reviews of Noel Pedals The Cornet and Cornet Revu and they sound amazing!!!!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPHKHVBTsAM
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgluPAz0f0Y
    Cheers.

  209. Hi Bjorn I have a Blackout Effectors Musket which I like but I know DG favours the Rams head Muff pretty much on everything. Can the Musket replicate the tones of a Rams head, is it just a matter of scooping the Mids with an Eq for example ( as you know the Musket has quite a loy of Mids) Thanks again for your help.

  210. Hi Bjorn, i have problem with setup on my Russian Big Muff to create lead tone. I read all of your rewievs and I understand its a noisy pedal, butt its too dark anyway and hard to control on lower volumes ( my rehersal volumes ). What is you advice, what to do to get to similar lead tone as David’s? I dont want to buy another pedal, if I can jet close with this one. I am playing right now on JTM45 butt have also and Hiwatt SSD103. By your rewievs I think that maybe Vicks clone pedal is something I should think about if There is no answer for My Big Muff. Thanks

    1. The Russian Sovtek Muffs has a nice amount of mids, which will help them cut through, but they can sound fairly dark in darker amps, which your JTM45 is. You might want to pair it with a transparent and brighter sounding booster, like a Powerbooster of some sort (Vick Audio Overdriver or Buffalo FX Powerbooster). A ram’s head Big Muff , has a brighter and more fuzz-like tone. The Vick also got a mids boost feature, which will help it cut through.

  211. Hi Bjorn,
    I’m buying a pre-assembled BYOC Large Beaver Triangle version. I know for Triangle sound it is your (or one of your) favourites. I was wondering if the difference with Ram’s head (let’s say Vick Audio 73’s Ram’s Head) is mostly frequency shaping that more or less can be achieved with a downstream EQ pedal or an EQ adjustable booster pedal, or it actually sounds different by means of response to picking, dynamics, chords, etc. something that can’t be achieved with a downstream (or upstream) pedal tweaking. So basically if you like to have the whole range of flexibility of both pedals, two separate pedals are needed (or a multi circuit pedal like Muffuletta).
    Thanks.

    1. It’s two different tones and you can’t get that with just an EQ. The triangle is saturated and smooth, with a fat low end and rolled off top. It responds incredibly well to single coils, producing an almost fuzz meets overdrive kind of tone. A ram’s head has less gain and low end, but sounds much more aggressive and fuzz-like.

      1. Thanks Bjorn for your feedback. I got my BYOC Large Beaver triangle yesterday. I was wondering if you could share your setup (upstream / downstream active pedals that work in conjunction with BYOC Large Beaver triangle) and set variables for the BYOC triangle pedal, and wether it works well with buffer upstream of BYOC. I’m still working on setting variables but I found I get overwhelming amount of gain (output volume knob is only at 9 o’clock!!!) and sustain sounds too compressed anything above 12 o’clock and kind of chokes downstream tube driver. As a rescue if I reduce the sustain to let’s say 9 o’clock, sound becomes dull and looses its high end, and in that situation even the tone knob doesn’t quite help. I like the idea of having a mild muff sound just to smooth out my downstream tube driver that is set at over drive (rather than boost) even further, and add intricacy of muff overtones and character without sounding too dull and loosing too much top end. My Black Russian Big Muff does that very well and I thought if I can make my BYOC get to that point as the starting point (mild muff sound with a good sound definition) and then I build upon that for more muff character, etc. I guess DG uses Cornish P-2 upstream of tube driver set at overdrive so if I assume P-2 is sort of close to a mild muff, I’m trying to create that sort of scenario.
        Thanks a lot.

        1. Hi again. Just wanted to give an update. I opened up the BYOC triangle. Soldered a few areas and found out the EQ selector was soldered to the opposite side of the board so I think the order is reversed (far left -> bypass, etc.). I found a setting that seems to be working ok with some upstream, downstream adjustment. It is definitely smoother than my Sovtek (late black) muff and more usable mid-range but also less DG muff character. I know you mentioned Buffalo FX Evolution to get a more versatile pedal. I assume B FX Ev. has even less muff character than BYOC triangle. Perhaps it’s also smooth but also there is B FX Patriot which is probably not as smooth as BYOC triangle but right out muff character. I found out that some of the articulations can hide under the blanket of smoothness of BYOC muff unless I reduce the sustain, increase the tone to brighten it up, etc and even then it is still not quite there. So if you like to pick one muff with as close character as it can be to DG muff sound, but being sort of smooth with singing sustain while allowing subtle articulations to come out, which one is going to be that?
          Thanks Bjorn, and sorry for multiple posts on this issue.

          1. As I’ve said, it depends on how that Big Muff sounds on the amp you’re using it with but, without any consideration to the amp, I would say that the Evolution is great for On an Island type of sounds, while the Patriot is dead on the Pulse era. David, as you know, is more associated with the ram’s head than the triangle but the triangle is a great alternative nevertheless. I have always loved the triangle for its smooth and warm tone. It has a musicality and harmonics than none of the other muffs has. Regardless of what Muff you’re using, you should always experiment with the settings and hear how tweaking the controls will change the character of the pedal. Drive it hard and it sounds smoother and more compressed. Roll back the volume, below unity, and you’ll get more harmonics and more of that fuzz character.

        2. This is always hard to comment on because the total amount of gain you get, also depends on how hot your pickups are and the amp settings. A hot driven amp, which is also producing a bit of compression, will make your pedals sound darker and perhaps even muddier. A Tube Driver sounds great boosting after a Muff on some amps but it can sound quite muddy on other amps.
          My experience with most Muffs is that they can handle buffers pretty well. The triangle Muff has a scooped tone and can therefore benefit from a booster with a hint of mids, placed after it. As to the actual settings – this depends entirely on the circuit of the pedal, what you combine it with and its settings and the amp. My best tip is that you experiment and find the best settings that matches your amp and the total amount of gain you want.

  212. The velvet fuzz is Gilmour in a box! Can’t believe it’s so low rated … True that is kinda dark… But makes it fatter and makes my ssl-5 more useable…
    Probably the best circuit on this list… Then the deluxe big muff sounds pretty darn good!
    I’m not for nostalgic imperfections in sound… If the russian muff doesn’t sound that good… Then it doesn’t and it shouldn’t be rated that high… Calling it’s imperfections part of their mojo… Ugh.

  213. I’ve just got a Mooer Triangle Buff (without even testing it…just with the info I read here!) and it is great!

    For solos, I tried a Boss-SD1 in both configurations, before and after the Mooer and before (as booster) I thought it worked so much better, killer tone. After the Mooer, I really didn’t like, not even close to a Gilmour Sound IMO.

    Best config so far for me:

    Mooer configs:
    Volume 55%
    Tone 60-65%
    Sustain 70%

    Boss SD-1 (as booster)
    Volume 50-55% (just a little bit more than 12h)
    Drive 55%
    Tone 50%

    Thanks Bjorn for this site, helped me a LOT!

  214. I don’t know, if this is ok – but I could offer a brandnew Vick audio Ram’s Head, which I purchased from Atlantic Guitar – if that helps. Maybe Bjorn can give you my E-mail-adress, if you are interested. Bjorn, if this comment is not okay and against the board-rules, please skip it!

    1. Hi Helmut!

      Thanks four your offer! I will be very interested in it!

      I dont know if we can exchange Emails adresses here! Maybe Bjorn can help us in this matter?

      Cheers
      João bicudo

  215. Hi Bjorn!

    I live in Geneva Switzerland and I’m some troubles to buy a Vick Audio 73 Rams head because Switzerland isn’t in EU! That’s the answer that I received from the international seller witch is Atlantic Guitar in Scotland! It doesn’t make sence!!! Probably they aren’t interested in selling pedals… I wonder if Vick Audio EUA knows!? ?

    Never mind, do you think the EHX Big Muff Deluxe with all it’s range of capabilities is something to consider?

    Cheers,

    Joao bicudo

      1. I will !

        Do you think the EHX Big Muff Deluxe with all it’s range of capabilities is something to consider or it’s just a waste of money? My muffs are EHX Bass Big Muff and a Mooer Big Buff.
        I’m pretty sure Vick Audio 73 Rams Head is much better! ;)

        Cheers

        João Bicudo

        1. Depends on what amp you have. The Deluxe is great and you can tweak it for a wide range of different tones but all Muffs are very sensitive to what amp you’re using. The Bass Muff is a great version of the early 90s Sovtek Muffs, which should work nicely on most amps.

          1. Hi Bjorn!

            In adiction to your previously reply my amp is a Hiwatt T20 and my guitar a Strat with ssl-5 in bridge position.

            Cheers
            Joao Bicudo

  216. Alfredo Martínez

    Hi Bjorn, congratulations for this space you have created for Gilmours fans, sure your experience and knowledge are helpful when making a decision before buying guitars, amps or effects. I am in search of big muff and still do not know which is the most conveninte for my guitar Fender Stratocaster with standard seymourduncan SSL-5 pickups and amplifier Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212 III â„¢.

    I was thinking about the possibility to buy a Noel Cornet, you’ve tried this? or you have a better suggestion.

    Best Wishes,

    Alfredo

    1. Thanks for your kind words, Alfredo! Glad you enjoy the site :) I haven’t tried the Noel Cornet but from what I know, it’s a clone of the early Sovtek Muff, which should go nicely with your Fender amp. You might also want too look into one of my favourite Sovtek clones, the Patriot from Buffalo FX.

    1. I’ve only tried it very briefly, which is why I haven’t included it in this guide (I will try to explore it more for a future update). It’s really well done and captures the ram’s head tone perfectly. I guess most of the clones out there are very good. There are small nuances between them so it depends on whether you want more or less gain, boosted or cut low end or mids etc. My all time favourite is the Pig Hoof, which, compared to the Caprid, has a bit more of everything :)

  217. Hey Bjorn, first of all, thanks for this crazy good resource you’ve made here. I was wondering what your opinion on the JHS Muffuletta is. I’ve seen other comments, like the one above, that you reviewed it, but I can’t seem to find the review. I was recently told about it and got a chance to demo it, and liked it quite a lot, both because of the sound and the various options which would allow me to get a fuzz tone for other heroes of mine along with David. I’m looking to replace my EHX big muff which I got two years ago, which just isn’t cutting it. The only other fuzz I’ve liked is the Wampler Velvet Fuzz. Just looking for an opinion on if the JHS is worth the leap. Thanks!

    1. Hi Matt, I haven’t posted the review yet, so no wonder you didn’t find it :) The Muffuletta sounds great! Highly recommended!

  218. Hi Björn,

    Meanwhile your review of the JHS MUFFULETTA, i rellay thinking of buying a good Big Muff for emulating Gilmour tone of different eras. What is your advice : Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head ? Buffalo FX Ram’s Head NOS BC239c ? Buffalo Evolution ?
    I love the three !!!!!

    Thanks again man, your website is amazing !

    Max

    1. Thank you, Saul! The Muffuletta is really great and well worth checking out. For vintage tones I’d go for the Vick ’73… between the ones you mention :)

  219. Hi Bjorn,

    are Vick Audio pedals available in Europe? I’d love to order a V3 or V1 Ramshead, but couldn’t find a dealer in Europe.
    Would the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof be a substitute for the Vick Audio 73 Ramshead?
    Thanks, Helmut

    1. I think Atlantic Guitars is the distributor for UK but not sure who stocks them. Send a request to Vick Audio and ask :)

      1. Thanks!
        Atlantic Guitar has no option for shipping outside UK and they didn’t respond to my E-mail yet. I will send a request to Vick Audio.
        Best Wishes!

  220. Hi Bjorn!

    I play a Strat with ssl5 and cs69’s tro a hiwatt t20!

    Do you think Viky Audio 73 Rams head will go along with my amp?

    Cheers,
    Joao bicudo

  221. Sold a few things last week and finally bought a Muff. Thanks for the Vick Audio suggestions Bjorn. I did end up picking up the V1 Triangle. Mike was a super nice guy to talk to, shipping was quick, and this thing sounds AMAZING!! You were right on how low the noise of the Vick Audio muffs are. VERY quiet.

    I kinda want to try his Black Russian next, but I really wish Mike made a Green Russian clone with the attention to detail and solidity he puts into his builds.

    Thanks again!!

  222. Hi Bjorn. I really enjoy your site, you do such a great job with the reviews and I always look forward to hearing you play.

    I have recently “cleaned house” on my pedal board and am selling off pedals that have not earned a right to stay. I am playing a Strat with CS69 pups in the middle and neck and an SSL5 in the bridge out of an Egnator Tweaker 15 set to model a very clean sound, somewhere between a Fender and an AC30 I suppose. While I am happy with my delay (DD-20), modulation (DEM, CS-2, MXR EVH Phase) I am struggling with the overdrive and muff tones. I built a BYOC triangle and I think it is too noisy (I am sure due to my poor build skills, not the circuit design). I also built a BYOC Classic Overdrive (TS 808 clone) that I actually do like and plan to keep.

    I am looking for low noise and bedroom suitability. The Buffalo stuff looks really good, although pricey. I would appreciate your advice on the 2-3 pedals that you think would round out my setup. I am not seeking a specific tone from any period; I just want it to be Gilmourish.

    Many thanks,

    Chris

    1. Hi Chris, well since you mention Buffalo, I strongly recommend their Evolution for versatile distortion/Muff tones and the TDX for boost/overdrive. They’re hard to beat and, although a bit pricy perhaps, you get a pair of gain pedals that will cover almost anything you want to play.

  223. Hey Bjorn I recently bought the eathquaker devices hoof fuzz and the mooer triangle buff (based of this pages recommendations) and I love both of them, despite the triangle sounding a bit similar to the us reissue though (at least how I was using it). But I’ve always been unable to get much attack from my sound when using a fuzz pedal. I’ve tried using the Dunlop tortex picks for a better punch and it worked a bit better but I still couldn’t get the same kind of punch that I see you getting in your videos. I’m using a Strat with cs69 pickups into a boss cs3 and a few other pedals (both fuzz pedals included) into an h&k tubemeister 5 with a 1×12 h&k cab. I’m not sure if I would need a booster for more treble or if im just not picking hard enough or at the right angle but the attack just never shows through for me and the fuzz overthrows any attack i could get from a clean tone. Any idea how I could get that punchy attack when using a fuzz from my bedroom setup? Great article btw, helped me decide 2 great fuzz pedals.

    1. Sorry for my late reply. I’d drop the compressor and see how that works. It will only smooth out the attack. Also, try increasing the mids on your amp a tad.

      1. Thanks for the advice. After trying it with more mids and without the compressor it worked quite well. My problem was that I wasn’t playing loud enough to get any solid attack. The extra midrange realy helps. Thanks!

  224. I’ll just say that all Muff-type pedals rock for the most part. I’m tempted to just buy one instead of building one and the tone of the Vick ’73 RH from your demo blew me away, which is weird, because I’m usually a triangle kind of guy. Haha.

    Have you tried either of the Vick Audio Triangle’s?

    1. Actually, I haven’t. Love their ram’s head though. One of the first Muffs I played, and are still using, is the old BYOC 3-knob triangle. Sounds very dynamic and musical.

      1. Your demo of their Ram’s Head sounds amazing, hence why I’m looking into the Triangle. I had a 4-knob BYOC Triangle and loved it, but it broke (I still need to troubleshoot it) and I’m looking at buying something this time instead of going the kit route.

  225. Hi Bjorn,

    Have you had the opportunity to try any Stomp Under Foot pedals? I’d be interested to know what you think of them. I’ve just bought one of their Rams Head muffs off eBay and I have to say that it sounds great! Huge and dynamic! Easy to dial in DSOT/Pulse/Gdansk tones, with or without a booster, in my case a TC Electronic Spark Booster.

    Happy Muffing,

    Ben.

  226. Hi Bjorn. Firstly, I’m a big fan of your site, and being a huge Gilmour fan, I base a lot of my pedal-decisions on what I read here :) Thanks for all the great reviews/advice and everything else

    I am commenting here because I’ve always wanted to buy some sort of Big Muff pedal, and I think now is the time. Based on the descriptions of the various versions, here and on Kit Rae, I believe a Rams Head version is what I need. Something like the BYOC or the Vick Audio

    The main idea is to get a Gilmour-like lead tone – not an exact replica (which is impossible of course) but the idea in my head is for a smooth sustaining sort of lead tone. However, I probably won’t be adding more fuzz pedals into my pedalboard for a while, so I’d like the Muff I get to be versatile

    Is the Rams Head Muff a versatile pedal? Can it go from a great smooth lead tone to a raunchy sort of raw sound, kinda like what Jack White gets out of his Muff. I ask because I think Jack uses the new NYC Reissue model, which I hear kinda sucks for the Gilmour-type lead tone

    I’d love to hear your opinion. Based on my location, it is a bit hard to get a huge selection, and definitely impossible to demo in person. So my choices are between the BYOC/Vick Audio Rams head clones, and a new EHX Big Muff Reissue or a Little Big Muff

    Thanks!

    1. Hi! Thanks a lot for your kind words! Sorry for my late reply. I need to know what guitar, pickups and amp you’re using to be able to suggest a versatile Muff :) Let me know…

      1. Thanks for the reply! :) Ah yes I forgot to mention anything about my rig. I currently play through a Vox AC15 and a Fender Telecaster (with standard single coils)

        I also plan on getting a Fender (or Tweed clone) kind of amp and I play an Ibanez with dual humbuckers as well, so it’ll be great if the same pedal works well with this sort of rig too, but the Vox/Tele combination is my main one

        Waiting to hear your suggestions :)

        1. Hi, again, sorry for my late reply. Been to London to see David at Albert Hall :) An AC15 and Tele isn’t the most ideal setup for replicating David’s Muff tones. Big Muffs needs amps with boosted mids and preferably something less twangy than a Tele to get that smooth violin tone. A ram’s head or triangle might work, depending on how picky you are, but I would suggest a Sovtek style Muff, like the Buffalo FX Patriot or the current Electro Harmonix Bass Muff, which is great! You might also want to consider something a bit more versatile and easy to set up, like the ProCo Rat or the similar Buffalo Evolution.

          1. Lucky you, haha! Thanks for the reply. Yeah I guess it isn’t the ideal rig for Gilmour sounds. I already have a Whiteface RAT but I wanted something more fuzzy. I hadn’t thought about a Sovtek Muff, I’ll check em out. Cheers!

  227. Hey Bjorn,

    Please could I make a request for you to review the new JHS Muffaletta – https://www.jhspedals.com/products/guitar-pedals/muffuletta/

    I’ve requested (here http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/new-jhs-muffuletta-pedal-releasing-today.1613909/page-7#post-20533693) that JHS sends you a pedal for review, hopefully they’ll sort it out ASAP!

    That thing looks and sounds good, covers all the major Muffs from Triangle, Russian to Rams Head, all analoge too! Can’t ask for more than that.

    Be interested to hear what your thoughts are on it as I reckon it could be a game changer for us Gilmour fans!

    Cheers

          1. I’m looking forward to this as well. If it is decent, it could eliminate a lot of room on my pedal board (sorry Buffalo FX – but I have nothing but love for you, as evidenced by me purchasing the excellent product you continue to produce).

            Looking forward to this Bjorn. As always, keep up the excellent work.

  228. Hello Bjorn,

    As always, love the site and I truly appreciate the “Gilmour Wisdom” that you have passed down to the masses. I have a question and a request.

    Question.

    Have you been able to try the new Wren and Cuff Eye See Pi pedal? What era of Big Muff does this pedal strive to sound like?

    Request.

    I was just watching a Paul McCartney video for No More Lonely Nights to see if my son could identify the guitarist playing the solo. I am a proud father because my son said, without hesitation, David Gilmour. Any plans to include a snippet of this solo in any of your future pedal reviews? Any consideration is great appreciated.

    Thank you so much and regards from Texas,

    Carlos

    1. Hi Carlos, sorry for my late reply. Thanks a lot for your kind words! Yes, David is indeed playing in No More Lonely Nights. One of my all time favourites solos! I haven’t tried the Eye See Pi yet but from what I understand it’s a version of the late 70s Op amp Muff, which many of the grunge used in the early 90s. Not that suitable for David’s tones but great sounding anyway :)

  229. Hey Bjorn!! How are things on your side of the world?

    I’ve been looking for a good muff for awhile and was almost considering a Rat or clone as well, and then I found the Arc Effects Big Green PI. It sounds like it can almost don what I’d want from a RAT (heavy distortion a la Thrice), but I definitely want something that can do the “muff” sound well too.

    I had a BYOC Large Beaver awhile back (I’d built it to Triangle specs) and I loved it.

    Have you messed with the Big Green much?

    1. Hi Jason, sorry for my very late reply. The Big Green is based on those old Sovtek Muffs, which has a lot of gain and mid range like the RAT. It’s still very much a Muff though, so you might want to look into the Soothsayer or Muffs like the Iron Bell or Fulltone Velvet Fuzz, which has a bit of both.

      1. No problem on the reply taking a few days man!

        I wasn’t necessarily asking about the Arc taking the place of a Rat or even going for a Gilmour-esque sound, I’ve just been wanting a muff again badly and thought the Big Green sounded amazing. I may still get a Rat at some point (or the BYOC Mouse with all it’s options ;-D ), but I know you like the Soothsayer and thought you might’ve finally messed with the Big Green at some point!

  230. Hi Bjorn,

    Firstly, thank you for putting this site together and for the great insight you provide into the great world of David Gilmour’s tones.

    I am in the process of making my own setup which is based upon your suggestions but I need some help.

    Here is what I plan for my pedal board.

    FUZZ:
    Buffalo FX Patriot

    OVERDRIVE AND DISTORTION:
    CVIII Silicon Fuzz

    UNIVIBE:
    Effectrode Tube-Vibe

    DELAY:
    TC Electronics

    BUFFER:
    Pure Tone

    Based upon the above selection, do you think that the setup will be complete? Would you recommend adding anything?

    Also, what do you make of Effects Boards such as BOSS G10?

    Really appreciate your help.

    Best wishes,

    Carn

    1. Hi Carn! First of all, I’d classify the CVIII as fuzz and the Patriot more as a distortion. In that sense, you might want to look into a dedicated overdrive. A buffer isn’t a must for this rig, considering the modest amount of pedals but it won’t hurt either. If you have to prioritise, I’d look into a modulation of some sort, like a phaser or flanger for those classic Dark Side-Wall tones :)

  231. HI Bjorn,

    Would you mind articulating what you have observed are the tonal/sonic differences between the standard Pig Hoof and the Vick’s Audio ’73 after now having spent some time with them both?

    Sincerest thanks,
    Tony

    1. Well, they’re both Big Muffs but within that tonal family, I’d say they’re very different sounding. The Pig Hoof has a sparkling top, very fat lows and a scooped tone. The Vick is more tamed, smoother and with less lows.

      1. Thank you. And which of the two is most authentic to your trained ear for The Wall/Final Cut tones? Specifically the Solos to studio version of Comfortaby Numb. There seems to a vocal, woodiness to the tone, a clarity that is very clear and focused, and has a certain “click” and “bite” to the attack that isn’t heard in most muff clones today. I do keep in mind that he may well be using other pedals to boost and shape the tone like the Overdriver.

  232. Hi Bjorn, thanks for the great resource (again).

    I’ve come to the decision to sell my Cornish P-2 as I’m looking for something a little more manageable and perhaps versatile. I use a Laney Lionheart 5w and like Animals and Wall eras, but mainly enjoy the Delicate and PULSE tones. Should I be looking at something like the Musket for versatility, or with your experience with the Lionheart, would you advise a better match for my amp? I particularly love the Sorrow Pulse tone, which the P-2 delivers in spades – so I’m also considering the Buffalo Patriot. Would you go for nailing the one tone you love or would you go for versatility?

    One more thing, selling the P-2 could allow me to buy a distortion too…undecided on the Soothsayer or Evolution…any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    Thank you again for your time and efforts!!!

    1. Hi Jonathan! Thanks for your kind words! A distortion is, in my opinion, a much more versatile pedal than a Muff. You get a much wider range of tones. The Evolution would probably cover most of what you need. Having said that, I don’t think any pedal out there sound as close to David’s 94 Muff tones as the Buffalo Patriot. Cheers!

  233. Hi Bjorn,
    Recently I started review of my pedals collection and get rid of effects that I have doubled or bought to check it am not using them.
    During this cleaning I started to wonder which pedal would be better to keep: Buffalo FX Evo or Pete Cornish G-2? Both are great for me but generally one would be sufficient for me :).
    Could you and all members share your thoughts on this quite difficult decision?

    Thanks! Wojciech

    1. Oh… It’s more or less the same pedal so I guess you need to trust your ears on that one. Which pedal sound the best on your guitar and amp? I’d go for the Evo but only because that one sounds better on my rig.

  234. emmettgallagher

    hi, curious if you have any experience with the Chicago Stompworks pedals? ram/moose pie/civil war. thanks for the extensive and well-researched site! i have a russian big muff right now (black, tall version) which i’ve had worked on 3 times, but it still has issues clicking in and out of volume, so i need something more reliable, with that sort of sustain and dark but potentially just a little brighter. was thinking Little Big Muff. want to keep on a budget so i can get a complementary fuzz pedal (thinking simple dunlop fuzzface). also any experience with the keeley psi fuzz? it seems to do an op amp muff sound really well, but i don’t have much frame of reference.

    best,
    emmett

    1. Hi Emmett! I don’t have eny experience with the Psi Fuzz but the Little Big Muff and the Tone Wicker, both from EHX, is somewhat similar to the Sovtek but with a bit more top end. You might also want to look into the EHX Bass Muff, which is the closest you get to the old green Sovtek pedals. There aren’t that many good sounding budget Muffs on the market but if you step up a notch, it’s worth looking into the Vick Audio 73 ram’s head and some of the North Effects stuff.

      1. hi Bjorn,
        I didn’t get to say thanks for the reply! I do like what I’ve heard of the Vick audio 73 Rams head and also their triangle muff, they both have a ton of character! now to decide which;) thanks again.

        best,
        emmett

  235. Phenomenal site! Does Gilmour know about you….he should. You are incredibly generous with your time and knowledge. My question…I have a strat with lollar “dirt face” pups (blackface/blackface/special in bridge) {not to be confused with the “dirty blonde” which is blonde/blonde/special. So pups (per lollar site) = classic strat tone, full body & punch, prominent midrange, clear treble, and full bass with piano like attack. I’m playing thru tweed amps at moment..tremolux and deluxe. So prominent midrange pickups and tweed amps. Bedroom/small gigs. So the question (finally), which muff would you recommend with this set up? I absolutely love the Patriot demo you did, as well as all the others for that matter. (Other pedals I’m using are tc flashback, keeley compressor, wampler clarksdale)

    thanks so much for your time.
    eric

    1. Hi Eric! Thanks for your kind words! I’m sure David is aware that there is a huge community out there… but I’m not so sure he cares :) I would usually recommend a Muff with a bit more mids than the early 70s models. The Patriot has more mids and low end, which would work nicely on Fenders. That being said, to get that throaty sound with the sustain you hear on my clip, you really need a loud Hiwatt or similar – amps that has lots of headroom and mid range. Muffs, like any pedal, will sound different on differently voiced amps. You could also go for a so-called stacked model, like the Skreddy P19 or MojoHand Iron Bell, which are designed to sound like a Muff+booster setup. These also have more mids. Last, I also recommend the Vick Audio ’73 ram’s head. It has a mids switch that should work nicely.

      1. Thanks so much for the info and quick response Bjorn. I’ve spent days now frequenting your site. Top notch brother.

  236. Thanks, Bjorn. One last question on this topic, before I place an order, if possible:
    How does the Pih Hoof MKII from Electric Orange compare to the Evolution? Is it an overlap, an addition or is the PIg Hoof MKII not suitable for Humbuckers?

    1. The MkII goes well with humbuckers. That was bit of the intention to make it a versatile Muff and not as overwhelming as some of the others. It’s typically Muff though and the Evolution sounds much more like a conventional distortion, with a tube amp quality. I wouldn’t say they overlap.

      1. Thanks Bjorn!
        Is the MKII compareble to the Buffalo Ramshead? Would the Buffalo Ramshead go well with Humbuckers?

          1. Please, which of those two would you recommend (not especially for Gilmour’s sound, but as an addition to overdrive/fuzz-pedals)?

            1. I would perhaps go for the Buffalo – or the Pig Hoof MkI. The MkII is great, I love it, but it’s not your typical Big Muff. It has less gain and low end and it’s really tailored for recording.

  237. Hi,
    first of all thanks for your detailed reviews and the time you are spending for us users.
    I am looking for a fuzz, which works well with humbuckers since I play mostly Les Pauls. I have a couple of overdrives, but want to add a different color to the sound by using a fuzz. I am using a Wampler Velvet Fuzz now, but find only few settings useful. I don’t want to have it overly compressed an muddy. I am using an amp, which is not total clean (some kind of dirt clean) an like to boost the fuzz with boost or od. You mentioned the Iron Bell going well with humbuckers, but you rated it low in combination with a boost pedals.
    Could you give me a recomendation for a alternative to the Velvet Fuzz, considering, that I am located in Central Europe, so not all choices are available for a considerable price.
    If you don’t mind a second question – do you have any opinon on the Skreddy Hybrid Fuzz Driver or the Blackout Effectors Twosome Fuzz?

    1. The Velvet Fuzz is more a Big Muff, tweaked for a bit more of everything. I like fairly moderate sounding fuzz pedals for humbuckers, like the Fuzz Phrase from Jam Pedals or similar sounding germanium fuzzes. The Hybrid and Twosome are pretty aggressive, although you can tweak them for a variety of sounds. I have never tried these with humbuckers so I can’t really tell how that sound.

      1. Hello Bjorn,
        thank you for your answer! Maybe it is more a “Muff”-like sound I am looking for – I am not very experienced, had only tons of ODs till now. I like one setting with the Velvet Fuzz very much, but only with the bridge PUs and low gain-setting (Tight side – the Big-side is really too much and sounds muddy).
        Would one of the Buffalo-Pedals go well with Humbuckers eg. the “Evolution”? Or the Pih Hoof MKII? I think, both pedals are built in Europe, which I would prefer (Euro-Dollar-rate is not too good to buy from the states at the moment).
        If you don’t mind to answer once again?
        Best Wishes
        Helmut

        1. The Evolution is a perfect match for humbuckers. You can tweak that thing from warm overdrive to creamy distortion and almost fuzz. Highly recommended!

  238. Also, how would you suggest to setup that two for song like Time, where David uses overdrive alone for rhythm and put a Muff on the top for the solo? Should Musket have less gain in that case (if yes, less PRE or less FUZZ)
    Thank You!
    Dmitry

        1. Try the setup I suggested in my previous reply and go from there. For a more fuzz kind of tone, I’d increase the tone, add a bit of focus and perhaps a bit of the pre as well.

  239. Hello, Bjorn

    Could you please help me with using a Musket with BD-2. because I`m getting lost!
    What is the better way of controlling the gain? I usually set up a Musket: PRE about 11 and FUZZ about 2, and BD-2 as a booster with low gain and high volume.
    Or is it better to set Musket with low gain and add gain with BD-2? How should I deal with PRE knob in that way?
    Honestly, that PRE knob confuses me very much…
    I`m looking for two tones – THE WALL and GDANSK.
    I`m using a Am Strat with CS69/CS69/SSL5 – MXR Dynacomp – Musket – BD-2 – CE-5 – MXR Phase 90 – TC Nova delay

    Thank You!
    Dmitry

    1. What kind of amp are you using? The amount of gain should be the total between your amp and the Musket and BD2. I’d start with the pre, mids and focus all the way down/off and focus on the fuzz, tone and volume. Try to get a nice tone from your amp and set the three controls on the Musket to as close as you can get to your desired tone. Use the pre, mids and focus controls to further enhance the tone and compensate for what might be lacking. You probably don’t need to use a booster, since these three controls should give you the boost you need. If you do want to use the BD2 I’d set it as clean as possible.

  240. Hi Bjorn,
    Hello from the Arizona desert! Hope this finds you well and happy. No questions today. I just picked up a genuine EHX/Sovtek Civil War BMP in killer condition for a great price. It got here this morning. I’ve been playing all day and I had to tell someone who would really understand how excited I am. No one here does. You understand, don’t you? It really is as wonderful as all the music/gear pundits say it is. In this day and age, it is so refreshing when something actually lives up to the hype, and perhaps exceeds it. Maybe this is because I’m listening to this pedal in my own personal musical space for the first time. I also have a damn-near mint EHX/Sovtek Bubble Font, which honestly, to my very damaged ears, sounds very, very close to the Civil War, yet slightly different. I love them both, for different reasons. My Sovteks are, by far, the quietest of all my “BMP” pedals. I have three other BMP clones and two Frantone variants (The Sweet and Cream Puff). They are all very noisy pedals. I’m worried about the crappy plastic 1/4 inch cable receptacles on the EHX/CW, though. Very fragile. Anyhow, my brother, we love you, and thank you for all you do. It is so appreciated!!!

    Best Regards,
    Bruce

  241. Hi, Bjorn! Which shall I choose between the bass muff and Moore triangle muff while I own a Moore black secret and an OD808 for booster/overdrive? I’m looking for the one brighter and can give better sustain.
    Thanks in advance!:)

    1. I’d get the Bass Muff. It has a nice amount of gain and a lot of sustain. The OD808 would probably be too dark for boosting but the Bass Muff should work nicely on its own.

      1. I bought a mojo hand colossus eventually,incited by my local dealer.
        He recommended Mojo colossus,box of war and ram’s head from Wren and Cuff to me, but with the price of W&C ram’s head I can buy a colossus PLUS a Vick audio ram’s head…So I chose the colossus and I’ve used it for several days.
        The tone colossus alone is quite good, but not THAT good. Maybe I need a good booster? Will Mooer blue mood do the work?Thx in advance again!:)
        And as long as I’m not satisfied by the colossus tone, I ordered a Vick audio ram’s head abroad(It would take 2~6 months, that’s why I didn’t consider this pedal at first) before I realized a booster might make the colossus sound right…My poor wallet!! :((

        1. As I’m sure you know, Big Muffs can sound very different between amps. It all depends on what tone you are looking for. Some amps are better suited with Muffs, or at least in terms of replicating David Gilmour tones, than others. The Colossus is kind of a mix between the late 70s OP amp Muffs and the Sovteks, which is perhaps more suited for early 90s grunge than Gilmour. Still, you should be able to tweak it for some nice PULSE tones. The Vick is a more versatile Muff I think but again, it depends on your amp as well.

  242. hello,

    I did not make up my mind in choosing my new Fuzz, I hesitate between two models: Vick Audio RAM 73 or Buffalo Patriot!

    I play on a Stratocaster, my Pedalboard:

    PolyTune-> Dyna Comp -> Fuzz -> Tube Driver -> OCD -> Phaser 90 -> Deluxe Electric Mistress -> Flashback X4 -> Hall Of Fame -> Hiwatt DG-504

    Thank you for your help
    Dominique

    1. Hi Dominique! What sort of fuzz or Big Muff tones are you looking for? I’d get the Vick for 1977-83 Animals > Final Cut tones and the Patriot for PULSE :)

      1. Dominique Dubourg

        Hi Bjorn,

        Thank you for the quick response from you and congratulations on your new site, which is really an inexhaustible source of knowledgeable information.

        I seek the sound of Pulse, so I’ll take your advice and take the Buffalo Patriot.

        As I completely redo my pedalboard, I will take to replace my old Evidence Audio cables by the French importer advises me to take Reveal instead of Melody, what do you think?

        For jacks have you tested the SIS seamless?

        When all this is over, I’d do a little article in your post to help our musician friends.

        musically
        Dominique

        1. Thank you, Dominique :) I’m using Reveals my self. They have the same tonal quality as the Melody but they’re a bit more flexible and doesn’t curl up as easily. The SIS cables are really great. Highly recommended :)

          1. Hi Bjorn,

            thank you for the clarification on the cable and connectors SIS, I’ll order the cables and SIS sheets.

            I like to know your opinion, I have a Deluxe Electric Mistress and I vied to replace it with a Effectrode Tube Vibe that seems clearly superior.

            Best regard
            Dominique

            1. Two very different pedals. The Mistress, as you know, is a flanger, while the Tube Vibe is a clone of the old UniVibe phaser. They sound different and cover different ground. Both are great pedals so if you ask me, I’d keep both :)

  243. Hi!
    2 quick questions…

    If the Deluxe Muff is ONE MUFF TO RULE THEM ALL(!) then why does it not get 10s right across the board? I’ve not tried it but if it can be ANY muff then can I sell my other DIY Muff Clones & buy a Deluxe?

    What are your thoughts on the BASS Deluxe Muff for Guitars, please?

    Cheers & once again -GREAT ‘site!
    ;-D

    1. Hi! I never said that it’s the One Muff to rule them all :) It’s no doubt a versatile Muff but whether or not you like it or think it sound as good as some of the many clones out there is totally up to you. I gave it 8/10 based on tone and versatility. Haven’t tried the Bass Deluxe.

  244. First of all, I’m just now discovering your site in depth. Your knowledge of Gilmour’s tone is truly impressive as is your ability to play his solos impeccably.

    My playing style owes a lot to Gilmour and I’m looking to get a Big Muff-esque pedal after reading this article. I currently have a Big Muff Tone Wicker. It’s a nice enough pedal on it’s own but for Gilmour tones it leaves something to be desired.

    I play a Strat style guitar (EBMM Silhouette) with a HSH combination loaded with a Duncan Antiquity in the middle and Whole Lotta Humbuckers in neck and bridge. My amp is a Bogner Goldfinger combo. Obviously, it’s not gonna REALLY sound like any of the recordings without a Strat with single coils. But for someone like me, who perhaps doesn’t have the idea guitar for the sound, which pedal would you recommend?

    Oh, and I have an Xotic AC Booster I generally use as an OD/Boost.

    1. Hi Max, thanks for your kind words! In your case, with the humbuckers, I’d go for something a bit more versatile than a Big Muff, which will probably get a you a lot closer to David’s tones. The Buffalo Evolution us based on the Pete Cornish G2, which you can hear all over the Live 8 and Gdansk shows. It sounds like a mix between a Big Muff and a RAT and it can easily double as an overdrive. Similar pedals would be a RAT, the Fulltone OCD or similar clones.

  245. Hey Bjorn! I have the opportunity to buy either the Triangle Buff or the Bass Muff for about the same price. What would you recommended for tones more The Wall-ish? And how do they compare regarding versatility? Thanks!

  246. Hi Bjorn
    Your new site is beautiful and perfect. I love.
    I have a question for a long time about the Gilmour’s show during the 50th anniversary of the stratocaster for Marooned:
    Is David had a whammy pedal or an expression pedal ?
    And what is the part of the pedal board on the left side (an additional small pedalboard) that Gilmour Gilmour switch (on or off?) at the End off Marooned ?
    Have you an answer? Thank you.
    Good Luck for your show In Helmond !.
    Regards

    1. Hi Jean-Pierre! David’s using a customised Ernie Ball volume pedal that’s assigned to a Digitech IPS33B rack unit for whammy effects. The smaller “satellite” board, feature two EQs and the on/off switch for the MXR Digital Delay rack unit.

  247. Hi Bjorn,

    Thanks for putting all this info together! Out of curiosity, how would you compare the Blackout Effectors Musket and the Vick Audio 73′ Rams Head? Both have my eye, and I’m curious what you would have to say if both were put side by side.

    Thanks!
    Rob

    1. Two very different Muffs. The Ram’s Head is based on the classic early 70s model, with a scooped and bright tone.The Musket is close to the Sovtek versions, with much more mids and an overall darker tone. You can boost the mids on the Vick, with the on board mids boost but it’s still two different pedals.

  248. I have a question, In the Sorrow last solo from Pulse, The Cs2 Works as a Compressor or as a Booster?, and The Tube Driver 1 is just a booster or distorts the signal too?

    1. The CS2 acts as a compressor, with the level set to about unity. The Tube Driver 1 is a booster or EQ for the Muff.

  249. Hey Bjorn, I know it has to do with mixing and the nature of recording but, why does the Big Muff sound so bright in Animals but soooo bassy and full in bootleggings? Cheers

    1. It’s all about mic placement, amp and pedal settings and mixing. Animals was mixed bright and hard to underline the aggressive music. David used the exact same setup for Final Cut but the approach was very different, hence the more natural and warmer tone. Wall is somewhere in between.

      1. Hi Bjorn/
        I have a vick audio Rams head into a laney cub 12 head with a 112 cab which has a celestion v30
        I can’t seem to get a tone out of the vick that sounds smooth and like the tone I imagine – it always seems too dark or too scooped
        Am I just not used to it or what settings should I try? I really don’t want to start selling and buying different ones as I like to get the best out of what I’ve got
        I have a bd2 so could boost it ?
        Also when I use the electric mistress or eleclady with it I find it overwhelming – is that because it’s mono and theres no mix ? When I can afford it im going to run a stereo setup with the mistress on one side .
        And get a chorus pedal with a mix knob – probably the costalab.
        Anyway , great site: I get good tones out of my setup for myself – it’s just those animals tones I can’t seem to get . Maybe those album and live bootleg tones are just too elusive ? Or I don’t have the fingers haha
        Maybe the chase is the fun and once I be mailed it its all over
        I have tickets to see he great man for this year maybe I should ask Him haha
        Thanks again
        Ps great album you released
        Sean

        1. Thank you, Sean! Have you tried to engage the mids boost switch on the Vick? It shouldn’t sound scooped with the flat or boost mode. Big Muffs are always a bit hard to make work properly on smaller amps and low volume so although I think the Vick works great with most smaller tube amps you always need to keep in mind that you can’t replicate the tone of a loud Hiwatt rig.

  250. Hey,

    I’m thinking about buying a new distortion pedal or a muff. Which pedal would you recommend? I have neighbours so I have to play with bedroom level. What would you consider a good choice to buy?
    The mooer triangle muff, proco rat or the byoc large beaver? and what kind of boost/overdrive would you recommend?

    greetings Ed

      1. I’ve got a american deluxe strat with a little marshall valvestate 10 amp.
        I mostly play pink floyd but like to play other styles aswell so something versatile but gets also close to gilmour’s tone.

        1. Sorry for my late reply, Ed. Between the pedals you mention I’d go for the RAT. Check out the Mooer Black Secret as well. Great sounding clone. I also recommend the Buffalo FX Evolution. Boosterwise I’d go for something versatile like the Boss BD2 or TC Sparkle Boost. I’d stay away from Muffs, fuzz and vintage style boosters as your amp may have a hard time making them work.

          1. Thanks for your answer!

            And what about the iron bell?
            Sorry for the many questions but I want to make sure I spend my money well.

            1. The Iron Bell is somewhat in between. It’s got that Muff character, with a bit more mids and an overall darker tone. Well worth a try :)

  251. Hi Bjorn. Great new look to the website! Quick question for you: on Pigs, what do you think the rhythm overdrive tone is…..a big muff with guitar volume rolled back or the powerbooster…..maybe something else?! I have been trying to get that tone for years and have failed!!!

  252. Hey Bjorn, love the updated site. Quick question: I’m interested in buying a big muff and I’m looking at the Bass Big Muff and The Tone Wicker one. The Bass BM has a higher rating, I’ve tried one out and it will give me the tones I want, but the tone wicker seems like it could be more versatile. Opinion? Will the tone wicker give me that green russian sound that the Bass BM has? For reference, I’m looking to replicate Gilmour’s PULSE tones.

    Thanks,

    Matt

    1. Hi Matt! The Tone Wicker has a few more options but I don’t think the tone of the pedal is as suited for replicating David Gilmour’s tones as the Bass Muff. It’s very close to the old Sovtek models and great for that PULSE era.

      1. What do you know about the Deluxe Big Muff? It has what looks like the circuitry of the bass big muff with another foot switch for additional mids. Have you tried it and would this work for Gilmour’s PULSE tones?

        Thanks,

        Matt

  253. Hi Bjorn,

    What would be your choice for a straight 1971 Triangle Big Muff?
    Mooer Tri Buff? Vick Triangle ? Another one?

    Did you try the Vick? Is it a straight clone with the toggle on scooped? Or is it a bit darker compared to the original (like the Vick 73 rams which is darker than the original rams head)?

    Thanks and regards

    1. I haven’t had the chance to try the Vick yet so I can’t really tell. I need to talk to Mike about that one :) The one I always come back to is the BYOC Large Beaver triangle.

  254. Bjorn,

    You owe to yourself to try the Basic Audio Tri-Ram. Hands down the best Muff clone I have ever tried. I’ve tried slews of Muffs over the years trying to nail that elusive ‘The Wall’ tone. Many come close, but for me, this is the only one that truly nails it. Tonally balanced, clear & articulate, with huge lows, adjustable mids, perfect amount of crisp top end with biting highs, great sustain and tons of volume on tap.

    [Thanks for the tip :) I haven’t tried that one yet. What amp and guitar/pickups are you using it with? – Bjorn]

    1. Works great through any amp I’ve tried that takes pedals well, Hiwatt, Twin, Bassman and even Blues Junior. I run a 50’s Classic Series Strat loaded with Dave Allen Echoes. In your opinion which Muff clone have you tried thus far that really gets that clear, singing, biting Wall/Final Cut tone?

        1. I tried the Vick’s Audio side by side with the Tri-Muff and the Tri-Muff won hands down. Of course, that’s my opinion. If you do order a Tri-Muff, I would ask them to shave off a bit of bass, since I know you prefer your Muffs boosted.

  255. Dear Bjorn,

    where is the new deluxe big muff? It is truly a gem!

    Kind regards,
    Bjorn

    [I haven’t done the 2015 issue of the guide yet… it’s coming :) – Bjorn]

  256. Hi Bjorn

    This is my first question since a found this blog (about 2007).
    My question is about the Electro Harmonix Germanium 4 Big Muff:

    My guitar have EMG active pickups, and i don’t know if this pedal will sound like a FuzzFace. I know that Fuzzes don’t like Active Pickups. So, this pedal is a Muff or a Fuzz?

    Sorry my bad english.

    Best wishes,
    Arthur

    [It’s not really a Muff but more a germanium fuzz, which has a more overdrive character. Warmer and milder compared to a Muff. The EMGs should work nicely with it as it has a more modern circuit. – Bjorn]

  257. Hi Bjorn,

    Just curious. Are you familiar with Basic Audio’s latest muff, the Alter-Destiny? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

    And, another quick question please. Inspired by a thread on all-Boss pedalboards on TGP, I’m wondering if you were to suggest an all-Boss Gilmour pedalboard, what Boss pedals would you choose? I know this doesn’t quite fit with with this muff page, but I didn’t know where else to ask this! This is a ‘theoretical’ question because I’m using all kinds of brands – but would be interested in your ideas on this.

    Thanks once again for your time and wisdom. Your reviews and the discussion on Gilmourish pages have been very helpful for me over the past couple of years.

    [Thanks for your kind words, Bern! Haven’t had the chance to try the Alter-Destiny yet so I can’t comment on that. You can definitely set up an all Boss board for David’s tones. Sadly, many of the Boss pedals he’s used over the years are no longer made but if you’re not too picky there are similar pedals in the current Boss catalog. BD2 Wasa Craft for cleaner overdrives, SD1 Wasa Craft for Tube Driver overdrives, DS1 for lead tones, RT20 for rotary and chorus modulation, DD20 for vintage and modern delays. That should cover most of his tones. I don’t think Boss have any suitable phaser, flanger and vibes. – Bjorn]

  258. Hi Bjorn

    Just wondering if you have had the chance to try out Arc Effects, Big Green. I am curious to know your opinion of this pedal. I’m trying to decide whether to buy this or the Buffalo FX Patriot.

    I’m currently playing a CIJ ’57 RI Strat through a ’73 SF Fender Twin with Eminence Legends speakers. The Strat has Sliders 59/SRV pups in it at the moment.

    Any thoughts?

    PS Like your new solo album, beautiful tones happening on it, love your playing.

    Cheers

    [Thanks for your kind words, Paul! Never tried the Big Green but I can’t really praise the Patriot enough… :) – Bjorn]

  259. Is the Skreddy P19 a fuzz or a Muff. I am looking for a fuzz for bedroom use and I have doubts on:

    The Skreddy P19. The Caroline Guoitar Olimpya Fuzz and the El Musico Loco Wee Beaver Fuzz.

    I appreciate you suggestions. (I like not only Guilmour sounds, but Hendrix, Page, Cream or eve today Jack White). Just for better understanding, I have a Casino 65 Elitist (so Gibson P90 pick ups), a Prince of Tone Analogman Overdrive, a Maxon AD999 Delay and a Carl Martin Headroom Reverb plugged to a 5w Gretsch valve amp.

    Thank you very much from Spain

    [Both the P19 and Wee Beaver are Big Muffs so if you want a versatile fuzz pedal, the Caroline is a great choice. – Bjorn]

  260. Hey Bjorn,
    I’ve been reading and listening to sound clips of the new J Rockett’s Archer buffered pedal which is a Klon Centaur clone. I was thinking if it may be possibly to use the archer instead of the Buffalo Effects’ power booster with a Big Muff to get an authentic Gilmour tone?

    I know you probably have not used the Archer, but based on your years of experience using and reviewing numerous pedals, would you think this can be achieved?

    [Depends on the amp and what Muff you use but in general, Klon pedals (clones and originals) have a bit too much mid range to be used as a booster for high gain pedals. You might get some nice sounds if you set it all clean but again it depends on the voicing of your amp. I always recommend using a transparent booster when combining with Muffs. – Bjorn]

  261. Hey Bjorn!

    Happy new year! I just came across your Fletcher Memorial Home video on youtube and was wondering which pedal gives you that whine on the lower notes? Is that primarily the blues driver or the Muff or something else like amp settings etc..? I have a Keeley BD-2 and a Skreddy P-19 but for some reason I just can’t get that whine.

    And if I could make a request for a FAQ write up on how to correctly use Overdrives and Muff pedals together. I too have a Keeley Blues Driver but I don’t use it to it’s potential. I’m guessing using it as a boost for my P-19 isn’t the best. Maybe a more transparent boost would be better for the P-19 and Wall / Final Cut type tones?

    Keep up the good work, Bjorn!

    [Hi Bryan! The P19 doesn’t really need a booster as it’s a so-called stacked pedal. It was designed to produce the tone you get from combining a ram’s head Muff with a Colorsound Powerbooster, so it already has the qualities of a Muff+booster. In the clip I’m using the BD2 to just roll off some overtones. It’s set to unity volume and with the gain rolled all the way down. What you hear is mainly the Sovtek Big Muff. – Bjorn]

  262. Re: Unmuffle your muff.

    Thought I’d share my experience in using the muff in a bedroom setting. Many have noted the tone problems at low volumes (inarticulate and dark).

    I solved this by simply placing a Boss GE-7 graphic EQ after it.

    I use the BYOC Ram’s Head and decided to use the #4 setting which bypasses the tone circuit. This allowed me to get an unadulterated tone into my EQ. I scooped the mids (the defining characteristic of the muff), left the low frequencies untouched, and boosted the upper frequencies (1.6k to 6.4k) by about 5 decibels. This brightened things up, improved note definition, and miraculously transformed the low end making it tight and massive (no more woolly fluff but Marshall stack tight!). In fact, I don’t hear much tone difference at any volume now.

    If you are using the 1st setting on the BYOC, or a typical muff which already has the mid scoop, you can just boost the top end.

    The EQ even helped me overcome the problems that are inherent in using an attenuator. My little 4watt amp is still too loud for home use so I’m forced to attenuate to a large degree (all the way down to 1 in fact). This has the unwanted affect of reducing treble.

    My suggestion to anyone that can’t crank the amp at home with the muff is too simply get and EQ!

    I’m happy to say the least and a bit indignant at myself because my EQ’s always been a part of my rig lol.

    Good luck.

    [Thanks for sharing, Nick! – Bjorn]

  263. Hi Bjorn!

    I just found a smoking hot cover of Comfortably Numb on youtube, check it out! His tone is about as close as you can get to my ears, I can’t quite make out what’s on his pedalbaord but it looks like a dd 20, electric mistress and Red Muck. Sounds Awesome!

    [And the link? – Bjorn]

  264. Hello Bjorn,

    I’ve seen that Electronic orange has shipped to you their new Pig Hoof , with an upgrated enclosure.
    ANy differences with the previous one?

    Would you know what’s happening at electronic orange? I’ve sent at least 10 mails to them since the beginning of december, and still no answer. What’s happening over there?

    So I’m starting to look at the Vick audio 73, and I am even more interested in you custom model (seen on your facebook page), less dark.
    Is this custom model closer to the Pig Hoof, the Pete Cornish P-1, and the Famous Gilmour Violet rams Head ?……

    Best regards,
    Sleep well

    Sebastien
    “JE SUIS CHARLIE”

    [The new Pig Hoof is the same pedal. Just a new enclosure. I think Electronic Orange is closed for the majority of December and perhaps January. They usually answer right away so hang in there :) The new Vick is an early 70s ram’s head. Warmer and smoother than a Violet. – Bjorn]

  265. hi bjorn

    this is the first post ive done,firstly this site is wonderful thanks to you for sharing all your knowledge and thoughts. I need some advise if possible,i have everything I need for my rig except
    a muff and booster pedals I know how important these are for the Gilmour sound so I really want to make the right choice.

    57 reissue strat emg sa
    costa lab chorus
    eleclady flanger
    strymon el capistain
    fender blues junior iii

    what muff/booster or overdrive pedals would you recommend would a rams head be to harsh for the blues junior? what about the patriot? or anything else ,my fav Gilmour tones are the wall but I like all his tones ,I play at home and small venues

    many thanks nick

    [Hi Nick! The Patriot would probably be your best choice as ram’s head models can be a bit too bright for Fender amps. You might also want to check out the MojoHand Iron Bell, which is kind of a mix between a Muff and RAT. Very versatile. For boost and overdrive, check out the Buffalo Powerbooster or for something closer to the Tube Driver, check out the Wampler PlexiDrive. – Bjorn]

  266. Dear Bjorn,

    The above article is very useful for us all trying to achieve somehow THE TONE FROM HEAVEN, but in my case i have in my possession a NYC made BIG MUFF (contemporary model) which i agree with what you say above it is quite buzzy, boomy, and somewhat choked sustain(long but choked).I also recently wanted to give a try on the “green” bass big muff which also after i tested it agree with what you say, but partially. Because it is quite better in terms of distortion/sustain compared to the NYC model muff for guitar, but it has an obvious volume drop compared to the NYC muff and less gain/sustain, at least in my opinion and my ears.I tested both muffs on a fender hot rod deluxe MK I amp,with MIJ Fender strat in combination with MXR DYNACOMP, and also the pedals alone each one.Do you think there is any solution with that negative of bass big muff so as to turn its disadvantages to my advantage and create the perfect muff(for me and my rig)or should I look again for something else,and what are your recommendations.

    Thanks a lot.

    Keep up the good work!!

    [I haven’t experienced the same issues that you describe but the Bass Muff is indeed a different sounding pedal compared to the NYC model. Be careful combining Muffs and compressors. If you do, make sure that the compressor is set mild. The Muff has a lot of gain, which is in essence a very compressed tone so too high settings would only create a less dynamic tone. Check out the Vick Audio ’73 Muff for more vintage tones or the Buffalo Evolution for something more versatile. – Bjorn]

  267. Hi Bjorn, I hope all is well.

    I have a Big Muff w/ Tone Wicker and I was wondering if it could get close to the live Gdansk and Royal Albert Hall muff tones? Did you have any preferred settings like the wicker or tone switch on or off? I’m stuggling to get some Gilmour sounds out of it. I’m thinking of selling it and getting a Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head, it’s very cheap considering how good it sounds. Would that pedal work for Gdansk/Royal Albert Hall tones? Also I have a Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face, is it true that you have to run it on carbon batteries to get the best tones out of it or is that just for germanium fuzz faces? I hate running pedals on batteries haha, thank you!

    [Very sorry for my late reply, Benjamin. Whether or not a Muff works depends very much on the amp but in general I’d say that the Wicker is not the ideal Gilmour Muff. The Vick is definitely closer to what you’re searching for. Vintage style fuzz circuits sound better with non-alknaline batteries. The tone is warmer, with more harmonics. – Bjorn]

  268. I purchased a killer Ram’s Head clone made by aussies Doom In Analog in Australia. It’s a very Floyd friendly pedal, the mids aren’t too scooped but they very nicely with ample sustain and the tone is very usable going from a slight crisp crunch to thunderous lows. Works very well with smaller combo amps as well as half stack and higher wattage amps.

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  269. Yeah, that’s what made me ask. I was looking over on your personal site, saw it on your board, and then went back checked out the review again. With Christmas coming, I’ve been diggin through looking at pricing on several of the pedals you’ve reviewed, and for the most part, they’re way out of my price range. The Vick RH is surprisingly affordable. What type of pedal would you recommend after it, a TS type, or something more transparent? I’m eyeing Vick Audio’s Overdriver reproduction, as well as the RH.

    [Big Muffs should be boosted or blended with transparent overdrives. A TS, with it’s boosted mid range, would make the Muff sound choked and too muddy. – Bjorn]

  270. Bjorn, I’d be interested to see how the Vick Audio 73 Ram’s Head would fit in with all these others. Sounded great in the review, and it’s one of the more affordable clones out there.

    [I’ll update the guides early next year. The Vick is on my studio board and I think it’s one of the best sounding Muffs I’ve ever played :) – Bjorn]

  271. Hi Bjorn,

    I know you are very busy but i’m looking for a muff or a fuzz for my husband (for x-mas!) He plays with a Princeton reverb reissue and strat am special with texas special pick-up. He is a fan of Buffalo pedals but is it a good choice?? What should I buy…evolution? Patriot? or what else?

    Thanks for taking in my questions and congrats for your album!

    Macha

    [Hi Macha! Big Muffs tend to sound a bit bright with Fender amps so I’d either go for a darker sounding model, like the Patriot, or a more versatile distortion, with more mid range (which the Fender lack) like the Evolution. In this case I think I’d go for the Evolution :) – Bjorn]

  272. A very good Muff-clone I’ve come across recently is the Silver Wizard made by Doom In Analog. Its a very good combination of a Triangle and Ram’s Head Muff with a very soft but thunderous low end and a slight mid-scoop but not to the point where it lacks any. The treble is very tamed and super responsive allowing for full bends and double stop leads to be heard when the pedal is turned on its head. The pedal is made in Australia and I got it for about 110 bucks US so I really recommend anyone looking for a combination of Triangle and Ram’s Head Muff clones.

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  273. Hi Bjorn,

    I have a Big Muff with Tone Wicker and an original Ibanez TS808 and when I boost the muff with the tube screamer it sounds like someone threw a blanket over my amp, should I place the tube screamer before my muff in the signal chain instead? I know you advise having the muff before the overdrive, I’m assuming that’s how Gilmour himself does it as well. Are there any noticeable differences in tones or characteristics with the Muff?

    Thanks heaps Bjorn! I’ll be purchasing your solo album soon hopefully, very keen!

    [Hi Angus! I think your problem is the 808. It’s a great stand alone overdrive but it’s not a very good booster pedal with its pronounced mid range. It makes the Muff choke up. I’d get a second overdrive unit that’s more transparent, like the Boss BD2 or Buffalo FX Powerboost and use it for boosting, placed after the Muff. – Bjorn]

  274. I didn’t check to see if my question was answered in the previous comments, but how does the ENO BMF stack up against these comparisons of the Muffs and Muff clones?

    [I haven’t tried it so I can’t really tell. – Bjorn]

  275. I would love to send you one of our modified NYC Big Muffs.
    I started out by converting these to version 2 Rams Head, but later did some personal tweaks.

    [Please use the contact form on this site and send me a message, with some product info and I’ll have a look :) Thanks! – Bjorn]

  276. Thanks :) quick question: how similar are the power booster and the tube driver? Are they quite similar? Can one get close to ones tone than the other? I’m asking this because I read somewhere that they are essentially very similar pedals as they have the same characteristics like the Coloursound. Which one would you truly suggest, with a Cub12R type amp and specially the muff?

    [They’re similar in the sense that they both have a very scooped and transparent tone, which means that they don’t have a lot of mid range. Otherwise, I’d say that they’re two distinctly different pedals. The Colorsound has a brighter tone, with more headroom and an overall more glassy tone. The Tube Driver has a more amp-like tone, with a smoother breakup and a natural tube compression. – Bjorn]

  277. Thanks for the comment. I’ll probably get a power booster from Steve, since it has the voltage doubler and gives better headroom. On your new website you mention that your main distortion tone comes from the Tube driver + second overdrive. Can similar tones be achieved from using the Dover drive + power booster? Or shall that muddy the tone? I was thinking of using my DBM + power booster for 90’s Gilmour tones and the Dover drive + power booster for slightly different but equally interesting tones? Is this possible? Or would you suggest a soul food to go with the DD?

    [The Dover is voiced with emphasis on the mids, like Eric Johnson prefer it. It’s very different from how David’s using the Tube Driver. Pairing it up with the Powerbooster sounds OK but a bit too muddy in my opinion. I guess a BD2 or PlexiDrive paired with a Powerbooster or the Soul Food would be better… or at least be closer to how the sounds I get :) – Bjorn]

  278. Thanks for the list Bjorn. I’m specifically chasing the Pulse/Division bell/DSoT tone. I would love to get the Throwbak but it’s slightly beyond my budget. How does the Electronic Orange banana boost compare with your list above, say with the spark booster?
    If you had to pick one booster pedal to go with the deluxe big muff for the above tones, which true bypass pedal will you choose ? Apologies for my persistence- but I really would like to nail the 90’s Gilmour sound as closely as possible :)

    [You could go with the Boss BD2. That’s probably the cheapest alternative and it sounds great! The Bananaboost is very similar to both the ThroBak and Buffalo. The Spark Boost is a clean boost and doesn’t have any gain. It works well but personally I prefer a booster with more gain for versatility. – Bjorn]

  279. Thank you so much for this article, it’s really an awesome job! I’m looking forward to buy my big muff, to get an as glimourish sound as possible. Loving sounds from DSOTM to Gdansk, including obviously DSOT and Pulse… Iron Bell seamed to fit me quite well, but JMB’s classic 70 seems to be awesome for a lower price. Which muff would you advise me? Thank you so much. Cheers.

    [Depends on what amp and guitar you have. The Iron Bell is one of the more versatile, being a mix between a distortion and Big Muff. The JMB is great. The Buffalo Ram’s Head is also very similar. The Sovtek models, like the EHX Bass Big Muff and Buffalo Patriot are perhaps the best match for smaller amps and brighter sounding amps… – Bjorn]

  280. Thanks Bjorn. Are there any other transparent boosters with similar tonal character, that you’re personally aware of,and can suggest, to go as a boost with a Deluxe Big Muff ?

    [Boss BD2, TC Spark Booster, Buffalo FX Powerbooster, ThroBak Overdriveboost, Xotic AC Booster, Wampler PlexiDrive… among others :) – Bjorn]

  281. Thanks for the helpful suggestion, Bjorn. Would the Red Witch Lilly boost/MXR boost/Caroline Guitar Company Icarus boost blend well with the DBM, do you think? They are all marketed as clean boosts pedals.

    [I would imagine so although I personally prefer boosters with a bit more gain… or at least the range from clean to heavy gain. Some Muffs needs a bit of a kick to really open up and adding a hint of gain can do wonders. – Bjorn]

  282. Hey Bjorn, one of many great articles- thanks for the blog. Have you heard of this super cheap “Eno BMF Fuzz”? I took a punt on it and ordered it the other day from ebay. Waiting anxiously now, afraid that I’ve thrown money down the drain.

    [I haven’t tried it but from what I’ve read it’s very similar to the Mooer, which is a pretty decent sounding Muff :) – Bjorn]

  283. Hi, Bjorn
    I recently bought a Musket (thanks for a advice)! Great peda,l sounds just incredible!!!
    My chain now is MXR Dynacomp – Musket – TS9 – TC Spark Booster – Phase 90 – TC Nova Delay – Marshall DSL40
    And I have a question – David on his Live in Gdansk album during a Time solo uses P1 with Tube Driver (OD). I never uses Tube driver, so I don`t know how it sounds when overdriven. Can I reach the tone of the solo just with a Musket with just adjusted Pre control , or I need to crank Pre and add a Spark Booster after witch cause more noise?
    Thank you a lot!

    [The Tube Driver sounds very much like an old Marshall. Very transparent and clear sounding, with a hint of mid range and it’s got a nice tube compression as well. The Musket will be too aggressive for those tones so the TS9 would be the best match in your setup, although it has a bit too much mid range for the authentic tones. As for boosting, the Spark Booster would do much of the same job when paired with the Musket. – Bjorn]

  284. I´m digging the Biyang fuzz star. For about 45€ I´ve got a stock circuit that sounds much more alike to old muffs than any EH recent reissue. I modded the pedal to similar “green muff” specs and now sounds even better.

  285. Hey Bjorn, thanks for the reply! I have an American Strat with 69′ pickups, running through a keeley moded BD-2 and a Vox AC15. I am yet to try the Bass Muff, but by reading the comments here, it appears to be pretty popular among Gilmour fans. I tried the wicker today and it didn’t sound bad at all. However I am now tempted to get the Bass Muff. Do you reckon it’s the right way to go?

    Much appreciated Bjorn

    Gil

    [Yep :) I think it should go very well with your setup .) – Bjorn]

  286. Thanks for the suggestion Bjorn. With the Deluxe Big Muff, Dover Drive & G2, what’s the most effective way to have the muff with, say, the drive or the G2? What I mean is, what kind of setting would you use for the second (the first being the muff) for a Gilmour ‘Pulse’ kind of tone- so that the muff +the second dirt pedal gives the desired tone? Thanks.

    [Both the Dover and G2 has a lot of mid range and gain and I don’t really recommend blending them with a Big Muff. You’ll just get a muddy and choked tone with a lot of noise and possibly feedback. The best way to boost your Muff is to get a transparent booster. One that doesn’t have that much mids and gain. The Boss BD2 is really great for that application. So is the TC Sparkbooster. – Bjorn]

  287. Just a quick note. This is from a forum, and is paraphrased, but I though maybe it would spur; n a bit more interest. It is a post about the Castledine V2 Violet Ram’s Head. “The V2 is an? Excellent choice for a budget P-1.” Sounds pretty impressed to me!
    Peace, Keith
    All I am saying, is give Stu a Chance! Haha! :)

  288. Hi Bjorn, Need some suggestions with DBM placement on my board. Currently my board is: AVRI Fender Strat>Virtual sound Buffer> Diamond Compressor>DBM(2014)> G2>Dover Drive>Analogman Bi-Chorus> Flashback Delay. I mainly powering this via a Pedal power 2 plus. the line then goes into a Laney CUB12R.
    what would be the best placement theoretically, for the DBM, O/D and distortion, do you think?
    Thanks.

    [The placement looks fine. Unless you intend to combine any of these pedals, then it doesn’t matter. The rule of thumb is that fuzz and Muffs should go before the booster, when you combine them. – Bjorn]

  289. Hey Bjorn, fantastic job with this page and the entire website. Well done to you! I was wondering about the current Big Muff Pi models, and after reading this I really needed to ask you if the Little Big Muff Pi could be used to get the Comfortably Numb (solo parts) type of tone. Would you recommend it?

    Many Thanks

    [Thanks! Glad you like the site :) What tones you get depends on what guitar and amp you use, obviously, but it will work nicely. Still, I think both the Tone Wicker and Bass Muff are better. The latter is based on the early 90s Sovtek models. – Bjorn]

  290. Hey Bjorn! Been thinking about getting myself a triangle muff and was wondering what you knew about the wren and cuff tri pie! It’s a decent price too. If you know anything, any input from you would be appreciated man! Thanks!

    [Never tried that one but the Wren and Cuff stuff is great so I guess you can’t go wrong :) – Bjorn]

  291. Hey Bjorn!

    Never posted before, but love the website, have been using it for quite a while now.
    Love these pages, great to get some insight from a ‘David Gilmour community’ on individual setups and equipment.

    Had been using an old vintage Big Muff for the last couple of years, always found it easy to get a ‘Gilmourish’ tone, though it having recently (for lack of a better word) died, I’ve had to replace it with a newer model. I picked up a deluxe big muff, but I’m having trouble ‘reigning’ the sound on it. Have you any experience with this particular pedal or any advice on settings, I’ll get it eventually just by playing around with it but wanted to enquire on here too.

    Again nice website, love what you do here!
    Wish you luck with your Album and such.

    Thanks.

    [Hi Elliot! Thanks for you kind words! You mean the new Deluxe? I haven’t tried it yet but check out Kit Rae’s run-down of the pedal. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  292. Hi Bjorn,love the site and always enjoy the articles.I take it you have tried all the pedals so im wondering how the wampler velvet fuzz sounded through your rig.Ive been using it for leads through a few mesa amps(lonestar and stiletto and also a marshall) and it sounded pretty decent but im now using a mesa mark v but it sounds terrible through all the channels.Very thin and waspy.Im at a loss understanding why.It has a high headroom,fat sounding clean channel.I guess some amps and pedals just dont work.I miss the creamy leads i got from it before.How was it through your set up?Any recommendations for what muff style pedal would work.Thanks

    [Pedals will react differently to different amps. That’s just the nature of these things. I haven’t tried the Velvet with any Mesas, but while it sounded OK on my Reeves and Laney Lionheart it sounded pretty awful on the Fender Blues Jr. I also have a H&K Tubemeister and although the clean channel sounds wonderful it simply can’t handle pedals, making them all sound fizzy. The gain channel however, has enough headroom for pedals and it sounds really great. – Bjorn]

  293. Hi Bjorn,

    Really great site which I’ve been poring over having just got a fender start and a Laney cub 12 a mere 27 years since last owning an electric guitar!

    I can stretch to one pedal but am bewildered by the range you’ve reviewed.

    With the Laney, and in a small ‘man cave’ in my house with an already annoyed wife, which single muff, distortion, overdrive pedal would you recommend – I was considering RAT, FX Soul Food or Mooer Triangle Muff.

    Many thanks.

    [The RAT is definitely the most versatile of these I think. While the Soul Food would give you a nice boost for the amp, the RAT would provide a wider range of tones. – Bjorn]

  294. Hello Bjorn,

    I’d like to know if you’ve tried the new EH Big Muff Pi deluxe model. Kitrae has made an impressive review…

    Regards,

    Frederico

    [I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet. – Bjorn]

  295. in my country only sold as single clone of the triangle big muff buff mooer you think that would combine well with my boss bd2 keeley?

    [Depending on how your amp and guitar sound, it should work nicely :) – Bjorn]

  296. Hi Bjorn,

    I love checking your website and seeing new muff variants I hadn’t seen before…I’m torn between the Mojo Hand Iron Bell and the Blackout Effectors Musket.

    I’m using a Les Paul into an Egnater Tweaker 15…not necessarily the best guitar to capture the essence of Gilmour, but it gets me close (nearly spot on with Another Brick in the Wall, pt. 2!). I do have coil splitting switches which helps out a bit. I also play bedroom volumes…I don’t get to crank things up very often, haha!

    Anyways, I dig most everything that comes from David Gilmour, so I’m not trying to nail a specific era. Is the Iron Bell more versatile than the Musket regarding Gilmour’s tone? Or does one pedal capture the other pedal’s capabilities well enough?

    Looks like you give the Musket a 10 and the Iron Bell an 8, so I’m more inclined to go with the Musket…what do you think?

    Thanks for your thoughts and all the effort you put into the site here!

    Jacob

    [The Musket is perhaps the most Muff-ish of the two but considering your setup I definitely think you’ll be better off with the Iron Bell. It’s a great sounding pedal that has the qualities of both a classic Muff and the more modern sounding RAT. Sounds great with humbuckers too. – Bjorn]

  297. Kind of funny Bjorn, the first post I made after receiving my V2 I too capitalized EXACTLY, and said almost the same sentence, ” It’s amazing, it sounds ?EXACTLY like David’s Animals muff, which I believe is the #1. I have my own #1 of 15 now!” I don’t feel quite as alone now. The 3 YouTube clips of the V2 sound NOTHING like the pedal when properly used. The guys who posted those videos either are not Muff guys, or the clips were recorded on phones. That is why I haven’t posted a clip yet. I wanted to be sure to capture exactly what I was hearing from my amp before posting a sub standard clip. I now have the gear to properly record it, and it is forthcoming.

    Peace, sorry to go on about one pedal, but Stu nailed the exact sound we asked him to emulate, and I don’t know how he did it, but it’s so very easy to dial in those DG Muff tones from 77-80.

    [Glad you like the pedal, Keith :) I hope to get my hands on one but then again, you wouldn’t believe how many different Big Muffs I have laying around, ha ha :) The Pig Hoof is my favourite (so far) and I can get the tones I need with this one… it would be nice to compare it with the V2 though. – Bjorn]

  298. See what I mean Bjorn, you have to try it, it is so simple to dial in that Animals tone, whether I’m playing my strat, or my Tele, through the Reeves, or my Ibanez. Cem, great choice, I have the first one Stu made! And I LOVE IT!
    PEACE, Keith

  299. Hi Bjorn
    I just received my Castledine V2 fuzz… I was simply awestruck when I plugged it in.
    It sounds EXACTLY like David’s Animals big muff tone. I don’t really know how Stu did it, but it sounds magical. I strongly recommend it and I don’t think you will be disappointed :)
    Cheers!

    Cem

    [Congrats! – Bjorn]

  300. is the tone potenciometrr on the pete cornish g2 the other way arond, like on the proco rat?

    [Nope. It’s turned clockwise for more brightness. – Bjorn]

  301. Hey Bjørn! Greetings from Finland.

    I’m about to buy a Muff for my bedroom setup and stumbled up on a for sale second hand nearby. It’s named after Pi, but often referred to as a distortion or fuzz. Have you any experience with that one? It seems to be quite an unknown brand, but all sources on the web seems to speak for it. Even the audio samples of it have some Gilmour tones.

    Oh, and by the way, thanks for the excelent site you’re running!

    [Hi Otto! Never seen this one before… The clips sound nice. – Bjorn]

  302. thanks for that. Also, could you possibly do a quick review of the Pure Tone Visual Sound buffer? I’m currently in the market to buy one and your first hand, helpful as always review shall help immensely. Does it colour the sound? does it bring out a sparkle? Is it musical enough? Any other tip shall be highly appreciated!

    Debargho

    [I haven’t tried their buffer but based on the reviews it seems to be a good one. Buffers shouldn’t colour or do anything to your tone. The less you notice that it’s there the better. A good buffer should be able to drive your guitar signal through to the amp without any tone loss. I’m using buffers from Pure Tone and CostaLab and are very happy with those. – Bjorn]

  303. Hi, Bjorn!
    I have 2 questions:
    Does Buffalo FX Patriot and Buffalo FX Powerboost (for overdrive) work well with a Fender Hot Rod Deville 212?
    And which muff clone would be a better choice for the same amp: Wren & Cuff The Caprid or BYOC Large Beaver?
    The guitar I use is an American Special Stratocaster.
    Thanks!

    [I haven’t tried that combo so I can’t really tell. The Deville is a fairly bright amp though so I’m not sure if Big Muffs or the Powerbooster are the best match… especially for you Gilmour tones. It can get very bright. You might want to look into some more mids oriented pedals. That being said, the Patriot has a lot of mid range and warmth and would probably be the best match. – Bjorn]

  304. Hey Bjorn!! Would be awesome if you could review the Deluxe Big Muff soon! (I remember you did mention that you shall be reviewing it). Kit Rae tells me that it’s quite good and if one wants to get the Ram’s head, Triangle AND Sovtek sound, this is the one. He also tells me that of all other pedals (Musket, Patriot, P19, Ram’s Head) can only do a certain tone/sound whereas it’s pretty much possible to get the tones of all Gilmour era’s from the DBM. Kit states “If you want one muff to cover everything from Animals to Pulse, the DBM is really the only one that versatile.” Would be great if you could do a review real soon. And check out the noise level (it does have a noise gate, but still).

    Debargho

    [I see what I can do :) – Bjorn]

  305. Hi, Bjorn.
    Electro Harmonix released a new model of the BASS BIG MUFF, called NANO BASS BIG MUFF. It comes in a smaller box than the regular model. Never tested and I would like to know if they both would sound the same… tryed that already? Cheers.

    [As far as I know it’s the same pedal. I’ve only tried the bigger version and it’s very close to the old Sovteks. – Bjorn]

  306. Hi, bjorn! Long time admirer, first time poster. A nice salesman at a boutique music shop bashed my guitar pretty good the other day when I brought it in to test some gear. It was no beauty Queen, but the nicks tore up the extensive Nitro finish like a bad report card. He offered me my choice of most pedals in the shop and I left with a wren and cuff “the caprid.”

    Ran out through a hundred watt clean channel of an el34 tubed orange and boosted the back of the pedal with a keeley Blues driver with an El capistan in the loop. The caprid just blew me away for those animal/wall lead tones. With a little research, it seems to be one of their more exhaustively researched and designed clones, hunting down the capacitors, circuit boards, and mixing and matching loads of transistors til they were satisfied with a representative ram’s head sound. I’m wondering if you’ve had any experience with the pedal and what you think of it for the Gilmour muff tone?

    [Sorry to hear about your guitar… I haven’t had the chance to try the Caprid that much but my impression of it is that it’s indeed a well designed ram’s head. It got everything you’d expect and the design it self seems to be immaculate. It’s very difficult to really nail the early Big Muff tones because there was so much inconsistency in the designs. If you really want to make a good clone you need to base it on several circuits and sort of determine what characterised the pedals from that era, rather than reverse engineering a specific unit. I think Wren and Cuff has managed to do so. – Bjorn]

  307. I have found a cover version with brief tutorial for Sorrow that I felt would be of interest here.
    He is playing what appears to be an American Standard Strat, mainly from the tremolo bridge saddles into a Boss CS-2 then a Cornish P1 to a Strymon Lex into the EFX loop of a Bad Cat Mini Amp then into a Jaquesmeistersinger Chorus into a T-Rex Replica delay through said Bad Cat amp.
    He does a great job playing bass and rhythm guitar (Telecaster) with lead vocals.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4AkFvPkGS0&index=9&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3pJr0YktZs&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA&index=10
    Here are some great live versions of the song that I like:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOCifhZEKAs&index=3&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcoA04bDNk&index=6&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObZR6kdR-TE&index=8&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ges_1E6OocE&index=30&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA
    Our own Bjorn!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzvOT_VJS4I&list=FLMDx6JRfY1XUFi9NjsGEyUA&index=13
    Thanks for watching, I really enjoy this site and hope to have my own personal clips up soon and post pics of guitars and gear in the appropriate section.

    [Thanks for sharing the links! – Bjorn]

  308. Hey Bjorn,what do u think of the bass big muff pi as a sovtek clone.Will it give me a huge sound?What other sovtek clones would you suggest other than the Colossus and the BMP1?

    [The EHX Bass Muff is actually very nice and close to the green and black models. My personal favourite is the Buffalo FX Patriot. – Bjorn]

  309. Bjorn, thanks for the reply. Yesterday I received my incredible Buffalo FX Patriot pedal through the most excellent Rogue Guitars here in the US.
    Where do I begin to describe the tone of this pedal.
    I used my 1983 Fullerton ’57 reissue Strat, my blackie that I ordered from new.
    I am using a Marshall 1959HW 100 watt Super Lead amp that has has component upgrades by the great George Metropoulos of Metro Amps.
    I have what is called a Dagnall Clone output transformer, F&T filter caps, Sozo signal caps, Allen Bradley carbon comp resistors in key areas, the bright cap taken out of circuit, Mullard EL34 reissue and Tung Sol 12AX7 reissue valves.
    I am running a Metropolous True Replica 4X12″ cabinet which is a direct copy of a 1968 Marshall 1982A cabinet down to .001 of an inch in accuracy.
    The same woods and internal bracing as a real ’68 Marshall.
    http://plexireplicas.com/true-replica-cabinets/1968-basketweave-cabinets/
    Speakers are the very recent Celestion Creamback G12H-75’s @ 16 ohms.
    I have a rare Japanese issue Maxon ST-01 Super Tube Screamer which has 2 of the JRC chips and a fourth tone control for mids-bass.
    I have a Boss DD-6 Digital Delay with Analogman mods, specifically a 3 position toggle switch which has stock, high cut and low cut positions. The cut positions simulate an analogue style of delay giving much warmth to the tone.
    I have a Fulltone Mini Deja Vibe as well.
    The Patriot immediately drove the amp even at low volumes in very musical feedback exactly like the Sorrow track which I have studied practically every version of!
    I know adding more effects will boost the effectiveness of the Patriot even more closely to that of DG.
    I would give this pedal a Gilmourish rating of 12/10 if possible.
    Never have I had an effect so dialed in as this one right out of the box.
    It sounds great with the stock Fender pickups, I’m sure a DG set of EMG’s would sound great but I don’t think I will need them.
    Again this pedal is just incredible and I am excited learning the songs it deserves to be played on.
    Thanks for a great web site.
    I can say when I plugged the Patriot straight in…instantly I

    [Thanks for sharing, Dave! Glad you like the Patriot :) – Bjorn]

  310. hey Bjorn, have you tried the maxon D&S Distortion/Sustainer its tells its a nice refined Big Muff, is it a nice rams head clone?

    [Haven’t had the chance yet. – Bjorn]

  311. Hello Senor Bjorn,

    I’d like to have your advice: I’m about to buy a Bass Big Muff Pi from EH. I’ve seen that there’s a new model , Nano version.

    On ebay I can order the old version and the Nano for the same price. Do you know if it’s the same circuit exactly?

    What would you choose? There’s no comparison clip on youtube, no article found…

    Thanks for your help!

    Foffy

    [As far as I know it’s the same ciruit. – Bjorn]

  312. Hi Bjorn, I just can’t make up my mind which pedal to buy, so I need your humble opinion. It’s between the buffalo rams head, skreddy P19 and the Buffalo Effects Patriot. If you had to choose one for David’s tone which one would it be.? Thanks

    [The Buffalo and P19 are similar while the Patriot is a slightly different character. Depends on what tones you want and how the pedal fits your guitar and amp. Based on the pedal it self I’d go for the Patriot. – Bjorn]

  313. Bjorn congratulations on a brilliant site! I heard the PF track “Sorrow”, the live Pulse version and read about and heard the Buffalo FX Civil War/Sovtek clone “Patriot”.
    This pedal is as close to perfect in what it does out of all the Muff clones I have heard. I am ordering one tomorrow. Had to jump through loads of hoops to get one but once I heard the various demos I was sold. What an incredible, versatile, musical pedal.
    I would like to try it with a BK Butler Tube Driver at some point but was wondering if my heavily modified DOD YJM308 pedal would produce the boosted tones to help out the Patriot.
    Is it common to place the booster after the Patriot in the signal chain or before?
    Again what a great site and with a Gilmourish rating of 10/10 I feel I cannot lose with the Buffalo pedal.
    It appears to be a first class effort in build quality and high grade components are used throughout.
    Will write back with my findings. I am so excited about this pedal, more so than any other for a long long time!
    Cheers Dave

    [Hi Dave! Sorry for my late reply. The Patriot is awesome. Highly recommended! Not sure how it compares to the DOD but in regards to stacking, you could either just let it operate on its own or, as I prefer it, have a very mild and transparent booster placed after it. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  314. Not sure about how to read the “noise level” value.
    10/10 of the Cornish tell the pedal is more noisy of one judged 7/10, right?

    [10/10 is the highest score, meaning that the pedal it self makes little or no noise. Mind that all gain pedals will make noise when the effect is engaged. I have just rated the amount of noise from the cirquit. – Bjorn]

  315. Hi Bjorn,

    So the ‘noise’ (9/10, 7/10 etc.) rating you list above for each unit, is the higher the first number the noiser the pedal is? Also, in regards to the Wampler Velvet, the demos I have heard don’t sound all that dark and muddy to me. Just curious can’t that ‘muddiness’ be adjusted and controlled with proper settings on the amp and pedal (or with something like a Giggity)? Understand all of this is your opinion, but the Velvet seems to get nothing but great reviews from it’s owners. Are you basing your opinions/experience mainly on Wampler’s ‘Gilmour in a box’ marketing of the Velvet, and that it doesn’t really sound like anything tone-wise David gets?
    Best Regards.

    [The higher the number the less noise. All of my reviews are based on my very subjective opinion and what I would consider are suitable for recreating David Gilmour’s tones. My problem with the Velvet Fuzz is that in my opinion it kind of falls between two chairs. I guess what Wampler tried to achieve was the tone of a fuzz or perhaps even a Muff being cranked really hard through a Marshall much like what Hendrix did but also very close to David’s setup. What you get is a saturated and compressed tone with a fair amount of mid range. I don’t think they completely succeeded in that and there are, in my opinion, better sounding similar pedals out there like the Iron Bell and P19 but also the Evolution, which although based on the G2, is kind of what you get when blending a fuzz with a Marshall. The Velvel Fuzz is a very nice sounding pedal and I’d no problem recording or playing live with it but to me it sounds a bit too squeezed and muddy almost to the extent of sounding choked. The Iron Bell and P19 managed to both produce that stacked tone and maintain the character of a fuzz. – Bjorn]

  316. Hey Bjorn! After reading your site through, and with your advice, I picked up the Jam Pedals Red Muck and I am 110% satisfied with it! It nails Pulse tones very well given my setup.

    I am again finding myself in need of your expertise. For Wall tones, what pedal would you recommend that is readily available? The Pig Hoof MK2 sounded fantastic, but I’m having a hard time trying one. Or would there be an equally good BYOC pedal / other manufacturer?

    I run DG20’s through a Laney Lionheart (also bought because of your reviews!) with Boss DD7 delay and Boss Ch1 chorus. Those will be going soon in favor of better pedals, but they do work well for what I paid :)

    [Hi Bryan! Sorry for my late reply. The BYOC ram’s head is great and nails those late 70s tones perfectly. I also recommend the Buffalo FX Rams Head, which sounds very nice on the Lionheart. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  317. I recommend to try the Mad Professor pedals. In my opinion MP has a many excellent choices for the Gilmour sound.

    Fire Red Fuzz (Big Muff)
    Tiny Orange Phaser (phaser and vibe)
    Electric Blue Chorus (for David’s 80’s and 90’s tone)
    Deep Blue Delay (delay time from 25ms to 450ms)
    Forest Green Compressor
    Ruby Red Booster (You can use the pedal as a treble booster, a clean boost or an overdrive unit or any combination of the above. Also it can be used with or without the buffer.)
    Sky Blue Overdrive (good for light overdrive sound)
    Little Green Wonder (MP version of the Tube Screamer, but still a little something else)

    Maybe you should also try these:
    Amber Overdrive (It produces a very thick sound whether playing chords or single notes – fat and juicy with just a hint of fuzz.)
    Mighty Red Distortion (80′s style compressed gain sounds)
    Sweet Honey Overdrive
    Bluebird Overdrive Delay
    Royal Blue Overdrive

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  318. Greetings, Bjorn! Did you had the opportunity for testing the latest EHX Deluxe BigMuff Pi (which has a “noise gate” type of “extra resource”)? mentioned in your facebook page?

    [Haven’t had the chance yet… – Bjorn]

  319. Thanks for your reply Bjorn. Much appreciated. And thanks for the great review of the Evolution. It would be great if you could do a review of the new Deluxe Big Muff and possibly fare it against some the best boutique muffs listed on your site as well as in my previous questions, above! Thanks for taking the time always, for your replies :)

    [No worries :) I hope to be able to review the new Deluxe :) – Bjorn]

  320. Thanks for your inputs Bjorn. Unfortunately these pedals are not available where I live. I do however have the option of having one of the these pedals imported: Iron Bell, Earthquaker Hoof or the Skreddy P19. Apologies for seeking some more info on the subject. Which pedal of the three would you suggest, if you have to pick one? In your review of th Iron bell you state that it is somewhere between a Cornish P2 and G2. You also mention in a previous comment that the P19 is somewhat like the Cornish pedals. In another comment above you mention that the Earthquaker Hoof is the best Muff/fuzz out there.
    I really value your reviews and suggestions so Please help me choose between the 3 pedals listed above! Cheers, Debargho

    [Well, all of the three are really great sounding and although being Muffs, they cover different ground within that family. The Iron Bell is perhaps the most versatile being able to do both Muff and RAT/G2 tones. The P19 is perhaps the closest to David’s Animals/Wall tones, while the Hoof doubles equally as a Muff and fuzz. Personally, I like the P19. – Bjorn]

  321. Hi Bjorn!

    Thanks for all this info. 2 quick questions (hope they already haven’t been asked).

    1. I bought a reissue big muff with little prior research and I agree with your assessment in trying to get a Gilmour sound out of it. Do you know of any electrical mods to get it closer?

    2. In your experience, how do the Ibanez tube screamers pair with muffs as overdrives? I know you really recommend the Boss Blues drivers but I already have an Ibanez tube screamer in hand.

    Thanks in advance!
    Rob

    [I’m no expert on mods, so I’m not sure. Why would you want to mod it? Big Muffs can sound rather harsh on the “wrong” amp but in most cases it’s also how the amp is set. Try adjusting the amp’s settings and hear how that matches with the Muff. Muffs like a bit of mid range but too much treble can make them sound almost choked.
    In regards to the TS combined with Muffs. I do recommend a more transparent booster but try it and hear how it sounds on your amp. – Bjorn]

  322. Ps: could you please suggest the tone settings for the Tc Electronics Feedback delay and the Cub 12R reverb settings for a typical ‘Animals/Wall/MLoR. (Ex:Pigs (three different ones)/comfortably numb/sorrow) tone?
    I should also like to add that in my previous question regarding a suitable fuzz which sits in well with the Dover Drive, I’m mainly looking for tones similar to the above mentioned songs.
    I play a A Strat into a Cub12R. Thanks, Debargho

    [Flasback: delay 11-12:00, level 10:00, feedback 12:00, mode 2290/tape/analog. The reverb on the Cub depends on how much you want really. David never uses reverb. Only delay. Check out my latest review, the Evolution from BUffalo FX :) – Bjorn]

  323. Hi Bjorn,

    As much as the Buffalo FX Rams Head is tempting, i’m really after a more budget friendly Muff. As regards the BYOC Large Beaver i’m thinking of the Triangle option for a more generic Gilmour tone for all eras maybe, or would you recommend the Rams Head option? Also, is the assembly tough for a beginner like me, i’m hoping that it’ll be a fun project. It’ll be used with a Laney Cub head and cab i’ve just bought. :)

    All the best,

    Ben.

    [I’m all thumbs so I’ve never even tried to assemble a pedal :) The triangle is a very musical and smooth sounding Muff but the ram’s head is probably a better all-rounder for David’s tones. – Bjorn]

  324. Hi Bjorn,

    What is the best suited muff type pedal that works great with a Laney CUB 12R and also sits in well with the Dover Drive?
    Whilst I Love the creaminess the DD generates, I would also like something that has more of that typical Gilmour’s muff growl- best suited for the CUb12R. Cheers!

    [Most Muffs works great with the Cub and DD. The most versatile is perhaps the Iron Bell or Musket. Check out the Buffalo Patriot as well. It compliments the DD very well :) – Bjorn]

  325. Hi Bjorn
    Which one is better for the 1977-83 tones, the Buffalo Rams Head or the Large Beaver Rams Head?
    Thanks!

    [Hard to tell. Both are great so you just have to choose one. – Bjorn]

  326. Hey Bjorn. Thanks Bjorn, for so much information on this site! It gives me and i guess many others better understanding of tone and doing ur own style through one of the greatest influence in not only the guitar playing but also tone. Great job, this have helped my alot through the quest of tone, and im finaly there :)

    Now i know that a Big Muff is the one i want in my pedalboard for fuzz-sound. For Echoes, Time and Money mainly (With the bd-2 as a rythm crunch/overdrive). I thought about the Red Muck, but its too expensive and i want a more “Analogman Sunface bc108”-screaming fuzz-sound, that you play funky part on Echoes with in the review. I can’t really explain the sound, therefore i refering to the pedal. I think i mean mid-scooped but i dunno for sure?

    I don’t know what will give me the closest tone for a screaming fuzz-sounding, but ive thought of two who got my intention;
    Byoc Large Beaver(my fav from what ive heard and read through ur review and comments, but i dunno “triangle” or “ram’s head”?????. My first thought was the ram’s head for more aggressive, but i don’t know) (i dont know how it works with a sustain knob, so is it the same as gain/fuzz?)
    and Costalab Custom Muff(i dont know how much that cost, but i like it, and you mentioned full blast fuzz in the review :))

    I will use it with my SD ssl-5 in the neck in my maple neck strat. Now i got a Peavey Vypyr 75, but i will buy a Peavey Classic 30/50 so that will be my basic for my tone with the Bd-2 and the other boss buffers in my chain+Wah wah.

    Like Lim up above, which one will suit my tone and needs??? I hope u answer back!!

    Thanks for last reply, and good luck with the solo project! -Tord

    [The best fuzz-Muff pedal out there, in my humble opinion, is the Earthquaker Hoof Fuzz. It’s designed to be somewhat a hybrid with emphasis on the Muff but you can tweak it for some really nice silicon fuzz tones as well. – Bjorn]

  327. Hi Bjorn.

    I am looking for a versatile muff that can work well with overdrive pedal both in front and after. On its own, I like it to be scooped in the mid range. If I needed extra, I can use the overdrive to fatten things up. Not trying to be Gilmour-tone period correct but just my preference.

    Between Earthquaker Devices Hoof, Blackout Effectors Musket, Mojo Hand Colossus & BYOC Large Beaver, which one will suit my tone? Cheers.

    [Depeneds very much on your amp and guitar. Personally I prefer the BYOC of the ones you’ve mentioned but the Musket is probably the most versatile. – Bjorn]

  328. I just got my BYOC Large Beaver Ram’s Head in today from “Axe And You Shall Receive” (since I have neither the equipment nor the patience to actually solder the bloody thing together). And while I was quickly able to find a setting that I liked (all settings at 12 and the mid circuit bypassed), I noticed that the moment that I hit the switch, there was a really loud, very distinct, 60Hz buzz. In your review, you said that the thing was “dead silent”. Is this a problem with my amp (5 watt Laney Cub cranked to 10 and the tone set at 3 [I haven’t tried it with my 130 watt Peavey yet since I need to get new cones for that or my 65 Twin since it’s at my dad’s house out of state and won’t be moving there till mid July]), my cable (a 15-foot cable of unknown brand; it was probably left behind by a band that played in the barn where I practice), my pedal or some combination of the 3? Also, I use an AC adapter, if that makes any difference.

    Cheers.

    [Unless the pedal is soldered correctly, which I’m sure Axe are more than capable of, there shouldn’t be any reason why the pedal it self adds noise. 60 cycle hum is recognised by a loud hiss or hum that changes in pitch and can be eliminated when you move around in a room. If it’s static then it’s not 60Hz hum. The pedal more pedals you add, the more you expose your rig to noise interference because you’re basically adding components and cables that acts like antennas. A Muff also has A LOT of gain, which will amplify the hum. It’s always there but you might not have recognised it before you added the pedal. – Bjorn]

  329. Ever messed with the Way Huge Swollen Pickle any? Definitely does the Muff-thing well out of the box, but can be tweaked to resemble almost a Fuzz Face type fuzz too.

    [Never tried it… – Bjorn]

  330. Hello again Bjorn!
    I have watched/read your reviews and as always, really appreciated all the information you pass along. Just curious to your personal preference in regards to picking Wren and Cuff Box of War or the Buffalo FX Patriot? Both are really great pedals and I wish I could afford both, but don’t think my wife would appreciate that! Lol! :-)
    Thanks again!

    [Ha ha, I know what you mean :) Between the two I’d choose the Patriot. It fits my set up and I also think it sounds a bit more open and even slightly bigger, than the Box of War. – Bjorn]

  331. Hi Bjorn
    What do you think about the Buffalo Fx evolution? Is it good for any gilmour tones, and would you recommend it?
    Thanks

    [Review coming soon :) – Bjorn]

  332. Hi Bjorn again,

    I’m looking for an inexpensive pedal that would cover Pulse tones like a sovtek would do?

    Would you recooemnd the EH Bass Big Muff? Is it a great pedal?
    Or the inexpensive Mooer Black secret?

    or what other inexpensive pedal?

    Thank you again!

    Foffy
    Spain

    [The Bass Muff is a good choice. It’s also worth checking out the new Deluxe Muff from EHX although I’m not sure about the price yet. – Bjorn]

  333. Hello M; Riis,

    First of all, I’d like to say congrats for the solo album teaser, really sweet sounding. I did really enjoy the overall feeling, which reminds me a bit of Lunatic Soul, and also Anathema ( violin / e-bow type of leads)…
    I’m longing to listen to the full cd.

    Bjorn, could you tell me what one can expect from the EH Bass Big Muff PI, in terms of its ability of reproducing The Sovtek Big Muff? And what kind of other cheap pedal (RAT Family?…) could do the same job?

    Thank you for your time,

    And keep on creating heavenly melodies!

    Cheers

    Stefan

    [Thanks for your kind words, Stefan! The Bass Muff is VERY close to the late green, early black Sovtek Muffs so it’s definitely worth checking out. The Mooer Black Secret is a very nice RAT clone, featuring the classic LM308 chip for smooth tones. – Bjorn]

  334. It’s been a long time since i’m looking fot testing a MUFF, but as incredible as it sounds stores in my country don’t bring then!!!
    Now i bought a nano version! And thanks good i’m reading good stuff about this one, so gonna enjoy it :-D
    Only missing the Tone Guide, why is this page off?

  335. Bjorn,

    Have you tried the products from the pedal builder called Ronsound: he makes a clone of the Rams Head which is called Hairpie 75. ?

    He also makes a clone of the Sovtek model!

    Seems great.

    Bye

    [I’ve never had the chance to try any of the pedals but they get some really promising reviews. – Bjorn]

  336. Hi Bjorn,

    Thank you for your answer!

    I was actually thinking about the ideal Muff (or RAT) for that Divison Bell Tone. I already own a ram’s head clone as you know, use it for Animals / Wall tones, and my feeling is that it’s abit too transparent for WDYWFM and keep talking tones….

    So, as you suggest and if I should go for a Muff or RAT, only for that division bell tones, what would be your choice , knowing that I don’t want to spend much in the pedal?

    Is the MOOER black secret and it’s vintage mode a good choice? Or should I go for the EH Bass Big Muff (I was about to buy one before reading your previous answer, and before watching the Youtube review by Gearmanndude…). I will be using the pedal only for those Division Bell tones.

    Regards
    Uwe

    [The Mooer is a very good choice I think. It has the original chip and it sounds very smooth and creamy. – Bjorn]

  337. Hi Bjorn
    I am interested in buying the Top Tone DG-2 and currently have the Mojo Hand Iron Bell (MIB). In comparing these two, what can the DG-2 do that the MIB cannot? Are these two completely different sounding pedals? I am just trying to justify the price tag on the DG-2.
    Thanks in advance for your advise
    Cheers

    [The DG2 isn’t really a Muff. It’s very close to the RAT, with lots of mid range and a distinct distortion character. The MIB is a Big Muff, with a slightly more transparent tone, more low end and vintage character. It’s tweaked for more mid range and a slightly smoother top, than your usual Muff. – Bjorn]

  338. Why not review/mention Basic Audio’s Tri/Ram pedal. Or Stomp Under Foot’s Civil War. I use both and find them to be excellent. I havent tried Buffalo’s Ram, I’d like to try that one. But you should look at these other 2.

    [Ship them over and I’ll make a review :) – Bjorn]

  339. Hello Bjorn,

    I’d like to know your advice before I spend too much in a nex Big Muff clone. I already own a ram’s head clone for the naimals / wall area tones. I wanted to get a Sovtek Civil War Muff for my favorite tone , the Division Bell area… like The Wren and Cuff Box of War or Buffalo Patriot. But… I realize there are just a few songs on the Division Bell album, played with the Sovtek Muff (just Keep talking and WDYWFM)).
    Here’s my question: Would it be a good choice to replace them with a RAT clone (Is the Mooer Black secret a good otpion? have you tried it<,)?
    Another question: In my two song examples, (Keep talknig and What do you want from me), I d'ont understand that David uses A big Muff in Studio, and replaces it with The "Chandler TD(vol boost) + RAT" combination in Pulse.

    Indeed I tought the Big Muff was a transparent mid scooped pedal, and the RAT a warm distortion with lot of mids…

    Best regards,

    Uwe

    [I don’t think you should be that focused on what David’s using but rather what works with your guitar and amp. There are no confirmed reports on which pedals David are using on Division Bell but from what I, and amny others, can gather he is using a Muff on Keep Talking. WDYWFM is a bit trickier because it also sounds like he’s using modulation on that track and the delay is colouring the tone as well. My guess is that he’s using a RAT, as he did on PULSE, but it might also be a Muff. We don’t know if he used the Sovtek Muff or the old ram’s head. David’s often using different pedals live than what he used on the albums. It depends on his mood that night and which pedals works better for recording and live use. Sometimes you want a tone that’s hard to achieve with the pedals you’d use live and vice versa. Back to your question. The RAT would definitely be a more versatile pedal. Since you already got a ram’s head, I think I would go for the RAT over the Sovtek. – Bjorn]

  340. Some time ago I ask you about two options “EHX Bass Big Muff” or “Hoof Fuzz”.. The one that I got before was the EHX because of the price, now I got the Hoof Fuzz and let me tell you.. They are not even close, the Hoof is just amazing, in every setting I’ve tried it sounds awesome. Now I do understand why you recommend the Hoof first, you do really know what you’re talking about.

    Big greetings Bjorn!!!

    [Glad to hear! Yes, they’re very different sounding although both are based on the early 90s Sovtek pedals. The Bass Muff is, in my opinion, one of the better in EHX’s current line up, but the Hoof is definitely a more exciting pedal with more of that vintage flavour :) – Bjorn]

  341. Hey Bjorn!

    I’ve ordered a BYOC Large Beaver (super excited!), and was checking out some other BYOC stuff and it made me think. Large Beaver will be my first pedal (I borrow from siblings) and was wondering what you thought is the next essential Gilmour pedal?

    I would have guessed delay, so am looking at things like the catalinbread echorec, but I bow to your knowledge!! Any opinions? (I listen to and play things up to the wall era)

    Many thanks,

    Jack

    [Hi Jack. A delay is a must :) The Echorec is nice but it doesn’t do Animals and Wall that well. You need a more pristine and cleaner delay for stuff like Dogs, Run Like Hell and Comf Numb. You could go for an Echorec and perhaps a digital unit, like a TC Flashback or Boss DD, or simply, just a multi processor, like the TC Nova or Eventide Timefactor, which will give you a wide range of high quality tones. – Bjorn]

  342. Oops! Should have added an OCD to that rig list!

    One day I may upgrade some things (Buffalo FX Powerboost for OCD, ’74 reissue Phase 90 for Orange 90, CE2 for Mooer Chorus etc) but happy as I am for now…..guitar is ‘only’ a Jap 90’s Squire and amp is a Vox VT30 modelling amp so Laney Cub stack and American Standard Strat will be the next things on the shopping list I think! ;^)

    [I think you’ll be very pleased with the Power Booster, if you decide on one. It will provide classic overdrive but set up as a clean boost, it will also bring life to your amp. The guitar should be fine. The Japanese Squiers from that era have a good reputation and you can always upgrade hardware and pickups, if that’s something you want. – Bjorn]

    1. Hi Dave,

      Bit of a long shot as you comment was a few years ago now (!) but just wanted to ask how you find/found the VT30. I have an opportunity to get one relatively cheap and wondered your opinions? Obviously biased towards Gilmourish tones, but play a bit of everything blues, rock etc. How does it handle pedals also? You seem to have a a great set up!

      Thanks for your help,

      Jack

  343. Thanks Bjorn; was leaning towards the Ram’s Head so glad you said that! This’ll be the last of my pedal purchases (for a while anyway!) which completes my Gilmourish rig: MXR carbon copy; Deluxe Electric Mistress; Mooer Chorus; Mooer 90 Orange; RAT2; BYOC Beaver, Ram’s Head; Vox Wah; GPCB DSOTM Fuzz…Wah aside, all pedals were bought from reading the advice from this excellent site. Can’t thank you enough; now achieving all the tones I’ve wanted for the last 25 years!!!

    [Glad to hear, Dave! Looks like a great setup! – Bjorn]

  344. Hi Bjorn. Have a BYOC Large Beaver on order. I know you prefer the triangle stating that the ram’s head is darker but is there that much of a difference between the two?….really undecided which build to go for! Already have a RAT2 so later Gilmour tones are covered…..just looking to nail the Animals – Wall period. Thanks!

    [It’s not a huge difference but the BYOC kit is designed to produce a fairly mild and darker sounding triangle, and a brighter and more aggressive ram’s head. For Animals and Wall I’d go for the ram’s head :) – Bjorn]

  345. Hi Bjorn,

    Apparently the question I sent a few days ago wasn’t received, so I’ll try again. Which PF or DG recordings in your opinion best capture the clean tone of the HiWatt amps, with and or without the Alembec/Fender preamp?

    Rgds,

    Dave E.

    [There aren’t that many “clean” recordings of the Hiwatt. David rarely used the Alembic in the studio but his tones often has either some gain or modulation. Or both. He mostly used Fender amps in the studio anyway but some of the early recordings are most likely a Hiwatt. Slides on A Pillow of Winds and Fat old Sun, the clean rhythm parts on Atom Heart Mother (the track), rhythms on Burning Bridges… I can’t think of much more. Final Cut is also a great Hiwatt album, although most of the tones were recorded with the Hiwatt + Yamaha split. – Bjorn]

  346. Are you tested the Dice Works Muff Driver? That Muff have a switch to enable Cornish modes.

    What do you say about that pedal?

    Regards and Thanks!

    [Never tried it. – Bjorn]

  347. Dear Bjorn

    thanks to you I have finally found the right gear for Gilmour. And believe me, it lets people turn their heads when the hear my (still mid-size) set up for the first time. Once again thanks for your contribution (even if unplanned) but your reviews and information was incredibly valuable to me.

    Ok, so heres the signal chain:
    – VOX HW846 Wah
    – 70s MXR DynaComp (Script Logo)
    – 70s MXR Phase 90 (Script Logo)
    – Skreddy P19
    – DIY Ram’s Head (from Musikding.de, still waiting for the Pig Hoof)
    – TS9 (used for other stuff and long Feedbacks such as Don’t Leave Me Now together with P19)
    – Fulltone OCD (seldomly used)
    – Boss BD2 Blues Driver (mild OD)
    – Mooer ElecLady
    – TC Nova Repeater
    – TC Corona Chorus (Boss CE-2 Toneprint or as simulation of Doppolas w/ low speed and depth)

    Amp now is a Laney Cub Head with a Cub Cab. I’ve replaced the speakers with two old Fanes from my 80s VOX AC30 (not sure which model, but ceamics with blue baskets). For tubes I’ve swaped the stock ones for JJs and a NOS GE 5751 in V1. This gives the amp a lot more clean headroom – highly recommended for all amps!!!

    For guitars I use a black Fender 50s Road Worn with a SSL5 in the bridge position and a Fender Japan reissue with EMG DG20s.

    This Setup is incredible!!! Thanks again for all those reviews and analyses. It helped me a lot in putting together “my” sound. Funny thing: This setup is highly versatile! I play it in all kinds of different bands.

    All the best
    Matt

    [Thanks for sharing, Matt! Looks like a great setup! – Bjorn]

  348. I actually ordered the Rams Head clone with my own custom graphic, He said it will be in the post today (technically since its now past midnight) and that it will take a week to arrive so I’ll keep you guys updated on it. If it turns out to play wonderfully then it will be a steal because its only roughly 120$ (American dollars of course), and it has the potential to have custom graphics and it has a mids switch to go from scooped to flat and to boosted. So if it sounds great than for the money, it could potentially and arguably be one of the best muffs clones on the market for the price, and he can also clone any pedal he has an accurate schematic of. Do you have any idea where I can find a good and accurate schematic of the Violet Rams Head?

    [Not sure and, although I’m no expert on Big Muffs, I don’t think there is such a thing as a definitive Big Muff model. As I’ve explained in several comments and features, the early 2-3 generations of Muff had some nasty inconsistency issues and even some of the parts were of low quality. This means that it’s very hard to find two identical sounding pedals, not least because these things doesn’t stand the test of 40+ years of abuse and storing. A violet Ram’s Head had a bit more gain and an overall more aggressive character than the triangle and ram’s head but you can also find violets that are both dark and mild or bright and too aggressive to tame. I don’t think there is or ever will be a definitive clone of a Big Muff. Ultimately, it comes down to how the cloner interpreted the item that was cloned and how you, as the guitarist, prefer your Big Muff :) – Bjorn]

  349. Hey Bjorn how are you doing? Have you ever heard of a custom muff builder called ICMPedals based in the UK.

    [Haven’t tried the pedals but I see they got some interesting clones. Tried them yourself? – Bjorn]

  350. Hey Bjorn, actually i cant afford a WnC caprid and a buffalo fx rams head which for me are the real thing, but i can afford a Pig Hoof or a BYOC large beaver, but while i was reading all the previous comment i spoted the comment from Matt where he suggests on a http://www.musikding.de/Der-Muff-Violet-Ram-Distortion-kit .
    The pig hoof will take a while like over 9 months + to get it delivered, the BYOC and the DER MUFF VIOLET RAM can get them now , but i am struggeling between those and a RAT2.
    Keep in mind i have a fender frontman 65r amp with both clean and drive channel and a les paul.
    What would you reccomende to me, should i wait for the hoof, or get BYOC or DER MUFF, or simply buy a rat2?

    [I haven’t tried the DER so I can’t really tell but the BYOC is hard to beat. Based on your setup though I think you’d be better off with the much more versatile RAT. A Muff might work but the RAT would be able to cover a lot more tones. – Bjorn]

  351. hey bjorn,has the EH big muff tone wicker a similar sound to the rams head muff? If it doesn’t do you prefer any EH modern muff that has a similar sound to the rams? if not is the wren and cuff caprid a good replica?

    [The Wicker is closer to a ram’s head than the current US Big Muff but really, both are closer to the late 70s Muffs, which had more gain and a darker tone. The Caprid is an excellent option. – Bjorn]

  352. Hi Bjorn,
    I’ve watched a couple of videos, but haven’t really got an idea formed in my head. What do you think about the Wren and Cuff “the Caprid

    [Sounds very authentic, with a classic ram’s head flavour. The thing about those old Muffs, is that each pedal sounded different… to some extent. All clones out there are either based on a specific pedal or the best of many, so it’s really impossible to say that this or that is the ultimate clone. It’s down to preference and taste. The Caprid has a fair amount of gain and a well balanced low end. Personally I prefer a slightly more aggressive character, like the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof. – Bjorn]

  353. Hi Bjorn,
    I love your site! Its the best out there for finding out David Gilmour’s tones. I was wondering if the red label Pig Hoof is too much for home use and that I should go for the yellow label. I play at a local bar once a week so I was curious if one of them would work for both bedroom and stage?

    [What kind of amp and guitar do you use? – Bjorn]

  354. Hi Bjorn! Have you heard the new Wampler Velvet Fuzz? It sounds pretty amazing.
    Cheers!!

    [Hi! Had for some time and I must say that I don’t like it. Too dark and muddy… my opinion :) – Bjorn]

  355. Bjorn, have you tried any of the Vick Audio stuff? They have a Triangle, Ram’s Head, and BMP clone. The prices look great.

    [Hi! Never tried them. Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  356. Bjorn, (damn, I need to stop asking questions) im between a Mooer Triangle Buff and a 22/7 Triangle, which one would be the best for the cash? The mooer is alot cheaper than the 22/7 and also I have a solid state combo (well actually, a pretty good amp), so i guess it would be better the mooer.

    Sorry, I promise I’ll try to stop with my questions hahaha
    Cheers!!

    [The 22/7! Definitely :) – Bjorn]

  357. Hi Bijorn
    I love your site and I use it all the time as my only resource for David Gilmour’s tones because it is simply the best. I’m looking to start my first pedalboard and I want to recreate David’s PULSE tones because my Strat has EMG DG-20 pickups and it wouldn’t sound right trying to recreate the older tones with hotter pickups. I use a DigiTech RP 500 FX processor and a Laney Cub 12R tube amp. The RP 500 is ok for home use and it models some of Gilmour’s pedals like the Big muff, CS-2, CE-2, etc. However its not good live use. I mostly play at home in my bedroom but I also play at a small bar in my town.I’ve been searching eBay for a BOSS CS-2 and CE-2. So my question for you is what pedals do you think would not only nail those PULSE tones, but work for both bedroom and stage setups?

    [Hi Cameron! Please check out the Buyer’s Guide sections. Every pedal has a reference for a Gilmour tone era. Try to make a list and narrow it down to a few options and let me know if you need more help :) – Bjorn]

  358. Hahaha, thanks Bjorn, i guess it sounds nice with Gilmour, let’s see how works with me haha.

    Thank you for everything!! This site rules, really

    [Cheers, Tom :) – Bjorn]

  359. Hello Bjorn!! Do you think I could achieve a silicon fuzz face tone with a Mooer Tri Buff being boosted by a Stock BD 2 ?? Cheers!!

    [Not really. It would sound like a boosted Big Muff :) Dvaid used a silicon fuzz on Time, among other songs, and used a Muff on the 80s and 90s tours to replicate the tones. Works fine :) – Bjorn]

  360. Hi Bjorn, I have a Line 6 spider IV 75 amp and a 03 Mexican strat, Im going to get a Big muff pi(US) in the coming days and I need to know if I will be able to get the tone of another brick in the wall part 2 or somethjng similar, with many thanks, Wayne.

    [Hi Wayne. You should be able to cover a lot of tones with the setup. See this feature for some Big Muff tone tips. In regards to Another Brick, that’s overdrive and not a Muff. A Muff would sound too aggressive for the more bluesier stuff. See the David Gilmour Gear Guide for detailed setups for each album and song. – Bjorn]

  361. Hey Bjorn me again.. lol, sorry for the ton of questions. But I know someone selling a BYOC large beaver triangle spec which I have owned and do know its a great muff, but I was wondering if you feel the triangle specs can get a good and authentic Rams Head tone. Thanks.

    [It won’t be authentic, since it’s a triangle but you can get similar tones. The triangle is darker, smoother and not as aggressive. The ram’s head is quite the oposite. Adding a booster to the triangle that boosts the treble side and perhaps even a bit of gain, will get you close. – Bjorn]

  362. Hi Bjørn, the last pedal I need for my board is a muff pedal but I can’t decide which one. I’m torn between the Large Beaver, the Musket and the box of war. I’m favouring the Box of War on tone alone but you have said in reviews that the beaver is one of your favorites and that the Musket is the most versatile and best for a bedroom setup which is where I will be mostly playing. I’m playing through a Laney cub 12 r and my other pedals are a WF reissue Rat, Keeley modded Boss BD2, Phase 90 script csp 026 (without led) , Boss DD2 and a Boss rt20. Which do you think would best suit my setup.

    [The BoW and Musket are very similar and both goes well with the setup. The Musket has a few extra features that allows further tone shaping, which can be handy on smaller setups. Personally I’d go for the Musket. – Bjorn]

  363. Hey Bjorn, a bit off topic, but I bought the Tascam DP 24 Portastudio, and after a great deal of research, found that it really only has two weak points that keep the under $500.00 unit from doing studio quality work. The first being the compressor, which while adequate for home studio demos, a good outboard raises the bar quite a bit. I found an 8 channel, $900.00 Presonus compressor limiter in mint condition for $350.00, and now I only need a good multi channel mic preamp, which is the other onboard weak link. Once the preamp is found, and I have a collection of decent mics,(for now it’s 57’s, and 58’s), I should be capable of doing studio quality, 24 bit, 48khz recording, but as it sits, I can already upload as good quality as YouTube will accept, and being able to put my ideas on CD, instead of forgetting them should be a lot of fun. Many quality recordings will soon follow. Hope to make some great music for everyone’s enjoyment!
    Peace all, Keith

    [Looking forward to it, Keith! – Bjorn]

  364. Hey Bjorn How are you? Thanks for answering my earlier questions, I try not to ask many but you have better knowledge on all things muff than I so I must defer to your knowledge. Ok my question, recently I have been using my Black Russian Muff a lot, and my Caprid. When I A/B them I could hear the subtle differences, The Black Muff sounded larger, bassier and smoother, while the Rams Head of course was brighter, crunchier and more aggressive. My question is, is there a clone out there that does the massive wall sound and on the bassier and smoother side while keeping the aggression and some of the brightness of the Rams Head? I want a muff that leans more to the Sovtek side buy with a little more brightness and crunch without losing the smoothness and the huge and bassy wall of sound, Thanks and cheers, hope your weekend treated you well, and hope you have been enjoying the olympics.

    [Hi Clark! The MojoHand Colossus is basically a beefed up Sovtek. Lots of low end and gain, while still maintaining that crispy top. The Earthquaker Hoof Fuzz is also worth checking out. Kind of a mix between a Ram’s Head and Sovtek, with a super smooth sustain and nicely balanced low end. – Bjorn]

  365. I LOVE this thread you pay great attention to detail. Can you do a breakdown on the Deluxe Bass Big Muff? Thanks

    [Thanks! I’ll do that when I’ve tried it :) – Bjorn]

  366. Bjorn, always giving a great opinion and tips! Thanks a lot! Speaking on hints, here’s another one for those who live in Brazil. This guy makes astonishing versions of Big Muffs. I bought the Ram’s Head and Green Russian models with MIDS control and also options for other mods. I totally recommend it, for all of you guys: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004298468792

    [Thanks for the tip, Roger! I’ll check it out :) – Bjorn]

  367. Hey Bjorn, have you seen, or heard anything about these Hot Tone all analog, true bypass mini pedals? I’ve just seen them in the case at Sam Ash the last time I was in, but didn’t really pay much attention. However, at $79.00, and about the size of Mooer’s stuff, anx running across an advert that they were all TB, and all analog, it sparked my curiosity. They’re a little oddly shaped, with a clear plastic ptotrusion on the back end, but very small, about 3/4 the length, and 1cm wider than the Mooer’s, kind of oblong instead of rectangular. Any knowledge, or experience with them?
    Thanks my brother, Keith

    PS, going 24 track recording on the 13th, clips will finally be forthcoming!

    [I’ve seen them but I haven’t had the chance to try them out yet. Looks a bit weird but I’m sure they’re worth checking out. The Mooer stuff was a surprise so I guess cheap pedals has come a long way… – Bjorn]

  368. I also would like say you should check out the EHX sould food overdrive. It seems to be a good and natural, transparent overdrive thats footprint and wallet friendly.

    [Yep, looking forward to that one :) – Bjorn]

  369. Bjorn hope everything is goin well with you. I was wondering if you ever played any of the Stomp Under Foot clones. People seem to absolutely rave about them, and for the longest time I didn’t understand why until I saw a clip on some of the Rams Head clones they have. I must say quite impressive I don’t know if I would go as far as some people and say that they are the best clones, but they are pretty good. You should check this clip out, the 2247 clone he made is probably one of the better clones I heard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C4mZtVXovQ Take care

    [I’ve tried a few of them. They’re very good. There are so many Muff clones on the market and most of them are very good sounding. Some are straight clones of the original circuits, while others are modern takes with different additional features. I think it’s down to personal preferences and taste and it’s hard to tell which is better or if some clones are that much better than the rest. It always depends on how you’ll be using the pedal and with what gear :) – Bjorn]

  370. Well this has been one of my favorite sites to visit regularly, being a Pink Floyd fan and dubious pursuer of the Gilmour tone. A First Class site in content and presentation, well done Bjorn.

    This is my first post and I thought I would drop a note on my experience with the Retro-Sonic Distortion pedal – a Rat ( a Gilmourish recommendation as I recall) . This has all the RAT virtues that Bjorn has mentioned numerous times: easy to manage with small rigs and a versatile set of tones. But I thought I’d mention that I find it works very nicely as a tone tweak for my Big Muffs.

    For example, right now I am learning Comfortably Numb, so I am employing my SUF Civil War as the main distortion pedal, but it is a little dark and turning the tone up doesn’t really do it for me. So I put the RAT in front of it to add a little clearity, definition and upper mids. I am using light distortion on both, especially the RAT, set in the 9-11:00 range. They seem to play nice together, giving a reasonably convincing Wall CN tone. I know I am stacking a lot of pedals here but losing any one of them detracts from the tone IMO. I’ll be tweaking and swapping pedals for months – so I am not suggesting this is ideal, but it is something to consider.

    Strat with EMG 20 pups: Spx 2, Spc 7, Vol 8
    CS-2 -> R-S Rat -> SUF CW -> BD-2 -> Buffalo Power Booster -> DEM flanger mixed down to 30% wet with LS-2 -> TC Nova Delay -> Blues Jr

    I play at home at “condo volume levels” into a Blues Jr, so I can’t say much about live venue performance. Has any one else gotten good results stacking a Muff with a RAT?

    [Thanks for your kind words and for sharing, Dave! – Bjorn]

    1. Hey Dave, Not for Floyd stuff but for Brit inspired original stuff I used to stack a Vintage Rat into a MJM Foxey Fuzz all the time (live and in the studio).

  371. Hi Bjorn, thanks for the honesty. I love that . The Elements is a love hate – it’s like an eq – od – distortion – very versatile so I tend to keep it on the board. The Velvet has a decent overdrive ish (maybe a bit more than OD) for my needs. But again dark, which ends up being a nice rythmn sound. Keep in mind this is a cover band – so I tend need a few different sounds on board. Your reveiw nailed the P19, and yes very versatile and much brighter. It has a great nasty sound if needed – love it. I’m very sure when my original project gets going this will be one of my few gain pedals. Thanks for the input

  372. Hey Bjorn, Merry Christmas , Happy New Years and have anice Valetines Day – and Happy New Years if you are Korean. I doubt it but hey .
    So I havebeen looking at Fuzz pedals since our last email re Velvet Fuzz being dark. Last band practice I had enough. No clarity too dark. So I looked at a few and stared at your web page reading about the Big Muffs etc . I do like the Pi9 (pig) but I aslo get that they are all different. The Skreddy came up somewhere and saw/heard your video. I like the review and get that it’s not a bright /mid fuzz . Is it dark like the Velvet Wampler ? oops too late I ordered it anyway . I found a retailer who had one. Can you tell me the best order to use the pedals. If this is a piss off I understand. If not I have
    wampler ego – P19 – maybe the velvet for overdrive – dr scientist the elements – xotic Ep booster – then the ibanez delay for echo and a boss dd7 boss tuner strymon flint. I do use volume knob – if you suggest removing any of these I will hear you. Thanks,
    have a good weekend.
    Terrance

    [Hi Terrance! The P19 is considerably brighter sounding than the Velvet. More Big Muff-ish too obviously but altogether I think you’ll find it more versatile. Not sure if the Velvet works for overdrive but I haven’t really tried it for that application. Personally I wouldn’t use any of the pedals you got in combo. I think that would be just too noisy and too much gain. Perhaps the EP Booster could open up the Velvet and even the P19 a little but neither does really need a booster. I haven’t tried the Elements, so I can’t really tell about that one… – Bjorn]

  373. Bjorn! You rock!

    I LOVE the Sovtek tone, killer! Will it get me DSOTM tone, (time solo) in mind here!

    Thanks Bjorn

    Keep rocking

    [Thanks! You can easily tweak for some similar tones… depending on your guitar and amp. David used an early Sovtek for the Time solo on PULSE :) – Bjorn]

  374. Hope you’re doing well, fair enough on the guide comment. I can’t wait until you update it with other pedals like the Caprid and P19. I do have a question but its an easy one, I am curious to which big muff is the one you like most? I’m currently equally torn on the Rams Head and Civil War, I do love the later Russian models because of their boomy but tight low end with that snarl of the earlier and later US models. In saying that I feel the Rams Head and Civil War have the best combinations with each having a little more presence in certain areas, like Rams head having more bight and being brighter and the Civil War being more boomy and bassy but tight with really smooth grit and that thunderous sound that comes from your amp when hitting an Em. I think this is why we all love Big Muffs, they do have a signature sound but they all have their little quirks and deviations that make them special, thanks.

    [Hi Clark! It’s always difficult to answer questions like these because I don’t really have a favourite. It depends on what tones I need and what gear I’m using. In most cases, I prefer a ram’s head and I guess, if I had to choose, I’d go with the Pig Hoof. The Sovteks are great for certain applications and equally the triangle. Some of the clones with mids controls are great for recording and for cutting through a band mix… – Bjorn]

  375. Bjorn,

    I thought you might like to know about a Muff clone that I recently bought: the BMF Effects Aries Fuzz. It’s supposedly based on the Violet Ram’s Head Muff and it has an additional mids control. I played it today through a Carl Martin Plexitone prototype set up with just a hint of dirt and into a V-Amp 2 set to a clean combo. I added a bit of flange and delay at the V-Amp and used my G&L Legacy with Seymour Duncan Antiquity Surfer pickups. It’s the closest I’ve ever come to getting a tone in a Gilmour area. If you get the chance you should definitely try one!

    Regards,

    Stevie

    [Hi Stevie! Never owned one but tried it a few years back. Sounded really nice. Very similar to the Pig Hoof but a tad darker :) – Bjorn]

  376. Hi Bjorn I have recently discovered this site and I love it. I am still trying to accumulate the necessary gear for Animals/The Wall era sounds. The videos on the Big Muff tutorial are very helpful. So far I have a replica of the Black Strat that I put together myself from a 09 Mexican body and 99 USA neck, pickups are identical to the Fender edition. I use two Fender amps, Blues JR and/or Deluxe Hot Rod. I also have a 65 deluxe reverb. Pedals include Boss DD3 delay, CS3 compressor, bixonic expandora overdrive, electric mistress, and a US reissue Big Muff. I cant get the sound I am looking for. You seem to nail it on songs like “Mother.” I realize now the muff reissues aren’t very good, but I seem to be way off. I’m thinking about purchasing a Boss RT-20 to add to the mix. Any suggestions for getting closer to that sound?

    [Hi John! Sorry for my late reply. As always I recommend starting with the amp. Setting it up for the right basis for your pedals is crucial for getting the tones you want. See this feature for some amp setup tips. The US reissue Muff is all that bad but it’s not ideal for David’s tones. You might want to check out a model that isn’t that saturated and boomy. The EHX Bass Muff is actually very good and nails David’s 80s and 90s tones in particular. Check out the Buffalo FX Ram’s Head as well for those Animals and Wall tones. Hope this helped :) – Bjorn]

  377. This video (not made by myself) shows these Big Muff Ram’s Head replicas made by a brazilian guy. Pedals are very simple yet with a nice touch and more important: relatively cheap. Take your own conclusions about it:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OpBS97lOKs
    He also produces other Big Muff clones such as Civil War and Green Russian. Have them all and love them!

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  378. Hi Bjorn, greetings from Miami,Fl U.S.A… So what is your favorite top 3 triangle clones?…I wish this site was around 20 years ago. Thank you for making it.

    [Thanks! That’s a hard one… haven’t really tried that many triangle clones… Obviously, one of my all time fav Muff clones is the BYOC Large Beaver triangle. Apart from that… the Red Muck from Jam Pedals. Kind of a mix between a triangle and Sovtek but definitely a triangle-ish. Third… I don’t know… Once tried the WnC Tri Pie, which sounded very nice. – Bjorn]

  379. Hey Bjorn I wouldnt say you are lazy for not building a BYOC muff, I would say smart. It has been quite frustrating… they did forgot a diode in the package but I screwed up a bit so its mostly on me. I would like to know though what about those three makes them the best 3. I must say I am quite pleased that you listed the caprid, since I am user and an avid user. Thanks for answering my questions, cheers.

    [I think I’ve explained why in the guide above :) I’ll update it with the Caprid as well. To be honest I rarely use Muffs for my personal tones. Mostly for playing aorund with Gilmour tones and one or two Airbag solos but mostly I use conventional distortions like the RAT, Keeley/Boss DS1 or a combo of the Fulltone OCD and Tube Driver. The Muff has a limited range and it doesn’t sound like anything else than a Muff. I find distortions and overdrives and the combination of these to be more versatile and easier to experiment with. Having said that, among Muffs I prefer the ram’s head for it’s raw and aggressive tone. All of the top 3 pedals are in that category and their subtle differences makes them usable for different applications. – Bjorn]

  380. Hey Bjorn hope you are doing fine. I havent commented much for a long time because I have had the fortune of loving the gear that I currently have. But that aside I would like to hear your top 3 rams head clones in your opinion. Also have you ever built a BYOC large beaver? I decided to give it a shot and its been much more challenging than I thought, but I never soldered in my life before so I shouldnt have expected it to be as easy as I did. I hope everything is going well on your end, thanks.

    [Hi Clark! Never assembled any pedal… I’m too lazy :) My top 3 ram’s heads? 1. Electronic Orange Pig Hoof MkI/MkII, 2. Buffalo FX Ram’s Head and 3. WC Caprid. I also love the MJM Foxey Fuzz. Perhaps intended as a triangle or evern earlier than that but it has a distinct violet ram’s head kind of tone. – Bjorn]

  381. Hello Bjorn !!

    What you think about Nano Big muff Pi ?? Do you think, they can get the Gilmour tone ??

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-52QVM8-_vs

    Cya !!

    [I haven’t tried it yet but from what I understand it’s based on the bigger NYC reissue with a few minor tweaks. Like the late 80s Op amp Muff it’s not the best choice for Gilmour’s tones. It’s definitely possible to tweak for some convincing tones but I think there are better options out there for those Gilmour tones, like the EHX Bass Muff and the Mooer Triangle. See the Buyer’s Gear Guide Big Muff for other recommendations and alternatives :) – Bjorn]

  382. Oh yeah Bjorn, forgot to mention. I really have a difficult time with doing the clips, as I had no way of doing them at home, and to go DAW, I’d have to get a new computer, and wouldn’t settle for anything but a Mac for recording. I could drag all my gear to my friends, and record 1 clip there, but being someone who knows the recording process, but not the computer based DAW way, ans today being my birthday, I’ve decided to give myself a Tascam DP 24. Everything I’ve read says it’s perfect for my purposes, and being a fader, and knob turner, as opposed to a mouse slider, plus the fact I can get a full 24 track start up studio for around $600.00 including a couple of 57s, and 58s, I’m sure it’s the best starting point for me. If you aren’t familiar with the DP 24, and 32, check out the review, and explanation on a site called sound on sound. I had the old 4 track portastudio 244, and think Teac/Tascam was the original, on which I made many very decent demos, and while much more up to date, and digital, with lits of belks, and whistles, it has a certain familiarity to it, and instead of talking about making clips, I could under the right circumstances, do several clips over the space of a weekend, and it does sync with DAW software, so it would slowly get me up to date. Anyone have experience with the DP 24, or 32? The only even mildly weakness I’ve
    found after many searches, are the mic preamps could be better, and the onboard guitar effects aren’t great, but it does have effect sends, and returns, and the firmware is constantly being updated, and the latest version is supposed to have repaired any glitches it had when it first came out.
    Wish me luck, I’m sure it will be a lot of fun for the money.
    Peace, Keith

    [A belated happy birthday, Keith! I don’t have that much experience with mixing hardware. I’m using Logic my self… all digital and no interfaces or mixers. Anyone else here has any experience with this? – Bjorn]

  383. I didn’t explain the statement,”I didn’t want a muff.”, in my last post. What I meant was, I was quite happy with the Musket, and didn’t see a need for a muff for my purposes, but when the friend who initiated the project turned it over to me, I thought it my respinsibility to purchase one. So, I didn’t expect anything special, considering even Stuart admitted,( rather over humbly IMO!), That he wasn’t a muff guy, but would give it a try. And once again, IMO, he did a phenominal job at producing a pedal that does exactly what I would want a muff to do. Just wanted to make that clear, as to why I feel my opinion is about as nonbiased as is possible, if one considers that I had no intention of buying any muff clone, so therefore had no idea what it would sound like, until it was plugged in, and had it been anything less than what I’ve previously stated, I wouldn’t have gotten excited about it, or posted several posts about it.
    Peace, still your devoted Padawan, Keith

    [That’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Nothing beats the feeling of plugging into a pedal without any expectations and getting blown away. Obviously, since David used a ram’s head, it won’t be quite right until you actually play one and even though you’re not set on replicating any specific tones we all know that tone and use that as a reference. IOM the violet fits a Strat and Hiwatt/Revees especially well. Anyway, I wasn’t trying to underestimate the pedal in any way but rather try to explain what it takes to recognize and duplicate a tone. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  384. You’re not being a party pooper at all. I didn’t want a Muff, and had no preconceived notions what it would sound like. I really am giving you an unbiased opinion of what the V2 sounds like compared to other Muffs I’ve heard, and what my guitar sounds like through my rig, and to my ears, while maybe not the best, are classically trained, and have 35 years of musical experience. So, all varibles aside, all I’m saying is this pedal gets me as close as I could hope to the tones I hear on Animals. And, I know that is a subjective opinion, but not totally unfounded, based on other attempts to achieve that sound I hear. I always value your knowledge, and opinionand maybe I oversimplified it, but lets leave it at, ” I have not heard a better sounding Big Muff live, or on video.”.
    Still Love ya, Keith

    [Awesome! Hope you get around to make those clips :) – Bjorn]

  385. No Bjorn, he did it with the most amazing pair of ears! I can’t hear much, if any difference between the tones I’m getting, and live recordings the #1 was used on, and without too much trouble, I’ve gotten very close to the studio recordings of Animals. A little tweaking, and I think it is as close as can be, without Cornish’s schematic!

    [OK, please forgive me for being the devil’s advocate here. First of all, I do not doubt a second that the pedal sounds awesome. I’ve never had the pleasure of playing any of Castledine’s pedals but from what I’ve read and heard, he knows his stuff. For me though, again, without having tried it, this is just another Big Muff clone. It just so much you can do with the basic schematic.

    Again, I don’t doubt that Stu has a good ear but no matter how experienced you are it’s impossible to tell for certain how David’s Animals and Wall tones actually sounded. For one, obviously, what you hear is a combination of David’s guitar, the pickups, the signal chain through the pedal board, any combination of pedals that he might be using, the Hiwatts and the Yamahas. Add to this, the processing of the recording – either bad transfer of bootleg sources onto different medias or mixed and mastered studio recoridngs.

    For 99% of all of David’s Animals and Wall Muff live tones, he would use the bridge pickup on his Strat (DiMarzio FS1 for Animals and S Duncan SSL1c for Wall) and the signal was split into the Hiwatts and Yamahas. For Animals he would mostly use a combo of the Muff > Colorsound Powerboost > Electric Mistress > delay. For Wall it seems that he rarely used boost. The Cornish board also featured a tone circuit that he might have used with the Muff.

    Tone is also about perception and how you interpret the tone. On this level, analyzing a tone requires that you know exactly what the setup is, how each component sound and how they were set up. You also need to free your mind from any subjective opinions and associations. It comes down to experience and knowing what to look for. I can make a RAT or even an average overdrive sound like a Muff just by believing it and I will tell you how great it sounds because it sounds great to me.

    There are lots of great sounding ram’s head clones out there and everything said about the V2 can easily be said about the Pig Hoof, P1, Large Beaver, Foxey Fuzz, Caprid etc… based on my experience with these at least.

    I’m sure you hate me by now but don’t get me wrong on this. I’m very happy to hear that you’re excited about the V2 and it makes me want to try one… I can’t wait! I think your enthusiasm rubs off on us all! My point though is that there are no easy solutions for a good tone. And, as much as I would like to get my hands on a duplicate of David’s rig, I know that it won’t sound the same with my hands. – greetings from the Party Pooper]

  386. Is there any way to edit clips in moderation status. I check, and check, and only after I hit submit, do I find the many typos. I guess if I got in the habit of using my computer, where I could see the entire message I’m typing, I wouldn’t have all the typos, but the smartphone is so convenient. However, if there is an edit function, please inform me how to do it :)
    Thanks, Keith

    [Unfortunately there isn’t. It usually is on the forums bot not on blogs… – Bjorn]

  387. Hey Bjorn, just when I’d given up hope, my old bassist, who has an excellent home studio called and offered to record the audio for the V2 clip, and using the zoom as the video caprure, in 1080 p, and as the two track master, I would think I could get a near brocast quality clip, and really show the best Muff in the world off. Evidently, I’m not alone, as someone took me at my word, and bought the #2, and has confirmed that it is indeed what it was intended to be. As close as the human ear can get to David’s 1973 #1 Violet Ram’s Head. It sounds so good with everything ser at noon, I still haven’t found any need to boost it, even at bedroom levels. I hate to use this ift used cliche, but this muff is Animals in a box, no Bullshit, and if nothing else, I have a very good ear for minute details! If anyone cares to purchase a perfect Gilmourish Muff, buy thr V2 while you can, I will have a clip of the pedal up a week from this coming Monday, that will blow your mind!
    Peace, Keith

    [Looking forward to hear the clip. I’d love to try the pedal as well and hear how Stu has interpreted the tone. I assume that he hasn’t actually reverse engineered David’s old Muff? – Bjorn]

  388. Hello, Bjorn

    Thank’s, Your site is fantastic!!!

    Today I decided to buy the “Wren and Cuff Box of War”, but I see in the Site of Wren and Cuff that they have also a clone of Ram’s Head, the “Wren and Cuff The Caprid”…
    Do you know this clone and if there’s a good option?

    Tank’s again,
    From Portugal
    Pedro Rafael Costa

    [Thank for your kind words, Pedro! The Caprid is a true ram’s head clone and slightly different sounding compared to the BoW. Depends on what tones you want. The ram’s had has a bright aggressive tone with lots of sustain and vintage character. The early Sovtek Muffs has a darker and warmer tone with more mid range and low end. – Bjorn]

  389. “Way Huge Swollen Pickle Mkii Fuzz Pedal” is the name of the child. Have you ever heard it or tried it?

    [Nope. – Bjorn]

  390. Hi Bjorn, wish you were close enough to lend you my V2. I haven’t the gear, and haven’t had time to make a good enough clip, and would hate to see the best damned Muff I’ve ever heard go by the wayside because no one’s heard it, so no one knows of it’s existence. I know the forum guys are waiting to hear a clip from me, but I won’t post a smartphone video of the work of a true artist. I also don’t want Stuart to lose interest in making many more than the original 15, because he hasn’t got a good clip up, and won’t sell many until it’s properly heard. I feel like I’m letting everyone down, but I just can’t put any old crap up, so I’ll figure something out! Anyway, hope one finds it’s way to you, as they’d fly out of his shop should you get your hands on one.
    Peace, Keith

    [No worries Keith. I hope to be able to try one some day :) – Bjorn]

  391. Hey! Cool ‘page here, thanks. Just for the record, I bought the very last (Version 1) VFE Fiery Red Horse made; unlike the specimen reviewed above, mine has A LOT of gain and output-volume on tap. Its Mid, Power, and Clipping controls- in addition to the Sustain, Tone, and Volume- make this pedal EXTREMELY versatile! I sometimes have a hard time deciding which pedal I want it to be! LOVE mine!

    [It’s a nice pedal but not quite my taste. Glad you like it :) – Bjorn]

  392. Hello Bjorn, I have a rather important question, I have to get a clip up soon, or no one will speak to me again. My problem is, I really can’t see spending my studio time on it, and hate asking friends with home studios to go through the trouble. I have a Zoom Q3hd recorder, and wonder if you thought that I could place the stereo speakers at the proper distance from the zoom, and set my amp to a point at which the levels were close, do you think I could get a halfway decent clip? If I had a 57, and a interface, and some inexpensive software, I could use the mic in, and it would basically be at least close to a decent clip recording set up, but alas, all my gear went at one time, and while I have a great rig, I haven’t even began to learn the digital, computer based recording techniques thar sprouted up while I was on “Hiatus”. Any ideas of an inexpensive interface, and software that would act as a mixer, with basic reverbs, delays, that I could add a mic’d amp, to a backing track, and output into the Zoom, as a two track master? Or, given the time, and money issues, should I give the first idea a go? I feel like I missed out on so much in my time away. Last time I recorded, ADATs were new! Alot has changed about home recording since ’98. I suppose I could buy a digital multitrack recorder that comes with the software, and directly interfaces to your PC, they have gotten a lot less expensive. Sorry to be so long, but want to do the V2 justice, as it’s truly among the best Muffs I’ve heard.
    Thanks, and happy new year, Keith

    [Hi Keith! Not sure if the Zoom alone would make the pedal justice but I’ve never tried it so I can’t really tell. >re you using PC or Mac? I’m a Mac guy myself and Garageband should do the trick. A basic sound interface from MAudio or similar would make it possible to connect to a PC and MAC. I’m sure there are lots of free or cheap easy to use mixing software for PC as well. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  393. Very nice article! Still, I can’t decide between the Large Beaver , Pig Hoof mk2 and Musket. I play a les paul and want to use the fuzz only for the solos. I would like to get something similar to The Wall/ Animals tone. Which one would you recommend? Thanks and happy holidays ;)

    [It always depends on your amp and guitar and it can be a bit hard to nail the tones with humbuckers. Not knowing what amp you use I recommend the Large Beaver triangle model. It’s probably the most versatile of the three and fits humbuckers very well. – Bjorn]

  394. Bjorn:

    Cheers – I am very interested in the 10/10 overall rating on the WREN & CUFF Box of War. I am going to grab one but you must have some sage advice to give it a 10/10 Gilmourish Rating – that score merits something special as I use your reviews very frequently in pedal selection.

    Shine On,

    Pete Tatooles

    [Hi Pete! The scores are based on several criteria including whether the pedal is what it promise to be. The BoW is by far the best sounding Civil War Sovtek I’ve played and it also performs very well on smaller setups. This means that if you’re looking for David’s Animals tones, then you have to look elsewhere. My scores are also based on testing the pedals on my guitars and amps so they might not work as good on your rig. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  395. ok! So definetely the musket instead of the large beaver? Actually the lots of controls on the musket scare me a bit….and can you suggest me what compressor is good for me? I wanted to buy a CS3 and the man in the shop refused to sell it. He said it’s awful…do you agree?
    thanks again and I wish you a merry christmas ;)

    [It always depends on what tones you want but based on your setup and the tones you mention I would say the Musket. No need to be scared of the controls. It has three classic Muff controls and three for further tone shaping. The Focus control in particular is very cool for smaller amps.
    The CS3 isn’t awful but there are no doubt some much better option out there. Personally I’ve always been a huge fan of the classic Dynacomp and one of the better versions of it is the Whirlwind Red Box. Check out the Barber Tone Press as well :) – Bjorn]

  396. Hi mate, many thanks for your amazing website! I need your help: can you suggest an effects configuration for my american special strat + laney cub 12r?
    I play at home and my target is the “on the turning away” solo sound but I’d like to have at the same time something versatile for other eras. I read carefully the guide and I’m pointing to the large beaver, musket, the hoof, colossus, box of war…what’s the best? What about compressor, booster and chorus? cheers ;)

    [Hi! For starters, check out the Tone – Amp tutorial for some amp setup tips. On the turning away was recorded and performed live using a Boss HM2 into a Mesa head, with chorus and delay. I guess a RAT would be the easiest and closest match but you can also nail the tone perfectly with a Muff. I’d go for one with lots of mid range, like the Musket or Box of War. Personally I like the Musket and it’s also much more versatile for other stuff than the BoW. You’ll also need a chorus, any model would do but check out an analog model like the Mooer Ensemble King or CostaLab ChorusLab. You could pretty much use any delay but it’s hard to beat the TC Flashback in terms of price and tone. Hope this helps :) – Bjorn]

  397. Hey Bjorn,

    there is a Ram’s Head clone kit by a German company named Musikding. I’ve ordered and built mine and it blew me away! It nails The Wall pretty much, sounds great even at lower levels. A real choice for us European guys. And the best thing is: it costs only some 30 Euros (case included)!!! Awesome Muff for the price. There are some videos on youtube, one where one guy plays dogs. You ought to check this out!

    Merry x-mas to everyone!

    [Thanks for the tip, Matt! Enjoy the holidays! – Bjorn]

  398. hey thanks a lot for all the info Bjorn !! I checked out the shops here, sadly none of these are available… i’ll have to order these from abroad…

    thanks!
    Sid

  399. Hey Bjorn! I recently discovered your website and this place is a wealth of knowledge not only for Gilmour’s fans but for any guitar player!

    I am quite an “advanced beginner” bedroom player, I am also a Gilmour fan but I would like to be very flexible on my setup in order to nail different tones (eg. mainly 90s Grunge/Alt rock bands). I am building my first pedalboard and so far I have: Crybaby->TS9(mod TS808)->boss GE7(monteallums mod)->Phase 90 Script->boss CE2->Tc Electronic Alter Ego into a Vox AC4C1. I play a 64 fender mustang, an es335 and a strat.

    Now the 1 Million dollars question: I have still space/budget for one pedal and I am considering a distortion/muff/fuzz. What do you think will be the best pedal to fit and complete my setup in order to get a step closer David’s tone but also flexible enough to play other stuff?

    Many thanks in advance for your answer!!!
    Cheers,
    Pier

    [Hi Pier! Always hard to suggest a pedal that does it all but personally I prefer something versatile for whenever I want to nail as many tones as possible. Once you start to go for authenticity you’ll narrow and limit your options. The Fulltone OCD, Wampler PlexiDrive (sounds great combined with the TS808) and the classic RAT should be up for the job. If you want something a bit nastier I’d check out the MojoHand Iron Bell or TopTone DG2. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  400. hey thanks! i’ll see if i can find it locally and try it out… As of now i just have the muff w tone wicker and an electric mistress..the thing is that the money solo (orignal album version) sounds so clean as in, the notes are so clear even with that screaming kind of sound. sorry i can’t describe it properly.. but basically i wanted to be able to get that kind of sound..i know that it would be very difficult to get with just a big muff, but if there are certain settings on it or the amp which can help me get close ? And if there is a cheap alternative pedal to achieve similar tone ?
    Also , I have heard many versions of Comfortably Numb, but can’t quite make out if an Electric Mistress is used on it ? And, if these were the settings on the original Deluxe Electric Mistress , “rate 9:00, range 10:00, colour 10:00”.. is it possible to get a similar sound on the Stereo Electric Mistress ? and what would be the settings on it, in case you have tried on this..

    Thanks!
    Sid

    [Hi! David used a fuzz on the album version of Money so if you’re desperately seeking the authentic tone then you might want to consider a fuzz. There are lots of different alternatives out there but if you want something affordable and easy to get then check out the silver or blue Mini Fuzz Face.
    There was no Mistress on the album version of CN… only the 1980-81 live version. The Stereo Mistress is more like a very deep chorus and I don’t really recommend it for replicating David’s tones. Check out an analog chorus or the Mooer ElecLady, which is much closer to the original Mistress. – Bjorn]

  401. Hi! thanks for this excellent guide!
    I have seen you have tested chains in so many different ways… I want you to help me to order my pedals for a balanced use of true.b and buffers. Here are my pedals: -Big Muff with tone/wicker – Boss CS3 – (true-bypass modded) Cry Baby- MXR script Phase 90 – EH Neo Clone – Boss DD3 – Behringer VT999 (12AU7, tube you recommended, very satisfied with it :-)) – Pete Cornish G-2 Clone (without buffer).
    I don’t use daisy chains. I use a diy regulated-isolated power supply. What will be the most efficient way to place those pedals? Thanks!

    [Thanks! Try this: guitar > wah > CS3 > G2 > Muff > VT999 > Phase 90 > Clone > DD3 > amp. How about that? – Bjorn]

  402. Hi, I wanted to know if I can use the ‘Big Muff Pi with tone wicker’, for songs like Comfortably Numb and Money ? I have a very basic setup as of now, Fender Affinity, + Orange 20W + the BigMuff Pi w tone wicker and a Stereo Elec Mistress … What would be the ideal settings on this in your opinion for the those songs, and in general for similar tones.. ? Anything to help me get close to the correct sounds… I know I am missing a whole lotta gear :) but this is all i could get with my budget as of now ..

    Thanks in Advance!
    Big fan of this site !!! :)

    [Hi! The Tone Wicker works nicely. I also recommend checking out the EHX Bass Muff, which is very close to the Sovtek Big Muffs. Pedal settings always depends on your amp, what other pedals you use with the specific pedal, your playing style etc etc. Start off with the controls around noon and tweak your way around that but don’t overdo it. See this feature for some amp setup tips and this one for some Big Muff tone tips. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  403. Bjorn or other fellow readers. I am leaning towards purchasing a Pig Hoof But not sure which one. I did read both reviews on the site and watched the videos.

    I am mostly a rhythm player but am venturing into soloing. This is more for own enjoyment of playing and sometimes with friends. Being a rhythm player I like to have a little more bass in my sound so I can have that bottom “feel”! I play into a 4×12 with V 30’s but will eventually down size to either a 2×12 or 1×12. I am using a Fender strat with D Allen VooDooBlues pups.

    That being said and having read the details of the pedals, because I like to have a little extra bass in my over all sound I was wondering which Hoof would suit my needs better? If I use the Red model will there be too much bass? If I use the mkII with my amp bass up a little will I end up with the Red sound and not having it sound to muddy?

    Thanks guys for any input that you give.. It will all be greatly appreciated.

    Kevin M

    [Hi Kevin! I’d go for the red. It’s a monster in every sense with lots of gain and low end but it has tone and sustain all the way. The MkII is a bit cleaner with a little less gain and low end, tweaked for my studio setup. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  404. Hey Bjorn, gonna go for one of the 15 V2’s? I hope so. I know you’re a big Violet fan, and a good review from you would almost guarantee a long run, or possibly even get it added to his stock pedals! I hope I can do it justice in the YouTube clip I plan on recording. Gonna do the “Dry” solo from Dogs. I think that would be the ultimate test for what the pedal is supposed to be.
    Take care, and regards to your family during this season of Joy, and Peace, your friend, Keith ;)

    [Hi Keith! Well, if Stu sends me one I’d be more than happy to do a review :) All the best for the holidays my friend :) – Bjorn]

  405. Dear Bjorn,

    Yours is easily the coolest most comprehensive and informative tone resource I have ever seen. Thank you so much for everything you do.

    I am very interested in linking the inputs on my amp. However, I am not sure if my amp is capable and I am more worried of doing something wrong and damaging it. If you have any experience doing this with a 40w fender blues delux reissue I would greatly appreciate your instruction.

    Also. I have been chasing Trey Anastasio’s tone for years, but have realized that his phenomenal Languedoc hollow bodies are simply the most important part of the tone. As I do not have $10,000 to burn I have decided to chase Gilmour’s. The tone which made me want to play guitar in the first place! I have been stacking a Green Rhino -> TS9 but am struggling to get David’s smooth yet razor sharp tone. When I imagine what I’m going for I think of the over driven part from Shine On Wembly 1974. I’m sorry I can’t remember the time stamp. I can get back to you on that if you’d like. I have been wondering if I need to go with a muff. What do you think? I would probably stack it with the rhino in order to keep the mid and bass shaping knobs :)

    Other info
    American standard strat
    Phase 90
    Crybaby
    Diamond compressor
    Green rhino
    Ts9
    Morley volume pedal
    MXR carbon copy

    Thank you so much and take care!
    Brandon Oubre

    [Hi Brandon! I’ve never linked the inputs on a Blues Deluxe so I can’t tell how that sounds but try it. It won’t damage anything. I think the razor sharp tone you’re talking about is mostly just David’s Strat with a transparent booster and the bright Hiwatts. This might be hard to achieve on a Fender with a Green Rhineo/TS9 setup, since this has considerable more mid range than David’s setup. I’d consider a more transparent and brighter sounding overdrive like a Boss BD2 or, if you want to get THE tone, check out the Buffalo FX Powerbooster or ThroBak Overdriveboost. You’ll find reviews for both here on the site. See this feature for some tips on setting up your amp. – Bjorn]

  406. Bjorn,
    can’t wait for your writeup on the Skreddy P19. I was amazed that it was so easy to dial in the Wall tones. It seems like he included all the post production mixing and mastering from the album into the pedal. Pretty impressive. Ive never heard a muff sing and soar and be that quiet!

    I have been experimenting, using a BK Tube Driver after it in boost mode giving me that Pulse tone, and even tried it with an SS-3 set to light/med drive. The low end of that ss-3 gets you into thunderous lows — civil war’ish

    pretty perfect stacked with other pedals(starts to sound more ‘cornish’.. seems his muffs are like a muff, compressor, tube driver, etc all in one box. lol).

    Great on its own as well. Hope you do some stacked clips!!!! and hope you are doing well!!
    Regards,
    Jerome

    [Agree with your observations here, Jerome. The review will be up by this weekend. – Bjorn]

  407. Hey Bjorn, Thanx for all the help in answering my previous questions, I’ve recently purchased the Laney Cub 15 stack from your recommendations. I have an 2009 American Standard Strat. Black of course w/ a maple neck. I’m having the Dallen Echos Pups installed this week. I was hoping you could point me in the right direction w/ effects that best suit the Comfortably numb solo w/ my current set-up, playing @ bedroom levels. Thanx Cooper

    [Hi Cooper! Depends on what tones you want but the setup handles most pedals very well. For a versatile approach I’d go for a Rat as the main distortion and perhaps a Boss BD2 for boost and overdrive. A more authentic way to go would be a Big Muff, like the Pig Hoof or the easier to get Bass Big Muff Pi from Electro Harmonix with a Buffalo Powerbooster or ThroBak Powerboost. As for modulation, I’d go for an Electric Mistress like the Mooer ElecLady or a chorus, like the MXR Analog Chorus. Any delay would do but check out the excellent TC Electronics Flashback. Hope this helps! – Bjorn]

  408. So Bjorn, is the 1979 album they refer to on the Skreddy sites P-19 advertisement The Wall? Is it a Ram’s Head cloned to sound like DGs #1? I don’t keep up with much of the pre-reviewed stuff, unless it’s from a tried, and true builder I have experience, or some kind of relationship with. Just curious, it does have the Animals font, which Stu fooled around with before settling on the V2, in the Pi font.
    Peace my friend, and to all of you, Keith

    [I’ll cover all of this in the upcoming review but yes, the album is The Wall. The pedal is not meant to be a replica or clone of the #1 but rather the tone you hear on the album, which is quite different to just hearing the pedal through a Hiwatt. – Bjorn]

  409. Hey Bjorn what are your impressions of the Skreddy p19 so far?

    [Love it! I’ll have a review up but probably not until early January… – Bjorn]

  410. Hi,

    I recently ordered a SSL 5 pup and a BYOC Large beaver(Ram’s head specs) to get started with the tone quest. I am wondering if the big muff would work properly with my amp. The amp I am using is VOX VT20+ which is supposed to be a hybrid modelling amp. It is not a full tube amp. I am not sure how it will respond to the Large beaver. Do you have any idea as to what needs to be done to get the best out of it?

    [Never tried the amp my self so I can’t really comment on that. On a general note, Big Muffs and vintage style fuzz pedals can often sound a bit too aggressive and bright on solid state amps and smaller setups. They were initially designed for loud tube amps and that should be taken into consideration when buying one. If you have problems with then try setting your amp as neutral as possible and use a clean booster, like a Boss BD2 with the Muff to smooth out some of the sometimes harsh overtones. See this feature for more tips. – Bjorn]

  411. Hi Bjorn!
    I wanted to ask you about overdrives: do you usually use them alone or with a clean boost in front or after them. Thanks!! :)

    [I use them alone. That is, if it’s set up for overdrive with a fair amount of gain. Still, there’s no reason why you can’t blend in a booster for more tone and character or for more gain for solos etc. – Bjorn]

  412. Hi Bjorn,

    Just wanted to let you know that Maxon is coming out with 7 new fuzz pedals, one being the FEA10 Fuzz Elements – Earth, which is supposed to mimic a Ram’s Head. It sounds rather close the Triangle as demoed by Godlyke. They come out next week as shown on the Maxon website.

    Thanks again for being the great player and resource that you are,

    Brian

    [Thanks for the tip, Brian! I’ll check it out :) – Bjorn]

  413. Bjorn, can you name all the effects David used to get that marvelous tone on “on the turning away” from Delicate tour? Was that sound coming only from the Ram’s Head or was it superboosted with the Boss MZ?? Thanks for that wonderful site as always!

    [He did a lot of changes throughout that tour so it’s hard to tell but from what I can hear from listening to Delicate I would assume he’s using the ram’s head Muff, possibly boosted by either the TC booster or the Mesa Boogie head (although I think this was used with the HM2 exclusively) with Boss CE2 and delay. The 1987-90 tour isn’t as well documented as the Division Bell tour and with all the changes I can’t give you straight up answer. – Bjorn]

  414. Hello Bjorn,

    Great website, thank you so much for sharing all this info with us! Your archive is similar to gilmour’s tone: huge :-)

    I’m planning to purchase a large beaver to combine /w a xotic RC booster (witch should be similar to the coloursound/throbak boosters). Amp is a vox ac30cc (I know, not your favorite :-).
    How does this large beaver respond to an ac30? I’m thinking of the ram’s head version.

    Also looking forward to your upcoming delay section in the buyer’s guide!

    Again: thx again for all this work!

    Best,
    didi

    [Thanks for your kind words! The RC is a clean booster, so the AC would perhaps be closer to the Colorsound/Throbak. Anyway, Muffs goes very well with the AC30. It’s a fairly bright amp so you might need to roll down the tone a bit on your Muff but try different settings and see what suits your ear :) – Bjorn]

  415. Hey Bjorn,
    Great article, as always. Your choice of pedals for DG’s tone is spot-on, which is why I’m asking for your help. I own a solid state amp and a HSH guitar and I was wondering if there are any Big Muffs that I can use with my setup to achieve the Meddle – Final Cut era sound. I’d also like to buy a fuzz for other classic rock sounds, but again I’m not sure if they could work together. If you don’t think that what I ask of you is possible, are there any distortion pedals that could replace a Big Muff and a fuzz?
    Thanks :)

    [Hi Paul! Given your setup I think your best choice would either be a distortion, like a RAT, or one of the more versatile Big Muffs like the Musket or Iron Bell. Both of these will give you a classic Big Muff tone but they suit different setups than most other Muffs and they also double nicely for other genres. – Bjorn]

  416. There’s this guy in Brazil who makes very nice copies of boutique pedals. Any pedal you want for a very reasonable price, less than USD100 each. I have a few and I like them a lot. I wish you could test some of them, Bjorn. There are all Big Muff models: civil war, green russian, ram’s head… MXR Dynacomp, MXR Phaser 45 and 90, Univibe, OCD, Coloursound and others. Very well built and they sound amazing to me. I like my ram’s head as much as the Top Tone DG-1. “Andy Effect” is his brand. This is my tip for all brazilian guys who appreciate your website.

    [Thanks for the tip! I’ll check it out. – Bjorn]

  417. Hey Bjorn, and others, There’s a new Muff on the horizon, and feel I can now disclose some info. My friend Will, contacted reverse engineering, and all around pedal guru Stuart Castledine,( The genius behind the 100% correct non master volume CSPB, availible only from Macari’s.), about doing his best to recreate the famous ’73 #1 Ram’s Head owned by DG. He took the job in hand, and is making 20 of them. As Bjorn pointed out to me, no ond really knows what mods were done to the #1, so reverse engineering is technically impossible, but Stuart has some Magic, and a HUGE MUFF, a big muff with every concieveable resistor, transistor, cap, and combination of each circuit available at the flip of numerous switches. So, listening to Animals, and everything the pedal was known to be used on, he’s doing it by ear. And at a price he quoted me, £159, it’s not overly expensive for what you will get. The pedals aren’t ready, but when he’s close, I’ll make sure to let everyone know. He is struggling for the perfect name, a few of which I suggested, and one in particular I hope he goes with. I have seen the mock up, with the font he’s using, and looks wise, you’ll love tbe vintage look,( You can Thank Will Biwden for the idea, the colors, and design!), but I am receiving his drop in 66-67 Italian Thomas organ, Vox drop in kit, that he added a reversing switch for instant Seagull, and a output resistor to make it friendly with being in front of a FuzzFace. The great thing is, these fuzz friendly mods ruin the seagull effect, so he made it so the fuzz friendly circuit cuts out, when you toggle the reverse switch! Why didn’t anyone think of this before. He actually winds his own Halo inductors, and ICAR style pots, for absolute authenticity to the most sought after wah ever made! I’m betting his Muff will be as close as you’ll ever get to David’s #1 ’73 Ram’s Head.
    Peace, Uncle Ebb

  418. Hey You …
    I built a BYOC large beaver partly because of your favorable reviews. You have also stated that tubescreamers are unsuitable for boosting your Muff type distortion. I think there is one exception to that. I built a BYOC OD2 which is basically a hot rodded tubescreamer and went for the MosFet version (should take it into Fulltone territory – I’m told) and guess what ? The boost section sounds awesome after the large beaver muff. Hope you find this interesting – try it out
    Cheers

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  419. Hi there.
    The review is awesome, really appreciated :-)
    I have one question for you.
    What do you think about the italian handmade pedals Custom Muff and Natural Drive mkII, both made by CostaLab?
    Thank you very much in advance!!!

    Marco

    [Love them! Check out my review of the Custom Muff here and the Natural Drive here. – Bjorn]

  420. Hi Bjorn,

    this would be the signal chain (I am simplyfing because the rig as a whole includes loopers, midi control, etc):

    Strats (PU vary, from vintagey ’50 to Seymour Duncan QPs, but generally lower output SC) into the pedal I am chasing (and I could add a booster like a Jauernig Luxury Drive after it as you suggest), and from there into a THD Bivalve 30 (pure class A with ECC83s in the pre and KT88s in the power section, a lot of headroom and LOUD for 30 watts), into a Palmer PDI-03 for power soak and speaker sim, and at that point into a Strymon Timeline for delay and a Rocktron Intellifex XL for anything else (chorus, reverb, pitch shift, etc), into recording unit or snake for PA. No cabs in this config, so can run the amp at the volume I like (usually around 1-3PM, without master volume) to cook the power tubes and still put the delay at the very end of the chain as if it was an insert on the mixing desk.

    Massimiliano

    [Sorry for my late reply, Massimiliano. You got a lot of power and gain from your amps but the pedal you describe is best used on a clean amp or slightly overdriven one, I think… as most high gain pedals do. The Musket is a very versatile Big Muff. So is the Iron Bell from Mojo Hand. Still, they are Big Muffs and I’m not sure you want that for the genres you want to cover. Sounds to me that you want and need something versatile like a Boss DS1 (Analogman), RAT or Dark Matter. You should also check out the Fulltone OCD. – Bjorn]

  421. Hi Bjorn,

    I have a question on big muffs: I play hard rock, somewhere between Ritchie Blackmore and Michael Schenker (well, in the intentions…) in terms of style and sound. Now, in my pedalboard I would like to add a pedal that covers a specific aspect: high-gain, smooth lead tone with lots of sustain. Think of the most recent Blackmore (see the second part of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHEKWURIT-o, or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzR4TiD0rus). However, he achieves it by mixing the overdriven sound with a synth patch for brass, which is too complex and expensive for me to reproduce. Schenker also has these smooth tones, and Gilmour (or Eric Johnson) as well. They each get there from a different angle.
    The question is this: I have been listening to your demo of the Musket, which I adore. At the same time, all other demos on the internet for that pedal focus on that grungy/fuzzy strumming that I am really very far away from, so wanted to ask your opinion whether I would be better off with one of the muffs (and which one – is the Musket the best option?) or if I should consider something else, like for example the Golden Cello. As you have tried a lot more of these pedals than I have, your opinion would be really appreciated.

    Best,
    Massimiliano

    [Hi Massimiliano! Achieving specific tones depends equally on your amp and guitar. It’s the combination that produce the tone. Not the pedal alone. Please let me know what amp and guitar/pickups you have and I’ll try to help :) – Bjorn]

  422. Dear Bjorn,

    Thanks for all ur amazing contributions! Really enjoy reading ur reviews!

    Am thinking on getting the new Mojo Hand BMP-1 or the Pompeii pedal, wondering if you have tried it yet and would love to hear your review on them before i decide to get them or not.

    I cant decide on which Russian Green Muff clone i should get. There’s the Wren & Cuff Tall font Russian, Stomp under Foot green Russian, Arc Effect big green pi, JAM red muck and the Mojo Hand BMP-1.

    Could you give me some advice on them? Thanks in advance Bjorn! =)

    [Thanks for your kind words, Scott! Hard to pick a favourite but I think either the WC Box of War or the BMP-1. – Bjorn]

  423. Hi Bjorn,

    you should really check out the “Caprid”, a Ram’s Head clone by Wren and Cuff, and maybe consider it for a review! Personally I find it accurate in replicating those David classic tones from 77-83

    Cheers!

    Matteo

    [Yep, need to check out that one. – Bjorn]

  424. Hey Bjorn, I have a question, the last few times Gilmour has performed C Numb live, the solos are listed as p-1, which I characterize as very squished, not as boomy, and overall a very tight muff sound, and I love it. Now, you said its off a ram’s head clone, which the Pig’s Hoof is as well. My question is, which of the clones is going to get me closest to that C Numb live sound from Gdasnk and his appearance with Roger at O2? It seems to be very different from the Muff sound of anything on the Wall album. Thanks!

    [Sorry for my late reply. You have to remember that an album version is often not a good or honest reference for the actual sound because the result is created by different mics, mic placement, the actual guitar and amp and all kinds of studio trickery. It doesn’t compare to a live setup… even when it’s recorded like Gdansk. Apparently, David used the Muff the P1 was based on, for the recording of Wall and Comf Numb so there should be that big of a difference to the actual sound. My best tip on getting as close as possible, given that you have about the same rig, is either the Pig Hoof or the Buffalo Ram’s Head. – Bjorn]

  425. Bjorn,

    congratulations on an exellent site! As devoted Gilmour fan and disciple to his sound I was striving for some BUDGET alternatives for reaching this goal. And my search was of course influenced by your reviews.

    I compared the following muffs/clones myself now (and this might be useful for some of the readers as well):
    – Little Big Muff
    – Bass Big Muff
    – Mooer Triangle Buff

    Setup was my stock 1969 Strat, a Boss BD2 as Booster behind the Muffs and a Mooer ElecLady into a Fender Pro Junior (sound a little raunchier and more british than my Deluxe Reverb and takes pedals pretty well due to EL84s and a 10″ speaker). Testing was done at more than bedroom level.
    NOTE: The volume setting on the Muff that “boosts” the BD2 will have a HUGE!!! impact on the overall sound. Higher volume setting on the muff will result in a fatter sound, even if you keep the overall level low with the BD2!

    Little Big Muff:
    Ok, let’s put this straight: If you want Gilmour – forget about it! This Muff is the cheapest of the three and sounds the least like you would wish. The sound is always either muffled or too bright, lacks mids. The pedal has a high level of compression and kills dynamics as you play which in fact bothers me most. The BD2 couldn’t help here. The Little Big Muff is more a “modern style” muff (as is the NYC Big Muff Reissue) but has no real reassemblance to Gilmour tone.

    Bass Big Muff:
    This Muff sounds WAY better than the Little Big Muff. The sound is less compressed, leaving space for dynamics. The characteristic thing about this pedal is its pronounced midrange. It will give you authentic PULSE tones, BUT ONLY combined with the BD2 that adds some sparkle, gain and clears up the sound. I didn’t like it too much as a stand alone pedal. In combination with the DB2 you get instant “Sorrow” sound from the PULSE. It sings, it has a lot of sustain when boosted and the midrange will let it cut through the mix. Without the DB2 it sounds a little dull and doesn’t have so much sustain as you would expect. The Bass Boost is a great feature to warm up your sound. I guess I’ll keep it for the PULSE tone.

    Mooer Triangle Buff:
    Out of the three this is just a little pricier (79€) compared to the Bass Big Muff (66 €) and the Little Big Muff (52 €). I was really surprised that it sound so different. It sound way more transparent than the EHX-models, has freqency-wise a little more of everything, more gain and sounds the most balanced. It sounds fatter than Bass Big Muff and the most authentic sound (NOTE: I’ve never compared an original Triangle Muff). It’s by far the best stand alone pedal, nailing Wall pretty much. Huge sound in a tiny pedal! It is very dynamic, the best tones with settings sustain at 70% and tone around 50% (it sounds darker than a ram’s head). Again, the volume knob has a huge impact on the sound. The more volume, the fatter it gets. The only drawback: it didn’t match the BD2 as well as the Bass Big Muff did. The sound didn’t change too much and I have made the experience that octave tones (like the “Sorrow” intro) tend to get a little muddy with the DB2. But I guess this will be ok with a little more trying and tweaking. Nevertheless, the Mooer by far outruns the EHX models. This is definately a keeper!

    A little comment on the ElecLady:
    It really gets close to the Electric Mistress, though it sounds thinner. And it tends to suck some of the sustain when put behind the muff. Favorite settings here (o’clock): color 8:30, rate: 2:30, range: off, mode normal. Nice pedal for the money.

    AGAIN: I was looking for “cheap” BUDGET solutions. Of course, there are better pedals available, but maybe hard to get here in Europe. Anyway, I have orderer a Pig Hoof last week. Guys, Jan is really nice and fast with his answers, but the waiting list for orders is about 12 months long. Mine will be delivered in June 2014…

    Maybe this helps some of you guys to get “your” sound at a reaonable price. I’m looking forward to repeat this review with my VOX AC15 and Deluxe Reverb.

    [Hi Matt! Thanks a lot for the review! Great stuff! The three pedals are indeed very different from each other covering different eras in the Muff history. Personally I think the Bass Muff is the best and most authentic sounding of the three, nailing that early 90s Sovtek tone pretty well. The Mooer is OK but I think there are better triangle clones out there like the Large Beaver. As you also point out, it all depends on the setup you use the pedals with. Thanks! – Bjorn]

  426. Keith:

    You are talking to someone who has essentially made a business of hot rodding MIK Epis in a big way. That said, I have a 1978 Gibson ES335 TD though as well as a really nice Limited Edition MIK Dot. The latter has Fralins and the former a locally handwould PAF (the Gibson Tarbacks were in my view horrible. I kept the pots and electronics though, installed a Bigsby). The 335 feels and smells quite like a old style Gibson. It’s very nice to play, due to the unique construction of the fretboard (classic Gibson). There is a huge difference in feel, smell etc. between that and my Dot. The Dot seems a little blockier (a bit of a baseball style neck, fairly fat) and, well, cheaper. But the sound? The Dot is absolutely killer, having that vintage sound with the amazing Fralins. There are certainly tradeoffs in buying MIK Epis. Even the amazing ones are not quite like Gibsons in many ways. They are fantastic though, nonetheless. Hope this helps!

  427. Bjorn,

    I went ahead and bought the Catalinbread Manx Loaghton on the strength of what I heard in the Brett Kingman clip. Here are my impressions so far…

    Brett’s video makes the pedal sound very high gain. However, he does have the sustain maxed. Also, I suspect he has relatively hot single coils in that strat. With my CS69 set, I can’t get quite the level of saturation he has in the video on the bridge pickup, but just the right amount! I basically max the gain for a song like “Young Lust” and it’s spot on. roll back to about 2-3 oclock for something like the “Mother” solo. So players with the SD SSL-5 in the bridge might find themselves rolling back the sustain knob more if they want to get a little more “authentic” bite and less compression/gain, but there’s no doubt the sustain knob can accomodate less gainy tones, too.

    There is PLENTY of volume in the pedal, so the level knob can really help push those tubes and get the muff into the range where it really sings. Also sounds decent at lower levels.

    Roll back the volume knob, and you get really nice rich OD tones. I found it perfect for playing “Time” where I could roll back the volume for the rhythm, then turn it up and step on the delay for the solo.

    In scientific terms, this thing sounds f*ing amazing! I have barely scratched the surface of what this baxandall tone stack can do. I have to admit, when I put it on the “Triangle” settings in the manual, it sounded harsh to me, more trebly, and more muddy. However, I’ve never had a triangle, and not really sure what I should be listening for, and perhaps this setting would sound great in a full band mix. However, dialling in the “Rams Head” settings in the manual is where I’ve spent most of my time, and the pedal is just glorious sounding.

    Now, a little context. The only muff I’ve ever owned, before now, is my bubble font sovtek green russian. Great pedal. However, I always wondered what I was missing not trying out a rams head. Comparing the two, it’s remarkable how different and yet how similar these different circuits can be. For “The Wall” tones, it’s clear the rams head is just IT. The notes have a thick, yet hollow sound, which sounds like a contradiction. I love it. Whereas the great russian sounds just great almost wherever you set the knobs, the RH circuit is a little more finicky in how you dial it in, but the sound is edgier, and more interesting.

    Another observation — the Green Russian has amazing string clarity and a tight bottom, so when you play something like the intro to “Cherub Rock” by Smashing Pumpkins, it sounds great. When I try to play that intro where I have the manx set for my DG lead tone, things get muddy. However, I’m sure one could dial in a smoother setting for that kind of application with the versatility of the EQ.

    Sorry this was so long! There were not a lot of lower gain clips of this pedal on the interwebs, so I wanted to report back to those who might be considering the Manx for Rams Head Gilmour tones…do it without hesitation!

    Cheers,
    Brad

    [Thanks a lot for the review, Brad! I need to check out this pedal :) – Bjorn]

  428. I have a question for Andrew from the previous post. I’m a close friend of Lindy Fralin, and lost my ’71 ES 335 TD a few years back, and have often thought of getting an Epi dot, and replacing the tuners, all the pots, and switch, and wiring, and installing Fralin “Real PAFs”. How does the guitar play and sound with the Fralins? I miss my 335, but not willing to spend 3 grand on anything Gibson builds these days! Your opinion would be appreciated.
    Peace, Love, and Gilmourish, THE POSTECUTIONER

  429. What would you say the best Muff or Muff Clone is when using PAF type pickups? I have Lindy Fralins (MIK Epi Dot), Dimarzio 36 Anniversary (MIK Epi Goldtop LP), Sheptone AB Customs (MICz, Epi LP), Reilander Reverands (’78 Gibson ES 335), Reilander Mudbuckers (MIM Strat), Wolfetones (MIK LP) and Duncan Antiquitys (???). I also have some P90 equipped guitars and finally a MIM Tele with a classic style Jerry Donahue and one guitar (only one!, MIM Strat) with Texas Special style single coil strat pickups. I’m quite a ways from the classic Gilmour sound, I admit, although he did use P90s to amazing effect on some songs. At this point I’m leaning toward the Large Beaver or maybe the Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker.
    Amps – I have two right now: 1) a 2008 reissue Vox AC30 and 2) a boutique rebuilt to 59 specs., point to point Fender Bassman. I’ve hot-rodded each with Weber speakers (celestion versions and Jensen styles respectively).
    I really don’t need to have an exact copy of Gilmour. I’d probably prefer to have my own sound. So I’m thinking I’ll grab a reissue Pi Wicker for $60.00 CAD and experiment.
    I have a great Crowther Hotcake pedal that I use now, but I’ve always admired the Gilmour sound.

    [The thing with humbuckers and Muff is that you often end up with something closer to Sabbath than Gilmour. The Muff has a lot of gain, which can be hard to tame with humbuckers. Anyway, I prefer the triangle model. It works especially well with PAFs and P90s due to it’s lower gain and slight mid range boost. The Wicker has more gain but the additional EQ/tone switch might make it easier to match it with buckers. – Bjorn]

  430. Hey Bjorn, I seem to be missing a couple of posts. I had posted right after Cillian in guitars, a greeting, with some talk about finishing my board, but can’t find it. I’m sure it was there, or at the end of fuzz, as there seem to be two missing. No Big deal, but I would like to see them. Is there a way for me to pull up my posts from the last two weeks?
    Thanks buddy, K~

    [Hi Keith! I posted a note on Facebook yesterday… I had some issues with posts from the 24th and 25th this month being marked as spam when I tried to approve them. Seems have been a bug but my hosts didn’t manage to fix it so the posts are deleted. I’m very sorry. – Bjorn]

  431. Have you ever tried one of the GGG Big Muff clones? I was going to buy a Ram’s head from them, but I can’t find much about it, so I also have my eye on the BYOC one.

    [Nope. Haven’t seen much reviews either… – Bjorn]

  432. Hi Bjorn

    I really enjoy reading the articles on your site, and it has helped me a lot. I am an absolute beginner when it comes to guitar playing, and I could use a bit of advice on the settings of my (very limited) gear…

    My Strat is a 70’s player MIM with Texas Custom pickups, and I am only running it through a Bass Big Muff and nothing else, that is the only pedal I own right now (I’m new, and on a budget!)… My amplifier is nothing to write home about either. It is a very affordable transistor amp (Roland Cube 20), but I’m looking to upgrade it to a Fender Blues Junior once I can afford it.

    I could use some advice on how to get as close as possible to Delecate’ish sound, with the limited gear that I have right now. I have tried some different settings on the Muff, but I can’t seem to get anywhere near the sound I want (I really have no idea what I’m doing when I’m turning the knobs TBH :-)… If you could suggest some settings, I would very much appreciate it. Like tone/volume on the Strat, and which pickup to use? I use to play through the neck pickup, but I don’t know if thats the one to go for? Also settings on the Muff and EQ on the Amp maybe. I’m not playing too loud btw., because my neighbors don’t seem to appreciate my Comfortably Numb solo jam as much as I do :D.

    Thanks for this awesome site and I hope you can give me some advice.

    [Hi Lasse. Obviously, getting close to certain tones would require a bit more effects but the important thing is to get the most out of your guitar and amp. With that you should be able to set up a great basis for your Muff and future purchases. It’s hard not to go in detail so please read through these features and let me know if you need more help. See this for some amp set up tips and this one for Big Muff tone tips. I also recommend checking out the Tone feature for some general tone tips. – Bjorn]

  433. Bjorn,

    Thanks for your answer about the Manx Laughton. It definitely sounds high gain, but I did notice on Brett’s Comf. Numb clip he has the gain on the pedal maxed. I would love for you to be able to review this one, as it seems possible that it could cover a lot of Gilmour ground with the Baxandall Tone control. I downloaded the manual and they have setting suggestions for both triangle and ram’s head muffs. Maybe they’d let you review that and the Echorec together?

    Thanks,
    Brad

    [I’ll check it out :) – Bjorn]

  434. Hi Bjorn,

    I wanted to give a quick shout out to Scott over at Axe and You Shall Receive. I spoke to him about a BYOC Rams Head Large Beaver and he could not be a better merchant to deal with. It cost me a bit more to have the Beaver shipped from Canada, but it’s worth it. If anyone needs a BYOC of any type, Axe and You Shall Receive is the place to go in my opinion.

    With the Large Beaver, the Iron Bell, and the Rook as my core pedals, I am getting TONS of great tones. Lot’s of David-type tones, of course – but the flexibility of my setup is helping me find my own as well. Cheers, and keep up the great work and rock on!

    Don

    [Well said, Don! BOYC and Scott at AAYSR are great guys offering excellent customer service. – Bjorn]

  435. Bjorn,

    Plans to review the Catalinbread Manx Laughton? Above you surmised from clips that it sounded based on a sovtek, but it is meant to be more of a rams head. In any case, it has a baxandall eq that is supposed to give a lot of tonal variety.

    I have a green russian sovtek, and want a pedal friendly rams clone but don’t want to wait 9 months for a pig hoof. I’m really leaning towards the Catalinbread, but most demos use it for high gain sludgy stuff…

    thoughts on this clip, (about 6:03 in)?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL_ScH5BMt8

    Thanks!
    Brad

    [Ok, thanks for the info Brad. I can hear from Brett’s clip that it definitely has that ram’s head quality. I haven’t tried it so I can’t really comment on it but judging buy the clips alone, it sounds like it has a bit too much gain for my taste, which I don’t really think suits a ram’s head. I might be mistaken though. – Bjorn]

  436. Great write up Bjorn. Based on your reviews, I picked up an Iron Bell and I could not be happier with it! Now, I am looking too add another muff or fuzz to expand my tonal possibilities even further. I have my eye on the BYOC Large Beaver, Musket, or ED Pig Hoof. Which would have the least amount of tonal overlap with the Iron Bell? Or is there another you may recommend? I play Gilmour from mostly DSoM forward as well as Texas blues and some hard rock. Any thoughts?

    [The Musket is somewhat similar to the Iron Bell so I’d go for either the LB or Pig Hoof. Personally I swear by the Pig Hoof on my board. – Bjorn]

  437. Hey bjorn i have been reading about gilmour’s muffs and seeing what modifications were made to them. Do you know if any of the muffs like the p-1, p-2 or the rams head were modded to add more mids? Thanks, cheers.

    [Not to my knowledge no. As far as the sources goes, all of his ram’s heads and the P1 were modified and designed to sound like a ram’s head he got around 1975-76. None of these has much mid range. The P2 is stock after Cornish’ specifications and it has considerably more mid range than the typical ram’s head. More like the early Sovteks. – Bjorn]

  438. D auchterlonie

    Hi Bjorne and all, after much thought I have ordered a byoc large beaver, now I just have to make it, will be fun I guess. I couple of mouths ago bought an digitech ipb 10 programable pedal board, awesome, unlimited user saves and ease of use via an iPad,
    Worth the money works well with boosters. The big muff pedal on the board sound like the current issue, so not good, thanks for a great forum and I love the sound that airbag had, cheers from david

    [Thanks David! I think you’ll be very pleased with the LB :) – Bjorn]

  439. Hey Bjorne have you tried or heard about basic audios tri/ram? You should do a demo and add it in to this page, when you get the time of course. From I have seen and heard it seems to be a good clone of both for 200 USD.

    [Looks very promising! I haven’t tried it though but I’ll check it out :) – Bjorn]

  440. Sorry to comment again but i forgot to ask if either of the hoofs has a good wall of sound thing goin on to the tone. Thanks again.

    [See my reply below :) – Bjorn]

  441. Hope your doing great.

    The Caprid is ridiculously good, its my favorite pedal. I was fortunate enough to get a original chandler tube drive used for a really good price. I am definitely going to return the box of war and get a pig hoof since i realized that is the tone i like and prefer (animals being my favorite album and gnask favorite tones, lol as you know this already from thousands of comments), and i feel and hear it cuts through the mix better than a sovtek. I was wondering which pedal you would recommend of the two pig hoofs to be boosted by the tube driver, I understand the yellow label has less lower end and gain so that generally will make it easier to tame, and does either have a more boosted mid range and presence? Thanks best wishes, cheers.

    [The yellow is definitely the best to boost. It is tweaked for that in mind with less gain and lower end. Alone it might sound a bit modest.Especially compared to the red label or Caprid but with a booster I think it surpasses both. It blends well with the booster and gets nicely compressed and smooth. The Tube Driver can be a bit tricky for boost but if it works out with the Caprid then it will work nicely with the yellow Hoof as well. – Bjorn]

  442. Dave Yackaboskie

    Hi Bjorn,

    Really like your reviews. I always look forward to reading them and checking out the videos that go along with them. That’s such a great way to do a review. Actually bought a few pedals based on your reviews, one of which is the Wren and Cuff Box of War. I love it. Do you ever plan to try the Wren and Cuff Caprid, and have you ever tried the Arc Effects Big Green? I’d be curious to hear your take on those two. After actually trying the pedals based on your reviews my opinions are very similar to yours, so that is why I trust what you have to say about any product you review.
    Well take care, you do a great service to the music community with your site, Thank You for what you do.

    Dave

    [Thanks for your kind words, Dave! Glad you enjoy my site :) I hope to be reviewing the Big Green soon. There’s also a couple of other Muff clones coming up. – Bjorn]

  443. I recommend the Skreddy P19. I’ve had it for quite some time now and it suits my Wall tones very well. It has a built in mid “hump” boost and also takes some cues from Cornish as well.

    [Still waiting to try that one. – Bjorn]

  444. How are you?

    Ill keep it quick, how do you think the electronic orange pig hoof (both vers ons), compare with the wren and cuff caprid? Thanks.

    [Never tried the Caprid, so I can’t tell for sure. Based on what I’ve read and heard I think the red Pig Hoof is a bit more aggressive with more gain and lower end, while the yellow pig Hoof is on the lighter side. – Bjorn]

  445. Well I wonder how I developed my serious GAS problem? Or better yet, from whom did I inherit it?
    Thanks alot Bjorn, The POSTECUTIONER!

    [Beats me… :) – Bjorn]

  446. Thanks for compiling this list. You should also check out the White Russian made by Robot Factory (martoneaudio.com). That thing really pushes air, even through a solid state amp. It is also extremely versatile.

    [Thanks for the tip! Never heard of that one. I’ll check it out! – Bjorn]

  447. Basic Audio’s Tri-Ram and Stomp Under Foot’s Civil War (and others by them) should be on the list.

    [Send them to me and I’ll make a review :) – Bjorn]

  448. Hey Bjorn, I cannot even begin to count the number of times I’ve already read the updated Muff guide, and every time I read it, I realize just how lucky I was to get a brand new Musket for a total of $135.00. First, you give it a 10/10, and even though I have different tastes than many, I couldn’t agree more with your score. The Focus, is perhaps the finest knob ever employed on a Muffish pedal, and I can make it sound huge on a five watt amp! But the real magic starts when I crank those Webers up with my Reeves, and at 70% fuzz, or less, I’m nailing Animals, but at 100%, and a little EQ tweaking I can get AC/DC, IOMMI, EDWARD VAN, or a very authentic STRANGLEHOLD!, Page, Beck Gibbons, you name ’em, and I can get them. Once I get that Throbak, ( damn my back, or I’d have had it 3 weeks ago!), I don’t think I’ll find any of my favorites I can’t cover to at least close enough to play them live! Even Di Meola, Egyptian Danza will sound great as soon as Tom gets the ’68 Les paul finished. And I’m having Lindy put a set of his amazing Tele sized P-90’s in my thinline Tele with the short Gibson scale neck. I bet it will get a decent Sheraton, or similar semi hollow bodied P-90 loaded guitar. It’s got a perfect neck, and Rosewood board, Alder body, and CTS pots, fender vintage 3 position switch, and Jack, and all Vintage style wiring already, but those Duncan Design pups, are toi got, and cheesy sounding. P-90s, will make that Thinline into a singing Frankenstein! Think I’ve got a good idea, since the short scale will never give it that Tele Twang? I think it sould be awesome for One of the Days, and some of the hard rocking, and lap zteel stuff!
    Okay, too long alread.
    Peace, Love, and Gilmourish, Keith, the POSTECUTIONER!

    [I think you have a severe case of GAS my friend :) – Bjorn]

  449. Hey there Bjorn! Since you’re a true master talking about tone, I have a question: I just bought the EHX Bass Big Muff Pi (as you suggest some days ago) and it sounds great, it’s my first muff and I’m really happy with it, sound huge and awesome. My confusion is when I try to placing it in my pedalboard, I’m going to list my pedals and order:

    – TC Electronic Polytune
    – Dunlop Cry Baby (Classic One)
    – TC Electronic Nova Drive
    – EHX BBM
    – TC Electronic Flashback Delay

    In this setting I use to keep my Overdrive (Nova Drive) always ON with a clean overdrive (VOX AC15 Normal Channel about to crank), but I’m noticing that when I combine it with the Muff, the Muff sound get too bright and rusty loosing a little bit the bottom big sound that it have. I tried placing the Muff before the Overdrive but then the Muff sound become muddy and the bright sound get lost.

    What would be your suggestion about how to use this pedals in my pedalboard? I want to use it for my lead sound and sometimes to make some rhythm parts like QOTSA.

    Thanks a lot for your help!

    [I wouldn’t use the Muff with the Nova OD. The OD is based on a Tube Screamer, with lots of mid range and a bit of a low end roll off. This makes the Muff sound thin and a bit flat. Just as you describe. I’d use the Muff alone and if you need a bit more punch, increase the volume and gain on the pedal. Or, get a transparent booster like the BD2 or TC Spark Booster. Those works much better with Big Muffs. – Bjorn]

  450. Thanks, your the shit dude! If I evee visit norway ill make it a point to go when ur band has a gig to check it out. Btw the updated buyers gear guide is awesome. Could u add the deja vibe pedal, the one whete you control it by rocking the expression pedal. I feel it sounds slightly different/better than the other version. And would you say the BOW is smoother than the caprid? Cause his tone is super smooth for a rams head. And sorry for posting so much, I feel I’m inches from my tone goal so I’m trying run it into the end zone, american metaphor for ya. And thanks again. We all owe you a debt of gratitude, you should be a manager at a guitar store. You know thw products and how to treat people even when you havr play 50 questions.

    [Hi Clark! Thanks for your kind words! The Caprid and BoW are two different Muffs so you can’t really compared them. Both serve different purposes so it depends on what tones you’re looking for :) – Bjorn]

  451. Quick question, I know you havent used the caprid yourself but do you think that would be better than the box ofwar gdnask tones? The box of war is really smooth like his tone for gdnask. But the caprid is a rams head clone and he used the p-1 which is a rams head. So I’m thinking it might be slightly closer but I can get pretty close with the BOW. To the other readers/posters. Do you think the caprid is better or equal than the BOW? I know its a different beast but I feel they are similar enough to make a compatible comparison.

    [The ram’s head and early Sovteks are very different. While the ram’s head has a bright and aggressive tone, the Sovteks are much darker with lots of mid range and lower end. You can very well use both to cover each other’s territory but personally I’d go for a ram’s head for David’s Animals-Final Cut and Gdansk tones. – Bjorn]

  452. Hey Bjorne I just wanted to let you know that your website is beginning to make some real noise in the guitar world. It’s being named dropped in a few guitar magazines. Which means you know it’s well done and informative. Keep it up!!!!!!

    [Thanks! Glad to know my work is being appreciated. I enjoy writing an talking to all of you every single day :) Cheers! – Bjorn]

  453. Hey Bjorne hope your doin well, sold the les Paul and I now have the box of war and the more I play it the more I’m blown away. Also you check out the Kelley 6 stage phaser it’s the best phaser and extremely versatile and so organic sounding. Btw if you ever go to the states let me know ahead of time and I can work out getting you a buddy pass since my parents work for united. Btw your website is starting to make noise and get referenced In guitar magazines. So you know your doing something right.

    [Glad the BoW worked out. Great pedal indeed! – Bjorn]

  454. Hey bjorn thanks for answering timely and respectfully. I decided to bite the bullet and save for the box of war and since I live in chicago I can pick one up at CME the only issue is cash flow. Thanks for the help and anyone ib chi town interested In purchasing a les paul or selling a used box of war? Again thanks and cheers.

    [Cheers, Clark! – Bjorn]

  455. Hey bjorn I hope your doing fine.

    I recently rippripped GC off (unintentionally they screwed up). I did a trade and traeed my G&L for a fsr mexi strat and used the rest of the leftover cash for a used russian muff (2v, I know that’s not its reffered as but k have the version with only 2 screws on the top), and holy s@*/ I love it but since its discontinued I don’t wana take it out on tje road or damage since its my favorite piece of gear and it being collectible since its discontinued. I tried the wren and cuff box of war at the chicago.music exchange and that pedal is the best muff clone I’ve heard. But its slightly pricey, do youn think rhe SUF civil war is equal or better? I tried the wren and cuff tall front and it wasnt good. Or are their any suggestions u have, (preferably a clone that doesn’t need a booster) I wana free up my xotic efffexts ac booster for rhythym crunch.

    Thanks, peace. Btw big muffs are alot more versatile than you give them credit for. If you get the right muff and tweak the knobs and have a good booster, I found you can make it fit many different genres.

    [Hi Clark. Well, Big Muffs are versatile and more and more guitarists feature them as a part of their sound. It got a hbuge revival in the early 90s with the whole grunge movement and similar bands today still employ the old beast. Milder Muffs like the triangle can also be used for a wide range of tones. That being said, the Big Muff has a distinct tone and although there are differences between the triangle, ram’s head, Sovtek etc, they’re still Big Muff with that very recognizeable tone. Based on that, I think a distortion or heavier sounding overdrive will cover much more ground and be more versatile for the majority of sounds and players. OK, to your question… The BoW is definitely the best Sovtek clone I’ve tried. There are lots of different clones on the market so it depends on whether you want to replace your pedal with 100% authenticity or get one with a similar tone with a few additions. The Blackout Effectors Musket is a great alternative with a typical Sovtek flavour but lots of different features and tones as well. The EarthQuaker Hoof Fuzz is another. If you want something closer and one that doesn’t need a booster then I strongly recommend the MojoHand Colossus. – Bjorn]

  456. Hi Bjorn,
    replying to your observation in the previous comment….yeah unfortunately it’s the pig hoof the problem, I talked about that with Jan at E.Orange and I tried changing amp, guitar, and other pedals as well just to find where the trouble was…but the problem still remains even when the pedal is turned on and alone with no other effects in chain. :( too bad.

    [OK, sad to hear but I guess these things will happen. The Caprid, being a ram’s head too, will be a great alternative I’m sure. Good luck with the show! – Bjorn]

  457. Hi Bjorn,
    I’m having some oscillation issues with my Pig Hoof lately…it makes a huge noise when I turn it on and I don’t have time to wait for it to be repaired at Electronic Orange Pedals, since I have a show soon: I was gonna replace it with a “Caprid” by Wren and Cuff….have you tried this pedal yet and what do you think about it? thanks!

    [You’re certain it’s the pedal and no changes in your playing environment? The PH and other high gain pedals will amplify any noise sources so there might not be something wrong with the pedal but rather some interferance that hasn’t been there before. If that’s the case, then the Caprid will be equally noisy. Anyway, I haven’t tried the Caprid but it’s supposed to be a ram’s head clone so I guess you can’t go wrong :) – Bjorn]

  458. Bjorn! Bad news for me, the Hoof Fuzz was sold. There’s just 3 options now: Big Muff Pi – Little Big Muff and Bass Big Muff (This one used). Sorry for bother you, but, what would you recommend for me now?

    [The Bass Muff is pretty good actually. Very close to the old Sovtek models. If not that, then the Little BM. – Bjorn]

  459. Hey! First of all, great information.

    I just want you to be really honest with me, I’m from Venezuela and it’s very difficult to find the “Box Of War” (That’s the pedal that I really really want) or even buy it from other country, so, the only options that I have are: “Big Muff Pi” “Little Big Muff” “Fuzz Face Mini” “EarthQuaker Hoof Fuzz” (Little Big Muff have the best price). What I want to play? Sometimes big solos sounds like Gilmour’s Comfortable Numb and sometimes Black Keys or Jack White’s sounds. I’m using a Fender Stratocaster American Standard, Nova Drive and a VOX AC15.

    I’m becoming crazy by taking this decision, I can’t try the pedals to make the choice. Could you give a nice advice and prevent me to become crazy?

    Thanks!!!!

    [Of the ones you mention I’d go for the Hoof Fuzz. No doubt. It nails David’s tones and the more fuzzy stuff like Black Keys etc. – Bjorn]

  460. Bjorn,

    I listened to the video of the new Mini Fuzz Face, Blue in color. Andy from PGS.com does a great video and throws in some Gilmour licks in the video. Let me know what you or anyone else thinks of that one. I know it’s a Fuzz and not a Muff :-( Thought I would pass that one on to ya. Joe Bonamassa’a Black Signature Fuzz Face sounds fantastic but it’s only batt. operated, no power supply :-( Don’t know about Gilmour’s tones but I do know Joe has a great tone all his own.

    [I haven’t had the chance to try the new minis yet but from what I understand, the grey and red are similar to the bigger counterparts while the blue has a more saturated tone. I think fuzz sound much better with carbon batteries but it’s indeed a hassle. The JB fuzz is a great alternative for David’s early 1968-70 tones. – Bjorn]

  461. Hi Bjorn,

    Have you checked out the Biyang Fz10 Fuzz Star at all? Im seriously thinking about buying one. Its super cheap and from the reviews I’ve read and demos i’ve seen, looks like an excellent muff clone for the price (under $50 usd) Their compressor is supposed to be a clone of the Dynacomp and i’ve even seen some folks say they like it over the Dynacomp. I’m hoping to get my Fuzz Star next week.

    [I haven’t tried it so I can’t really comment on it. – Bjorn]

  462. Hi
    I’ve just bought a BMP w/ Tone Wicker looking for a ‘standard’ BMP sound with some more options, not necessarily Gilmourish.

    With my amps (a Fender vibroverb and peavey C30) it sounds really muffled and dark, compared with my other fuzz pedals (Fuzz Face for example), with tone on and wicker off, classic BMP mode, I have to put the tone near 3 o’clock, otherwise there is like having a blanket over the amp.

    Are your units that dark? I remeber my old V2 was way brighter.

    thank you

    [The Tone Wicker is perhaps closer to the 90s Sovtek Muffs, which has a darker character compared to the ram’s head. Your amps are quite dark too so you might want to consider a brighter sounding Muff like the Pig Hoof or Large Beaver. – Bjorn]

  463. David Auchterlonie

    I love the mlr tone the best and delicate that’s what got me into pink floyd in the first place, I think musket and unlike the pig hoof have no waiting period

  464. Eric Halfhill

    I hate bring up the life after Gilmour, But. I just saw Roger Waters last summer in Pittsburgh , PA. I was excited about the show but pessimistic about the band. I was greatly pleased with Dave Kilminster’s sound. Over all, he had great tones. After looking into his gear I found that his rig was as follows.
    Cry baby Wah, Boss: ce5, Even tide: delay reverb, Evh flanger, Suhr: Riot OD, (One of the best sounding pedals I have ever heard.) Top tone DG 2. Blackout: Musket fuzz.

    Over all Dave number 2 did a great job. Also Saturday Night Live’s old guitarist G.E. Smith was with them and I have always been a fan of his. The strangest aspect of the night for me was that there was not a single Strat amongst them. Every guitar player on stage used telecasters.

    I love what you do Bjorn. Keep up the great work!

    [I’ve never really been a fan of Waters band and the recent tours but the new The Wall show blew me away – both the show and the band. I think they did a fantastic job recreating the whole vibe of the original performances. BTW, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Gilmour yet :) – Bjorn]

  465. David Auchterlonie

    Hello bjorn, I have been researching big muffs, and am getting overwhelmed , I have noticed wren and cuff makea clone of the rams head big muff called the caprid you tried this pedal.

    Thanks for a great forum,
    David

    [The Caprid is based on a ram’s head but other than the identical chassis the pedal is like any other clone. Sounds great though. I also recommend the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof for David’s Animals-Final Cut tones. For Delicate Sound of Thunder and PULSE, check out the MojoHand Colossus or Blackout Effectors Musket. – Bjorn]

  466. Hey Bjorn,

    Could you give me some advice please. I’m after Gilmour’s 1977 Animals tone… I just ordered a Colorsound Power Boost, next in line, is a Big Muff!!! I would love an original Ram’s Head, but one, they cost a BOMB, and two, people say they are noisy and they have the level drop. So If I got one, It would need to be modified, which would cost even more… So, what Muff would you recommend? I know you love the Pig Hoof, but the waiting time is ridiculous, like 6 months… I know the BYOC is supposed to be good as well… What would be the best choice? I’m playing through a Hiwatt G100R, solid state amp, but I plan on getting a valve amp in the near future. Should I just bight the bullet and get an original, or what?

    Hope to hear back from you! Thanks :)

    [I would never recommend anyone to buy an original unit. As explained in the feature, you never know what you get. Some of those old units had crappy components and they haven’t aged that well. You might be very lucky but you might end up with an unplayable unit. Depends on how eager you are to own on original unit. Many of the clones available today are identical to a specific unit from the 70s, so they’re actually clones and not based on or modified. I don’t think you’ll get closer to the tones you’re looking for than the Pig Hoof. The BYOC ram’s head is also spot on. If you want something slightly different sounding, I recommend the Iron Bell and Hoof Fuzz as well. – Bjorn]

  467. Hi Bjorn,

    what would be your advice for a ’52 reissue Tele with a Fender type amp – BOYC Large Beaver with Ram’s Head or Triangle specs? I know David combined a Ram’s Head and a Tele for “Dogs”, but according to your description, the Triangle is smoother. In your videos, the BYOC Triangle sounds as good to me as the Pig Hoof does – and it’s the same with the Musket by the way. I’m not sure if I could tell them apart without reading the video titles. There are things in music that are more evident when you’re playing than when you’re listening – and this seems to be one of them.

    Thanks
    Martin

    [Each Big Muff has its own characteristics and tone so I can’t really say which is better for your setup. It depends on what tones you’re looking for. All three works nicely with a Tele and Fender setup but if you’re asking for my favourite, I’d go with the triangle BYOC. – Bjorn]

  468. Hi Bjorn, and god bless you and your site (and i’m not a christian, so pick your own god)

    I’m about to get a stomp under foot 2247, which, should be a reissue of a 73′ Big Muff (2247 nickname is because it got sold on ebay for 2.247$ :/)

    But, the seller told me the sound is VERY muddy when used with a dark pickup (actually, any bridge pickup)
    Apparently Matt from SUF told him it was normal, what’s your take on this (He also said the bridge pickup was working very nicely with the pedal)
    Would it benefit from a treble or mid boost, placed before the 2247?
    Cheers,
    Blobe

    [Thanks for your kind words, Blobe :) A pickup alone doesn’t determine how a Muff or any pedal sounds. Of course, a darker sounding pickup will make the pedal sound darker, muddier and perhaps even a bit choked but most of the tone comes from the amp. Treble boosters are not that suited for Muffs as they will make the pedal even more aggressive and harsh. Try a clean booster like the ThroBak Overdriveboost or TC Electronic Spark Booster. – Bjorn]

  469. Hi Bjorn
    Currently, I’m recording at home with a ’62 Custom Tele MIJ (with ’51 Nocasters) and a Laney Cub 12 Combo. What’s your opinion about using the Pig Hoof with the telecaster?
    Thanks!

    [The NoCasters has very low output so I don’t think you should expect those huge growling sounds. The Pig Hoof has a lot of gain but I’d definitely pair it up with a booster for a bit more balls. Check out the TC Spark Booster, Boss BD2 or ThroBak Overdriveboost. Otherwise, the setup with a Muff looks great! – Bjorn]

  470. Hi Bjorn great videos!!

    please between the BYOC LBM AND THE PIG HOOF, wich one is better, most versatile (dark side, wall, animals, wywh, pulse era)

    i have a Strat loaded with EMG , and a marshall jvm 410h

    hope you can help me

    thanks by the way!

    [Pig Hoof. – Bjorn]

  471. Awesome guide as always. I just ordered the BYOC Large Beaver triangle from axe and you shall recieve, can’t wait for the bad boy to arrive!

    [Thanks! I think you’ll be very happy with that pedal :) – Bjorn]

  472. RIck From Chicago

    Hello BJorn, your sight is awesome. I have learned allot, and thank you for taking the time to publish all the reviews and articles. I have a question about my Pedal Board. I bought a Box of War Wren and Cuff Muff from the Chicago music Exchange, I then have Boss Keeley Mod BD2, Small Stone, Mxr Carbon copy, and TC Electonics Corona Chorus. Im thinking about adding a Hartman Analog Flanger and possibly a Digital Delay. What do you think of my Pedal Board?? any changes or suggestions? If you where to get a digital Delay what would you buy(looking for a new one).
    Im also playing through a Two Rock Studio Pro 35.

    [Thanks for your kind words! Your pedalboard looks great! Depending on what delay tones you want to cover, I think I’d go for a processor. Check out the TC Nova or Repeater, Boss DD20 or the Eventide. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  473. Bjorn, you probably want to say that many fans of David playing the guitar mindlessly buy Cornish ? I totally agree! On youtube full of examples where people have all the pedal Cornish and and they have a ugly sound because they do not know how to turn the knobs… But back to P1, in the right hands it produces amazing sound for my ears very close to early David muff sound , 78 CBS promo video, as example ..
    Also P1 does not have this “digital taste” (if you know what I mean), like other contemporary ala muff pedals like “Musket” as example ( for my ears) .
    This is very subjective, but it is “feature” many modern pedals.
    Very few audio examples with Electronic Orange Pig Hoof =(( while with P1 enough of them to make up a very good understanding how it sounding, But I definitely trust your choice. So at the moment I am in the process of selecting a P1 or EA PH.
    As for the David & P1, he has a magnificent examples original “ram’s head” muff and he just does not need any copies. Unlike us David fans)
    Can you also tell a little about your “yellow” prototype ? It makes sense to wait for access to it ? What you prefer at the moment?

    [Well, I’m not saying that people buy Cornish pedals mindlessly. Whatever they want to spend their money on is up to them. However, some have a tendency to think that Cornish pedals are the best no matter what. I have no idea why but it might have something to do with Cornish’s legacy and David using them… I don’t know. I can fully understand the thrill of owning a Cornish pedal and of course, I know that they’re amazing sound and well built so there’s nothing wrong there. My point is that tone is something personal and subjective. If you only buy pedals, guitars and amps based on the brand and a “the more expensive the better” principle, then I think you’re making a mistake. But… that’s just me :) The Pig Hoof has been my favourite since I first tried it. It seems to work best for my rig and the tones I want. – Bjorn]

  474. @David, glad you checked out the Fralin site. Although Lindy makes some great pickups for most brands of guitars, if you’ll do a little research, you’ll find that where he really shines is with his Vintage style Fender pickups. As I said before, he welcomes calls to tell him exactly what you want. I agree with Bjorn that 6 k Neck, and 6.8-7k bridge is the best for Gilmourish tele tones, and his sock Teles, with a 5-8% overwind on the bridge would do the trick nicely. I always agree with Bjorn that noiseless single coils don’t work like the standard single coil, but if you read how his split blades are made, they work the same as a typical single coil because they aren’t like split blades, but actually have two pickups that cover 3 strings each, and are reverse polarity to cancel noise, but won’t cancel that lovely controllable feedback like “noiseless” pickups do. However, for pure Vintage Fender, even Fender doesn’t doesn’t make their
    custom shop pickup with all the period correct materials, nor do they they hand bevel each pole piece to exacting precision. I preach Fralin pickups for Fenders becauseof the man’s love for Strat’s and Tele’s because he’s been playing nothing else for over 40
    years, and knows them as well as anyone in the bussiness! So, give the shop a call, and ask them about the models you’re interested in, and how Vintage, or hot you want them, and they’ll be happy to make them to any spec possible! Once again Bjorn, hope you don’t mind, and you’ll be talking about them as soon as your set is in your favorite guitar, where I think they’re likely to stay! :)

    Peace,Keith, that postmaster craps getting old. Everyone knows I post alot, but it’s out of love for the site, and all on it!

    orrect materials, nor do they hand bevel and perfectly stagger

    [By all means Keith! Thanks for the input :) – Bjorn]

  475. … and we appreciate your subjective opinion and the chance to say what you think about anything.

    THANK YOU

    AGAIN

    [Thank you, Jamie :) – Bjorn]

  476. Bjorn please tell his opinion about P1 why he did not get 10 points?
    And  please tell me what you think of P1 against your favorites muffs BYOC & Pig hooff ? They are all beautiful, but still I’m interested your subjective opinion .
    Thx.

    [The reason I didn’t give the P1 10 points is that I personally think there are better sounding Big Muffs on the market. Keep in mind that the P1 is a ram’s head model, so the only real comparison from my list would be the Pig Hoof. For my rig and preference, the Pig Hoof sound better. Cornish makes some amazing sounding pedals but my issue has always been that they sound a bit too pristine and “perfect”. I know a lot of people disagree but I also suspect that a lot of people think that the pedals must be perfect simply because David’s using them. The fact is that he’s mostly using other pedals, mainly Chandler/Butler and Electro Harmonix for his leads. But again, this is my very personal Buyer’s Gear Guide and the scores and subjective. – Bjorn]

  477. Greetings from Russia, Bjorn!
    You make a very useful site!
    Let me show you another muff-clone. This called Chris Custom Mufff. Check it here: http://chriscustom.com/overdrive-pedals/mufff.html The price is about 1000 euro. You can see some demos on the product page! Or maybe order one to make your own cool gilmourish-style demo. There are some fuzz-clones also.

    [Thanks for the tip! I’ll check it out! – Bjorn]

  478. Hi Bjorn!
    I need your help. I need a muff that’s close to David’s Animals tone, but I’d like it to be some what similar to Sovtek muff too. What would you recommend?
    Thank you!!!

    [Hmmm… I don’t there is one but check out the Musket and Hoof Fuzz. I think those will be the closest match to your request. – Bjorn]

  479. Hi Bjorn,
    I have this SUF/Stomp under foot pedal – the TRI version, and i think it’s great, though i’m not sure which era it does best. You should put one of the versions up for a review or something!

    One other thing, for a home setup,what would you use to boost the muff? i’ve heard that the tube driver is not ideal for home setups, because they need to be cranked to sound good. I have a Boss Blues driver(keeley mod) that i could use or would you suggest an alternative?

    I really do love your playing, and your site – it’s amazing!

    [Hi Nils! Antar at du er norsk? As far as I know, David has only used the triangle Muff during the second half of the On an Island tour. The pedal was used in combo with a TRex Replica for Echoes. Anyway, you should be able to dial in some nice tones covering most of the 1977-83 as well as 2006. The BD2 works nicely. If you want to try something even more transparent and clean, I recommend the TC Spark Booster. – Bjorn]

  480. why you dont post the Iron Bell by mojo hand FX in this gear guide ?

    [The guides will be updated frequently. – Bjorn]

  481. great review as usual. compressor (dyna-ssor) before or after red muck – still move back and forth (mp booster later in the chain). interested to hear your opinion.
    thx and keep up the great work

    [Thanks for your kind words! The compressor usually goes first, then all the gains, but try different setups and hear what sounds best on your rig. – Bjorn]

  482. Hey Bjorn! Great work! I absolutely love your reviews and description, very helpful indeed!
    What’s your opinion on the Blunderbuss Musket Fuzz from Blackout Effectors?

    Keep up the good work!

    [Thanks a lot for your kind words, Andre! The Blunderbuss is a hybrid fuzz based on the Musket with both germanium and silicon transistors. I prefer the standard Musket but the Blunder has a much edgier tone with lots of harmonics and plenty of gain on tap. As for hybrids… check out the Hoof Fuzz as well :) – Bjorn]

  483. Thanks for replying Bjorn.
    I have asked about volume loss later. Now somthing strange is happening.
    With both guitars I mentioned before when I turn the Muff on hugh amount of volume at first but then I have a great volume loss, checked cables, tested the muff by itself…changed cables,batteries…but after some time playing with the Muff the volume drops. I really don’t know what to do, mybe I got a bad one, or it’s damaged. Any clue?

    [Hmmm… Hard to tell. If possible, try the Muff on another guitar and amp and hear how that sounds. Could be the Muff or it could be any other part of your rig… tubes, cables, battery… anything… – Bjorn]

  484. Hello Bjorn,

    What is in your opinion the most appropriate Big Muff clone for the division Bell Tone?

    I own a ronsound hairpie 75 (ram’s head clone), and it sound smore dedicated to animals / wall tone;

    Best regards,

    Sebastien

    [Depends on your guitar and amp and how they sound combined with a Muff. David did use a Civil War Sovtek, so personally I think the closest match would be a MojoHand Colossus or the Wren and Cuff Box of War. You could also go for a MojoHand Iron Bell, which probably is the most versatile sounding Muff, or the Blackout Effectors. – Bjorn]

  485. Thanks for all this!!!! It’s amazing!!!. My question is: sd-1 or ts9 (this is all i have) to boost my big muff pi??

    Greetings from Chile

    [Try both and listen to which fits your rig. I think I’d go with the SD1. – Bjorn]

  486. Hey Bjorn,

    First of all: Thanks a lot for your great work on this website and for sharing your knowledge.
    Any chance you do a review on the Mooer Triangle Buff? I’d really appreciate your opinion on that one.
    If you had to choose between a North Effects Ram and a Bass Big Muff, which one would you buy?
    (Also but not exclusively for Gilmour-Sounds)

    Cheers

    [I plan on testing a bunch of the Mooers very soon. The North Effects and Bass Muff are very different. The first, being a ram’s head, is very bright sounding with an overall aggressive character. The BM is based on the early Sovteks, with a dark and smooth tone. Depends on what you’re looking for. The BM might be more versatile for stuff like Sabbath, Jack White and stuff like that. – Bjorn]

  487. Sorry, how about CostaLab Custom Muff 1st version? The one with the π (pi)

    [Not sure what the difference is… haven’t tried it. – Bjorn]

  488. Hello Bjorn,

    Colossus x Iron Bell

    Wich one do you prefer?
    What´s the difference between them?

    Wich one do your prefer to play Pink Floyd´s songs?

    Thank you!

    [Hard to choose because they sound very different from each other. The differences are described in the Iron Bell review. I don’t know… the Iron Bell sounds more distortion-ish, whole the Colossus sounds more authentic Muff. – Bjorn]

  489. Hi!
    I’m useing a Big Muff Pi NYC. I run it after a Zoom Power Drive (to boost the Muff as well the other drive)> Danelectro Cool Cat Drive > Boss FL-2 > ZT Lunchbox.
    Here is the deal. When I use my Yamaha SC300 T (strat like guitar) no problem, the Muff by itself gives huge amount of volume, but when I use a chinese replica of a Eastwood Airline with 3 humbuckers it lacks volume. Useing humbuckers, when I first step at the Muff it gives WILD volume boost but few seconds later it just have a volume drop. (this chinese replica have a DeArmond superbucker 2400 in the bridge, a Gibson P94 – middle and a Joe Barden Two/Tone – neck position).What is wrong with my muff? I allready changed batteries, and compared few baterries, but Is all the same, the first seconds are hugh volume boosted then it just drops out. Can you help me?

    [Sorry for my late reply. I’m not familiar with the pickups you mention but in general, Muffs react differently to different pickups. Hot pickups, which has more mid range than others, tend to make the Muff sound dark and very compressed. It might not be the best combo for your Gilmour tones but it works great for stoner and classic rock. I doubt there’s anything wrong with the Muff. – Bjorn]

  490. Bjorn,

    Where does the Iron Bell rate in all of this? It is not exactly a Muff and not a pure Fuzz so has it been forgotten? I might prefer it since I am tired of the thundering sounds that have to be turned up so loud to become creamy on a home set. (p.s.-I bought a Laney Cub on your recommendation and it is fantastic!

    [I didn’t forget it but I have a few more Muff reviews coming up and I’ll update the Guide later. The Iron Bell definitely belongs in the Muff family. I think I would give it a 10 for bedroom setups and a total score of 8 :) – Bjorn]

  491. I own the Top Tone DG-1 (maybe going on two years plus now) and play into a DR-103 Hiwatt head with an internal resistor (based on Hi-Tone Amps Mark Huss circuit) to link the brilliant and normal inputs. I didn’t experience excessive noise and found I can push it nicely with a BK Butler Tube Drive or the T-Rex Spindoctor. The T-Rex is nice in that I can program it via midi to get a tighter focus just for the muff. I found with my particular rig, the unit by itself is not noisy, but should not be used with any kind of compressor (as correctly noted somewhere else by Bjorn, its a general rule for good reason not to use compressors with a muff circuit). I do use a tube buffer first in line with high impedance, and the DG-1 likes to be driven hard. NOTE: my favorite Gilmour tone came from his 2006 tour which I saw in Chicago and was a few rows back centered on his cabs, and I was hooked (thick tone with a nice chirp when playing, sounded naked with no modulation). I found the DG-1 in my rig recreated that very crisp and thick tone very accurately. The tone is somewhat focused, not very “thumpy” with the bass frequencies like my USA EH Muff, but very full. I have a JHS modified GE7 for a bit of treble boost, but the internal Hiwatt link added some presence and I seldom use the JHS GE-7 with the muff except for solos. The resistor in my amp also allowed me to be able to drive a DR103 at a slightly reduced volume because of the gain (I get the same driven tone with the main at 9 o’clock where I used to play at 11 o’clock). This leaves me to the bad part about the pedal.

    The biggest problem is the volume issue- DG-1 really shines when the amp is pushing air. Nothing beats turning the amp up a bit and feeling the pedal and the power of volume to make the guitar sound magical and huge, but sadly this isn’t practical.

    [Thanks for sharing, Brian! – Bjorn]

    I am only mentioning it because it shows how different pedals are so subjective to the rig. This pedal is relatively expensive. I live in the USA, and its a huge risk when buying a pedal like this because of all the variables involved. But in my case, it paid off and I found the pedal works with my particular setup with a relatively larger amp very well.

  492. Great site Bjørn! You’ve realy cracked the code! Thanx for your effort!
    Do you have plans to implement the review of the Mojo Hand Iron Bell in this Muff summary, with the same “standard” sum-up and grading/ score, so it’s comparable towards the rest?
    Vet du om det er mulig Ã¥ fÃ¥ kjøpt den i Norge og hva ca pris den ligger pÃ¥? Har ikke klart Ã¥ finne den pÃ¥ norsk nettbutikk….:-S
    Takk!;-)
    Vurderer å selge min Orginale Black Strat Relic. Vet du om noen nordmenn på jakt?:-)

    [Hei Bjørnar! Tror ikke det er noen MH dealers i Norge. Funker fint Ã¥ handle fra PGS. Skal si i fra om jeg kommer over noen som er interessert i en Relic :) The Iron Bell will be included. I have a few more Muffs to review and will update the Buyer’s Guide later this year. – Bjorn]

  493. So for delicate sot tones would I rather have the boss bd2, or a tube screamer?

    [Depends on your amp and setup. On a general note, the TS has a bit too much mid range for Gilmour’s tones but the BD2 can be a bit too bright on some setups. But to answer your question – the BD2 :) – Bjorn]

  494. you gave the large beaver (tri spec) 10/10 would you still give the ram head spec beaver 10/10. thanks

    [The 10 is for both :) – Bjorn]

  495. Question about that muff – my whole board is powered and it looks as though this muff doesn’t have an adapter plug. Would a clip converter wreck my tone? I hate having to remember to unplug it every time I’m done playing. On that note I noticed an interesting device by Dan Electrode that might help – it’s a 9v power supply that lets you lower the voltage to supposedly give you the “dying battery” tone. Do you think that would be a good idea?

    [Battery clip converter works fine on those old Sovteks. A dying battery is not the same as a carbon battery. It’s more like an effect. Some players want the tone you get from old fuzz and treble boosters when the battery is almost flat. It gives the pedal a choked tone. – Bjorn]

  496. Thanks for the reply Bjorn) Tell, you not thought that Colossus sounds a bit dark than would like ?
    I plan to go to SUF CW or Colossus… SUF muff = (original sheme -> killer tone without extra pay), MHFX Colossus = very great tone , more versatility and great looks , difficult to choose especially since they cost the same hehe.. You do not have plans to write SUF muffs review in future ?

    [The clip I did of the Colossus sounds a bit dark but I don’t think I did the pedal justice on that clip. It doesn’t sound any darker than the Iron Bell or the early Sovtek models. It has a bit more lower end, compared to the SUF CW and WC BoW, and consoderably more gain, which I think is a bonus. The BoW, although an amazing pedal, could do with a bit more gain and top. The mid range toggle on the Colossus also makes it easier to dial in the tones you need for bedroom setups and low levels. If you’re in doubt, check out more reviews and ask around. All I can do is to share my opinion. They all great sounding pedals and it’s hard to make a choice :) – Bjorn]

  497. Bjorn, in your rig you prefer to use Colossus or BoW for PULSEish sounds? Do you see any advantage in terms of sound (even small) in BoW on Colossus? Maybe now you prefer Iron Bell ? Thx

    [Hmmm… Difficult question. My PULSE rig feature Strat DG20 > Boss CS2 > Sovtek green Big Muff > BK Tube Driver > Boss CE2 > TRex Reptile > amp. I guess the BoW is the closest to the Sovteks but the Colossus has a couple of additional features that’s really handy. Especially on smaller rigs and low volume, when you need to enhance the lower mids a little. Hard to choose but I think I’d go with the Colossus. – Bjorn]

  498. Hi Bjorn / all
    You mention that the big muff bass pi gives closer pulse tones than the standard muffs, am I right in thinking that the bass version is still useable with standard six string guitars?
    Ta
    Lee

    [Yep. Doesn’t matter if you play four strings or harp… :) It’s very close to the old Sovtek pedals. – Bjorn]

  499. hi,
    Maybe a silly question but anywho;
    Will the Electro Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi work correctly with a standard 6 string guitar or is it dedicated to bass only?
    I ask as I am deciding whether to get the big muff tone wicker or the Bass one (as you rated it higher)
    Cheers
    Lee

    [It’s a standard Muff circuit that’ll work on any instrument. The Bass Muff is actually quite similar to the early Sovtek Muffs and well worth checking out. – Bjorn]

  500. Bjorn, BYOC large beaver (a ram’s head and a triangle versions) is still your favorits today for sounds rams head and triangle muffs ? Thank you.
    PS Sorry for the many questions

    [The triangle version, yes. For Ram’s Head tones I prefer the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof. – Bjorn]

  501. I don’t know if i should buy the costalab or the musket.. Any suggestion? I’d like to recreate the Meddle/DSOTM/The Wall sounds in particular.. Which is the most versatile?

    [Depends on your setup and which suits the setup the most. In general, I’d say that the Musket is the versatile but the Costalab is perhaps the closest to the tones you’re seeking. – Bjorn]

  502. Hi Bjorn!

    You have an amazing cite and great tips. I have a question about byoc stuff: what do you think about the byoc overdrive pedal? And how does it work when boosting the large beaver?
    I’ve heard that it’s a Ts 808 clone. I’m looking for building a Gilmour inspired board next summer. I’m looking for the wall tone with Muff, Mistress, Delay and booster. Pedals that im gonna get first are Large beaver and overdrive and then modulations ect… I have already a Boss SD-1 and ME-70. Thinking of using the SD-1 as a clean boost, when the board is complete. Oh yes, the amp i use is a Laney vc-15 with 12′ eminence speaker in it. I think it’s got very nice clean tone for the price. The drive channel is ok, but i don’t use it so often. Also heard it takes pedals very well too. I’m not sure of getting either a byoc triangle or Rams head version. Rams is more agressive, but triangle is more versitale for any era. Which one do you recommend if mostly playing at home(sometimes gigs too)
    Thanks for your answer. And congratulations, you have very helpful cite :)

    [Thanks for your kind words! I haven’t tried the BYOC OD but in general, I wouldn’t use TS9-ish pedals to boost Muffs. They have a lot of mid range, which can make a Muff sound muddy and dark. The SD1 is a better option (or a BD2) and use the TS9 as a dedicated overdrive. Just my two cents… Which Muff you should choose, depends on what tones you want. Both works nicely on the Laney and bedroom levels but you might find that the ram’s head is the easiest to dial in for your Gilmour tones. – Bjorn]

  503. Dear Bjorn,
    Your site is an absolute reference, a kind of bible I’d say ;) Thanks a lot for the incredible work!
    I have a very simple question:
    where do you place your BD2 or any other OD pedal to boost your BM? before or after? I’ve noticed that some pedals just don’t work to boost BM, they can drain the overall sound..
    Jordi (aka Steed on your social media friends)

    [Thanks a lot! Depends on what tones you want. It could go either way. I prefer it after the Muff though. Check out this feature for some Big Muff tone tips. – Bjorn]

  504. Great buyers guide showing the different muffs out there… Glad to see the old BYOC muff stands pretty near the top of the heap still – it really is special, isn’t it? I think you should get the Pig Mine on there too, though!

    [Thanks Josh! Hope all is well :) Never got the chance to try the PM but I hope to get my hands on a P19. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  505. Hey Bjorn, thats the second time I’m leaving a comment and I need to thank you for the quick response you gave me the first time, I’ve read it but latter I couldn’t find the post I commented to leave a thank. lol

    Well, I just want to share my recent experience: I’ve recently bought a Fender Strato Am Std, the new one with the fat 50s and started to test and build my rig: got a boss ME-25 for some modulation and amp sim while playing with the headphones. Tested a fuzz from artec and got a home made TS808 based with asymetrical clipping, a very transparent overdrive. Since I have Marshall Valvestate VS100 and sometimes also play with a Leaney LV200, I wasn’t thinking about getting a muff until I replace it for a small all tube amp and was considering a RAT.

    Then one day after looking for some options at ebay I found out that a new Little Big Muff cost less than $70… then why not give it a try? I’ve never touched a muff before, so my first impression was quite surprise: it sounded pretty good just pluged into the ME-25 using the amp and super stack sim, delay, chorus and boosted by the 808ish pedal. Just using a good sony headphones I was amazed by the sound I was getting for the first time.
    Then I turned off the amp sim and pluged it in the laney, the result was the opposite: terrible sound, like a box of bees! Its amazing how this little big muff changes completely depending on what are using together. But to my surprise I could get back a great tone from the laney using the amp sim from the ME-25 after lots of tweaks and feeding it on the laney, not using the loop. Maybe the ME-25 is acting as a pre amp for the laney?

    Well, now I’m really happy with the result I got, for example, adding the laney reverb I could get a very nice sorrow sound with the longest sustain I could ever hear from my guitar, so I guess it would be nice to share with you this unexpected result I got from this weird gear combination.

    Keep up your good work!

    [Hi! I think the ME-25 acts more like a booster and EQ, rather than a preamp. The amp sims are doing what a more transparent overdrive would do and the Muffs really need that to open up and get that smooth tone. Glad to hear it worked out! – Bjorn]

  506. Well I just got my Musket V2 and it’s great :) I love how I can go from a clean-ish fuzz sound to full out classic rock and it can even do the Black Sabbath thing pretty well! This site is great.

    [Glad to hear! – Bjorn]

  507. Hey Bjorn, great reviews! I tried an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker today, really liked the sound. I’m curious though why the Big Muff Pi gets an overall lower Gilmourish.com score than the Electro-Harmonix Bass Big Muff Pi. What makes you rate the Bass Muff higher than the Wicker Muff? Do you think you get better Gilmour sounds from the Bass Muff or the Wicker?

    Also, I’ve got an MXR Wylde Overdrive, do you have any experience with these? I’m hoping it will work well with a muff, any thoughts? Thanks!

    Jacob

    [I think the Bass Muff is a better pedal. Always loved the early Sovteks and this one is pretty close. I can’t say which will be the best choice for your setup though. The Wylde Overdrive is kind of a mix between the old Tube Screamer and Distortion +. Perhaps a bit too much mid range for it to be used as a booster for the Muff but I’ve never tried that combo so I can’t really tell. – Bjorn]

  508. Hi bjorn
    This is a fabulous run down of everything Big Muff. Iam waiting delivery of a mojohand collosus as I build up my pedal board again having ditched the line 6 pod x3. Got a nice 2012 USA STRAT a Blackstar HT5th 2×10 combo – nice simple clean channel and overdrive channel for just about everything else. I reckon I need an rt20. Snowy white has one on his wall pedalboard you know! I love the Animals sound. Got a joyo classic flanger which iam selling as it has something missing. Maybe I need a neo mistress flanger. I figure oh getting the best components I can afford without going crazy like when I bought a p2 ss2 duplex. It was too much for me to handle :-) anyway. Rock on Bjorn and thanks again for the best gilmour stuff anywhere on the planet.

    [Hi Howard! Thanks for the update :) The RT20 is a great Leslie/chorus pedal. Very versatile. I’d stay away from the Neo Mistress and go for the Mooer ElecLady instead. Check out the comparison I recently did. – Bjorn]

  509. Hey Bjorn. I’ve been reading and researching pedals like crazy. I’m going insane I think..
    But, what do you recommend for a smooth fuzz/distortion? The Musket sounds pretty smooth to me. But I don’t like having too much gain. I use a super clean 6L6-based amp (Port City Pearl). I have no problem adding a Xotic RC Booster or Keeley Katana with the pedal either.

    I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to the EQD Hoof, the Musket, and the Box of War, but I’m not opposed into looking at others.
    Your opinion is greatly valued. Thanks :)

    [All three should be able to deliver the tones you’re looking for but they do sound quite different to each other. The Musket is perhaps the most aggressive of the three yet the most versatile. The Hoof sounds the most vintage but the BoW is perhaps the cleanest, yet with most lower end. Hard to recommend anything really but based on your comment I think I’d go for the Hoof. – Bjorn]

  510. Thanks so much for doing all this! I’d like to be the third to request a test of the Manx Loaghtan by your calibrated ear. If not, thanks anyway and keep up the great work. Your site is and will be very valuable to many. Nathan

    [Thanks, Nathan! – Bjorn]

  511. Bjorn do you have any thoughts on the Skreddy P19?

    [I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet. I think the idea was to create a pedal that captured David’s Wall tones – the combo of the ram’s head Big Muff and the Cornish ST2 booster. From what I understand it’s an upgrade of the Pink Flesh with better parts and a closer voicing. I didn’t like the Pink Flesh but the reviews I’ve seen of the P19 looks very promising. – Bjorn]

  512. Thanks Bjørn
    i forgot to mention, that i use at Homebrew electronics Powerscreamer as my main drive.
    will the Colossus still be the best choice?
    Thanks again
    /Louis

    [The Colossus doesn’t really need a booster but if you do, the Powerscreamer should work nicely. – Bjorn]

  513. Ciao Bjorn, between all the fuzz That you played, it lacks the Tech 21 XXl original. It ‘a great pedal and I would be happy if you play it .. I play for many years, this pedal .. I strongly suggest you try it. Ciao and good luck

    [Thanks for the tip! It appears that they don’t make it anymore but I’ll try to check it out :) – Bjorn]

  514. Hey bijorn

    I was wondering if you have tried the katana sound thunder cloud? its a big muff clone made in japan. Also, do you recomend boosting a big muff with a ibanez ts808 before it in the chain?

    thanks,
    dave

    [Never tried it but thanks for the tip! I don’t think a 808 is the best way to boost a Muff. Its boosted mid range can make the Muff sound dark and choked. I think you’re better off with a more transparent booster like a Boss BD2 or the TC Electronics Spark Booster. These are best placed after the Muff. If you do want to use the 808 as a booster I’d place it after the Muff. – Bjorn]

  515. Hi Bjorn

    Fantastic article, as usual!! As a matter of interest, have you tried the Way Huge swollen pickle?

    It’s supposed to be a BMP clone with a lot of tweakable parameters and there is even suggestion that it can even get you close to a fuzz face. I’d be really interested to see you do a review of it and put it thru its paces to see if it measures up to the hype ;-) price is quite reasonable too

    Cheers

    Mark

    [Thanks! I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet but I’ll have it in mind :) – Bjorn]

  516. Hi

    have you ever tried the little muff stuuf electroharmonix) ? i have one from the late 70s and it sounds great .
    any opinion on it ?

    thanks
    Jean-baptiste

    [I’ve only tried the new model. – Bjorn]

  517. Hey Bjorn,

    hope you’re doing good over there in Norway!
    Just a quick question: why is that you praise the Colossus so much, since you gave it a 10 overall, but with some drawbacks, but on the other side you say the Box of War is THE pedal for Davids PULSE tones and gave it a 10 in every possible way.
    Let’s say, I want that Sovtek tone, and I do not care for versatility or the possibility to shapen the tone with lots of knobs and switches: which one of those two will get me closer to the Civil War tones? I just want a one trick pony and pure good sound, not more (or less ;))

    Thanks a lot, take good care and all the best from Germany!
    Richard

    [The scores are based on a total of the points given in the review – noise level, whether it works in a bedroom setup etc – and my own personal opinion of the overall sound. Both of these pedals nails the Civil War 100%… sans the quirkiness of the imperfect Sovtek design, which to some is the mojo. Anyway, the BoW is a no frills pedal. Easy to set up and dead on THE tone. The Colossus is all that too and you get the chance to sculpt the mid range. So it depends on what you want and how you’ll be using the pedal. Given that your rig is up for it, the BoW will probably be the best choice. If your rig needs a bit more tone sculpting and a more versatile pedal, then I’d go for the Colossus. – Bjorn]

  518. Hey Bjorn! I love your site. I’ve learned so much. Thank you for your hard work.

    I picked up a Skreddy P19 a few days ago. It’s supposed to be The Wall tones in a box. While I don’t have the Muff ears you do, it sounds quite nice to me. If I weren’t halfway around the planet I’d ship it to you for a review…

    There are a few YouTube demos if anyone is curious.

    Again, thanks for your hard work. I wish you and Airbag all the success in the world!

    Cheers,
    Miguel

    [Hi Miguel! Thanks for your kind words! I haven’t had the chance to try out the P19 yet but judging by the demos it sounds pretty awesome :) – Bjorn]

  519. Hey Bjørn.
    which fuzz would you recomment for a fender ’57 tweed deluxe + strat/tele setup?
    i want that nasty Sovtek sound. black key’ish.
    thanks
    Louis

    [I think the Colossus would be perfect. It’s warm and dark, which will go nicely with the otherwise bright Fender and Tele and it’s got balls for the nastiest tones :) The mid range control also allows you to fine tune the tone as desired. – Bjorn]

  520. Hi Bjorn,

    This is my first time leaving a comment here on gilmourish, and Im a big fan of Gilmour, and gilmourish.com. I’v been trying to recreate Davids tones for a while now, just using the bassics – strat , boss ds 1 , boss blues driver , ehx small clone chorus , boss dd3 and a cs 3 compressor.

    since I have been gigging with my band for the last year or two, playing mainly classic rock stuff like the stones, santana, pink floyd ect, I bought a fender hotrod deluxe, with the eminence red coat wizard speaker which has a distinctivly british sound and feel.

    I always think to myself that, Hendrix , Clapton, Marvin and all the Rock ‘n Roll legends of the past 50 years or more, have all used just what has been available to them, and it sure got them a long way.It makes me think that I should just stick to what I have got and not worry all the time about what pedal I need to get next and just get on with playing. BUT as I’m sure you and eveyone else knows there is always room for one more pedal and one more guitar and so on,right…?

    Anhow, I have decided its about time I get a decent Big Muff or a clone, and where I live there’s not a big selection of boutique pedals, just boss, ehx, akai, mxr, ect – all the nomal brands.

    I was wondering if you could do a review of the Bass Big Muff as there are no real helpfull reviews on youtube.
    I would greatly appreciate it if you could as I am thinking about getting one, because i can get EHX stuff where I stay although I have never actually seen one in stock and have never seen anyone else playing one.

    Thanks, and great job with gilmourish.com, I’m a really big fan of Dave’s tone and playing, and enjoy watching your Faithfull renditions on Youtube.

    From Matt.

    [Hi Matt! Thanks for posting and your kind words! Glad you enjoy my site :) There’s always that extra pedal, isn’t it :) I fully agree with you that as long as you’re satisfied with what you got then you should stick to that. Playing guitar is all about developing your own tone and style and too much focus on equipment can stand in the way for just that.Tone is also about experimenting with different guitars, amps and pedals so it’s always a fine balance :) I already did a short presentation of the Bass Muff in this guide and I enjoy it very much. It’s very similar to the old Sovtek models and I kind of find it strange that EHX calls it a bass Muff but whatever. It should go nicely with your amp and the guitarists you’re referring to. – Bjorn]

  521. Oh and also,do you plan on reviewing the Catalinbread Manx Loaghtan and the Wampler Leviathan? They seem to have pretty decent comments so far.

    [Perhaps I should :) – Bjorn]

  522. Hi Bjorn

    With all your positive comments about the Colossus, I was expecting it to replace the Musket in your “Top 3″… Any further clue on why you kept the Musket after all over the Colossus? :)

    By the way, did you hear about the “red guard” limited edition of the Colossus?

    [Not familiar with the “red guard”… The Musket is still a more versatile Muff, so I’ll keep that one in the top 3. The Colossus however is a great Civil War clone so my total score is based on the qualities of each pedal and these two are too different to really compare them with each other. – Bjorn]

  523. Hi Bjorn! Thank You For your Awesome Site!
    Quick Question! I can’t exactly understand, Shall I plug Big Muff and Booster (Boss BD) on Clean Channel or Overdrive Channel?
    Does David use overdrive channel any time in past and now? Or i must forget about overdrive channel?
    Thanks!

    [Whatever works for your tone… David always uses the clean channel and I also think that Big Muffs sounds better on a clean basis. Try setting up the amp for a warm clean tone and plug the guitar into the Muff and then a booster. – Bjorn]

  524. Hi Bjorn, yet again, a great article on the Muff pedals. Keep up the good work.

    Ever tried a Basic Audio Tri/ram Muff (boutique)?

    [Thanks! No, I haven’t had the chance to try that one yet. – Bjorn]

  525. Hi Bjørn

    Looking for advice on a good muff-clone for a dark plexi-style amp. I currently have the BYOC triangle, and it’s a fantastic and very smooth pedal, but with my Metro JTM50 (1986 bass spec) it’s too smooth and loose in the bass, and I find myself cranking the tone-knob on the triangle to get enough bite, resulting in a bit of harshnes in the tone. I could do with a pedal with a little more presence, bite and tighter lows to begin with. Maybe a ram’s head-circuit would do my amp better justice? You speak highly of the Pig Hoof, and another candidate that get great online reviews is the SUF VRH. How do you think one of theese would match my setup?

    Boosters is a couple of the usual suspects; Keeley BD-2 and Paul C Timmy. (One has to go, can’t decide which:-) The Timmy has the upper hand for now.

    regards

    [Hi Rolf. The Ram’s Head does have a bit more bite and top end, so that may work out better. The Pig Hoof and SUF VHR and the violets in general are very dark compared to other ram’s heads so you might find these a bit too much for your amp. I think my best tip would be the Musket. It’s based on the Sovteks but it’s one of the most versatile Muffs on the market. The focus feature is especially handy on darker amps for adding a bit more presence and for tightening the lower ends. – Bjorn]

  526. Hello I hope all is well and its great to hear a new airbag album is in the recording stages. I have seen that most of the guitars tracks are done in your home studio, are you using the reeves and the 4×12 or the cub?

    The last time I posted I was in the stages of getting a pig hoof but do to sertin reasons I cud not. But that has changed and I’m getting quite fond of the B.Y.O.C stuff. So I got me a chorus and a large beaver .I’m undecided on which version to build. I was thinking the triangle then adding the agrishin with the tube works tube overdrive,(vintage 5 knob version,12au7 ,got for 70$ :) its absolutely fantastic. But I’m waiting for the competition to end next Monday. One last thing, I entered the competition on the first and I’m 99.9% shear the CAPTCHA Code was not there, so shud I reenter or something.

    My thoughts are to all on the U.S. east cost.

    Thanks from the stats, bailey

    [I’m recording some of the guitars at home with the Laney Cub. It’s mostly some of the cleaner rhythm parts, soundscapes etc. I’ll be recording all the leads and heavier rhythms with the Reeves later on.
    I’m very fond of the triangle but the ram’s head specs are perhaps a bit more versatile. It also depends on what amp and guitar you’ll be using with the pedal.
    You don’t have to re-submit. I just had to add a captcha to reduce the spam. – Bjorn]

  527. Great reviews Bjorn!
    What are thoughts if it was between the musket and the box of war? I notice they have very similar reviews. I like the versatility of the musket but dread so many knobs (and having to fiddle with it all the time). The box of war seems really awesome though, but I wonder how well it can do 70s stuff.

    Any other thoughts between these 2??
    Thanks so much!!!

    [They’re two different pedals really. The BoW if perhaps easier to set up but IMO not that suited for David’s 70s tones. The Musket is more versatile and the additional controls allow you to dial in a wide range of tones. However, it’s not as accurate to the Sovteks as the BoW. Between the two I think I’d go for the Musket. – Bjorn]

  528. Hello Bjorn,

    What do you think about the famous Ronsound Hairpie?

    Was about to buy one.

    regards,

    julian

    [I haven’t tried it, so I can’t comment on that. – Bjorn]

  529. Hi Bjorn, Quick question, which do you prefer first in your pedal chain, the Rat or Big Muff? Tony

    [Placement depends on whether you’re gonna use the pedals together or not. I wouldn’t use the RAT and a Muff together since they’re both distortions with lots of gain, so it doesn’t matter where you place them. – Bjorn]

  530. Hi Bjorn, can you remember the settings you had for the Tone Wicker Big Muff? I’m not sure whether it is because I’m using higher gain amps (despite being on the clean channel) but I’m just getting Mudhoney sounds out of it even when I’m sending the signal through a compressor and noise gate.

    [I usually set all my Muffs fairly moderate with the tone around 40%, volume slightly above unity and the gain at 60%. Muffs sounds very different on different guitars and amps so it’s hard to recommend anything specific. Obviously, amp settings also sets the overall tone. I’d be careful with using too much compression too. Try setting the amp up for a warm clean tone with the treble rolled considerably down and increase the mids and presence for a bit warmer tone. – Bjorn]

  531. Hey Bjorn, so are you saying that I shouldn’t be using the spark with the musket? I have been setting the musket for fuzz, and distortion, and pretty musch leaving the boost on clean at all times, as it finally gave me the that chimey, bell like ring I hear in Gilmours playing. I guess tame was the wrong word, but used as a clean boost, gain about 10-11:00, volume unity to slight boost, with eq’s both at about 1:00, and of ciutse the ckean settibg, seems to increase the frequency of the saw tooth waves from the musket, making it smoother, with more sustain. And I definitely only use a mild distortion on my RT-20 w/ TS 9 on Us and Them. Don’tyou leave your CSPB on clean boost most
    of the time? I’m pretty happy with the tones I’ve found, but was trying to se if the spark would have that same effect on the FF, but I guess shortening the wave is the diff between xistortion, and fuzz, I guess it’s different on every rig, guitar, and pedal settings.
    As usual, this post has self distructed, good luck Bjorn! Peace, Love, and:Gilmourish!!!!

    [No, I’m not saying that you should but can :) I’m always using either a Powerboost (the Throbak nowadays) or the TD as a basis for all my tones… including the cleans but it depends on what pedals you combine these with. The Muffs that I usually use doesn’t have much mid range while the Musket does. The more mid range, the less boost you need, because the pedal sounds more saturated and warm compared to the more mids scooped ones. Anyway, you must try different setups and listen to what works best for your rig and the tones you want. – Bjorn]

  532. Hello Bjorn!

    You talk about the Big muff 4 Germanium by Ehx, I got one, and I would like to know what do you think about the overdrive side of this pedal? Is there any resemblance with a colorboost?
    Actually, I use the overdrive side to boost my Big Muff, I find it pretty cool, but I never try a colorboost or any clone. So maybe it could be better.

    Thanks for all :)

    [Not quite. The Colorsound is based on silicon transistors, which are considerably more transparent and brighter. The Boss BD2 would be more similar. That being said, if it works out for you using the OD side to boost the Muff, then go for it :) – Bjorn]

  533. Hey Bjorn im havingg some trouble with buying a muff, at first I was leaning heavily to the large beaver, but now im almost swayed to a v2 musket. Every time I go to make the buy I hesitate and think well mabye I should go with the other. Which do you think would sound best with my vox? I just ordered a jj 12au7 to replace the dual triode 12ax7 in my ad50vt-xl to brighten and give it more headroom. tone wise I love the sound of both, ive tried both with dg20’s and cs69s (beaver sounded a bit heavier gain wise but the musket is more versitile), and honestly I just cant pick which I like more. So for the vox which do you think would be better suited because I just cant perceive which sounded best. Thanks again and I loved the new tone guides, cant wait for #4!
    Dave

    [Well, ultimately, it comes down to preference and taste. All of these Muffs sound similar with minor differences. The Musket is one of the more versatile and it seems to work nicely on most setups. The Pig Hoof is also a safe way to go but I think you’ll be pleased with the Musket :) – Bjorn]

  534. Hi Bjorn, have you ever heard about Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh? Please Bjorn do a review on the pedal. I need to hear what you think.

    [I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet. – Bjorn]

  535. Hey Bjorn, do you think a RAT could have its place here in this review? Even though it’s not a Muff, you mentionned it many times in other articles maybe you could add the different kind of RAT as well?

    Just a thought…

    Thanks for your hard work it is very appreciated.

    P.S. Did you try the Sundrive and Moondrive from Costalab?

    [The RAT is indeed a great alternative to the Muff. I did include the G2 and DG2, which are very similar to the RAT. I’m planning a similar feature for distortions though, so the RAT will be featured there. Haven’t tried the Sundrive nor the Moondrive but I have a Custom Fuzz review coming up soon :) – Bjorn]

  536. @BrianMay : I own a sundrive but I can’t try it properly at the moment. However, it sounds horrible when I play at home at low volume on my Peavey Classic 50. So I guess it’s not suitable for small amps.

    When I can I’ll try it loud and maybe post a soundclip so you can hear how it sounds like.

  537. Bjorn, first off, let me thank you for maintaining this wealth of great information. I’m wondering if you have any experience using a Danelectro Transparent Overdrive alongside a Large Beaver? I think Version 1 is suppposed to pretty close to that of a Timmy pedal. Just looking for some budget boost to go with the beaver.

    Thx

    [I think that would go nicely. As the name implies, it’s a transparent overdrive with a considerable volume boost as well. The tone ranges from crystal clean to near fuzz. – Bjorn]

  538. Hi Bjorn! Just a question. Big muffs make very much noice thats for sure, and when i stomp on my CS3 with my Big muff pi usa it makes the normal muff noice x100! Is this normal? And when i have the muff on with the CS3 and the guitar volume at 0 it doesent make that much nocie but its still lound like a normal muff noice x10 and when i turn the volum up on my guitar it does that wierd noice like david does on the intro of sorrow. Ty//Peter

    [Noise is usually a combination of many factors. A Big Muff has a very saturated gain character and a compressor is basically a gain effect. This means that you’re combining two gain effects which will cause more noise. A compressor will also henhance certain frequencies causing even more noise. It’s just the nature of the pedals. Be careful with the settings when you’re combining Muffs and other distortions with overdrives and compressors. Alone, the Muff needs high gain settings but in combo with a second gain pedal, you need to roll down the Muff gain depending on how much gain the second pedal adds. In general though I’d rather use a transparent overdrive with Muff rather than a compressor. Compressors should only be used when needed and as a tool to enhance certain parts of your playing. – Bjorn]

  539. Hi Bjorn Not in your league I know but here’s my black russian big muff used on a go at the Time solo. I just acquired it for £40 and I don’t know why I didn’t get one earlier. This is honest – it sounds better the the Pete Cornish P2 I used to own some years back. Less bassy and unbelievably – queiter too!!! Thanks for this tremendous Big Muff feature Bjorn. Rock on Gilmour fans HAFSTRAT. thttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AMRNDJ5fBE

    [Yeah, those Russians are great, aren’t they.. :) Thanks for sharing, Howard! – Bjorn]

  540. This site is amazing. Well done and thank you for all the work that you have put into it.
    I had a few questions if you don’t mind…
    I am looking at either a BYOC Little Beaver or the EHX Big Muff/Wicker. I really like both these pedals for a Muff. Which do you like better for the all around Gilmour experience?

    For my Overdrive I currently own a Keeley modded SD-1 (TS808 Spec) and a Paul C. TIM pedal. What would I gain if I switched over to a BD-2? Could the TIM or SD-1 cover the same ground as the BD-2?

    What can you recommend for a budget Flanger?
    Thank you so much.
    Doug

    [Thanks for your kind words, Doug! Between the two, I prefer the Large Beaver. The Tone Wicker is OK but I think the LB has more character to offer. The Tim is very similar to the old Colorsound Powerboost and Tube Driver with a transparent tone. I don’t think the BD2 is a must when you have this. I’m a bit torn on flangers. While there are some decent budget models none comes close to the Mistress… this goes for any price range really. However, check out the MXR Micro Flanger, Ibanez FL9 and TC Vortex. – Bjorn]

  541. Hi Bjorn!
    This is one hell of a page, so helpful and clear. By the way have you checked Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh fuzz and LSTR. From what I heard, they’re very versatile pedals and nails those American and Russian muff tones.
    Cheers!

    [Thanks! No, I haven’t had the chance yet. Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  542. hi!
    a little suggestion for all the people who have to use bedroom level …

    i use a vfe alpha dog pedal which is not a muff (!) but a very nice kind of a rat. you can choose the clipping method from vintage (to me it sounds similar to an old LM308 rat) to turbo (that turbo rat sound – not my choice). there is also a fat control which adds bass and a switch for adding a germanium stage or a mosfet (very smooth).
    the pedal has lots of gain in reserve and really likes to sing. never tried it with a boss bd2 (think it works well) but the vfe loves the butler tube driver for smoothing out.

    i use the fuzzulator for a fuzzy muff tone and the vfe for a little bit more “action”. i even think about to ditch the violet north effects which is (was ?) on my gig pedalboard.

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  543. Hi Bjorn,

    I was wondering if you like the Electro Harmonix Nano Muff Overdrive. They say that its got an old circuit like in 1969, after fans of the old stuff had complained about newer Muff circuits. Is that true?

    Cheers
    Martin

    [As the name implies it’s more an overdrive than a Muff. The tone is a bit too mild for it to replace an ordinary Muff. Of the stock models check out the Tone Wicker or the Bass Muff. – Bjorn]

  544. Hi Bjorn.

    Great feature, I have just picked up a tall font green Russian in perfect condition.. Its awesome. Strangely enough for me much quieter than the pig hoof in a home setup. Would you agree with that?

    I got a very pulse like tone from the second I switched it on. Combine with ce-2 and some serious gilmourizing lol

    cheers Lee.

    [My old green Sovtek is also one of the quietest fuzz pedals I’ve ever tried but I don’t really have any noise problems with the Pig Hoof. It has a lot of gain though so you need to be careful when you mix it with a booster. – Bjorn]

  545. Sabá Netto

    Hi Bjorn! Any thoughts at the Wren and Cuff’s Tall Font Russian and the Box of War?

    Cheers!

    [I haven’t had the chance to try any of them yet. I see that the Tall Font, early green Sovtek clone, gets a lot of praise. – Bjorn]

  546. Hi Bjorn,
    A few days ago, I bought Guyatone HD2 harmonic distortion and now I fight with him…
    I think that, Guyatone HD2 is a little similar to Big Muff.
    What do you think about Guyatone HD2?
    I found this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBhtUWpQ9Bg
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed9z_J8G-oo&feature=relmfu

    Best regards
    Tomek

    [I haven’t tried it actually. Sonically it’s somewhere between a late 70s Muff and a silicon fuzz I think. Not as saturated and fat as the Muff but with a booster I’m sure it could be a nice alternative. – Bjorn]

  547. hi björn!
    some days ago i had the chance to buy a used demeter fuzzulator. although i never heard about that pedal before i bought it because it was very cheap.
    still i cant say what kind of pedal it really is. the loose-setting sounds like an old warm fuzz, the tight-setting seems to be a kind of muff.
    but i think it is a nice pedal and worth to try it.
    and: a friend of mine said it sounds like “a muff for adults” ;-)

    [Congrats! It’s a nice pedal indeed. I think it sounds like a mix between the old fuzz pedals and a Big Muff. Very versatile :) – Bjorn]

  548. If you don’t mind my asking, what is your opinion of Catalinbread’s Manx Loaghtan?

    http://catalinbread.com/MANX

    [I haven’t had the chance to try this one yet but it based on the clips it sounds like it’s based on the late Sovtek Muffs with perhaps a bit more mid range and a couple of additional controls for tone sculpting. Catalinbread makes some amazing pedals so I’m sure this is a safe bet :) – Bjorn]

  549. Thanks for the feedback. I will keep my Rat on my board then. Nice to see you are also into porcupine tree.

    My question now is: is a Muff next to my Rat worth it.

    Context:
    The last couple of months (and comming months) I mostly play at home with the AC30 mastervolume helping me to keep the noise down. (probably what you call bedroom level). I have recently bought my stratocaster so i could focus on other music like my old love Pink Floyd. I use my vintage Rat and wondered if a Beaver or Red Muck would be a worthwhile investment for a more Gilmourish sound. Is it? Or is the difference between the RAT and Muck minimal at that sound level?

    [Sorry for my late reply. The RAT and Muff are two different beasts and can’t really be compared. The RAT has much more gain and will sound more saturated, even on lower volume levels, than the Muff. In a bedroom situation you really need a booster with the Muff for it to produce the “right” tones. Anyway, I think the Rat and Muff works nicely side by side offering a wide range of tones. – Bjorn]

  550. Hello Bjorn,

    Great article, I always love how they manage to get straight to the point, players like me just seem to want to run to their guitars whenever they hear about pedals. Speaking of which, today I am going to buy my first distortion pedal since then I have been using primarily the amp distortion, which I plan to act as boost once this pedal is purchased. My favourite tones are the ones David reproduces during his Remember the Night performance at Royal Albert Hall.
    The pedals I was planning to look at include the Mxr Distortion +, the Big Muff Pi w/ Tone Wicker as well as the Little Big Muff and a Rat, as much as I love Gilmour, I think I may have to settle something with my 40 watt amp, I am currently using seymour duncan humbuckers in my guitar, should this smoothen out the tone a bit for all the pedals?

    Well than’s again, keep up the great work.

    [Thank you! Muffs have a tendency to sound a bit too wild and metal with humbuckers. Without knowing what amp you have I think I’d go for something versatile like a RAT. See this feature for more info. – Bjorn]

  551. Hey Bjorn,

    Nice article. I am realy looking for a pedal to help me with some Gilmour sounds but aint looking forward to multiple Is there a bif muff clone that is versatile enough to serve as a main distortion unit playing other stuff like Porcupine Tree, Radiohead and interpol? The Royal Beaver or Musket caught my eye but maybe my my goal is too farfetched. I am playing on a VoxAC0 with my 60s strat and 360 Rickenbacker.

    Would realy value your opinion. Keep up the good work.

    [Hmmm… Well, the Muff is quite unique and you can’t really compare it with other distortions. The Musket is perhaps the most versatile in terms of other tones but I wouldn’t feel comfortable using a Muff for stuff like Porcupine, Radiohead etc. I think you’re better off with a Shredmaster, Rat or TC Dark Matter. All of which has been in Steven Wilson’s arsenal. – Bjorn]

  552. Thank you for this great insight, Bjørn. I was wondering, I have the AA green Russian. I’m not a purist I would say but I do like authentic sounding equipment. So I do tend to be a little OCD when it comes to my pedals. Would you say that the AA Green Russian will definitely nail any. Gilmour tones aside from the Gilmour “fuzz era” because I know how different a muff is from a fuzz. It’s been really bothering me that I may have a muff that just isn’t suitable for anything more than his 80’s and 90’s tones because I like to play it all. Thanks a lot!

    [Well, how does it sound to you? What’s important is that you think it sounds great. Spend some time on the settings, combine it with different voiced overdrive and boosters and modulations and see where that takes you. Most Big Muffs sound more or less the same but you can alter their tone with different boosters and modulations. Use a Mistress for the Animals and Wall tones and chorus for the 80s and 90s. The AA is a Sovtek clone, which David used in 1994. Prior and after he used a ram’s head Muff, which is known for a bit brighter sound and not as much mid range as the Sovtek. Check out the BYOC Large Beaver for classic ram’s head tones (Animals, Wall, Final Cut, Delicate, Island, GDansk) or the Electronic Orange Pig Hoof for something in between the ram’s head and Sovtek. Hope this helped. – Bjorn]

  553. Bjorn, In your older articles you say you prefer a Rat over Muffs when playing on smaller amps/bedroom level. Here you give the byoc a 10/10 for the smaller amps. Do you think the Beaver is the better choice over the Rat when playing on a lower volume or smaller amp?

    cheers!

    [Perhaps a bit misleading but the score is based on amps that can handle a Muff. I would not recommend Big Muffs for stuff like Roland Cube, Marshall solid states, Fender G-Dec and similar. For these I’d recommend the RAT, Boss DS1, TC Electronics Dark Matter and similar, which all are designed for these kind of amps. More on that here. The ones I’ve given a top score works very well on bedroom sized tube amps like the Laney Cube, Fender Blues Jr and similar low wattage tube combos or mini stacks. Please see the Big Muff tone tutorial for more. – Bjorn]

  554. thanx bjorn, btw my setup is the usual 69/ssl-5 pups and a Peavey classic 50, also im useing a keeley BD-2 , would those settings you gave me work with combineing the BD? I usually have my BD as : Tone 10-11:00 ,volume 2:00 and gain between 9-10:30 are these also good settings for the BD-2? becaue sometimes i get confused on wether i should have my BD volume slightly higher then the muff and my RAT or vice versa. thanx agin

    [The settings for the Muff and BD are in the ballpark of what you’d be using but you might need to fine tune them to fit your setup and playing. I find that settings the Muff volume to about unity with the amp and the BD2, or whatever booster, with a slight volume boost is the best combo. Also, place the BD2 after the Muff. – Bjorn]

  555. Hi,does anyone have any opinion on line 6 hd modelling distortions and how they compare to the original gilmour rigs,I would recommend to bjorn a review and a trial run as after the man himself Dave. Your opinion ant thoughts are most respected

    [Like all multi processors there are some sounds that are great and some that are pretty useless. Which is what depends on what tones you’re looking for. I think Line 6 are very good at amp modeling, modulations and delay but I think they could have done more to develop better sounding gain effects. TC Electronic is in my humble opinion superior when it comes to gain processing. – Bjorn]

  556. Posted on FB but ill post here too as well. Im finished! after almost i a year ive finsihed building my Large Beaver! I would’ve finished sooner but i made it triangle specs then wanted to go back and redo the part to rams head specs lol holy shit what a process for this novice techy (whats funny is that now that im done i question wether i should’ve left it triangle specs LOL!). Anyways im curious about your Muff settings with the Beaver, actually really the only thing confuseing me is that you say “Tone, Gain, Volume”, hope its not a stupid question but since the Beaver has Volume ,Sustain, Tone, is “Gain” in refrence to the Sustain knob? Thanks Bjorn! Great Article!

    [Gain is the same as sustain on the Muff :) Of course, depending on your amp, guitar and what pedals you combine the Muff with I usually set the Beaver like this: volume 60%, tone 40%, sustain 50-60%. – Bjorn]

  557. Incredible! Congratulations for that excellent Big muff/Big muff clones comparission.
    I need your help:

    My gear: MIM Strat (all standard)> Behringer Ultra Fuzz UZ400 > Dunlop Cry Baby > Behringer Vintage Tube Monster VT 999 [overdrive] > Behringer Overdrive OD400 [booster] > Behringer Vintage Phaser VP-1 > Behringer Digital Delay DD400 > Fender Volume Pedal > Fender Frontman 25R.

    I want to make some changes without expending a lot of money and selling the ones that i’ll not use:
    -Change the UZ400 with a BIG MUFF PI ($80)
    -Change the OD400 with a LPB-1 ($40) or with a Behringer Vintage Tube Overdrive VT911($50)
    -Change the vacuum tube of VT999 (12AX7) with another like (12AU7) that give me a less distorted tone, because when I use VT999 as a booster, it gives me a very dark sound.*

    I’m very satisfied with the tube moster VT999, so that’s what i want to check VT911 as a booster. Also I’ll change the tube of VT911 for a brighter tone.*

    I want your opinion about the changes I want to do, also recommendations of other pedals, other changes i would have to do in the chain of pedals descripted above; and I want you to recommend which vacuum tubes are the best for gilmour tones (Boost [VT911] and Drive [VT999]).

    Thanks… Thanks for your excellent website and your help.

    [Thanks for your kind words! Glad you enjoy my site :) The setup, chain and changes looks fine. A couple of suggestions… In terms of tubes, there are about three or four companies making tubes world wide and these license to a number of brands. I’ve been using JJ tubes for a while. These are warm and smooth with the punch and attack needed for David’s gear and tone. Check out the Boss BD2 for a versatile booster and overdrive. Excellent option for David’s Colorsound Powerboost and BK Tube Driver. It’s also worth checking out the new TRex Tone Bug Booster. Hope this helped. – Bjorn]

  558. I have a modern US reissue Big Muff, and I’ve actually managed to get a pretty good Gilmour tone with it. You are definitely right about one thing though, it sounds like absolute shit on a small quiet amp. It has to be played very loud to sound good. I use it in combo with a Tonebone Classic Tube Drive (a very good Tube Driver/Power Boost type unit) and a Boss ME-50 mutli-effect unit with the BD-2 setting and the drive all the way down. I’m sure that you don’t have a lot of love for multi-effect units, but this one is actually very nice for simplifying your rig, as long as you don’t explore too far into the effects. Keep it basic and it does a nice job replacing some of your peripheral effects. With the BD-2 setting and the drive all the way down, I use it pretty much as an EQ, as it has both tone and bottom controls. I also save 2 presets of the volume level so I can switch back and forth from lead to rhythm volume with a single touch of the foot. Next I use the chorus, which is perfect because it is not dominating and has a mix control. It also has stereo chorus options (it has 2 outputs so it makes a good signal splitter at the end of your chain). Finally I use it as my always-on quiet ambient echo, so all I have to do is turn my main delay unit on and off for heavy delays. Combine all this with my vintage MXR Dyna Comp and Boss RT-20, I’ve found a real nice middle ground between Wall and PULSE tones.

    [Thanks for your input! Actually, I mostly use a Line 6 POD at home and for years I used a Boss GT3 in my stage rig. I used the modulations and delays and combined it with stand alone gain pedals. Worked really well. Cheers! – Bjorn]

  559. Awesome as always! My reference when buying anything guitar related.

    Just waiting for the same system with the Fuzz for the DSOM tones.

    Thanks Bjorn.

    [Thanks! I’m upgrading all the Buyer’s Gear Guides this spring… stay tuned :) – Bjorn]

  560. Hi Bjorn, thanks again for the support! If you have some time to spend again, here my first experiment with recording the solo on my mac. The volume is fairly low, you can hear the string picking. Sorry for the guitar playing…..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYwBD9AqXes

    Cheers,
    Luca

    [Sounds pretty good :) I think some volume would have opened up the tone even more but I think this sounds pretty accurate for your setup. – Bjorn]

  561. Thanks Bjorn, the settings are pretty the same I used previously but with the tone on the laney at 10 and the highs at 6. I know the volume is the key, but I got always a tone that’s too dark. Putting the tone at 13:00 on the LB will go harsh so I tried on the bd2 but the tone became always thin and results in loss of character. I have to experiment a bit because I installed the SSL-5 a few months ago and respect to the cs69 I must reconsider all the settings! If you have some general advices….

    A little out of topic, did you record the ending solo on “Never Coming Home” with the strat and cs69+ssl-5 and perhaps the OCD? The tone is terrific, really good job!

    Cheers,
    Luca

    [I think it’s wise to just plug the guitar straight into the amp without any pedals. Find the settings and tone you want and then add the pedals and tweak them to match the amp. I think the CS69+SSL5 sounds great on the Laney but low volume is also much more sensible to picking techniques, string gauge and action etc so you might need to spend some time trying out different settings. NCH was recorded over a long period. Some of the stuff is from my original demo where I used a Les Paul with PAFs straight into a Line 6 POD (solo in the bridge section). All the clean rhythms and fills were recorded with a Strat loaded with EMG DG20 into a split between a Reeves Custom 50 with 4×12″ cab and a Leslie 760. The last jam solo is two parts – one fairly clean with the Tube Driver into the Reeves and the latter I added the Leslie. – Bjorn]

  562. Hi Bjorn!

    I have gotten into building my own as of late and have found all that I have been looking for at GuitarPCB.com. They have a circuit board called the GBOM that can be built to at least 10 different variations, each with mods for customization. I chose the Ram’s Head build and have been completely satisfied with it. They also carry what they call R2G2 (revision 2 G-2) that is at least as good as Pete’s. These are available as kits from mammothelectronics.com, but all the necessary support, as well as sound clips of the circuits in action, is at guitarpcb.com. Check them out and let me know what you think!

    Dave.

    [Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  563. Hi Bjorn,
    Absolutely great review of the options out there … and very timely for me as I contemplate a new Big muff purchase as I have only the Black Russian so far and even that sounds amazing to my ears though so I am looking forward to even better sounds from a new purchase. The Royal Beaver looks an amazing pedal and worth the extra money as it appears to be 3 Big muffs in one .. but I notice you do not have it down as being suitable for early Floyd 68-71 tones .. even though you mention that with just one clipping stage activated it sounds very similar to the Germanium EH 4. So my question is … can the RB get close to that beautiful Fat Old Sun tone … or do I need to go the full Germanium fuzz pedal route.
    Cheers
    Bryan

    [I didn’t meantion 1968-71 on any because David didn’t use Big Muffs at that point. You might have a hard time getting a Muff to cover the Atom Heart tones because they’re so typical for the germanium fuzz, which is much milder and warmer than a Muff. Depends on how authentic you want to be though and I haven’t really explored that with the RB so with some tweaking around you might be able to manipulate it to sound somewhat similar. You could also go for a Tube Driver or something similar like the BD2, which is what David did on the 2006 live version. – Bjorn]

  564. Bjorn,
    Thanks for the response. (Btw, great article, as always!!) Regarding the Large Beaver, the forums are all chirping about the BYOC folks changing chips and values of components and this being better than that, etc. How old is yours? Think the most recent ones are as good as the older ones (which the forums peg as pre 2008)? Or is all this much ado about nothing?

    [Well, usually it’s all about people wanting to show off. Once something is hard to get people will always claim it’s better than what you can get now… for some reason. Most of the time it’s just bullshit because it doesn’t really matter what they think as long as you like the pedal, guitar or amp. Perhaps what they consider to be the best doesn’t quite work as well the new model on your rig… In some cases though, manufacturers loose their path and make upgrades that makes lille sense… I will claim though that the Large Beaver is still a great pedal and you’ll probably never hear a difference… – Bjorn]

  565. Bjorn,
    Another terrific review and very welcome. Thank you for all your efforts. I was surprised that you did not include the Skreddy Lunar Module Deluxe in your list. Have you done a review of the Skreddy pedal? I have both the byoc large beaver and the Skreddy lm and feel they both excellent pedals. The 3 new clips are very helpful in seeing how to play the leads, much better than the printed page.
    Thanks again
    Bryan

    [The Lunar isn’t really a Muff but more a clone of the silicon Fuzz Face so it wouldn’t apply to this guide :) – Bjorn]

  566. Bjorn – In your Skreddy Pedals review of 2007 you say of the Pink Flesh, “I recommend this as the best sounding 70’s Muff I’ve ever tried. It earned its place on my pedal board!” Yet, in this review, it only rates a 2/10. What gives? Change of taste? Has the market surpassed them? Seems hard to imagine it would decline in your judgement so severely.

    Also, some folks are selling assembled Large Beavers. Any difference between assemblers that you know of?

    Personally, I find the Pink Flesh a little too much. Am looking for something I can dial back a bit as well. Find that edge inbetween too light and too much saturation.

    [Well, I guess it was just the thing I was looking for back then but as I’ve explored different pedals and gotten a better sense of how I prefer a Muff+booster setup I realize that the Pink Flesh was just too wild and hard to tame. Try Axe, And You Shall Receive for your BYOC prebuilds. – Bjorn]

  567. Marc-Andre Paquette

    Amazing review Bjorn, really!

    Just got my hand on a bass Big Muff can’t wait to try it.

    Have you ever used a combination of a POD with analog pedals? I just bought a POD HD500 and I was thinking of using the bass Big Muff in the fx return/send instead of using the modeled version.

    I also use a CS-2 in front of the POD instead of using the modeled version of the Boss pedal. Not bad so far…

    thanks

    [Some Boss pedals seems to work OK but I’ve never gotten a Muff to work. – Bjorn]

  568. Great article. I’ll apologize in advance for all of my questions that follow. I have a NYC reissue that I’ve never been able to bond with (well, I just don’t like it). I’ve been able to get some pretty convincing tones with an older (early 90’s) RAT II, BBE green screamer, and a little delay into a tube combo. Unfortunately, this Big Muff is almost all the experience I have with them (other than playing some Sovteks in the 90’s)

    I don’t need or want to copy David’s tone exactly, but I do want to pick up another BM or clone. The Tone Wicker and Bass Big Muff scored pretty close. Which of those do you feel is better at getting close to David’s sound? I’m also Musket is also tempting to me, but there seems to be a fine line between the price of some of these clones, and getting the real deal. Also interested in how you think the Maxon D&S stacks up to these.

    I also have a BBE mindbender chorus/vibrato that I find useless for any application that requires a subtle “is this thing on” type of chorus. It seems to be way too much for any Gilmour apllication. Can you recommend a good pedal that gives just a little effect?

    You may not have an answer to this next question, but I’m also a fan of Dinosaur Jr and J Masicis, who used the BM in a completely different way. Will one of these pedals do a decent job of covering both?

    Jason

    [Big Muffs can be quite challenging on some amps but given that your amp can handle a Big Muff I would say that both the Wicker and Bass Muff sounds way better then the US reissue. They serve different purposes though. The Bass Muff is close to the early Sovteks while the Wicker has some additional tone options making it perhaps a bit more versatile. My opinion is that the Musket is a much better pedal all together so if you ask me, the little extra on the price is definitely worth it. It’s equally capable of producing great tones on smaller bedroom amps and those huge grunge tones. Check out the CostaLab ChorusLab for a mild chorus with effect mix control. – Bjorn]

  569. Another great article. The ratings is a great help and indicator for those who don’t have the opportunity to try the pedals in shop and have to rely on mail/internet purchase.

    I’d like to see same article on booster and overdrive. Keep them coming!

    [Thank you! I’ll be updating the rest of the Buyer’s Gear Guide as well. – Bjorn]

  570. Bjorn- Do you use your nova drive on its own or with a BD2? Want to pull the trigger on my low volume setup on my reeves 50 but am abit confused on what gain pedals to use? Thanks

    [The ND is a two channel amp with a Tueb Screamer-ish overdrive circuit that you can blend with the distortion both before or after. Works pretty well on it’s own but I prefer a more transparent boost with a BD2, Colorsound or similar. – Bjorn]

  571. Strat AmSTD cs69+SSL5 bridge>byocLBtriangle4knobs>bd2keeley>laneyCUB12r
    At a very low bedroom level because my two childs are in the near room!

    I’m looking for the really smooth but aggressive tone you’ve got in the clip.
    Thanks!

    Luca

    [OK, try this:
    Large Beaver: volume slightly above unity, tone around 40%, gain 60-70%. Using a bit more gain helps on lower volumes.
    BD2: volume 60-70% depending on how much boost you want, tone around 10:00, try to find a sweetspot depending on your picking etc, gain 9-10:00 right at the very edge of breakup.
    Laney: reverb off, tone 6, volume as desired, bass 4.5, middle 4, treble 4, gain 1,5-2.
    Hope this helped. – Bjorn]

  572. Hi Bjorn, great clips and great articles as always, I would like to thank you for the continuos help that you give us Gilmourish’s fans sharing your knowledge!

    I actually love the tone that you get from the Large Beaver in the brand new clip, it’s incredible smooth and close to the original. I never use my Byoc LB “triangle” for the wall era because I’m not able to reach this kind of smothness and character so I go with the RAT and BD2 but it’s not so close as the Muff. Could you share some settings???

    Cheers,
    Luca

    [Thanks! What’s your guitar/pickups and amp? Let me know and I’ll try to help. – Bjorn]

  573. MXR was one of the companies/effect builders that Dave partook in.

    [David used Phase 90 and Dynacomp in the 70s but I don’t think he had anything to do with their designs. – Bjorn]

  574. Great article as always Bjorn! I am surprised that Absolutely Analog is gone; I really enjoy their Green Russian, I guess that just makes it all the more fun to own now that it is discontinued. What do you think?

    [Yeah… nice little pedal indeed :) – Bjorn]

  575. I forget the Italian CostaLab muff/cornish replica (Custom Muff, Natural Drive, Natural Drive MK II, Moon Drive and Sun Drive).
    Does anyone ever tried one of these?

  576. Hello Bjorn,

    Great review.
    I’ve just bought a Bass Big Muff on ebay and wanna know which settings are the best with a BD-2 as a Booster.

    thank you

    [Depends entirely on your guitar/pickups, the amp and its settings and how loud you play… Usually, in combo with a mild volume boost, a fairly moderate setting would do nicely… volume 50-60%, tone 30-50%, gain 40-60%. – Bjorn]

  577. Hello Bjorn! When I decided to buy a Big Muff, I use for reference the videos and comments that you made. I bought a while ago the BYOC Larger Beaver and I NEVER regret that purchase. Excellent pedal and the sound takes you to the clouds.

    [Agree! Cheers! – Bjorn]

  578. Hello Bjorn
    I have a North Effects triangle muff, it sounds stellar! Way more smooth and magical than the Large Beaver, but the Lareg Beaver offcourse does have the benefit of the mid-rotary switch! But pure tone wise, the North Effects wins. They use N.O.S. transistors in the triangle, I think that contributes to that!
    I also have a vintage Rams Head, that one is great as well, much more ‘huge’!
    I love your site, thanks.
    GrtDave.

    [Thanks for your input :) – Bjorn]

  579. Hello,
    Great review! Thanks for all this informations.

    Have you ever try the Big Knob Civil Warp?

    Thank you.
    (PS: Sorry for my bad english)

    [No I haven’t. Thanks for the tip! – Bjorn]

  580. Great guide Bjorn, as always…

    Does anyone ever tried Stomp Under Foot (SUF) Big Muff replica? What’s about them?
    I have read some great words on kit rae’s big muff page abot them, but some more review will be appreciate…

    thank you

    [Thanks! I’ve only tried the Big Muff ’73, which I believe was a limited run of a specifically cloned circuit. It was way too aggressive and wild for my taste. Based on reviews it seems that the Civil War and Ram’s Head clones are very good. – Bjorn]

  581. This really is great information, thank you, and for the rest of this site too. Fantastic research and insight. A couple of questions: The Little Big Muff Nano, same thing as the Little Big Muff widely available today (Amazon, Guitar Center etc.)? Also, the Bass Big Muff, just to be clear your are talking about using this for guitar rather than bass, right?

    Thanks again for sharing your work.

    [The Little Pi and Little Nano is the same pedal. Bass players have been using fuzz and Big Muffs since the late 60s. The Bass Muff is more or less identical to the Sovtek circuit, which is branded as a guitar pedal, with an additional bass boost. The pedal works very well on guitar. – Bjorn]

  582. Where do you find time for such a review! Amazing job!
    Once again, thanks for so much info!
    I enjoy a red muck and, as you say, it works great on his own, but pushed up with the colorsound it sounds terrific, on the contrary, pushing it up with tube driver doesn’t work, the sound/tone goes “down” and I tried moving the tube driver both in front and after the red muck (so I push it up with the colorsound, it sounds great and… no problem! ; )
    Again: thanks Bjorn for sharing your info with all of us!

    [Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the feature :) The Tube Driver can be quite difficult but I don’t have any problem with it in combo with the Red Muck on my rig. What’s your TD settings? I always keep the volume at around 2:00, which provides a nice volume boost. – Bjorn]

  583. very nice reviews!!!
    i have a north effects violet ram. it is a bit tricky to use it on bedroom level with a smooth sound.

    my way: i roll down the tone-knob (10 o’clock) with the gain knob at 1 o’clock on the muff. next in chain there is my booster, a boss bd-2 with almost no gain (9 o’clock) but with the tone-knob high (2 o’clock). i think this works well.

    [The BD2 is an excellent boost. Thanks for sharing the tip! – Bjorn]

  584. awsome! love to see a list with all the Coloursound and Tubedriver clones, of course im just ganna build my own hopefully : P

    [I’ll be using the next weeks updating the other buyer’s gear guide features :) – Bjorn]

  585. Ozzy@Watersish.com

    Thanks, Bjorn. I really enjoyed reading your article. More guides like this, please :-) Delays, maybe?

    [Thanks! I will update the other buyer’s guide features in the coming weeks. – Bjorn]

    1. Hi! What do you think about Walrus Jupiter v2? It’s a muff based fuzz. I don’t know if it’s based on a specific muff or if it’s a Walrus Audio’s muff interpretation

  586. hi bjon! i just bought a big muff pi us and a ehx nano misstress, i was wondering if there is anyway i can get anywhere near the wall tone? ive also got a randall rg40, digitech rp55 and a strat with david gilmours pickups (ssl5,50fat,cs69) Thanks

    [I’m not that familiar with the Randall amp but it should be able to produce some nice clean tones. Check out this Big Muff tone tutorial for some tips on amp and pedal settings for start and let me know if you need more help after that. – Bjorn]

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