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!
Hello Bjorn, thank you for you work about all David’s gear.
My two OCD goes down, I get one for a boost and one as a distorsion/Muff sound for Animals/Gdansk tone. But I hesitate now between toptone pedals. I can’t really hear a clear difference between the DG-1 and the DG-2. Is there a big difference between these two ? What do you advice ?
Thanks for all !
Thanks for your kind words! The DG1 is a Ram’s Head style Big Muff but a more mellow sounding one, with less gain and more mids. The DG2 is a more modern distortion very close to a Rat but with a more open tone, less mids and more low end. Both are based on Cornish pedals that David used in the 90s and early 2000s.
Hey Bjorn,
Something I’ve been wondering, don’t expect you to know – but would love to hear your thoughts.
I’ve been listening to bootlegs of the Momentary Lapse in Reason Tour in 87/88/89. At the beginning of the tour, David’s distortions sounds have a really “flat” quality to them – as evidenced in the Melbourne Soundboard bootleg, but also the tapes from Atlanta in 87. Later in the year, Nassau Coliseum (Delicate Sound of thunder – I know this has studio magic) & the outdoor European shows, the tone sounds brighter, with more gain and more aggressive. I know from the recordings, his playing is better as the tour goes on, but there is for me, a big shift in tone. Do you agree? If so, from a gear perspective – any thoughts on why?
That could be a number of things. Obviously, the sound on bootlegs depends on how they were recorded and where the source is standing in the stadium picking up the PA. As a tour progress, things will change. Everything from pedal and amp settings to how the sound engineer develop the sound. David might have releied more on certain pedals in the start of the tour and favoured others later on – even though the setup didn’t change much in 87-88. I think theb biggest chance though is the fact that he used Fender Twin heads in 87 and swapped these for his old Hiwatts in early 88. That would make a significant change and probably also allow him to relie more on his Big Muff, rather than the TC distortion and HM2.
Hi Bjorn
What an amazing job you’ve done here !
I was wondering which of the EHX Big Muff you would suggest me to get as close as possible to David’s sound but with a very different gear : i am playing an Ibanez S Series, which has a mahogany body and pretty dark sound, definitely far from a stat, plugged into a Lionheart L5T-112.
I was thinking about the OP-Amp, either in the clean channel before a TS (Maxon OD808), or in a slightly overdriven crunch channel.
Thanks for your suggestion ?
Thank you! I would probably go for te Green Russian. It’s dark and has a fair amount of low end, but given that you have humbuckers, the Op Amp will probably be way too aggressive. I would use the dirt channel on the amp, with the gain low. It has more mid range, which compliments the Big Muff. Use the bright mode on the amp to add clarity and presence.
Hi! Have been following this site for many many years. Recently I’ve been updating my at home rig and need a muff and fuzz recommendation.
I am use two Kat Studio One combos in stereo (1 watt AC30 circuit based on Brian may). Right now I have them both set relatively clean and boost with a rangemaster style and a hotcake for heavier sounds. Which muff and or fuzz do you think would behave?
I am using a Red special guitar and Stratocaster mostly. I have an arc effects green Russian muff but cant seem to dial it in with these small combos.
Thanks Bjorn!
Hi Zach, I would probably go for the EHX Green Russian or a similar Sovtek style Muff, which you already have. Now, AC30 goes well with Muffs but they’re not Hiwatts. As you probably know, they lack a bit of mid range and it’s hard to bring it out unless you play really loud. Like Brian May. See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for differnet types of amps.
Hello
I have an ampli Peavey Clasic 50/212.
What is the best Big Muff to play Confortably Numb and what is the position for this pedal. On the head or in the send return effect.
Thank’s for your answer
I’m french
Dom
I’d probably go for the Green Russian as it has a warmer tone and a bit more mid range, which should suit the amp well. Although the Ram’s Head should probably also fit. Plug the Muff straight into the front end of the amp. See this feature as well for tips on chosing the right pedals for different style of amps.
Hey Björn, would the Gilmour Muff be your go-to for Comfortably Numb (outro solo)? And how does the Vick Audio ’73 Rams Head compare to it? Thx.
The DevTech is really good and it nails the Animals/Wall era. It’s on the softer side, meaning that compared to the Vick or the EHX Ram’s Head, it probably sounds a bit dull but with the right settings it sounds much closer to David’s tones I think.
Many thanks! You might want to add the Gilmour Muff to this page?
Yes, I’ll be updating the guides soon. The Gilmour Muff gets top marks from me.
Hi! Bjorn! Fans from China. i just followed your advise and bought an Electro Harmonix Ram’s Head Big Muff Pi. I have a marshall dsl 1 amp, and a mexican player fender strat. i found whatever i try, the treble sound is very close to pompeii sound, but the bass sound is always muddy and too creamy when using big muff. I can’t get the pompeii sound, the sharp and bright sound even at the bass sound. i’ve try eq, comp, using blues driver-2 to boost muff. but all of them didn’t work. Could you give me some insights on how to get a pompeii muff sound? i’m so obsessed with the pompeii sound, the truly genius work. Thanks!
As you know, David used his Black Strat, the Hiwatts and a silicon transistor Fuzz Face. He played loud, which makes a whole difference to the sound. The Marshall you have is voiced very differently compared to a Hiwatt so you can’t expect to get the same tones from it. You should be able to to dial in a good cleanish tone though as a platform for your pedals. The DSL is a bright sounding amp, so try rolling down the treble considerably and be careful with the mid range as well. Make sure that you set the Big Muff to match your amp and don’t try to copy David’s settings. Or mine. Now, given that you’ve set the amp up for a cleanish tone, I’d set the volume on the Ram’s head at unity or just below, the gain around noon and the tone where it needs to be to get the smoothest tone.
Hi Bjorn, have you already tried the musket pedal from Blackout effectors?
If so when do you think, for the David Gilmour sounds!
Although this pedal is based on the Big Muff Russian model!
Yes, I did a review of it years ego. Great sounding Muff!
Hello Bjorn,
I am brand new to Big Muff/Fuzz pedals. I am wondering which of the EHX Muffs would pair best with my amp. I have a late ’70’s Marshall JMP 50 MKII paired with some Marshall branded V30’s in a 1960AV 4×12 cab.
I play with both single coil (60’s voiced on my Strat, Lap wrap/Broadcaster voiced on my Esquire, and P90 on my LP Jr) and humbuckers (late 70’s Bill Lawrence L500 Lead: now called the L500XL, Late 70’s Gibson cream T-Tops, and a Seymour Duncan JB). I’d love to get a Big Muff pedal that would suit all of my gear. Is that even possible with the variation of pickups and humbuckers or would I need to have different ones for different uses?
Could you offer a suggestion and any tips that could help me to achieve some good DG tones or just great tones in general? Thank you so much for this amazing site!
I would probably go for the Green Russian. It has less gain, an overall warmer tone and it fits a wider range of amps and pickups. It has a bit more low end compared to the others so you might need to adjust that on your amp. Also, when you use humbuckers, you should back off the gain a bit on the pedal compared to when you use it with single coils.
Hi Bjorn! Which would you suggest for a deluxe reverb – the pig hoff mkII or the red muck mkii? Thank you so much for everything!
The Red Much. It has a warmer tone and more mids. Check out this feature for some tips on chosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
Hi Bjorn, what do you think about the EHX Rams Head PI Muff vs the J Mascis Rams Head purple Fuzz?
Do you think they are just absolute identic? The inner Life looks just similar.. Maybe its only a colored
box and signature and a little more money? Thanks for ideas..BG Holly
It’s identitcal to the standard Ram’s Head.
Hi Bjorn. ¿Buffalo fx M1 or DevTech Gilmour Muff?
Two very different sounding Muffs. The M1 is much more saturated and close to what you’d get from stacking a Muff with a booster. The Gilmour Muff has less gain and a more mellow tone. My favourite between the two is the Gilmour Muff.
Thank you for always being that kind.
Maybe a better the question may be patriot / patriarch or gilmour muff? Or some other
The Patriarch is based on the old Sovtek Muffs of the 90s. More low end, a bit more mids and slightly less gain. It has a mids control as well, which is great for smaller amps. I would say the Patriarch for Pulse and the Gilmour Muff for more vintage tones.
Have you tried the JHS Muffaletta?
Yes, it has some really nice tones and OK recreations of classic Muff circuits. I do have other favourites though.
No Wren and Cuff pedals?
I’ll be happy to add if they send me some.
Have you tried the wren and cuff box of war? I’ve heard it’s good and based on the civil war.
Yes. A bit too dark for my taste.
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.
I have no idea
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.
Thank you Dustin! Yes, the Swollen Pickle is a great Muff pedal. Good luck with your tone quest!
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
Depends on what amp and pickups you have.
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
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
How does the Sovtek Deluxe compare to the Green Russian Big Muff Pi?
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.
Bjorn, I highly recommend stomp under foot’s civil war, it sounds infinitely closer to Gilmour!
I agree. Stomp Under Foot make some of the best muff pedals recreations. I’m shocked that they are never listed on this buyers guide. Bjorn have you reviewed them?
Nope. They refuse to send me pedals for review.
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!
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.
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!
I’d go for something with a bit less gain, like the EHX Green Russian or Jam Pedals Red Muck. Both goes well with PAFs.
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
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.
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 :)
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.
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
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.
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.
There will be a review soon.
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
Depends on your amp. Let me know and I’ll try to help.
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?
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.
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!
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.
Thank you Bjorn!
:)
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.
Haven’t tried it but Rabea’s video sounded great.
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
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.
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
AC30s aren’t the best amps for fuzz and Muff pedals. They tend to sound too thin, bright and fizzy as it seems that you’ve experienced too. Read this feature for some tips on how to choose the right pedals for different types of amps.
Hi Björn, I came here from your Muffuletta YouTube video and couldn’t find the detailed review here. Looks like other older reviews are missing too? I found the Muffuletta review using the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20190104013159/http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=6991
Thanks!
I’ve cleaned up the site a bit and plan on gathering all the reviews in an open archive.
Hey Bjorn,
Thoughts on the new EHX Lizard Queen?
I haven’t tried it but it sounds cool. I would have preferred a control for the gain though.
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
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.
Thank you Bjorn, you’re a living bible about DG!
Cheers!
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!
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.
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
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.
Hi,
Have a look to ALH effects pedals.
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
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.
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
Thanks for the tip!
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.
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.
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)
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.
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!
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?
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!
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.
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!
Cheers!
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!
Could be. Depends on what amp and pickups you use.
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?
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.
Excuse my ignorance – by “gain” do you mean a lot of volume or distortion?
Thanks!
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 :)
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.
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.
Depends on how well your amp pair with a Big Muff but the EHX ram’s head reissue is very close to David’s.
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
I think the new EHX reissues are great and hard to beat.
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
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.
Hi Bjorn,
Any thoughts on the RYRA Tri-Pi Muff?
Haven’t tried it.
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.
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.
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)
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 !
Hi Patrick, that’s a scan from the Animals song book. Well worth the purchase!
Thanks, that’s so much better than what I had before! :-)
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…
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.
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…
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.
? 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.
No worries! A healthy discussion. Good luck with your purchase and keep us posted!
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?
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.
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
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.
Ok, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you again for your advise.
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?
Green Russian. IMO it’s the most versatile and the one that fits most amps.
Thanks Bjorn. Please, one more question, regardless of the price, what would you chose: Pete Cornish P-2 or Green Russian reissue?
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.
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.
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.
Apologies if you already covered this but…any thoughts on the Tru-Fi Pedals “Floyd Fuzz”?
Check out my review here.
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
Thanks for your kind words Caden! Teh Big Muff nano has a very bright tone. What amp and pickups do you use?
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
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.
oh okay, thanks dude, ill probably get a strat eventually, this dudes tone is my end goal lol, anyways, thanks for the advice :)
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
Also I should add I mostly play in my bedroom.
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
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.
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!
Glad to hear!
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!
Apologies for the late reply. I’d go for the Green Russian. Works nicely with most amps and pickups.
Amazing Website !!!!!! Thank you so much !!! Great !
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?
The Green Russian for sure!
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
Haven’t tried it so I can’t really tell.
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
Try this for a start…
guitar > tuner > compressor > muff > monkey > dd7/dd3 > reverb > amp
hi,
I haven’t seen the Ram’s Head Reissue in this list. What do you think about that one?
https://www.thomann.de/de/electro_harmonix_rams_head_big_muff_fuzz.htm i mean this one. Or is it just a Pi reissue in another housing?
Please see my review of the Ram’s Head here.
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.
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.
HELP! Does anyone know a source for overdive tone pots for the EHX Germanium 4 Big Muff Pi?
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.
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.
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
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!
Have them send me some and I’ll review them :)
Hi, Bjorn! Thanks for your contribution! Could we expect review of a new EHX Ram’s head reissue?
Already did! See my review of the EHX Ram’s Head reissue here.
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 !
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.
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
Sorry for the late reply, Robert. Tone shaping pedals should be placed after the pedals you want to colour. Read more about EQs here.
I would like to suggest a review of Dazatronyx Big Fuzz. http://www.dazatronyx.com
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?
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 :)
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.
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.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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…
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…
You mean combining a Big Muff and fuzz?
The review is up :)
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
Depends on what amp you’re using.
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.
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.
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
Wish it was a deluxe ramshead with a gate like my nyc pi and sovtek. That would’ve been perfect. Maybe next year lol.
The Xvive has a really good noise gate for about $20 – $40 Usd
I’ll look into it ty.
No problem
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.
Robert, mine is the same, yours doesn’t have a defect. Enjoy it regardless, its inherent in the circuit, as Bjorn says.
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.
EHX promised to send me one so I’ll have the review up ASAP.
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
Yes I second the motion for the reissue Ram’s Head!
what do you think of the electro-harmonix announcement of the release of the big muff Ram’s Head PI bjorn???
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?
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.
So, Electro-Harmonix just reissued the Ram’s Head Big Muff. The demo seems to indicate it’s pretty convincing for Wall-era tones.
https://www.ehx.com/products/rams-head-big-muff-pi
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!
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.
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?
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 :)
I messaged EHX on FB last week and their exact response to the Ram’s Head reissue was “We hope to soon!”…great news, I think.
Great!
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
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!
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.
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
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!!!!!
What’s your amp settings and pickups?
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.
See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
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?
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.
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
Thank you!
I would go for one with a bit more mid range. The EHX Green Russian or perhaps one of the Vick Audio models, with the mid range booster. See this feature for choosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
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…
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.
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.
I haven’t tried the JHS so I can’t really tell.
Hi, have you reviewed the new EH triangle Muff yet?
Yes. You can use the search field to find older posts and features. Here’s there review.
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
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.
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
The Patriot MkII has a mid range boost so you might want to try that.
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.
Thanks for the kind words, Dominique! I recommend that you check out some of the features on this site.
Amps – buyer’s guide
Bedroom tones – setup guide
Choosing the right pedals for different amps
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
Basically the same pedal and tone but the MkII has a bit more tone sculpting option, inclduing more mid range.
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
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.
Bjorn, thank you so much for your advice. Always much appreciated!! I love your site!!
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
Actually I haven’t. I would imagine though that the Ram’s Head is brighter and slightly more aggressive sounding.
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
Thanks for the kind words, Ken!
I haven’t tried the PCB. The BYOC stuff is really great.
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!
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”.
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.
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.
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.
Can a peavey 5150 handle a big muff for gilmour tones?
Also how would a peavey classic 30 compare to a hiwatt?
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.
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,
Level around unity, tone 10-11:00 and gain around 75-100%… a start.
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
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
Never seen him use one but I’m sure people send him stuff all the time. See my review for setting suggestions.
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.]
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.
Oh I was thinking that a green russian would be a bit too muddy with all that bass; thanks for the advice on the Ram’s Head though!
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?
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.
Also what muff would you recommend for the wall budget between $80 $200
Pick one from the list :) I don’t think you can go wrong with the EHX Green Russian. See this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different types of amps.
Hey when I cranked my amp the Moore triangle buff sounded worst than at lower volume
OK…? Is there a question in there?
I dunno
Hi Bjorg,
What do you think of the new AC Noises Esplora Pedal for Gilmour tones?
Haven’t tried it.
What settings do you think could work on a hiwatt maxwatt g40 12r?
You mean the amp settings or the Muff?
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
Whoops I thought you meant the settings for the muff maybe both?
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.
Ok do you know what muff settings
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.
Thx I will have to experiment with it and I’ll let you know what sounds the best
Please do!
The bd2 sounded best before the muff
what do you think of as an alternative to the big muff green russian of the TC Electronic Honey Pot Fuzz??
Thank you bjoern
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.
i have this pedal now and its a great pedal !!
Is it a Russian clone?
Hey what settings do you recommend for the Moore triangle buff
Depends on your amp and pickups.
Vox vt40x mark 2 British which sounds like David Gilmour 1978 stock squire neck and middle pickups and a dimarzio FS1 in the bridge
Unity level, tone 40% and gain 80-100% would be a good start.
Thx
Should I boost it wirh a boss bd2 or no
Try it and hear how that fits your set up.
In front of the muff or after would you recommend
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.
Bjorn how about the EHX Big muff Russian new reissue or the M1? If you had to pick ! Thanks
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.
Hi. Wondering if you have tried the OneControl Baltic Blue? Any comments?
Nope.
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
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.
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
Dimarzio FS1 I mean
The tone control of all modern Muffs have treble/mids right and bass left.
But was tone settings for modern muffs or original
As in bass left or right
Not sure I understand your Q. See my previous reply.
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
See this feature for tips on how to choose the right pedals for different types of amps.
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.
Hi Bjorn!
Looking forward to your review of the Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff…looks interesting.
Cheers…
Indeed :)
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…
I haven’t seen it here in Norway yet. Not sure if EHX has released it…?
They actually released it already here in the US, it is available on Reverb/Sweetwater/etc.
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.
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
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.
Try a way huge pork and pickle
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
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
Bjorn,
I currently use an Orange Rocker 15 in clean mode. Stick with the Red Pig Hoof? Thanks!!
That’s my best tip :)
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?
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.
Thank you, I’m waiting for my Pig Hoof, I have Marshall amp. Green Russian will be my second muff :)
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!
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.
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?
Haven’t used it that much but it’s mainy designed as a Muff. But yeah, it’s very versatile.
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!
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.
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?
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.
So EHX just released a triangle version similar to the Russian reissue. Which do you think are better for bedroom players (Strat -> Fender Princeton)?
See my review of the Triangle here.
See this feature for tips on choosing the right pedals for different amps.
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
Hi Michael! Thanks for the kind words! Check out this feature for some tips on choosing the right pedals for different amps.
Hi Bjorn,
What do you think about ELECTRO HARMONIX mod. BIG MUFF TRIANGLE (xo ultimate edition)?
Bye.
See my new review.
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
Thanks for the tips Rob! When I win the lottery or when any of them decide to send me their pedals for reviews :)
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
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.
https://youtu.be/NiIG_ntV3qg
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?)
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.
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
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.
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.
Hope to review it.
I’m sure it’s coming!
Any plan to review the new Electro-Harmonix Op-amp Big Muff?
I plan to yes :)
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
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.
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.
Cheers!
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
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?
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 :)
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.
Thry the Green Russian.
Green Russian ultimate edition ?????
Try it :)
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.
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
Yes. They sound very nice.
…… 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.
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.
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.
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 !
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.
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.
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.
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.
Haven’t had the chance yet.
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
Has it ever been determined what his early muff was? 73#18 style? Violet? 73″47″?
It’s an early/mid 70s model. He might have used a violet but it appears to be a 73-74 model.
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
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.
Thanks for your feedback Bjorn!! ;-)
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?
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.
Hey Bjorn when you responded previously and wrote BOYC you refered to triangle o rams head version?? Thanks
The Ram’ Head but check out the triangle as well :)
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
Never tried it so I can’t really tell.
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.
https://youtu.be/m6qAhGjI86o
Hello Bjorn , new big muff EHX : Op amp big muff reissue 1978 !
https://youtu.be/m6qAhGjI86o
Really grateful that this is all here one of these days I’ll have to show you everything I build according to your website I’m at about 13 pedal strong
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?
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 :)
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.
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…)
Yes, it doesn.
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.
Thank you Alex! Please read through the knowing what pedals to choose for your amp feature for some tips.
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!!!
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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?
Yoy’re pretty much describing the tone of that pedal. It’s very different from the early 70s ram’s head and mid 90s Sovteks that David’s been using over the years. What sort of amp and pickups do you have? Check out this feature for some tips on how to choose the right pedals for your amp and check out the Big Muff tone guide too.
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!
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
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.
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 !
Nice!
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?
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.
Just curious if you ever did a “cheap” Gilmore pedalboard build guide for bedroom warriors
There are lots of tips and recommendations in the buyer’s gear guides.
Hi Bjorn! Was wondering how you would compare Buffalo FX’s Patriot to EHX’s Green Russian? Cheers!
The Patriot is slightly darker, with a smoother top end. Otherwise they’re very similar.
Hi Bjorn,
Did you try Stomp Under Foot violet rams head? Ä°f yes, what do you think about it for Gilmourish sound?
Yep!
And what you can say about it?
Fits nicely for most of his Muff tones. Animals and Wall especially.
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.
Thanks! Haven’t tried it.
Just released 12/8
However the 2 videos available sound awesome for a $50 pedal
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.
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 :)
Thanks for the response, I’ll have to check that pedal out.
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!
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.
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!!
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 :)
Wow! You´ve helped me a lot. Thank you very much. By the way, I´m a great fan of yours. Thanx!
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.
I’ll try to have it up by the end of the week.
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!
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 Sov