[pauliejay]

Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Distortion

[dansbass]

How much did you purchase this item for? I paid £80 (including postage and packaging from www.dawsons.co.uk) for this unit, which is slightly better than the usual charged for the item. However, the price of these has dropped a bit lately, so any prospective purchasers can get it for a better price than I did.

Where did you purchase this item? I bought this item from www.dawsons.co.uk (an English music shop). They were very friendly and helpful and they got the pedal to me a few days after I ordered it. I would recommend them to any UK gear buyers as their sales service is second to none, and their prices are usually very good.

Is this item new or used? This item is brand new, however as I've had it for a year, it has lost its "new pedal" shine to a certain extent.


Features: This is a rather large fuzz unit in comparison to stompers from other companies, but all Electro Harmonix pedals are on the large size. The large size of the pedal has its bonus points (for example, it is a larger target to hit with your foot on stage, and the extra weight of the large size stops it moving about the stage as much as other stompers. However the fact that the pedal is so large means that it will not fit in every pre made pedal board out there, so it is best to check if the pedal board you are going to buy will take EHX-size pedals.

As for the other features, it has three control knobs, Volume (output), Tone (bass/treble control), and Sustain (fuzz control). There is the usual 1/4 inch input and output sockets and there is an input for a 6v power adaptor. (Note, please remember that if you are using a power adaptor with the pedal, that it is a 6 volt one, as the usual 9v one will blow the unit.) The switch for the unit is a tough metal cylinder type, and not a large switch. However this is not much of a problem, as there is a large space around the switch allowing for easy switching of the unit whatever size of feet you have.

Construction: This unit is very soundly constructed, as with all EHX pedals. It has a very tough steel casing and the control knobs are made of what seems to be very tough plastic. The sockets are well constructed and bolted on, and to date I haven't had any trouble with them. One gripe I do have with the pedal is the rather fiddly batter compartment. It secures with a screw that can be lost very easily (it has not yet happened to me, but a lot of care has to be taken so as not to lase the screw) and it would have perhaps been better if the pedal had a different style of compartment door on it. However, the screw secures the door well and with a bit of care this does not tend to be a problem.

The product does seem to be built to last, and has been through extensive gigging with my band. It has been in all sorts of conditions for extended periods of time, ranging from damp to freezing cold. It has dealt with them all, and still remains in pretty good nick. However, the casing has become slightly bent out of place at the front due to it being jumped on a few too many times (which is to be expected), but the casing has done a grand job of protecting the wiring inside the unit.

Sound: The sound of this unit is, I will admit a grey area with most people, especially in the bass playing community. You either love it or hate it. Generally, I love the sound I get out of it, but there are a few things about the sound I don't like. I should probably first state what my current rig is: I use a Fender Standard Jazz Bass, running through a Behringer BX3000XT going into a Hartke VX1508 cabinet.

For most of the time I usually have the level set to 12 O’clock, the tone set to about 10 O’clock and the sustain set to about 9 O’clock. These settings give a good all round "boost" to my tone as well as adding a bit of dirt to the line I'm playing. However, this tone is a tad too trebly for me, as I prefer a thicker tone for my sound, and this leads to one of the problems I have with the pedal. While the pedal does a sterling job of adding a nice fuzz to a bassline, it does sound quite (if not very) muddy if the tone is set on the bass side of its control. This means that notes played are not as defined as I would like them to be, and requires me to always keep the tone set to a more trebly setting. As a result of this, my clean tone changes quite a bit when the pedal is activated, and does not remain as round and full as I would like it to.

However, the pedal is a good all-round unit, and it serves the duty for which I need it well and it adds a lot to a more rock/grunge inspired bassline. I should also say that the pedal seems to work best for me when it is being run through the effects loop of my amp head rather than being put straight through the input. One more thing (which is a bit of a complaint, I suppose) is that the pedal's tone sounds more effective if you play with a pick while using it rather than your fingers, as playing with your fingers gives the distorted tone a tad more muddiness, although this can be alleviated by increasing the treble a bit more.

Ease of Use: This pedal is incredible easy to use, in fact the befable monkey would be having it easy if it bought this pedal for his bass setup ( ). The three knobs are pretty self explanatory (although I have had a question asked to me by a fellow bass player what the "sustain" label for the fuzz control meant). Working the pedal is as easy as plugging you instrument in, plugging it into your amp and fiddling with the knobs for a while. Finding your preferred tone is pretty easy, and takes very little time (however there may be a few tones you like and you’ll have to remember what you like so you can change it mid set!)

Reliability: This unit is as reliable a pedal can be. It has been at every gig I have ever played, and has been used at every band practice I have had since I got it a year ago, and it is still going strong. Everything is as it was (apart from a few minor dings and scrapes) and it sounds the same as it did the day I got it. EHX also have a three year guarantee on the pedal (which I have not had to use) which gives more peace of mind when using the product, although if you want to make use of the guarantee, you have to send the product to New York, which can be expensive for us UK dwellers. Apart from that, this is a totally reliable pedal and I would trust it to keep on working for as long as I need it to as long as I remember to keep fresh batteries in it (which reminds me to say that it is quite easy on batteries as well!)

Overall: Overall for this pedal I would say that it is now a key element in my tone. I wouldn't sound the same without it, and it adds something to my tone that other bass players in my area do not have. It gives my tone a boost when it needs it and it makes the bass more pronounced in the middle of a loud, rock song.

The reason I chose to buy this pedal in the first place was because I know that Christ Wolstenholme from Muse uses one of them in his set-up. However, I have been unable to get the tone he gets with it (which is my dream tone, I might add), but I am still experimenting with the range of tones available from it and will eventually find the tone he gets.

If I were to lose this pedal or have it stolen, I could honestly say that I would buy another one straight away. As I said, it is now a key element of my sound and My playing style wouldn’t be the same without it. It sounds better to me than other bass distortion units and fuzz units I have tried to date, and I think this pedal will remain with me for a long time

Dan






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[color=red][b]How much did you purchase this item for?[/b][/color]


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[color=red][b]Is this item new or used?[/b][/color]


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[misterhat]

How much did you purchase this item for? Around $60
Where did you purchase this item? Musician's Friend
Is this item new or used? Bought new

Features: Fuzz. Controls- level tone sustain. NYC Big Muff Pi reissue

Construction: Seems stable. Not bad at all.

Sound: Very big sounding distorto fuzz. Sounds like the mid-seventies as well as a good approximation of psychedelic fuzz.

Ease of Use: Three knobs

Reliability: Seems solid

Overall: Essential. Every distortion enthusiast needs one or more of these in various incarnations. A very important fuzz machine.

[cale]

How much did you purchase this item for? 50 or so dollars
Where did you purchase this item? eBay
Is this item new or used? Used

Features: Volume, Tone, Sustain

Construction: I had a little problem with the switch (it made this clicking noise when I would turn the pedal on) but that was a quick, easy, and relativly inexpensive fix. Other than that I could probably beat someone up pretty badly with it then plug it in and have it work no problem

Sound: I play an American Standard Strat and an Agile Les Paul Copy through a Peavey Classic 30. It sounds more like a regular distortion with my les paul, but with the strat its much more of a fuzz.

Ease of Use: Very easy to use.

Reliability: I had problems with the switch, but other than that it seemed good


Overall: I highly reccomend the pedal. It can take a little while getting used to (well, it was my first "real" distortion, so it was difficult for me to get used to. But after a few hours of playing around with it, I can get some pretty good tones

[tapelator]

How much did you purchase this item for? 58$
Where did you purchase this item? Flea Market
Is this item new or used? Used and Abused

Features: 3 knobs
Volume
Distortion
Tone
Switch
No 9v adapter jack
ETc...

Construction: Alright, but fear of breaking it, input jack seems to squeal

Sound: I would say it's a distortion unit, not a fuzz, I am still dreaming the day I find my special fuzz, however this thing can take sound to AWESOME stabbing buzzing sharp, to KILLER bass distortion, I have never heard that much bass on a single distortion. I wonder if this is a true bypass thing... I hope it is.
One thing I should remind you guys is that this unit cannot really handle heavy metal, that scooped sound should be controlled from other unit, or possibly from your amp.

Ease of Use: It's easy enough, easier than DS-1

Reliability: It's rusty, and showing it's true skin (silver), well.. I think it's either late 80's or early 90's, Sovtek does not put serials on their units. But it often works well, I would not take it to a gig, fear of breaking it..

Overall: 8.5/10, not what I was hoping for in a fuzz, but for a unique distortion it is excellent, I think I can nail that Smashing Pumpkins sound, or seek and distroy lead guitar and solo tone, it doesn't have that bwbfw's interlude sound (imo that's the real fuzz) and doesn't have that crackling I am looking for..... however, if you can find a mint green one, under 100$ imho that would be just awesome.

[igorski]

How much did you purchase this item for? NLG 165 back in the day, about € 85/$ 90+

Where did you purchase this item? Tony Lang music in Sittard. Local store.

Is this item new or used? Sovtek all new.

Features: Volume, Sustain, Tone. 9V battery compartment. No input for mains powered adaptors.

Volume sets the amount of boost the pedal gives you over your normal amp sound when you switch it on. Sustain is basically a 'gain'/'drive' switch. Tone rolls of treble/mids or adds them.

Construction: Built like a landmine. It's steel. Stomp on it. It'll survive. No, really stomp on it, looks more rock 'n roll.

Sound:
Depends on your amp. When plugged into small 10/15 watt practice amps you'll get a wasplike sound. When used with bigger cabs and higher powered valve amps this thing turns into a league of its own. I myself use it with a Line 6 POD through different amp models.

Seriously, this thing has a range of sound. The tone knob can morph the sound from a mumbling fuzz that's nice on the neck pickup to a monstrously nasty mid-range growl that just DEMANDS your guitar's on top of everything else in the band context. Perverse.

A friend of mine also like to use a big muff with the sustain at 0 to moderately warm up the signal of a synthesizer.

Ease of Use: Three knobs. Just play and turn till you find a nice sound.

Reliability: Built like a tank so it'll survive your punishments. The fact that this one is powered by batteries means you have to make sure you have a fresh battery in there for a gig and preferably a backup (although the battery life is long enough).

Overall: I HATE distortion boxes. Distortion should come from the amp. But the nasty sound of a Big Muff is just great. It gives your guitar a weird mechanical other-worldly sound, and is a nice change from the crisp amp tones.

8/10 !!