Which muff clone does the lower gain stuff well?

[SixDemonBag]

I currently have a pig mine and run the gain really low, about 8-9 o'clock. I find it a bit too high gain in general. Also had a Pharaoh...again, too aggressive. What muff would suit me better? I don't want tight/aggressive gain. More lose/fuzzy/slightly crunchy overdrive gain :huh

I was looking at a SUF civil war muff. Am I on the right track?

[wundergussy]

Earthquaker Hoof is exactly what you want. Sounds great at low gains (and I've had around ten muff clones in the past year) and is the most OD-like (depending how you set it) of any of 'em. I had a SUF Green Russian (when he still made them; now it's just the Civil War model) and it was awesome, but the Hoof is a better low-gainer.

[stump]

My black Russian Muff does lower gain really well. You can still find them for less than $100.

[SixDemonBag]

Thanks for the quick replies! I did have the new-look hoof in mind. Love top mounted jacks!

[Fuhgawz]

Are you sure you even want a Muff if you want to play lower gain stuff? Seems a bit illogical to me. Perhaps a Fuzz Face type circuit would suit your needs better.

[SixDemonBag]

Got a fuzzface. Basically I want something to interchange with the Dirt transmitter. Don't get me wrong, love the sound of a good muff, just want something less aggressive. Less doom..more bloom!!!
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu211/ljsunderland/ed495015.jpg

...and no. It doesn't have to be a blue pedal!! It's just a co-incidence. But a SUF cwm would complement the colour scheme.

[teleclem]

I have the Pig Mine as well (also the Pharaoh at one time), but for lower gain fuzz sounds I would use either the Lunar or even the Screw Driver.

[SixDemonBag]

Had a lunar module and still have my screwdriver! I just didn't bond with them. I guess I want something in-between a SD and pig mine in terms of gain.

I have the Pig Mine as well (also the Pharaoh at one time), but for lower gain fuzz sounds I would use either the Lunar or even the Screw Driver.

...I know. I'm a hopeless case

[Skreddy]

The Cornish G-2 is the only muff-based pedal I know of that does low-gain stuff really well.

[jay42]

There's so much gain in the BMP design, it's hard to understand what the OP really wants. Guess I'll have to look at the G2 to see how it's possible.

[Z*Z*Z]

Pharaoh

[DraggAmps]

Most fuzzes sound best with the fuzz high up (especially Fuzzfaces, which generally sound terrible without full on fuzz). The Big Muff circuit just isn't low gain. The best thing you can do is ask what muffs sound good with the gain low, set for low gain tones. And to that, my answer would be the Mojo Hand Colossus. I have only had it for a short time and it's billed as a higher gain fuzz (it's really not that high, though. A bit more gainy than the Pharaoh), but that's because that's what most people want in a muff and of course it sounds great full throttle. But it also sounds great with the fuzz knob very low, even at 9 o'clock. I think it's the first fuzz, other than the Pharoh, that has sounded great to me with the fuzz low. Makes a great low gain fuzz set that way. Instead of sounding like a weak fuzz, it almost sounds more like a fuzz with a mix knob that has a lot of the clean signal mixed back in. Very cool and so far one of the best fuzzes I've used.

[coralreefer]

Analogman Astrotone...

[imguitardan]

I thought the Pig Mine did lower gain well.

[whoismarykelly]

The pig mine sounds awesome at lower gains but thats still too much for the OP. I think you would just be better off with a different type of pedal. If the PM at nearly minimum gain is too much gain for you then no muff is really going to give you what you want. Try a tone bender of some sort maybe.

[bshields]

Wait, a pharaoh with the gain turned down is too much for you? Do you even need a fuzz? I think its a lovely low gain od/fuzz sound. Maybe get a timmy :P

[Manx]

Analogman Astrotone...

Ditto that. All 3 knobs at 1.30 o'clock: warm, thick yet punchy! Maybe 60% OD, 40% fuzz.

[cbpickin]

If you really want lower gain Muff sounds, I would recommend the Wren and Cuff Box of War. It is not low gain, but it is a lower gain Muff that responds well to your volume control at the guitar.

[King Rat]

BAT Pharaoh is the Degain'd muff circuit that handled the lower gain settings like a boss.

[stratovarius]

The Cornish G-2 is the only muff-based pedal I know of that does low-gain stuff really well.

Good call - my favorite Cornish pedal.

[tnt365]

Skreddy P19. I think it's exactly what you are looking for. I owned the Pig Mine and it wasn't my cup of tea, the P19 is way better IMO. I recently kept it over the hotcake because it is tighter sounding and has less bass, so the Hotcake (with drive and presence at about 3pm) might also work for you. It is a little punchy and aggressive though, the P19 has a softer attack.

[Adagietto]

What about using the Bass Big Muff with the clean blend?

[MIM#1]

The Cornish G-2 is the only muff-based pedal I know of that does low-gain stuff really well.

Yep, what Skreddy said. If you dont make rock star coin, Guitarpcb.com sells a pcb of a G2 'work-a-like' that sounds great! Out of stock at the moment though,but he'll make one up for you.
http://www.guitarpcb.com/apps/webstore/products/show/2039447

[kp8]

If the Pharaoh didn't work for you, then i am tempted to say nothing will. Low gain muff(esque) is exactly what the Pharaoh excels at.

[DanHorse]

I will throw into the mix the Mojohand Huckleberry - a Fuzz Face with a muff tone stack, kinda straddles FF and muff - does low gain nicely, though the way i set it was fuzz on full and roll down the guitar volume knob.

I use my Pharaoh for these tones though, you DO have to spend time with the controls to get what you want - For me its left hand tone control fully clockwise, right hand tone at 3 O'clock and using the GE diodes with gain to taste.

Used like this is sounds a little more OD fuzz like and minimises the Pharaohs inherent thick character (which on other settings I find reduces the sense of 'air' and presence too much for low gain), bear in mind my settings are for an Orange TT, very full and thick sounding by itself.

[JesterR]

Barber Triefecta and CB Manx can do a great lower gain tones/

[s360guitarist]

Tried anything tweedy/fuzzish? A Red Llama or one of its clones.

I have a Blakemoore Effects Mustang that excels at being a great clean boost with bite w/the gain down and gets fuzzy as you turn up the dial. Unlike the Llama is has a 3-band EQ...raising the mids kills in a live setting. (The only reason i am gonna be letting mine go is that i just bought an amo and the wife is gonna flip when thar bill shows. LOL!)

[zosozep7]

Astro Tone is a good one for sure! Maybe even the Sun Bender.

[ROKY]

Basic Audio Foxey Lady works nice at lower gain settings .

[guitarslinger21]

the OP is describing a Skreddy Supa Tone to a "T".

lower gain, looser, fuzzier, gnarlier.


The SUF Civil War (which is probably my favorite fuzz pedal, overall) is going to be very tight and high gain. It's not really made to clean up ass much either. The SUF CW is perfect for me, but not so much for what you described.

Check out the Skreddy SUPA TONE!

[Beasleyboy]

If the pharaoh was too aggressive for you at lower gain settings I would recommend looking for something different than a muff

[mrfett]

Seems to me it depends on what kind of guitar you're playing. To my ears, there's little chance you're going to get single coils to sound "low gain" through a muff. I feel like I can do it with humbuckers though through a Wren & Cuff Tall Font Russian. Ultimately you've gotta try it yourself. I doubt any of us can get you the sound in your head through our interweb postings :-)