Where to Score Some Muff These Days?

[cooljuk]

I spent a fair bit of time reading reviews and listening to clips and shootouts of Big Muff clones, only to find that half of them aren't currently being produced.

Who makes a good muff that I can actually track down and buy now?

I like the "Triangle" and "NYC reissue" muff sounds. I'm not so much looking for a bright clean sound, which seems like the popular mod to a muff circuit these days. I actually prefer the big mean dark growley sound and scouped mids are just fine with me as I play a midrangy JCM800 anyway.

These below are on my radar. I would like your input and other suggestions of CURRENTLY AVAILABLE muff clones. Kits/PCBs are a-ok with me, too. I know my way around a soldering iron.

Blackout Effectors - Musket V.2
Dunlop/Way Huge - Swollen Pickel (current model, I can't find an original)
BYOC - Large Beaver (built to "Triangle" spec)

I keep hearing great things about the Dice Works Muff Diver, but can't find a source. Are they discontinued now too?

Thanks for the help. I know there are plenty of Muff threads here, but they seem to be full of old info.

[cooljuk]

btw - I tried the new "Little Big Muff" and "Big Muff with Tone Wicker" by EH and was not impressed with the sound compared to the big NYC reissue. Size and construction were nice, but the sound was wimpy.

[michael patrick]

The Ronsound Hairpie is a good one that is still being made.

[kludge]

I got a Swollen Pickle recently, and I'm completely blown away by it. Well built, terrific sound, flexible(!), and readily available. It's the Big Muff I've always dreamed of having.

Consider that a regular Muff has three knobs... one to change from "too loud" to "stupid loud", one for muddy to muddier, and a third that doesn't actually do anything.

The controls on the Swollen Pickle are far more responsive, and it adds two more knobs on front - one to bring out the disappearing midrange so you can be heard over the band again, and one that blends in some distortion sound with the fuzz. Great, very useful additions! And there are two more tweakable pots inside (I haven't messed with them yet). And there doesn't seem to be a bad sound anywhere!

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by michael patrick

The Ronsound Hairpie is a good one that is still being made.

Thanks! Looks very close to the current BYOC Large Beaver. I'd like to hear both against each other.

Man, there really needs to be a well done Muff shootout with current models. One can't properly compare pedals online unless they are all demo'ed in the same clip, with same gear, back to back. Local music stores only stock the mass-produced surface mount high-profit-margin pedals for the most part. Please excuse my little rant.

[stratovarius]

Originally Posted by cooljuk

I keep hearing great things about the Dice Works Muff Diver, but can't find a source. Are they discontinued now too?

They're only available on eBay, and intermittently at that. Erich's eBay ID is t-booster.

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by michael patrick

The Ronsound Hairpie is a good one that is still being made.

Based on the posted tonal range clip, the EQ on this one sounds JUST like the new Little Big Muff. It's a little thin to me, but could just be the recording/gear used.

[michael patrick]

Originally Posted by cooljuk

Based on the posted tonal range clip, the EQ on this one sounds JUST like the new Little Big Muff. It's a little thin to me, but could just be the recording/gear used.

It's just the gear and/or recording. The one I owned (a Hairpie '75, which is a Ram's Head clone) didn't sound like his clips, it sounded way better.

Muff comparison

The above is a side-by-side I did with my vintage Ram's Head and the Ronsound Hairpie '75. I'm not even sure I remember which one is which, but if I had to guess I'd say the second one is the Ronsound.

[clydes001]

You could check out the Barber Trifecta.

[nightraven]

stomp under foot does clones of all the big muffs

[dohootowl]

Dice Works sells only on Ebay! Sometimes he has units there, sometimes he doesn't.

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by dohootowl

Dice Works sells only on Ebay! Sometimes he has units there, sometimes he doesn't.

Dice Works was on top of my list. Just found the seller on eBay though and he's not selling now. I'd love a Fuzz Epic or Muff Diver.

[cooljuk]

Originally Posted by michael patrick

Muff comparison

Nice! Thanks, man!

[stratovarius]

Originally Posted by cooljuk

Dice Works was on top of my list. Just found the seller on eBay though and he's not selling now. I'd love a Fuzz Epic or Muff Diver.

There's a Finale in the emporium.

[yellowecho]

Originally Posted by kludge

I got a Swollen Pickle recently, and I'm completely blown away by it. Well built, terrific sound, flexible(!), and readily available. It's the Big Muff I've always dreamed of having.

+1. I have a hard time hearing comparison videos with the Pickle because it's so versatile... you can tweak it and get pretty much any muff sound imaginable. I love mine.
The construction of those boxes are top quality, too... but I've ranted about that enough.