2 Similar pedals that sound different?

[BrandonBass]

We all know that sometimes the same bass with same pus, bridge etc through the same amp can sound abit different.

But how about pedals? Is it likely for say 2 bass big muff sounding abit different from one another through the same bass, room and amp?

[Eric!]

Possible. There are less variables and margins of error in pedals as opposed to amps or basses.

What's the point of asking?

[BrandonBass]

most times ill get pedals without havin the chance to test them(online, used). But im thinkin of gettin a bass big muff from gc. Guess ill have to test each and everyone of them for 'the best sounding one'

[Eric!]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about that.
Something like a BBM will sound the same.

[BrandonBass]

hm, so what are the type of pedals that might sound different?

[Eric!]

Typically boutique pedals that are built with parts of high variance. For example, a smallsound/bigsound year4545, at its core, is a pair of matched unstable oscillators, that are matched by ear. Each one sounds a bit different.
Some fuzz pedals are based on transistors that vary from one to the next. Fuzz faces, for example. There's not nearly as much variance in those as the year4545.
Pedals, in all honesty, don't have that much tonal variance. If you've heard one online and yours sounds way different (assuming same set-ups), it's likely a defect. There's not much to affect the overall sound, really.

[NortyFiner]

Mass-produced pedals from a big company like EHX generally have less variance than "small batch" or boutique pedals, such as 3Leaf or Iron Ether. This is partly due to the nature of the mass production process (economies of scale, standardization, etc.) and partly due to the natural tendency of "microbrew" pedal builders to tinker with their designs.

For example, Spencer's Groove Regulator design (and his building technique, no doubt) evolved over the 400 or so GR's that he built (eventually leading to the GR2). Based on his own statements, I have no doubt that the pedals he built later sound different than earlier ones. Pedal builders in a major pedal company's sweatshop are working with standardized parts to a specific design and QA standard, so they don't have that kind of individual flexibility. Therefore, their pedals have less variance in their end result.

[DavePlaysBass]

Boutique guys may be using 2% film caps where as mass produced may have 10% X7R. As far as tolerance goes, build quantity has nothing to do with how much variation you will find in a design. It is theorized by many who put faith in our modern quality systems, that higher volume designs are going to be better because of the extra time people who don't design the product spend talking about how to produce it. But don't hold your breath. I would wager that a boutique pedal designed by someone who really understands circuits and is charging for the higher quality parts being used will have a more consistent product.

[Swimming Bird]

I've never played two DOD FX25s that sounded exactly alike or responded the same, even from the same generation. I own two from different design generations and they are entirely different pedals.

[rratajski]

I can attest that from run to run, depending on parts, pedals do sound slightly different. Nothing major, but even a brand of trimpot makes a difference!

[Spencer!]

Originally Posted by rratajski

I can attest that from run to run, depending on parts, pedals do sound slightly different. Nothing major, but even a brand of trimpot makes a difference!

Same here. Resistors and caps are consistent, but the photocells I use in my optical designs have some variance.

[smllsnd/bigsnd]

everything will sound a little different - think about all the factors...
capacitor tolerance is between 5-20%, resistors between 1-5%, transistors who knows?? since it depends on the type, variances in manufacturers, then there's the person playing the instrument, the instrument itself, cables, other pedals being used, the amp, speakers, the room itself and the stuff in it and then people's individual hearing...

you can be reasonably sure that a big muff will sound like a big muff. whether or not it has a slight bit more or less bass, treble, gain, headroom etc is really all we need to consider here. it's pretty negligible though, as ryan and spencer noted.

edit: i should add too that one reason certain pedals may sound different is if the builder has made circuit revisions from version to version, though i'm pretty sure that most are looking to get MORE out of their circuit if that's the case...