Big Muff Pi

azrael · #1 02-29-2008, 08:59 PM

Do any of your guys use the EHX BMP with your bass? I was thinking of building one for my bass player, for his birthday.

If so, how do you like it?

Brad Barker · #2 02-29-2008, 09:06 PM

it is well-liked, apparent from the many threads in this forum about the various iterations of this pedal.

a commonly requested feature on these pedals is a clean blend.

azrael · #3 02-29-2008, 09:14 PM

Oh, really? I'll do a quick search, then. Anyone else feel free to chime in about which version is their favorite, too. I'm trying to figure out which version to build.

Clean Blend? Whaddya mean?

bongomania · #4 02-29-2008, 09:35 PM

That's where you blend the clean bass signal with the effected signal. Search on "blender" for more info.

Basstovsky · #5 02-29-2008, 09:39 PM

I use the russian (Sovtek) EHX Big Muff Pi, I have an old one from the 70's, and i love the nasty tones you can get out of it. The only downfall with this version I find is the more you up the distortion, you can lose a decent amount of low end. This is also how Cliff Burtons 'Anesthesia' solo was at first confused for a guitar solo.

azrael · #6 02-29-2008, 09:42 PM

Gotcha. So I should probably boost the low end on the pedal a bit, huh?

How's the mid scoop? Pretty noticeable? As in you get lost in the mix?

kaiser_sosea · #7 02-29-2008, 09:49 PM

I have the NYC Big Muff Pi Reissue and I love it, very useable tones if you don't tweak the sustain too much. The more effect you dial in the more low end you lose. I however am now able to compensate for this by pushing the LF button on my Neo Pak when the effect is engaged and I need to beef up the lows after the pedal.

rfclef · #8 02-29-2008, 10:03 PM

I just today traded a Korg Toneworks AX5B Multi effects pedal for a used Russian Big Muff at Trade Up Music here in Portland... Have not even had a chance to play with it tonight, but about to... That brings my pedal arsenal to the Big Muff and a Behringer Bass chorus pedal (which I already like, despite the aversions to Behringer round here...)

Good trade?

Mudfuzz · #9 02-29-2008, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael

Gotcha. So I should probably boost the low end on the pedal a bit, huh?

It depends on which version you build, I have a old green sovtek one that has plenty of lows if the tone is from 9 o'clock to all the way down, think big scary wall of mud.

If anything the mid scoop is the problem, you can get lows and you can get highs out of the things but you loose those important mids to cut through.

azrael · #10 02-29-2008, 11:18 PM

^Alrighty. I downloaded this tone stack calculator, that simulates the BMP tonestack. I increased the size of one of the caps, and saw the mid scoop in the frequency graph pop back up to an almost flat EQ, which is better than nothing. So I may try that.

Any other issues I should seek to mend?

Is the clean blend idea because the Muff can be too nasty? If so, I may increase the size of the 500pF caps in there, to mellow it out a bit.

JanusZarate · #11 03-01-2008, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael

Is the clean blend idea because the Muff can be too nasty? If so, I may increase the size of the 500pF caps in there, to mellow it out a bit.

No, the clean blend is a nice solution to address two possible issues:

- low end loss (depending on the settings... there isn't low end loss on a low Tone setting, IME, but rather, a low end boost)
- midrange loss - by providing the low mids and lows that a bass naturally provides, you can dial your Big Muff to be bright and full of gain without fear of being lost in the mix.

Think of a blend feature as bi-amping on a budget (one clean rig, one dirty rig), but you only need one rig.

azrael · #12 03-01-2008, 10:52 PM

Sweet, I found a circuit for a clean blend that I can just throw inside the BMP enclosure. Score! I'm also gonna use it on a Phaser for myself.

SnakeAnthony · #13 03-01-2008, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

No, the clean blend is a nice solution to address two possible issues:

- low end loss (depending on the settings... there isn't low end loss on a low Tone setting, IME, but rather, a low end boost)
- midrange loss - by providing the low mids and lows that a bass naturally provides, you can dial your Big Muff to be bright and full of gain without fear of being lost in the mix.

Think of a blend feature as bi-amping on a budget (one clean rig, one dirty rig), but you only need one rig.

Exactly.

I use a Robot Factory White Russian, which is basically a Muff clone on steroids that includes amongst other kick ass features an on-board clean blend, which means I can CRANK the Pre-(Sustain on standard Muffs) and Post-Gains but maintain a fundamental low end and tone. Its also got a tone center switch that I leave pretty much exclusively on mid boost. Its nasty all right, and puts me right in Fuzz heaven...

azrael · #14 03-01-2008, 11:50 PM

Alright, so that's a yes for mid boost in the tonestack...AND for the clean blend.

Any other suggestions? I'm hoping to get something pretty creamy from this, not nasty. So I may put some lower gain transistors in there to achieve this, since it seems that the general consensus is that it will definitely do nasty tones.
I love nasty fuzz, but I don't think it'll work in the band setting, with what we play.

JanusZarate · #15 03-02-2008, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrael

Alright, so that's a yes for mid boost in the tonestack...AND for the clean blend.

Any other suggestions? I'm hoping to get something pretty creamy from this, not nasty. So I may put some lower gain transistors in there to achieve this, since it seems that the general consensus is that it will definitely do nasty tones.
I love nasty fuzz, but I don't think it'll work in the band setting, with what we play.

The Big Muff is, in my opinion, a very creamy fuzz. "Nasty" is just one of the possibilities, but that's not all it does.

nonconformist · #16 03-02-2008, 12:39 AM

I have a Little Big Muff Pi, and it is pretty awesome on bass.

Just my opinion...

SnakeAnthony · #17 03-02-2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

The Big Muff is, in my opinion, a very creamy fuzz. "Nasty" is just one of the possibilities, but that's not all it does.

Creamy is the original Muff flavor. And I love that flavor, but I also dig the nasty stuff, as I said. That's why I bought a $250 handmade pedal with Two Gain controls instead of one, bass and treble control instead of a single 'tone,' a clipping stage switch, a tone stack switch, and a clean blend. If you want creamy, go stock Muff, its what they're made for...

rfclef · #18 03-02-2008, 01:09 AM

Questions about the Big Muff (I am a noob to effects):

I was under the impression that effects pedals were designed to go between bass and amp input. When I put the Big Muff there, I get almost no distortion out of it. When I put it in the effects loop, I get the fuzz I am supposed to... IS that normal?

Question 2: As there is no power adapter and I am sure I will run the 9v batteries out at the most inopportune times: Is it possible to run an adapter straight to the 9v battery hookup-thingie? (sorry for the technical jargon)

JanusZarate · #19 03-02-2008, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfclef

Questions about the Big Muff (I am a noob to effects):

I was under the impression that effects pedals were designed to go between bass and amp input. When I put the Big Muff there, I get almost no distortion out of it. When I put it in the effects loop, I get the fuzz I am supposed to... IS that normal?

No, not at all. What big Muff do you have?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rfclef

Question 2: As there is no power adapter and I am sure I will run the 9v batteries out at the most inopportune times: Is it possible to run an adapter straight to the 9v battery hookup-thingie? (sorry for the technical jargon)

Yes - it's a battery clip adapter. Serves the exact same purpose as the usual 9VDC jack.

But what Big Muff do you have? I'm really curious. If you don't have a jack, you probably have a Russian (black) or Sovtek (green) one...

rfclef · #20 03-02-2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

No, not at all. What big Muff do you have?

Yes - it's a battery clip adapter. Serves the exact same purpose as the usual 9VDC jack.

But what Big Muff do you have? I'm really curious. If you don't have a jack, you probably have a Russian (black) or Sovtek (green) one...

Yeah,,, the black Russian Big Muff.... just got it Friday...