Big Muff Pi help!

mhandley16 · #1 02-03-2013, 10:14 AM

Hey all,

I was interested in purchasing the Big Muff Pi. However, I wanted some input from your experience. When it is on, does it produce a significant noise or hum? I'm wondering if it is too loud. Otherwise I would want to purchase the big muff deluxe with the built in noise gate. Also looking at Sansamp, MXR M80 etc but I was specifically wondering about the basic Big Muff Pi.

mhandley16 · #2 02-03-2013, 10:45 AM

Bassist4Eris · #3 02-03-2013, 10:49 AM

Mine does create a lot of background noise when I turn it on. I love it, but I'm prolly going to try the Deluxe in the near future.

alexkk · #4 02-03-2013, 12:01 PM

i think Chris Wolstenholme of Muse uses one, i was also thinking of buying one to try and get that sound, can anyone say whether it is the right one for Muses sound?

Bakkster_Man · #5 02-03-2013, 03:34 PM

I haven't noticed any background hum from mine (though I'm usually not using incredibly aggressive settings), though it will amplify any finger noise when you're cranked to the point of being equally loud as whatever you're playing when you've cranked the sustain. It'll depend on your settings.

EskimoBassist · #6 02-03-2013, 03:54 PM

As far as a fuzz goes, it will of course have some background noise when you're not playing but have it engaged as it boosts the gain so much - but it's not that bad really.

Good pedal. FWIW the Sansamp and M80 are not fuzz pedals, they're preamps with distortion circuits, so they'll sound very different (and indeed are generally used for different purposes). My advice: go try one out in a store. If you can't just take a chance on the BBM - they're to be had cheap and are very good value and great sounding IMO.

DougBass · #7 02-03-2013, 04:03 PM

Mine does not hum or cause any problems. You can get close to his bass sound but he uses black big muffs, and a Japanese pedal called an Animato I believe. I am not a big pedal guy so that might be off. There is a Dunlop tv rig rundown that details his rig on YouTube.

DougBass · #8 02-03-2013, 04:07 PM

I also have the m80 and that sounds awesome, but I have never tried a muse type setting. I use it like a two channel preamp to get my Thunderbird output to match my live Jazz basses. I set the distortion effect for the Thunderbird.

mhandley16 · #9 02-03-2013, 04:10 PM

Thanks for the input everyone. Lots to consider