Big Muff question - all the versions????

[holio cornolio]

I've read a few threads on various incarnations of the big muff, and I currently own a clone of a Way Huge Swollen Pickle (which I love). I'm interested to know the definitive view on what each incarnation of the Big Muff does sonically. The majority seem to favour the russian muff for bass, but what are the sonic differences between the black russian reissue and the green (in general terms)? Also what about Rams head and triangle versions, or are they strictly for guitards? I know that one mans meat is anothers poison and blah blah, but I want to add a muff to my arsenal (basically to get a good 'Ben Folds Five sound) and want to know where to wipe my wad down (so to speak). I'm think Russian version at the moment.
Or am I wasting my time? Should I just use the pickle??
I'm sure I will be told to try them all out, but sadly I have neither the time, not the cash to do that. (I'll probably end up building a GGG kit or similar anyway!)

[Toasted]

There are literally thousands of websites that cover this in more detail than anyone here could hope to describe.

Do a search. A google search.

[guttermouth]

fwiw - i've never played through a swollen pickle but from all accounts i've heard or read it is a better bass fuzz than any of the muffs.but, if i had to pick a muff off the shelf for bass it would be the black russian version. all the rest i've played just lose too much bottom end for my tastes.

[holio cornolio]

thanks. most of what I've read elsewhere suggests black or green russian muff for bass. I'm think black specs are likely to be the way to go. I'm quite surprised at how much the black muffs fetch on ebay....

[Toasted]

http://www.student.ru.nl/r.kerkhof/Taas/Mods/FR.htm

That's a link to plots of some of the major Big Muff tone controls. Knock yourself out.

[landwomble]

...the SovTek engineering is, well, pretty primitive and fairly unreliable. If you're happy with a soldering iron I guess you'd be OK. Main prob I had was with the controls - very hard to get a level the soundman isn't going to lynch you for when you click it on, and very hard to set the amount of fuzz to a desired level. I thought it sounded OK generally live and in rehearsals, but it sounded pretty rough when I recorded. YMMV, I guess, but if you're after a pedal that'll give you a nice variation between very mild drive and full on fuzz, with good control in between I don't think the black russian one is the way to go...

[holio cornolio]

Originally Posted by Toasted

http://www.student.ru.nl/r.kerkhof/Taas/Mods/FR.htm

That's a link to plots of some of the major Big Muff tone controls. Knock yourself out.

Interesting. Graphically at least, the swollen pickle is quite a different animal to the muff.
I'll be firing up the old soldering iron to build up a blackish Muff in the not too distant I think. Can't see that there's too much to choose between that and the green russian one, and maybe if I make it myself it might be a bit more robust than Landwomble's?

[Toasted]

So maybe you won't go calling other members names in the future? It is against the rules you signed up to when you joined TB.

[Swimming Bird]

Hey now, stop acting like guitards. Heh, you'll notice that Toasted comes with a warning.

Toasted gave you the answer to your question though -- the only 'definitive view' is the technical one, and this isn't really the appropriate place for that, aside from links to sites that cover tech specs in obnoxious details.

Anyway, I feel it's a totally moot point as it just takes a clean blend to make any Big Muff variant perfect for bass.

[Adam Barkley]

Play nice children.

[BassMonstrum]

I tried out the Little Big Muff and it sounded waspy, so I bought the black russian version and it kicks ass! No loss of bottom end, so there's no need for a blender. Never tried the US or green one...

[TheMutt]

NYC Big Muff + Blender pedal =
Nuff said.