Russian Big Muff Problem

snakesandarrows · #1 01-29-2010, 12:11 PM

I just bought a used Electro Harmonix Russian Big Muff Pi on ebay. I thought that they were true-bypass, but I quickly learned that either that wasn't true, or something is horribly wrong with mine.

When I have my Big muff in my effects loop, it completely sucks the tone out of my sound. I loose all mids, the highs are blurry and unclear, and there's a severe volume drop. Just to make sure that it wasn't working wrong with another pedal of mine, I tried going from: Bass >> Big Muff >> Amp (without original pedals). Still had the same problem. After trying direct from Bass >> Amp, and Bass >> all my other pedals >> Amp, the life and clearity in my sound came back.

My second problem is kind of hard to describe, but the distortion from the Big Muff seems to kick in late, after I've played the note half a second or so. It doesn't sound like a huge problem when I'm discribing it, but when you're playing fast 1/4 notes or 1/8 notes, it sounds like an awful mess. Also, with a sustained note, the distortion only stays with the note for at most 2 seconds.

Does anyone know what a problem might be? Wiring issue? Has anyone experienced these problems?

rratajski · #2 01-29-2010, 12:15 PM

Take it out your effects loop. It doesn't belong there.
Report back.

If it is crappy out of the effects loop, return it b/c you got a dud. Components tend to degrade over time, sometimes...

fenderthrupeave · #3 01-29-2010, 03:37 PM

The older versions of the black russians are not TB, only the newer ones. That could be part of your problem. Also big muffs like an unbuffered signal so try them first on your board, I have found that is were they sound the best. As for the latency issue, not really sure could be a bad contact somewhere or a dying component inside the pedal. Like rratajski said, its not working right so try to return it.

snakesandarrows · #4 01-29-2010, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Take it out your effects loop. It doesn't belong there.
Report back.

If it is crappy out of the effects loop, return it b/c you got a dud. Components tend to degrade over time, sometimes...

my bad, i didn't mean it was in my loop, I'm just going from Bass >> Pedals (including Big Muff) >> Amp.

and yeah, maybe I'll just return it...

rratajski · #5 01-30-2010, 05:46 AM

Don't "maybe" me...return the lemon, man!

Holy War · #6 01-30-2010, 06:07 AM

right now, you could sell it and make a huge profit.

MAMMOTHvolume · #7 01-30-2010, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Don't "maybe" me...return the lemon, man!

+1 get a refund dude, it sounds like it's got problems!

snakesandarrows · #8 02-03-2010, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

Don't "maybe" me...return the lemon, man!

update on the return... he won't accept it because apparently I waited too long to claim a refund. I'm not familiar with eBay's policies but he's probably right...

I tried it on guitar, and the bypass was a little rough, but there was not clipping and/or the other problems i listed. I'll let my guitarist try it out, see if he likes it...

Does anyone know where or if you can get pedals repaired or looked at?