What don't you like about the Bass Big Muff?

[Volume4]

I've owned tons of different Big Muffs but mostly when I was playing guitar.

In the past I've played bass through a black Sovtek BM, and now I have and love the Bass BM.

I think the 3way switch mode is brilliant.

So my questions are

What would make a bassist choose any of the other BM variants?

What if anything could be done to make a BBM even better?

I've been curious to try something else, I bought the Fender Sub-Lime, which is pretty cool but I really prefer the sound of the BBM. The only other pedal that still intrigues me is the EBS Valvedrive, but it's very pricey.

[MrTAteMyBalls]

i love my BBM. When using the effected out and the dry out, when you turn it on the dry out gets noticeably darker. If it was still just a clean passthrough that would make it much better. Other than that, it's just aces.

[Holy War]

Its a good pedal, I just prefer my Way Huge Swollen Pickle.

I think the only complaints about it are the facts that the normal channel doesnt sound like a Sovtek muff and it doesnt have enough gain.

[Volume4]

Originally Posted by Holy War

Its a good pedal, I just prefer my Way Huge Swollen Pickle.

I think the only complaints about it are the facts that the normal channel doesnt sound like a Sovtek muff and it doesnt have enough gain.

That makes sense. I use the dry and boost modes mostly.

[dannybuoy]

I've not actually tried one yet, but one complaint I've heard is that the clean volume level is fixed when using the dry mode, and to stop the clean sound overpowering the fuzz you have to turn the volume up way beyond unity gain.

[St Drogo]

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

I've not actually tried one yet, but one complaint I've heard is that the clean volume level is fixed when using the dry mode, and to stop the clean sound overpowering the fuzz you have to turn the volume up way beyond unity gain.

This. Exactly this. Furthermore,when put in normal mode, it loses lowend (To my ear at least). When put in Basboost mode, the lowend becomes overpowering, muddying everything up. Which can be a good thing, just not for me .

Also, not enough gain. At least, that's what I think I miss. It just sounds too "polite" or too "smooth". Weak in the ways of the Muff. I just remember liking the classic american Muff a lot better when I had it for guitar.

[rratajski]

Along with what Danny mentioned above, I would add that the voicing and EQ would make me pick another muff variant over the BBM.
To my ears, the GGG-tuned does the best job of fuzz, low end retention, and mids. I have yet to try the Civil War version...one day though, one day.

[champbassist]

Strictly personal opinion this, but the fuzz (sustain) seems a bit too harsh, esp. in the bass boost mode. I almost think of the tone knob as the first level of distortion and the sustain knob as the second. I play with the sustain knob at less than 8 o'clock about 3/4ths of the time. Then again, this is my first experience with a muff. Maybe this is how it's supposed to work

Originally Posted by dannybuoy

I've not actually tried one yet, but one complaint I've heard is that the clean volume level is fixed when using the dry mode, and to stop the clean sound overpowering the fuzz you have to turn the volume up way beyond unity gain.

In dry mode, the volume knob works as a mix between the dry and wet sound. So, typically, in dry mode, the volume knob shouldn't have an effect on the output level of the bass, if that was your concern. At least that's what I've observed and it says so in the manual as well.

[gnasher1993]

I don't have one but spent alot of time trying one when I was looking for a muff.

The reason I didn't go for it was because it didn't have as much gain as the Russian variants (something I liked/wanted) and the tone sounded a little bit too compressed for my liking.

A great pedal nonetheless .

[RCCollins]

i like the sound of "normal" mode on a BBM better than any other muff on bass. I LIKE that it has less gain. if it loses low end when you crank the tone knob up THAT'S BECAUSE IT"S A CUT/CUT CONTROL silly!

The lower gain allows you to dial more precise adjustments - especially if you use an amp with a multi-stage pre. Overall, I find it is better for many "vintage fuzz" tones - you can approximate some tonebender sounds, for instance. try that with any other muff.

The "blend" mode doesn't do much for me, as it is imperfect at best, but this is no problem to me, as I dont like to blend my dirt.

[wetzelman1]

i got mine as my first fuzz. I see this as kindof like a multi, lets you try more options and it does them all well, but single pedals will be better once a sound is decided on.

I use mine as an always on fuzz for tone and not as an effect. My complaint would be, even though I will continue to use this one, I will need to get another fuzz as well.

[1009]

Not to derail the thread, but...

Considering the regularly-voiced disappointments with the BBM, has anyone tried to mod (or have someone mod) one? I have no experience modding myself (beyond the MXR Blue Box C11 mod, which doesn't count), but it seems (intuitively) that a "more gain" mod could be done pretty simply.

[rratajski]

I haven't seen a gutshot of the BBM, but there are probably surface-mount components which make it difficult for mods.

[kugelspot]

The only thing I REALLY don't like about it is that there are clones that are far better, though for the money, its hard to beat.

[Geddyfleaharris]

My passive Rics love the BBM or vice versa, my active EBMM basses not so much or vice versa. Playing the EBMMs a lot lately so not using the BBM much.

[grimniggzy]

It's not that I don't like the BBM I just like the Black Russian Muff A LOT better. I like that the low end is retained on the BBM but I find it compressed sounding IMO, I have an NYC Big Muff as well. I think if I had the BBM I would use that and the NYC the same amount probably but even a stock Black Russain crushes them both IMO of course.

[varunkapahi]

i have a BBM and am happy with and am not! i often cant get it to sound right at gigs, no matter what i do. last gig it sounded like **** going direct so i mic'd my amp and mixed a DI signal into it. but still the muff would get me totally lost in the mix when i turn it on. but for jamming and noodeling i really like it a lot, fuzzzzzzzzzzzzzz it sounds like that awesome!
so i guess i will find a solution. if i dont i'll still keep it because i like it

[Swift713]

I'll echo the sentiment that it sounds a little compressed or flat to me. I liked the bass boost mode fairly well but the dry sounded dull and the blend sounded weird and unnatural to me. I'm not crazy about blended dirt. I'm really digging the Electronix Crossdrive but I'm not really sure what part of it is muff and what part face. I guess I've always liked the face & muff combination

[Mudfuzz]

What don't you like about the Bass Big Muff?

The sound, and the way it responds. And the way the blend works. And that even with the bassboost on it doesn't have as much lows as almost all the other muffs I own.

[kugelspot]

Originally Posted by Swift713

I'm really digging the Electronix Crossdrive but I'm not really sure what part of it is muff and what part face. I guess I've always liked the face & muff combination

FYI, the Crossdrive is mostly muff to my ears, except that it decays like a fuzz face