Zvex wolly mammoth issues

GlassOnion · #1 12-05-2011, 11:39 PM

I am hoping this forum can shed some light. So recently I bought this pedal "new" from eBay from a music shop out of new jersey. I was supposed to get a limited edition model and payed extra for it. After receiving and finding the pedal was standard edition I was offered a refund for the difference. Here's the issue though, my supposed to be new pedal has massive static that plays through when I start playing. It sounds broken. After calling and complaining I was told the pedal was working fine and that it was my set up. I use active basses, modulus. Can this cause a pedal to be loaded with static once the strings are pulled? While the effect of fuzz is there the static is just bad. After pulling all pedals and running it solo it does not improve. So I got a bum pedal maybe. Sadly I cannot get a refund as I was told I waited to long to complain. Ok here's the question, if I take this pedal to my local amp repair shop can pedals be repaired or am I out $300?? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time!

erock0138 · #2 12-05-2011, 11:58 PM

something could be wrong with the pedal, but the wooly mammoth is such a simple circuit, it'd be easy to check out and debug. I'd try with a passive bass if you can get ahold of one, sometimes the preamps don't like pedals very much (or vice versa) Also, maybe a bad power supply to the pedal?

GlassOnion · #3 12-06-2011, 12:01 AM

It's a spot one. Runs all my other pedals with no issues. I'll try my passive SG in the morning.

Goose55 · #4 12-06-2011, 06:22 AM

Hi,
The WM is known as an effectpedal that doesn't work very well with active basses. They will sound thinny and very compressed. That doesn't sound like your problem. So maybe its a onespot problem. Do you have another adaptor? Try that or use a battery.

Von Felgenhauer · #5 12-06-2011, 06:47 AM

The Wolly mammoth has been known to not play well with active basses. The preamp just overloads the input on the pedal. Either try turning down the volume on your bass, lower the gain setting if its adjustable on your preamp, or try a new pedal. There have been people with good luck selling those here. A better alternative to the wooly mammoth would be a Fuzzrocious pedal, iron either, Sanford and sonny bluebeard fuzz, or even maybe a darkglass b3k, all of which are cheaper and better sounding(impo) then anything zvex.

gastric · #6 12-06-2011, 07:29 AM

Troubleshooting is a process of elimination. Change one variable at a time until you identify the source. Instrument, cabling, power source, etc.

GlassOnion · #7 12-06-2011, 08:27 AM

Many thanks guys. After class I will trouble shoot see if I can break this down.

HolmeBass · #8 12-06-2011, 08:36 AM

Definitely try it with a passive bass or guitar and see if still has the static.

GlassOnion · #9 12-06-2011, 06:54 PM

Well it was the active guitar that caused this problem. plugged in my Gibson SG passive, and no static. So THANKS TO YOU that took the time to give me some light.

gastric · #10 12-07-2011, 08:20 AM

Note the Mammoth isn't the only box to work better with passive instruments. Pretty much all the germanium based drive effects, Zoom Ultra Fuzz if you want oscillation via the Rezo control, and others.

GlassOnion · #11 12-07-2011, 09:08 AM

I have found a fuzz pedal that can handle hot preamps. Sanford and sonny blue beard. I will be waiting a while till its done being built but from review clips I've watched it will be well worth the wait. Plus it turns out the guy that builds the pedal is an awesome dude. I don't mind the wait when its for these reasons.

Von Felgenhauer · #12 12-07-2011, 09:15 AM

Sonny is one of the people to bend over backwards for others. Ryan from Fuzzrocious is another. I know my custom Bluebeard is never leaving(already got offers from 3 different people) now i just need a custom Fuzzrocious and ill be set for a good week or so. ...