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I Found and Bought a Little Big Muff!

JanusZarate

JanusZarate

Low End Avenger
Feb 21, 2006
10,198
671
40
Boise, ID, USA
#1
I remember when I started playing bass at the end of last year...I bought an EHX Big Muff Pi, and quickly decided it wasn't my fancy. A month later, I was kicking myself for returning it - I just wasn't ready for a Muff at the time, and neither was my itty-bitty practice amp.

Things have changed since then...I have better equipment, half-decent playing ability, and an increased desire to use a Muff again. So... I sought the one that they say is a cross between the NYC and Russian versions - the Little Big Muff!

I barely had an opportunity to test it in-store, so I just bought it, took it home, and I'll be testing that baby later tonight. Just from first impressions...it's amazing!

Oh yeah, and they changed the adapter plug, too. I'm not sure what the polarity setup is on it, but looks like your standard BOSS plug. Runs on a 9v battery too, although you have to unscrew the bottom of the pedal to get to it.

I hadn't seen any firsthand reviews on it in the forum, so I thought I'd start a thread about it and get conversation going.

I know tplyons is gonna jump on this thread once he sees it :D

I'll update after my test run tonight.
 
#3
Review Time!

Only one problem, though...I haven't used a regular Big Muff recently enough to make an accurate comparison, but here goes anyway.

I paid $71.99 for a new one (too soon for used ones to be on the market).

The pedal itself is about the size of a typical Boss pedal - except 1" wider and slightly shorter. Compared to the original, that's a BIG difference! It has rounded corners - kinda reminds me of an MXR pedal with EHX style. Looks very similar to its American bigger brother, in general.

Soundwise, it seems to be more like an NYC Big Muff Pi (the reissue). According to the documentation, it's supposed to be a compact, but virtually identical version of that particular Muff. However, the EHX website claims it's a hybrid NYC-Russian tone, based on the old Muffs of the '70s. Doesn't really sound like a hybrid, though. Maybe it's just my gear?

One thing that definitely caught my attention was that it seems to be friendlier to the lower frequencies than what I remember with the NYC Big Muff. Control-wise, it's identical - you've got your Sustain, Tone, and Volume controls like on the regular Muffs.

Oh yeah, and the adapter plug is "Boss" standard and center-negative, just like most pedals on the market. That's a big plus in terms of powering it!

I can finally fit a Muff on my pedalboard... :D
 
#4
Yep, I jumped on this thread as soon as I saw it.

I like the size, the power adapter, etc. but I love the Big Muff as is. Not sure if I'm going to pick up a little bro for the Big Muff or not to compare, but I can finally say, it's about time EHX jumped on the Hammond box bandwagon.

Looks like a 1590B enclosure (four screws on the bottom) and is a size typically used in DIY projects. This is what I typically use, or slightly smaller. I also constantly drill out EHX pedals to make the adapter swap (or more recently, I just bought a whole bunch of adapters for them)

I may have to pick one up.

But, I'm also annoyed they called it a little Big Muff. They had one of those in the '70's that's nothing like this.
 
#5
I'm wanting one!!!

i've been looking for a smaller big muff and somewhat cleaner than my russian one
is the US version somewhat cleaneR?? or should i say, more midrangy??
 
#6
Thanks for the review. I just ordered a little big muff last weekend and it is supposed to arrive today. Now I'm excited to get home and check it out.

Edit: if anyone is interested you can check it out Invalid Link Removed
 
#12
MysticBoo said:
Really? I wasn't aware. How was the old one different?
Click to expand...
One knob, one switch. Simpler circuit.

EHlittlebigmuff.jpg
 
#18
I have been praising the new Little Big Muff for a few months now. It is such a sweet fuzz pedal for bass and retains a lot of low end. I run mine directly after my Fulltone Bassdrive and the combonation of the two is absolutely killer!

The mild overdrive before the fuzz helps bring back the fundamental notes a bit and keeps everything from getting too indistinct.

But by itself the LBM is the best deal on a bass players fuzz pedal going! $68 Canadian, true bypass, small, boss style adaptor jack, small size pedal, sturdy as hell! Its the s%#t!!!
 

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