I just got my first Big Muff pedal yesterday, its the green text one with tone bypass and wicker switch. It sounds absolutely amazing through the clean channel on my amp (Bugera V22 head into Bugera 1x12 cab), but if I switch over to the crunch channel, even with the least amount of gain possible, it just sounds like crap. It's hard to describe it. Its sounds muffled, like someone put the amp in a trunk full of pillows. It also seems to kill any trace of harmonic over/undertones. I don't understand it. I absolutely LOVE the sound on the clean channel, then I switch over and BOOM. Instant garbage. I would have just assumed that it didn't play well with amp gain, but I see a bunch of people online recommending running it with a little bit of distortion from the amp. I've tried changing the amps EQ, I've tried changing the settings on the pedal, and nothing. My Amp sounds great with my bad monkey pedal in front of the crunch channel, so I really wasn't expecting this one to sound so awful... Any ideas?
Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
- Thread starter autologic
- Start date
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
Odd. Yeah fuzzes and muffs usually shine with a little natural overdrive.
Odd. Yeah fuzzes and muffs usually shine with a little natural overdrive.
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I will try to record the difference when I get off work. I don't know if it matters a lot, but this wasn't quite at band volume, it was just right under "piss off your girlfriend trying to watch iZombie in the other room" level, but sometimes definitely passed that level, just not up to "making your girlfriend leave the room to turn your master down" level.
I will try to record the difference when I get off work. I don't know if it matters a lot, but this wasn't quite at band volume, it was just right under "piss off your girlfriend trying to watch iZombie in the other room" level, but sometimes definitely passed that level, just not up to "making your girlfriend leave the room to turn your master down" level.
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PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
The Big Muff was originally designed to emulate the Fuzz into cranked Marshall sound made famous by Jimi. I've always found Big Muffs sound better into a clean amp. Into an amp with breakup, it gets mushy and undefined.
(Let me also say that "clean" is not a pristine hi-if clean, I mean a tube amp that is working with some harmonic distortion, but that most would categorize as clean.)
The Big Muff was originally designed to emulate the Fuzz into cranked Marshall sound made famous by Jimi. I've always found Big Muffs sound better into a clean amp. Into an amp with breakup, it gets mushy and undefined.
(Let me also say that "clean" is not a pristine hi-if clean, I mean a tube amp that is working with some harmonic distortion, but that most would categorize as clean.)
GilmourD
Burritotoneologist
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I would further add that Big Muffs work extremely well being pushed by an overdrive in front of it, a la David Gilmour.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I find a Muff into an overdrive set fairly clean, with a bit of boost into a clean(ish) amp is my happy Big Muff place. I struggle to get a tone I like when the Muff goes into something too overdriven of distorted.
I find a Muff into an overdrive set fairly clean, with a bit of boost into a clean(ish) amp is my happy Big Muff place. I struggle to get a tone I like when the Muff goes into something too overdriven of distorted.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I also prefer single coils into a Muff, although in certain circumstances buckers do the biz!
I also prefer single coils into a Muff, although in certain circumstances buckers do the biz!
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I'm trying to make a link to the clip on soundcloud, but I'm on Tapatalk so it may not work. The beginning is clean, then you can hear the switch to the dirt channel, then I switch back in the last few second.
P.S. my computer is down, so I had to record this with my cell phone.
I'm trying to make a link to the clip on soundcloud, but I'm on Tapatalk so it may not work. The beginning is clean, then you can hear the switch to the dirt channel, then I switch back in the last few second.
P.S. my computer is down, so I had to record this with my cell phone.
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TimmyPage
New member
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
Yeah, like Dominus suggested, try turning the volume on the pedal down, and the gain channel volume up a bit (it got noticably quieter when you switched channels). Other than that.. yeah it sounds a bit weird, most of the time I've preferred the Muff on a dirt channel but I've never heard it sound distinctly worse on one so I'm at a loss.
Yeah, like Dominus suggested, try turning the volume on the pedal down, and the gain channel volume up a bit (it got noticably quieter when you switched channels). Other than that.. yeah it sounds a bit weird, most of the time I've preferred the Muff on a dirt channel but I've never heard it sound distinctly worse on one so I'm at a loss.
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I noticed it gets quieter also, I matched the volume between channels on the amp itself, but then when I use the pedal, it gets quieter switching to the gain channel. I've never had a pedal behave the way this one does, I guess I just need to get used to its quirks.
I noticed it gets quieter also, I matched the volume between channels on the amp itself, but then when I use the pedal, it gets quieter switching to the gain channel. I've never had a pedal behave the way this one does, I guess I just need to get used to its quirks.
Agileguy_101
Master of his Domain
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
I'm a huge big muff fan ever since I discovered the boutique clone world of big muffs a few years ago. I tried the NYC about 6 years ago and thought it was crap.
I've never liked them into dirt channels. It's just too much gain to be able to control without a noise gate. I don't mind them into a slightly crunchy amp, like a Plexi, but it can't be too much gain otherwise it's just fart city.
I'm a huge big muff fan ever since I discovered the boutique clone world of big muffs a few years ago. I tried the NYC about 6 years ago and thought it was crap.
I've never liked them into dirt channels. It's just too much gain to be able to control without a noise gate. I don't mind them into a slightly crunchy amp, like a Plexi, but it can't be too much gain otherwise it's just fart city.
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
Yeah, I'm starting to think I was just asking to much from it. It sounds amazing with the clean channel, especially with the pedal volume cranked. When I get my Bad Monkey pedal back from a friend, I'm going to try it in front of and behind it and see how that goes.
Yeah, I'm starting to think I was just asking to much from it. It sounds amazing with the clean channel, especially with the pedal volume cranked. When I get my Bad Monkey pedal back from a friend, I'm going to try it in front of and behind it and see how that goes.
Kais
New member
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
yeah it sounds like big muffled when my amp is a bit dirty. people have said it sounds better with a slightly overdriven amp, but I have never found that to be true.
I like it on the clean channel, but it can be way to bright at times. I usually use a strat with red lace sensor
yeah it sounds like big muffled when my amp is a bit dirty. people have said it sounds better with a slightly overdriven amp, but I have never found that to be true.
I like it on the clean channel, but it can be way to bright at times. I usually use a strat with red lace sensor
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Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff...
...Correct.
Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff...
...Correct.
Boogie Bill
New member
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
Too funny!
Actually, you may get some relief by switching some preamp tubes. Some brands simply can't handle the power and frequencies generated by a fuzz. Depends on the preamp design too, of course. You can try subbing in 12-AT, AY, AU-7s into the preamp sockets, but you risk losing your clean tones, and/or your basic drive channel tones.
I've found over the years that some pickups, and some pedals, simply don't work well with certain amps.
Good luck.
Bill
Too funny!
Actually, you may get some relief by switching some preamp tubes. Some brands simply can't handle the power and frequencies generated by a fuzz. Depends on the preamp design too, of course. You can try subbing in 12-AT, AY, AU-7s into the preamp sockets, but you risk losing your clean tones, and/or your basic drive channel tones.
I've found over the years that some pickups, and some pedals, simply don't work well with certain amps.
Good luck.
Bill
Re: Amp sounds like crap with gain+Big Muff
wow..lol. My first thought would be the tubes you have arent performing 100%. But honestly it might just be that you're trying to push too much crap into your amp while already running a dirty channel...so thats what you're going to get back....crap. So I wouldnt recommend turning the gain up on the pedal while just sticking to the clean channel when you run it....if you were looking for a little more gain that is. Level and EQ have a lot to do with it too so dont be afraid to mess around with that as well...
wow..lol. My first thought would be the tubes you have arent performing 100%. But honestly it might just be that you're trying to push too much crap into your amp while already running a dirty channel...so thats what you're going to get back....crap. So I wouldnt recommend turning the gain up on the pedal while just sticking to the clean channel when you run it....if you were looking for a little more gain that is. Level and EQ have a lot to do with it too so dont be afraid to mess around with that as well...
