Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

[Blille]

I would like to mod my NYC big muff to get more mids and I found two contradicting sources online and wanted to know which one you recommended. I was thinking doing the triangle version or flat mids.

These are the links:
http://guitarkitbuilder.com/big-muff-pi-mod-more-mid-range-tone/

http://www.kitrae.net/music/Big_Muff_Mods_and_Tweaks_Page.html

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

i replaced C1 with a 10nf cap in the tonestack for a flat frequency response (no dip). Was good. If you go up even further to 20nf youll get a mid hump. I never went that far tho. The 10nf was pretty good.
The other thing worth doing before that tho, is replacing the first two clipping diodes with LED's. This give more signal to the circuit and you get a more dynamically responsive, warmer and less buzzy sound. There is still a ton of buzz in there from the trannies and the second set of clippers when you wind up the gain. It just gives you a bit more to work with than clipping the signal off so hard and so early in the path. You get a bit more output too.
A/B against a stock vintage russian greenie, the modified one just sounded like it had a lot more muscle and less of the scoopy/buzzy sound. Both good mods. Easy to reverse if you don't like it. You will get a similar response in an NYC.

 

[Blille]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

i replaced C1 with a 10nf cap in the tonestack for a flat frequency response (no dip). Was good. If you go up even further to 20nf youll get a mid hump. I never went that far tho. The 10nf was pretty good.
The other thing worth doing before that tho, is replacing the first two clipping diodes with LED's. This give more signal to the circuit and you get a more dynamically responsive, warmer and less buzzy sound. There is still a ton of buzz in there from the trannies and the second set of clippers when you wind up the gain. It just gives you a bit more to work with than clipping the signal off so hard and so early in the path. You get a bit more output too.
A/B against a stock vintage russian greenie, the modified one just sounded like it had a lot more muscle and less of the scoopy/buzzy sound. Both good mods. Easy to reverse if you don't like it. You will get a similar response in an NYC.

Awesome. That sounds simple enough.

Thanks!


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[PFDarkside]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

As far as why the two websites don't match, remember, there's no officially documented "flat mids" mod for the Big Muff tone stack. With those two links two people did their own version. You can download the Duncan Amps Tone Stack calculator to really see the results on a graph, but your ears are going to determine what you like. Try both, the components are cheap.

That kitrae page is an awesome reference of modifications, I guarantee half the boutique big muff based fuzzes on the market today started with people using that page as a reference to mod Black Russian and NYC Muffs.

 

[thrill74]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

My Big Muff I just got doesn't sound great at all. I played 4 versions and the NYC was the best ironically enough. EQ curve is great at home and buried live. I need to mod it. Billie, how does it sound now?

 

[thrill74]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

Gibson175 is this a one component swap mod?

 

[Blille]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

My Big Muff I just got doesn't sound great at all. I played 4 versions and the NYC was the best ironically enough. EQ curve is great at home and buried live. I need to mod it. Billie, how does it sound now?

I got the couple of components, rehoused the pedal but didn't end up doing the mod I'm playing it after a tubescreamer at the moment for leads and I'm ok being a bit lost in the mix when I do rhythm.

 

[thrill74]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

I've ordered a couple of caps from Small Bear and will do the mod once they come in. I swapped my LP's 498t A5 magnet for a ceramic today. The Muff loves ceramic magnet humbuckers for sure! The Muff doesn't like the Red Velvet in my Strat still.

 

[Blille]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

I've ordered a couple of caps from Small Bear and will do the mod once they come in. I swapped my LP's 498t A5 magnet for a ceramic today. The Muff loves ceramic magnet hunbuckers for sure! The Muff doesn't like the Red Velvet in my Strat still.

Interesting.

In my experience it's not a picky pedal, most guitars pretty much the same

 

[thrill74]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

Did the mod today. What an incredible difference from stock! Turning the Tone knob up actually sounds really good! The overly flubby character is almost obsolete and the mids really have great presence and body. This pedal is a great match for humbuckers now. Excellent mod I highly recommend!

 

[Blille]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

Did the mod today. What an incredible difference from stock! Turning the Tone knob up actually sounds really good! The overly flubby character is almost obsolete and the mids really have great presence and body. This pedal is a great match for humbuckers now. Excellent mod I highly recommend!

Cool, just C1 with 10nf?


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[thrill74]

Re: Big Muff tone stack mod for flattish mids

Yep. It really opened it up and made the tone knob just useful. I'm sure the other changes Gibson175 suggests are even better, but, the cap change just gets it in a solid usable platform. This mod is a must.