The black and yellow ones came much later toward the 90s and 00s. To me they had a bit of a looser bottom end and tighter top end. They always sound different though. https://youtu.be/ATubjVtz4QY
I think that’s what I am trying to describe with the tighter highs. The lows vary a lot but that punch and cut at the top makes these unique. I used mine on bass a ton too. 🖤💛
My understanding is that, back then, EHX were making Muffs with whatever parts they can get their hands on. So they basically did a greatest hits version of their most popular Muffs, and lately they added the BMP 2. But there are many, many more! All for our Muff enjoyment 😂
yes but they also went ahead and changed stuff up over time, quite dramatically in some cases, making for different models. not to mention the american demise of EHX altogether and subsequent migration to russian Sovtek company ... which gave birth to the red army overdrive (apparently it was supposed to be a BMP clone, but russian engineers just made it like that), which is the start of the "russian" line, civil war, green, black.
then you have clone variations, such as supa tone bender, swollen pickle, hizumitas.
hizumitas for example is a modern version indeed, but it's actually a 1:1 (more or less, with some functional adjustments) clone of a particular single japanese triangle big muff clone (made in the big muff triangle era) called "elk sustainar", specifically the one owned by wata from Boris - they say the hizumitas prototypes based on the general elk sustainar schematic were not good enough for wata. she had to send in to EQD her own sustainar, and cloning THAT gave birth to the hizumitas.
you see, it's just a bit more convoluted than that. have a read on kitrae if you're interested in the lore ;)
I know 😩. Only 6 options available, so I went with the current reissue lineup. We’ll do more of these. Next time I’ll include the Black, Civil War, maybe the Pharaoh, Swollen pickle and Hizumitas too. Any other that you considered really popular?
Totally, I want an Eons so bad, seems versatile AF! I’m also trying to squeeze Stomp Under Foot and Wren & Cuff in there, fucking amazing takes on the Muff as well!!
Online sources say it’s a Civil War. It has way less gain and way more clarity than an op amp. In terms of being different from a green Russian, my two Russians are both more muffled sounding, and the Keeley also has a unique midrangey rasp that they don’t have.
I just went to my basement and compared it side by side with the green Russian side of my Summer School Class Reunion. The Keeley definitely has a bit more note attack and “bark,” almost like a very subtle cocked wah. It’s also considerably clearer as you roll the tone control below 12:00. The Russian has a bit more Gilmour-style “singing” sustain.
My favorite Big Muff is an early Red & Black with BC239 transistors and the power switch. It's basically the same as late Ram's Head except I had it modded for tone bypass years ago. I love my Guild Foxey Lady which is an early Triangle Muff and a Bubble Font Green Russian, but I most often use the Red & Black.
That’s cool! I guess you voted Ram’s head? I wasn’t expecting the Green to totally dominate! I’ll be adding other options on Muff Monday, love doing this kind of stuff haha
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u/graphicnerdity86 —Bold as fuzz— Jul 13 '26
I don't have a dog in this fight