The Big Muff π Page
The Definitive Big Muff Resource and History

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The earliest known recording of the Big Muff was by guitarist Tony Peluso, who recorded the solos for The Carpenters hit Goodbye to Love in 1972 with a V1 "Triangle" Big Muff, using a Gibson guitar recorded directly into the recording board with no amplifier. A very rocking solo for the time, and very heavy for the Carpenters, the use of the Big Muff in this song led the way for the rock and roll power ballad. A year after that, the funk/soul scene was hammered with the famous Big Muff solo from the Isley Brothers hit, (Who's) That Lady, played to perfection by Ernie Isley. It was also recorded directly into the mixing board with a Strat, Roger Mayer Octavia, and V1 Big Muff. Another 1970's Big Muff user (along with the rebranded version for Guild caled the Foxey Lady) was guitarist Robert Fripp, of King Crimson.

Jimi Hendrix may have also been another user, contrary to what many experts claim. He purchased one the year he died, though it is unknown if there are any recorded examples of him using it. The V1 Big Muff was likely for sale in late 1969 (not 1971 as many sources incorrectly claim), and definitely was on the market by 1970, the year Jimi died. E-H founder Mike Matthews, and others, have stated Jimi bought one at Manny's Music in New York, and Mike claims to have witnessed Jimi using it in the studio in 1970. Guitarist Carlos Santana, who purchased a Big Muff in 1971, was also often associated with the Muff in Electro-Harmonix advertising, though it is unknown if he ever recorded with one. It was possibly used on the Santana (aka Santana III) album released late in 1971, though Carlos may have used a borrowed Big Muff on some tracks from Abraxas.

The most well known and most heard Big Muff user would have to be David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, having used both the USA "Ram's Head" Big Muff, Sovtek "Civil War" Big Muff, and Pete Cornish Big modified Big Muff circuits on many of Pink Floyd's greatest recordings. J Mascis of Dinosaur is another well known Big Muff user, associated with both the Deluxe Big Muff, a vintage Ram's Head model, and others. It is a trademark of his live Dinosaur Jr. sound. Jack White is another very avid user of the Big Muff, which you can hear on all the White Stripes, Raconteurs, adn Dead Weather albums. The huge bottom end of the Big Muff perfectly suited the bass playerless White Stripes simple guitar and drums format. In a similar manner, Dan Auerbach used Sovtek Big Muffs for the early Black Keys records, another popular guitar/drums duo band. Another user was Billy Corgan, who used a late 1970s op-amp Big Muff to such good effect on Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream album. Thousands of guitarists have been chasing that Siamese Dream Big Muff tone.

Jack White's and Dan Auerbach's Big Muff tones are perhaps the best use (in my opinion) of the unaltered, raw, crunchy Big Muff tones in all their glory, whereas David Gilmour's Pink Floyd tones best exemplify the wide range of beautiful, creamy, huge and unique sounds that can be created by combining the Muff with a clean tube amp, a tube driver, compressor, and/or modulation effects that add to and harness its tone, rather than mask it. J Mascis Big Muff tones are in-your-face loud, but very melodic. The Smashing Pumpkins are a great example of taking the basic late '70s vintage Big Muff tone and layering it in multiple tracks to create a massive, deep, dark, mids-scooped rhythm tone.

Below is a photo gallery of some famous, and some not so famous musician's pedal boards featuring their Big Muffs. If you are in a professional band and have used a Big Muff, shoot me an email (it's the bottom of the home page) and I'll add you to the users list. Email a pedal board photo featuring a Big Muff used in the studio or in a live show and I'll post it.

DAVID GILMOUR of Pink Floyd

Read the full David Gilmour Big Muff section here

Shown above, left to right: David Gilmour's V2 "Ram's Head" Big Muff from the Animals board in 1977 (next to an Electric Mistress), the same V2 Muff from the 1986 tour board, and from the 1987 board. Gilmour's Big Muff tones come through super clean, high headroom amplifiers like the Hiwatt DR103 and Fender Showman/Twin Reverb.

Shown above, left to right: David Gilmour's P-2 Muff, which is a modified Big Muff clone with more mids, made by Pete Cornish, and his V7 Russian "Civil War" Big Muff, all from the legendary, giant effects rack and pedal board used for the Division Bell tour in 1994. The P-2 was similar to an early Sovtek Big Muff, and was likely used as a backup for the Civil War Big Muff David used prominently on this tour.

Shown above: David Gilmour recording A Pocketful of Stones on his Astoria floating studio in 2005 with a "Ram's Head" V2 Big Muff on the floor, and David's 2006 Pete Cornish custom pedal board with both Ram's Head and V1 "Triangle" Big Muffs. The board also includes a Pete Cornish P-1, which is a Ram's Head Big Muff clone. Read the full David Gilmour Big Muff section here

BILLY CORGAN of Smashing Pumpkins

Shown above: Billy Corgan's vintage V4 op-amp Big Muff, shown with his exact settings (left), made famous on Smashing Pumpkins' Siamese Dream album. Pedal board photos are from the Machina tour. Photos on right are Billy Corgan holding his Siamese Dream era V4 Big Muff and a V5 (or possibly tone bypass V3) also used on Siamese Dream, from the Oceania recording sessions. Read the full Billy Corgan Big Muff section here. Corgan's Siamese Dream era Big Muff tones came through a Marshall JCM 800. Manys solos featured an MXR Distortion II running into the Big Muff, with effects like the MXR Pahes 100 and EXH Micro Synth used for color.

JACK WHITE of The White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather

Shown above, left to right: Jack White's red Big Muff, circa 2005 (rehoused by Analog Man). It is a vintage USA model with an LED added. Mike/Analog Man has stated that this Muff is an old 1970's model, with the LED added before he re-boxed it for Jack. Likely a V6 Big Muff, based on the knobs and tone, and the fact that Jack was using one prior to 2000 (before the V9 reissues he later used became available). Jack has his Muffs reboxed in a smaller, sturdier enclosures because he crushes the stock enclosures. Although it has been rumored that Jack's Big Muffs have a flat mids mod, they are actually stock circuits. Jack's main sounds on the early board on the left early boards came from his Big Muff and an early Electro-Harmonix POG. The AnalogMan box on the right is a tuner switch, and the large box on the left is a mute and A/B switch. Later boards include the AnalogMan tuner switch box, Boss TU-2 Tuner, MXR Micro Amp, Digitech Whammy, Big Muff, and the Electro-Harmonix POG with with board fitted on top to keep the slider settings in place. Jacks Big Muff tones come through an old Sears Silvertone 1485 (it has crunchy breakup like a Marshall stack) amp combined with a clean Fender Twin Reverb (with the reverb on), or later a Fender Vibroverb. Jacks really overdriven lead sound with the stuttery breakup comes from the MXR Micro amp (gain on max) going into the Big Muff.

Shown above, left to right: Jack White's Analog Man custom rehoused copper plated Raconteurs Big Muffs and white Dead Weather white Big Muff. All are stock V9 USA reissue Big Muff circuits. His Reconteurs copper effect board includes a Dunlop Rotovibe, Digitech Whammy, Voodoo Lab tremolo, Big Muff, Electro-Harmonix Micro Pog, Electro-Harmonix Nano Bassballs, a mute and A/B switching box, MXR Micro Amp, and a Boss TU-2 Tuner. His Dead Weather white effects board includes a Dunlop Rotovibe, Digitech Whammy, Voodoo lab Tremolo, Electro-Harmonix nano Bassballs, Big Muff, Micro POG, Boss TU-2 Tuner, MXR Micro Amp, and what looks like a Z-Vex four knob pedal, probably the Wooly Mammoth. Thanks to Mike (Analog Man) for the photo. Contrary to what some sources have stated, there is no mids mod to Jacks Muffs, but that is obvious if you listen to his tone.

Shown above, left to right: Jack White's V9 Big Muff from the excellent film It Might Get Loud (Sony Pictures Classics)

Shown above: Analog Man has reboxed and modded Big Muffs for many famous musicians, including Jack White. Above are two Little Big Muffs that were modded to V9 specs with vintage transistors and full size capacitors for Jack to try, though Jack preferred and stayed with his V9 Big Muffs. Thanks to Mike (Analogman) for the photos. Working around those tiny SMD parts must have been difficult!

Shown above: Jack White using a Tone Wicker Big Muff when touring with Wanda Jackson in 2011. EHX president Mike Matthews sent Jack a Tone Wicker, so that is probably where this one came from. Note the pencil marks showing Jack's settings: volume and tone both set at 2:00, sustain at 4:00, tone wicker and tone switch in off position. Click to enlarge full image to see Jacks Fender Vibroverb amp settings. This pedal board goes back to his older White Stripes setup and includes his AnalogMan tuner switch box, Boss TU-2 Tuner, MXR Micro Amp, Digitech Whammy, Tone Wicker Big Muff, and an Electro-Harmonix POG with board fitted on top to keep the slider settings in place.

JOHN FRUSCIANTE of The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Shown above, left to right: John Frusciante's huge Red Hot Chili Peppers pedal boards with a V8 Russian Big Muff, and a 2000 USA V9 reissue Big Muff.

J. MASCIS of Dinosaur Jr.

Read the full J mascis Big Muff section and interview here with lots of other pix showing J's Big Muff collection.

Shown above: A small portion of J Mascis' huge vintage Big Muff collection.

Shown above: Several J Mascis' pedal boards with both vintage V1 and V2 Big Muffs. Early Dinosaur jr/J Mascis Big Muff tones, and the live Dinosaur Jr tones come through plexi Marshall 50w and 100w amp heads (Super bass and Super PA heads), and later the Marshalls combined with a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100. More on J's gear can be found here.

Shown above: A few of J Mascis' V2 Big Muffs being worked on by Analog Man. Thanks to Mike at Analog Man for the photos.

Shown above: J Mascis' favorite Big Muff, a V2 "Ram's Head" model, which according to J sounds very different from all his other Muffs. These photos were taken when it was being repaired and replicated for J by Tym Guitars of Australia in 2010. The Fuzz Munchkin pedal on the right is an exact replica made by Tim, with graphics by J Mascis. Thanks to Tim for the photos.

THURSTON MOORE of Sonic Youth

Shown above, left to right: Thurston Moore's squished V7 Civil War Big Muff

DAN AUERBACH of the Black Keys

Shown above, left to right: Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys pedalboards with V7 green Sovtek Big Muff. Dan fills the role of both basist and lead guitarist with the heavy bottom end found in the Russian Big Muffs. Early Black Keys Sovtek Big Muff live tones come through Fender Twin/Quad Reverbs, Fender Music Master Bass, along with a Marshall JTM45. He has also used Ampeg and Hiwatt amp heads, and Metropoulos plexi Marshall clones. Dan uses lots of different fuzz pedals, but much of the distortion on the early Black Keys studio recordings comes from a 1970's Ibanez Standard Fuzz, and the live sound from green Sovtek Big Muffs. Dan keeps his amps slightly dirty, but still clean enough not to make the Big Muffs sound farty.

Shown above, left to right: Dan's 2010 board includes one green tall font Russian Big Muff and one bubble font Green Russian. Each has a slightly different tone, and Dan's settings are very different for each.

Shown above, left to right: Dan's live rig for 2012 (thanks to Premier Guitar) now finds his pedals in a rack tray. Dan controls them with a new floor switcher system, put together by his guitar tech Dan Johnson. The rig once again includes his "tall font" green Russian Big Muff for the older Black Key's songs. Tall Fonts typically used the exact same circuit as the earlier Sovtek version in the gray and blue boxes, the "civil war" Big Muff. Dan's tray effects include a Radial Tonebone JX-2 Switchbone (for boost), a Boss TR-2 Tremolo, Boss OC-3 Super Octave, Boss PH-3 Super Shifter (used with the TR-2), Rosac Nu Wah Fuzz (A Mosrite Fuzzrite style fuzz with the wah disabled), the Sovtek Big Muff, a Shin-Ei FY-2 Companion Fuzz, and an MXR EQ (for the FY-2). He also uses a Fulltone Tube Tape echo (going into the Marshall amp head), and a Boss PS-5 Super Shifter.

Dan uses three amps simultaneously, always on, all slightly dirty. A Victoria Double Deluxe (Fender Tweed Deluxe clone X 2) with Eminence Legend speakers, a Fender Quad Reverb with two 25w Celestion Greenbacks and two vintage 30w Celestions, and a Marshall JTM-45 Head with Jensen speakers.

JAMIE COOK of the Arctic Monkeys

Shown above: V9 Big Muff used by lead guitarist Jamie Cook of the Arctic Monkeys on his early pedal board. In the photo on the right there appears to be a Little Big Muff .

FEDERICO MREULE of Pinkover

Shown above: A recreation of David Gilmour's Division Bell tour effects rack by Federico Mreule, guitarist and vocalist for the excellent Pink Floyd tribute band Pinkover, including Pete Cornish P-2 Big Muff clone and V7 "Civil War" Russian Big Muff

THE EDGE of U2

Shown above, left to right: A vintage V6 Big Muff on the rack boards of The Edge from U2

WATA of Boris

Shown above, left to right: Wata's Big Muff pedalboards from the Japanese band Boris, featuring both a vintage V1 and V3 Big Muff

CHRIS WOLSTENHOLME of Muse

Shown above, left to right: Three Chris Wolstenholme pedal boards, featuring a green V7 Russian Big Muff and V8 black Russian Big Muffs

Shown above, left to right: Jeff Jourad's (The Motels, Dance Hall Pimps, The Roosters) well used and modded Triangle Big Muff, purchased in 1978 for $15, Pete Townshend (The Who) in 1977 using a V3 Muff taped on top of his amp, with his Gretsch Chet Atkins 6120 guitar for his solo album recordings in 1977, and Mike Mill's (R.E.M.) V8 Russian Big Muff from his bass pedalboard.

Shown above, left to right: Flea's (Red Hot Chili Peppers) pedal board with V9 Muff, Mudhoney's Big Muff, and two shots of Beck's Big Muff .

Shown above, left to right: V7 green Russian Big Muff used by Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails), Brock Butler (Perpetual Groove) using a V9 Big Muff, and Tommy Henricksen of Alice Coopers band using a V9 Big Muff.

......

Shown above, left to right: Thomas Erak's (The Fall of Troy's ) V9 Big Muff, Brian Cook 's (Russian Circles) V10 little Big Muff, guitarist Kevin Shields' (My Bloody Valentine) V1 Triangle Big Muff, and Ed Drost's (Grizzly Bear) V9 Big Muff

Here is a list of numerous Big Muff users:

Steve Howe of Yes - He used a Big Muff many times throughout his career. He used a triangle Big Muff in the 1971-1973 period with Yes, most notably on Close to the Edge, where you hear the Big Muff and a Maestro Fuzz tone as the primary distortion pedals. Two Big Muffs were on his pedal board in 1977-78, a triangle was used in 1999 for the Yes album The Ladder, one was also spotted in his live 2004 rig, and again in 2011 for Fly From Here studio album (listen to the slide solo on Sad Night at the Airfield)

Carlos Santana - Purchased a Triangle Big Muff in February of 1971, but it is unknown if he ever recorded with one.

John Lennon - Purchased a Triangle Big Muff in August of 1971 in New York, but it is unknown if he ever recorded with one.

Tony Peluso - used a triangle Big Muff for The Carpenters song, Goodbye to Love in 1972.

Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers often used a Triangle Big Muff. He recorded the Isley Brothers hit, (Who's) That Lady with one in 1973.

Robert Fripp of King Crimson - Fripp used a lot of fuzz pedals in his early years, but he has said he used a Guild Foxey Lady, a wah-wah, and volume pedal in the from the 1972-74 era. He played them with humbucker equipped Les Pauls and Hiwatt amplifiers. Fripp has said he used a late 60's Foxey Lady, which would indicate this is the two knob Guild Foxey, not the three knob 1969 version, which was a rebranded Electro Harmonix triangle Big Muff. However, in a 2010 post from Fripp's own blog he suggests a Big Muff or a Foxey Lady pedal to get those tones, indicating he did use the Big Muff version of the Foxey Lady. He has also used a Russian Big Muff at times in his 1990's live rig.

David Gilmour of Pink Floyd - Primary distortion pedal used throughout his career beginning in 1977 was a V2 Big Muff.

Pete Townshend of The Who - Spotted using a V3 Big Muff in the studio in the late 1970's.

The Edge of U2

Ronnie Montrose of Montrose - A Les Paul, Tweed Fender Bandmaster, and a V1 Big Muff used on their first album in 1973.

Ace Frehley of Kiss - used on early Kiss records

Tony Levin of King Crimson and Peter Gabriel's band

Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush

Jeff Jourad of The Motels

J Mascis of Dinosaur jr - Deluxe Big Muff used on first three Dinosaur albums. Ram's Head Big Muff used after that, mostly in his live rig.

Billy Corgan and James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins - V4 op-amp Big Muff and V3 transistor Big Muffs used on Siamese Dream and occasional use on later albums.

Neil Jendon, Mark Rew, and Jerome Brown, guitarists for the Chicago band, Catherine

Thurston Moore and Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth - Sovtek "Civil War" Big Muffs

Thom Yorke of Radiohead

Brian Aubert of Silversun Pickups

The Misfits

Steve Turner, guitarist for Mudhoney - Steve was a Big Muff user, and Mudhoney even used it in their 1988 EP name, Superfuzz Bigmuff. The Big Muff was a popular pedal during the 1990s grunge/alternative rock scene.

Kim Shattuck of The Muffs

Matt Sharp of Weezer

John Frusciante and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Triple Fast Action

John Mcbain and Dave Wyndorf of Monster Magnet - V3 used on Spine of God and Tab

Kurt Kobain of Nirvana - used in the studio on Lithium

Cliff Burton of Metallica

Chris Ross of Wolfmother

Gilby Clarke of Guns n Roses

Troy Sanders of Mastodon

Robert Sledge of the Ben Folds Five

Daniel Blumberg of Yuck

Big Muff 68 - Oslo Norway band

Jamie Cook of the Arctic Monkeys

Brian Molko of Placebo

Thomas Erak of The Fall of Troy

Ed Drost of Grizzly Bear

Brock Butler of Perpetual Groove

Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine

Brian Cook of Russian Circles

Robin Finck of Nine Inch Nails

Tommy Henricksen of Alice Coopers band

Chris Wolstenholme of Muse

Mike Mills of R.E.M.- Mike used a Sovtek "Civil War" Big Muff in 2004, and has laso been seen with the stick black Russian Big Muff.

Pete Buck of R.E.M. - Pete used a Red Army Big Muff nicknamed "sputnik" on Monster. Big Muff also possibly used on Accelerate.

Jack White of The White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather - Used a vintage 1970's Big Muff on early White Stripes recordings and concerts, switching to a V9 USA reissue Big Muff for his later work.

Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys - Dan has often been seen using Sovtek green Russian Big Muffs

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