Muff Fuzz

I'm using a 2000 Fender American Series Stratocaster with Maple neck into the Muff Fuzz and into a Fender Princeton of solid state design. I have several vintage Electro Harmonix Big Muffs, a vintage Hot Tubes and a vintage Deluxe Big Muff. I bought this when a friend brought it to one of our shows. He brought a bunch of vintage dirt boxes but this one was the best sounding. Like any other Electro Harmonix Muff it is unsuitable for speed metal palm muting but that's it's only limitation. Otherwise, the Muff Fuzz is just the coolest little box on the planet! It is such simple circuitry and instead of transistors it has the confrontational op-amp optic microchip inside. So what does it sound like? uhhh...BIG! LIVELY! CELESTIAL! FAT! Examples might be Aerosmith, Santana, Clapton, Led Zepplin but can also do the Smashing Pumpkins thing as well. I am selling all my Boss pedal (except my Metalzone as I am yet to find a Zoom Tri Metal for my metal tone needs). Seriously, when it comes to non metal overdrives... VINTAGE Electro Harmonix Muff Fuzzes, Big Muffs and Hot Tubes are such a superior choice over any Boss pedal! And I own a vintage 1979 Boss DS-1, vintage Boss HM-2, vintage Boss SD-1, a Boss OD-2, MT-2. I also own a DOD Grunge pedal. All cool pedals, I suppose.... but the Electro Harmonix stuff makes the Boss and DOD stuff sound like pillows are piled all over the amplifier. So if you like a big, bright, raunchy, in your face overdrive that cleans up quickly when the volume is rolled off...well, just try to find one of this.

Definitely one of the most reliable Electro Harmoix pieces.

One knob and one switch!

Ya, I paid a ridiculous $80 for this thing... BUT it sings! Not a scratch on it and no battery acid stains inside. I even have the original screws and the box it came in. It just sat in this guy's music store for 30 years before I got it! I've been playing guitar since 1969 and I play now twice a week in a Christian band. I use the Muff Fuzz on the Sunday night shows and my sound is so ever frikkin cool. Just so ever dynamic! I wish it had.....a foot switch instead of a slider switch! I have to use an A-B box if I want to turn it on and off during a song. Oh, well, I love the compact size. It's smaller than any other pedal I've ever seen!

I run this with a 1982 57' reissue strat and a Marshall JCM 2000. It gets hissy with the gain tweaked full blast, but roll off a c hair and it quiets down with not too much of a difference in saturation. The effect is that of middle of the road 60's dirt. I use it with a clean channel for effect and boost.

Several years ago, I threw it across a room and stomped on it in frustration. It wasnt giving me what I 'wanted'. At that time I ran it with some cheesy Crate combo amp and an ancient Fender bassman cabinet. But hey, I was wasted at the time. Recently I stumbled upon it, and lovingly cleaned it up. Got some pliers to straighten the body of it. A battery had corroded within the casing, I replaced it and checked the wireing. Too bad I trashed the plastic volume knob. It works fine in spite of my tantrum. My little muff fuzz has been forgiving. I would use this on stage and if it did crap out - oh well...

Idiot proof! With one freakin' volume (gain, I guess) knob and an on/off switch it is simple and straight forward. I do not remmember when or where I obtained this crazy little box. I guess it found me!

Never delt with them.

This device is a problem solver for me. I sometimes use it in conjunction with a reissue fuzz face and it helps in two ways. Firstly, the fuzz face is a bit bassy, the muff fuzz gives some brightness. Secondly, I can use my Vox wah (Guitar > wah > muff fuzz > fuzz face > amp) and get the full tone sweep. I realize there are mods to be made but I'm too stupid to use a soldering iron. It can get very wicked very fast with these two devices chained together. Used by itself, its just good ole' fuzz. I like it.