Big Muff Pi version 1973 #3

[cdwillis]

Build Rating

5.00 star(s)

I had a big muff building streak late last year and I hadn't built one for a while. I love hearing the differences between all the different versions from the Kit Rae schematics. I even have a breadboard that I set aside just to keep a big muff on it for experimenting. This one is based on a Ram's Head from 1973 that Kit labeled as #3 (maybe the third he traced from that year?). The only difference is I used the standard 10nf cap in the tone stack rather than the oddball 12nf cap he listed. It's not as saturated as the Violet Ram's head and seems a little thicker while it's not as thick as a Russian or one of the Triangles with the 47nf clipping caps. Sometimes the tone control on a muff is only useable from 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock with the rest of the sweep being too shrill or too dark. I'd say this one is good from 9 o'clock to fully clockwise without being too shrill. The more I've experimented with this circuit the more I've come to understand the balance that difference parts of the circuit work together to create.

After watching DK Pedals youtube video I decided to go back and throw some labels on the pedal. And when I looked at the gutshot I thought the ground wires to the jacks and the wires to the 9v jack needed touched up. I'm running low on solid core wire and was forced to use this stranded and I really don't like it.

 

[Fingolfen]

I'm the same way...

At this point I'm torn as to which is my favorite. I really like the Triangle and the '73 Gilmour Ram's head a lot. The Violet Ram's head is great too. I ended up liking the Civil War when I got the right ex-USSR diodes for it as well.

 

[cdwillis]

I'm partial to the Triangle style circuits I've built with the 390k/82k/560pf/47nf values in the first three stages. I made a clone of a Shin-ei (I think) varient that was more standard Rams head values with 47nf clipping caps that sounded badass too. I need to breadboard that 47 Rams Head and see how it sounds.

I forgot to add I used bc549c transistors, all between 500-600ish HFE. Oh, and that white plastic washer on the stompswitch has gotta go lol. I need to find a metal washer.

 

[szukalski]

@jjjimi84 speaks the truth and the way. Label yo’ pedals!

You’re giving me muff vibes. I need to get some vero out.. any recommendations on a fav to start with?

 

[Coda]

Very nice. I found the '73 #3 to be very similar to the Violet, but smoother. The Ram's Head circuits from 1973 are some of the more interesting versions of the circuit...

 

[cdwillis]

Coda, it's definitely smoother than the Violet V1 I built with the 470pf caps, but the Violet V2 with the 560pf caps is a little smoother than this one. The 39k resistors in the tone stack and the 560pf caps really smoothed it out. I go back and forth on whether I like the smoother tone vs the crispier tone. Seems like 470pf caps pair up really nicely with the 47nf clipping caps to poke out some highs when you have a thick low end like in the Russians.

Szukalski, definitely check out the Violet V1, this one:




The Dope Priest is another really cool one. It's more midrangey than you'd expect from a muff style circuit.

 

[Dan0h]

It’s staring to get colder outside. Time for the Muffs!

 

[cdwillis]

It’s staring to get colder outside. Time for the Muffs!

We had some flurries the day before Halloween and coincidentally two new muff pcbs showed up in my mailbox that same day.

 

[Bret608]

Nice! I recently did the 1973 #18 from his website, and I can see the potential for going down the rabbit hole with these.

 

[ICTRock]

Coda, it's definitely smoother than the Violet V1 I built with the 470pf caps, but the Violet V2 with the 560pf caps is a little smoother than this one. The 39k resistors in the tone stack and the 560pf caps really smoothed it out. I go back and forth on whether I like the smoother tone vs the crispier tone. Seems like 470pf caps pair up really nicely with the 47nf clipping caps to poke out some highs when you have a thick low end like in the Russians.

Szukalski, definitely check out the Violet V1, this one:

View attachment 33570


The Dope Priest is another really cool one. It's more midrangey than you'd expect from a muff style circuit.

View attachment 33571

#4 is my favorite version, just a hair more gain

 

[Erik S]

I have just barely dipped my toe in the Muff rabbit hole, but I’m pretty smitten with the Shika / Hizumitas right now. Question for the real aficionados - is that similar to anything in the official muff catalog? Or maybe, if I like that, any advice on the next variant I should try?

 

[cdwillis]

I have just barely dipped my toe in the Muff rabbit hole, but I’m pretty smitten with the Shika / Hizumitas right now. Question for the real aficionados - is that similar to anything in the official muff catalog? Or maybe, if I like that, any advice on the next variant I should try?

That one is really close to the Hizumitas. It's my favorite triangle variant I've built on the breadboard. I think I used bc549c transistors at the time. Its massive. The Elk schematic that the Hizumitas was based on is on the Kit Rae page too, but the tone control on the hizumitas is different.

 

[Coda]

View attachment 59691

That one is really close to the Hizumitas. It's my favorite triangle variant I've built on the breadboard. I think I used bc549c transistors at the time. Its massive. The Elk schematic that the Hizumitas was based on is on the Kit Rae page too, but the tone control on the hizumitas is different.

I built my version of this with a toggle to switch over to Elk mode. It’s really only usable in one setting, but it’s really good…

 

[Erik S]

View attachment 59691

That one is really close to the Hizumitas. It's my favorite triangle variant I've built on the breadboard. I think I used bc549c transistors at the time. Its massive. The Elk schematic that the Hizumitas was based on is on the Kit Rae page too, but the tone control on the hizumitas is different.

Thanks! I hope to get deeper into some breadboarding this winter. Just bookmarked this one.

 

[Erik S]

I built my version of this with a toggle to switch over to Elk mode. It’s really only usable in one setting, but it’s really good…

Even if it was totally unusable, I think it’d be worth it just to have a switch labelled “Elk Mode”.

 

[Coda]

Even if it was totally unusable, I think it’d be worth it just to have a switch labelled “Elk Mode”.

As long as you crank the tone 100% to the treble side. That’s the magic…as you get more trebly, the bass doesn’t go away. It’s incredibly scooped, but great. Try boosting it with a DS-1…