The Big Muff from Electro Harmonix is one of the most iconic pedals in guitar pedal history.
The pedal was designed in 1969 by Bob Myers and Mike Matthews and now has many different versions. In the overview below a brief history of the pedal is presented. Not all versions of the pedal are included here, which is impossible. Furthermore, the exact year of some pedals can no longer be found. The year that the pedal was published according to most connoisseurs has been chosen. The success of the Muff was in the special sound, but also in the reliability and price/quality ratio.
Axis Fuzz was the founder of the Big Muff
The Axis Fuzz, a predecessor to the Big Muff, was made by Mike Matthews for other companies in the mid-1960s. In 1967 he built the pedal for Guild, which it de Foxey Lady mentioned. The circuit of this pedal is based on two transistors. Later that became four, as in an original Muff.
Electro Harmonix was founded in 1968
Keyboardist Mike Matthews founded Electro-Harmonix in 1968. The first pedal made was the Linear power booster. One of EHX’s best-known pedals is the Big Muff, along with the Memory Man. The first version of the Muff appeared in 1969, it was not until 1971 that the Muff was sold. The name of the pedal ‘Muff’, according to Mike Matthews, is an abbreviation of “muffled” – which means muffled. That is special because the sound of a Muff cannot be called muted in the slightest.
A brief history
A Brief History of the Big Muff (text infographic in Dutch)
1969 – Muff Fuzz
The Muff Fuzz is a simple fuzz whose circuit is based on only two transistors (similar to a Fuzz Face). The pedal is housed in the same compact box as the LPB-1 (Linear Power Booster).
1969 – Big Muff Pi (V1)
This is the very first version of the iconic pedal. This version is also known as the Triangle Big Muff. The pedal was designed by Bob Myer and Mike Matthews. It is a completely original design and is therefore not a copy of an existing circuit.
70s
The Muff was further developed in the 1970s and had no fewer than 6 different versions, including the well-known Ram’s Head. The pedal became popular and many guitarists started using it. David Gilmour and Carlos Santana were the first known Muff users.
1971 – Little Muff Pi
The transistorized version of the Muff Fuzz, but now in a standard size pedal. Later, Electro Harmonix modified the circuit by replacing the transistors with an op-amp.
1973 – Big Muff Pi (V2)
The well-known and infamous Ram’s Head version of the pedal. This is the first version with the well-known ’47’ circuit.
1976 – Big Muff Pi (V3)
The third version of the Muff was released and the Little Muff Pi was also released in the same year. This is an op-amp version of the little Muff Pi, originally from 1971. A 1-button version, the Little Big Muff, was also released that year. It was a version with transistors.
1978 – Big Muff Pi V4 en V5
EHX released two versions this year where you can turn off the EQ part (tone bypass). In both cases these were op-amp versions. An op-amp version of the Little Big Muff Pi (V4/5 circuit) was also released and the first Deluxe Big Muff Pi (EH1330) was also released.
1979 – Big Muff Pi (V6)
The following year, the sixth version of the Muff was launched. It was a transistor version with tone bypass. And in the same year, a transistor version of the Little Big Muff was also released. 1979 was also the year in which an op-amp version of the Muff Fuzz saw the light.
80s
Electro-Harmonix had to temporarily stop its activities in 1982. The 80s were therefore not a productive year for the Muff. Only a new version of the Deluxe Big Muff Pi was released in 1980. Several Muff clones were released in the 1980s. However, demand for the Muff remained at an all-time high and EHX reintroduced the pedal in the 1990s.
90s
The 90’s started with the first Russian made Muff released under the name Mike Matthews/Sovtek. This was followed by the ‘Civil War’ version and the green and black variants, all manufactured in Russia.
1990 – Mike Matthews Red Army Overdrive
In the early 90’s, 70’s Muffs were traded for a lot of money. Mike struck a deal with a production company in Saint Petersburg. However, he no longer owned the rights to the pedal and called it the ‘Mike Matthews Red Army Overdrive’ by Sovtek
1991 – Big Muff Pi (V7)
A year later a second Russian version was released, this time again under the name Big Muff. This version is also known as “Civil War” because of the blue and gray US Civil War colors.
1994 – Green Russian Big Muff Pi (V7)
1994 was the year the iconic green Russian version of the Muff was born. It concerned the so-called ‘tall font version’. The circuit of this version was identical to the previous one. A year later a 2nd version of the Green Russian was released, the bubble font version. This one had a slightly modified circuit.
1998 – Black Russian Big Muff Pi (V7)
Four years later, the circuit of the Green Russian was housed in a black box. This version is identical in sound to the green pedal. A year later, in 1999, there was a compact version of the Black Russian with a slightly modified circuit.
00s
The first reissues came on the market in the zeros and in addition versions of the muff for bass guitar, the Bass Big Muff, were released. Furthermore, the trend in which guitar pedals are becoming smaller and smaller was also introduced with the Muff with the introduction of the Nano series.
2000 – Big Muff Pi USA reissue V9
In 2000 the production of the pedal was brought back to the USA (Long Island – New York). The first pedal EHX made in New York was this USA version.
2001 – Double Muff
A year later, in 2001, the Double Muff was launched. That was actually two Muff Fuzz circuits from 1969 but in one pedal.
2006 – Little Big Muff Pi (V10)
Five years later, the first compact version of the Muff was released, the Little Big Muff.
2007 – Big Muff Pi USA reissue V9
In 2007 and 2008 there were some minor changes to the track, known as Revision B and Revision C.
2008 – Bass Big Muff Pi V11
The first bass guitar version of the pedal came out in 2008. The pedal is based on the Green Russian and the Muffs from the 1970s and has extra tone control. In terms of sound, this version most resembles a Sovtek.
2008 – Nano Muff Overdrive
Electro Harmonix released this ultra compact Nano reissue of the 1969 Muff Fuzz / Little Muff Pi in 2008.
2009 – Tone Wicker Big Muff Pi V12
In this version there is an option with which you can remove the tone control from the circuit and also a Tone Wicker with which you make the sound a bit ’rounder’.
10s
In the 10s of this century, the trend of ever smaller pedals continued and the Nano range expanded considerably. There were several reissues of iconic pedals, such as the Nano Green Russian, the Nano Ram’s Head and the Nano Triangle. In addition, there was a reissue of the legendary op-amp Muff from 1978, the pedal used to record Siamese Dreams by The Smashing Pumpkins.
2010 – Germanium 4 Big Muff Pi V13
This is an expanded version of the Muff that consists of separate overdrive and distortion sections. The circuit of the pedal uses Germanium transistors.
2010 – Nano Double Muff
This is a compact pedal consisting of two original Muff Fuzz circuits. You can use either one Muff or two Muffs for a complete over-the-top overdrive.
2013 – Deluxe Bass Big Muff
Based on V11 from the Bass Big Muff circuit. It has slightly less gain and more mid than a Green Russian. In addition, there is a boost/cut switch and various other features.
2014 – Deluxe Big Muff Pi
This is perhaps the most versatile Muff pedals. The pedal has an extended mid-section that allows you to color in the fuzz to your liking and ensure you can be heard through the mix.
2017 – Nano Green Russian en Nano Op-amp Big Muff
In 2017, EHX released two reissues in compact nano dimensions. The circuit of the nano Green Russian is based on the ‘tall font’ Green Russian, which again has the same circuit as the ‘Civil War’. The nano op-amp is a reissue of the little Big Muff Pi Op-amp from 1978.
2018 – Triangle Big Muff
The nano series continued in 2018 with a compact reissue of the very first Muff V1 from 1969. The pedal was released in honor of the 50th anniversary of Electro Harmonix.
2019 – Ram’s Head reissue
The nano version of the second version of the Muff from 1973, also known as Ram’s Head, is the last reissue in the nano series for now.