Few guitar pedals have a sound you can name in two words. The Big Muff Pi is one of them. Plug one in, turn the Sustain knob past noon and a guitar turns into a thick, singing wall of fuzz that seems to hang in the air. Electro-Harmonix (EHX) has been building it in New York since 1969, and it remains the pedal the company is best known for.
Here is what the Big Muff is, where it came from, which version to buy and where to find one.
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What it is
The current Big Muff Pi is an all-analog fuzz, distortion and sustainer in a big silver box. It has three knobs. Volume sets the output level, Tone sweeps from deep bass to high treble, and Sustain sets how much fuzz and sustain you get. A single footswitch turns it on and off with true bypass, so your signal passes straight through when the pedal is off.
It runs on a nine-volt battery, which comes in the box, or an optional 9.6 volt adapter. The enclosure measures about 5.5 by 6.9 inches, which is large by modern pedalboard standards. That size is part of the look, with the red logo and the curling pi symbol that guitarists have recognized for decades.
The sound is the reason it never went away. EHX describes it as rich, creamy and violin-like sustain, and that is a fair way to put it. Where many fuzz pedals sound spitty or brittle, the Big Muff is smooth and huge, with a slightly scooped middle that makes chords sound enormous and lead notes ring out for a long time.
Where it came from
Mike Matthews founded Electro-Harmonix in 1968, and its first product was the LPB-1 Linear Power Booster, a little box that pushed an amplifier into overdrive at a time when amps were built to stay clean. According to the EHX story on the company's own site, the Big Muff Pi followed just one year later, in 1969.
Matthews tells a great story about the launch. He took the first units to Henry Goldrich at Manny's Music on West 48th Street in New York City. About a week later, Goldrich called out to him that he had sold one of the new Big Muffs to Jimi Hendrix. Shortly after, Matthews saw the pedal on the floor at one of Hendrix's recording sessions, plugged into his amp.
From there the list of players reads like a history of rock guitar. EHX names David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, Ernie Isley of the Isley Brothers, Carlos Santana, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. and Jack White of the White Stripes among its best-known users.
The circuit changed many times over the years, which is why collectors talk about versions. In the early 1990s, when Matthews noticed his 1970s pedals selling for big markups on the vintage market, he restarted the line by having the Big Muff built at a factory in St. Petersburg, Russia. Production of the classic pedals later returned to New York City, where EHX builds them today.
Which version to buy
Because original pedals now sell for a lot on the used market, EHX has reissued several of the famous versions. Five are worth knowing.
- Big Muff Pi. The New York City original in its full-size box. This is the one to buy if you want the classic look and sound.
- Nano Big Muff Pi. EHX says it works and sounds identical to the classic Big Muff, in a much smaller enclosure. Pick this one if pedalboard space matters.
- Triangle Big Muff Pi. A re-creation of the original Version 1 circuit from around 1969, named for the triangle layout of its knobs. EHX reissued it for its 50th anniversary.
- Ram's Head Big Muff Pi. A re-creation of the Version 2 Violet Ram's Head, prized for its string separation and long sustain.
- Op-Amp Big Muff Pi. A reissue of the late 1970s version that uses op-amps (operational amplifier chips) instead of transistors and three gain stages instead of four. EHX says Billy Corgan first used it on the Smashing Pumpkins album Siamese Dream in 1993. It adds a Tone Bypass switch.
There is also the Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker, which adds two switches. Wicker opens up three high-frequency filters for a raspier fuzz, and Tone removes the tone control entirely for a full-range blast. Switch Wicker off and Tone on and you are back to the classic sound.
The honest advice is simple. If you want the sound on countless rock and shoegaze records, buy the standard Big Muff or the Nano. If you play heavy rhythm parts and love 1990s alternative rock, the Op-Amp is the one. If you like to tweak, the Tone Wicker gives you the most range.
Getting the most from it
Start with Volume around noon, Tone at noon and Sustain at about two o'clock, then adjust. Turning Tone down makes the fuzz darker and smoother, while turning it up adds bite. The Big Muff sits well in front of a clean amp and pairs nicely with time-based pedals after it, such as the tape-style echo of the Roland RE-201 Space Echo or a lo-fi effect like the Meris Ottobit X. If you want a gentler drive to stack with it, see our look at the EarthQuaker Devices Plumes.
Where to buy
EHX sells every Big Muff through its own site, which also lists dealers, starting with the Big Muff Pi product page. You can also pick up the classic Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi or the Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker. Check current pricing before you order, since it changes often.
Building out a home rig around it? Our home studio starter gear guide covers the rest. More in our home studio hub.
