Fuzz Pharaoh and Big Muff NYC

[leokula]

Hey there fuzz kings

I've been using a big muff NYC as my only dirt box since forever. I've been through a recording session where I had trouble getting a good sound out of it with a clean 15w tube amp and a JMJM. I was able to dial in nice sounds in the end, but the experience left me wanting more options in the future.

I was interested in the Fuzz Pharaoh ever since I first heard a demo, but thought it wasn't different enough from the big muff to justify getting such an expensive pedal.

Is anybody experienced with both these pedals to tell me about what the Fuzz Pharaoh would do to me that the big muff nyc doesn't already do?

[MechaBulletBill]

The pharaoh is based on a sovtek muff I think? (maybe other versions vary) but basically every muff made before the EHX reissues sounds better. People like extra tweaking on muffs (extra EQ control, diode options, etc.) and the Pharaoh is pretty well regarded by most people that have tried them. I haven't had the pleasure of trying a Pharaoh, but you can't ignore how much people dig them for guitar and bass.

[Shadoweclipse13]

basically every muff made before the EHX reissues sounds better.

This. I don't get along with muffs myself, though I love the sound, but it sounds like you need something with a mids switch. The only muff I had that I could almost work with was a Vick Audio Triangle which did sound good, and it's secret was the 3-way mids switch. The EHX BMP with Tone Wicker does the same thing, but I can't attest to that one personally. There's a huge world of other fuzz that I am myself finding lately, and I think a Tone Bender family fuzz is where I want to be. Fuzz is great, but for me, a good overdrive that can fuzz out at higher gain settings is perfect.

[MuffFuzz]

You know what's a great Muff? That new Way Huge Russian Pickle. Omg, does this thing slay. It's a faithful reproduction of the Tall Font Green Russians. It has a nice mid range which is always useful. The bass is tight and doesn't get flabby like the NYC Muffs, it also has the best tone knob I have ever heard on a Muff. The knob is usable throughout the entire sweep.

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[leokula]

Thank you all for the input. I'm not sure it's a good complementary fuzz for me. More options, yeah, but it seems to even have less gain, which turns me off a little bit.

I'm considering taking a Boss Hyper Fuzz, had one way before I have a big muff and I really liked it. In searching for univox superfuzz clones, I read the mode 1 is definitly in that area.

Mode 2 sounds a little like the big muff, would like to know how much tho... anybody has both and could chime in?

The recently released Deluxe Big Muff by EHX looks so awesome with all the additional mid options, but I don't like the idea that it would replace my dear old big box muff.

[Mike S]

I'm considering taking a Boss Hyper Fuzz, had one way before I have a big muff and I really liked it. In searching for univox superfuzz clones, I read the mode 1 is definitly in that area.

Mode 2 sounds a little like the big muff, would like to know how much tho... anybody has both and could chime in?

I would go with a Wattson or CBC Pedals clone if you can't find an original Shin-Ei FY-6. I've played a few Super Fuzz clones and some of them just sound really off, including the Hyper Fuzz. I think they use Silicon clipping diodes instead of Germanium.

I have the Tone Wicker Big Muff and my CBC Super Fuzz is definitely a completely different animal, primarily because of the two octaves and the chimey ringing they can produce. I definitely use the Super Fuzz more and often substitute for the Big Muff with the Tone-1 setting; sometimes Tone-2 if the amp is overdriven since it can produce some some really awful high frequencies through a clean channel, especially if your guitar is out of phase.

A Big Muff is like bacon and a Super Fuzz is like pastrami. They're different, but (in my opinion) anything bacon does, pastrami does better.

[Shadoweclipse13]

I'm considering taking a Boss Hyper Fuzz, had one way before I have a big muff and I really liked it.

If you like the Hyper Fuzz, you might like the Smallsound/Bigsound Buzzz. It's very Hyper Fuzz-y with a few other really cool options. Plus, Brian is a super guy (no affiliation!)

[MechaBulletBill]

Buzzz is one of the best and most versatile fuzzes on the planet but it's not really a muff. It can do the zero-mids thing but the texture is quite different imo.

You'll have to claw my buzzz out of my calloused dead hands. One of the most expensive pedals I've ever bought but no regrets.

[CorporateDisguise]

I second going for a superfuzz clone. One of my all time favorite fuzzes, and a totally different beast all together. I really love to turn the gain way down and slam by bigmuff with it. They compliment each other wonderfully.

[Nick and the Noise]

Ah, that Mudhoney album "Superfuzz Bigmuff" anyone?

My favourite Muff is the Earthquaker Hoof. It's so versatile with the shift knob. Highly recommended.

I didn't like the Creepy Fingers clone of the Superfuzz I had. For octave fuzz sounds I switched to a Foxx Tone Machine clone, which I like a lot more. But I think the best big fuzz to complement the Muff's smoothness is a ripping Tone Bender.

[Mclean]

Muff and Pharaoh owner here.

My experience is that there's actually quite a bit of difference between a Pharaoh and a Muff. Firstly, it seems to sit in a different frequency range to most BMs- slightly less low end and way more mids. This means it sits right there in the mix.

The Pharaoh is obviously much more tweakable than a standard BM. A pleasant surprise was that is does lower gain sounds well. On the germanium setting in particular you can actually get some really nice drive sounds (it actually replaced my rat for a while). The no clipping option results in a predictably louder and less compressed sound. With the fuzz back and the volume up, it makes for really cool fuzzy boost (this setting works great into an already driven amp - unlike some BM's)

Overall, its a more 'refined' version of a big muff. Not necessarily any better or worse - certainly has more options though! For me the only thing it doesn't do it the classic BM sound (ie. scooped mids + massive low end). For this reason it didn't end up replacing my muff, but instead sits right there next to one on my board.

Hope that helps!

[Mike S]

Looking at the Black Arts Toneworks site, the Pharaoh Supreme and the Fnord look like the most interesting fuzz designs. The Pharaoh Supreme almost seems like a fuzz version of the Deucetone.

[leokula]

Hey guys, thank you all for the input. I ended up getting a behringer super fuzz sf300, which is a clone of the recently hyped and overexpensive boss fz2. It just came in the mail and this thing rips!

It sounds very different from the big muff and interacts very differently with wahs and phasers before it in the signal chain. I feel like I dont have many overlaps between them and I'll still have uses for both, one doen't replace the other. The big muff is way more dynamic and musical than the superfuzz I'm afraid, but the superfuzz gets you some "end of the world" tones that the big muff doesnt.

I think this gave me a more rich combination than having the muff and a pharaoh.