messing with the muff

[bass sic]

So I modded my Muff today. I did the tone control bypass and also the first stage diode bypass. Both switchable too I can bring it back to normal.

Pretty easy mod actually, and so far in the ten minutes Ive played with it it sounds good.
Now I need to figure out which to do next. Just experimenting is all.

[bass sic]

I also picked up some yellow chicken head knobs for it but they are the wrong pole size.

[Hemisaurus]

An input cap mod, a la Supercollider would be an easy one.

[bass sic]

I notice a slight difference with the 1st stage diodes out, but this is only at low volume thru a small fender amp. The tone mod is pretty noticeable. Wow, big sound. I need to try it with my bass rig now.

[moose23]

You'll quite a difference on the first stage diode lift on a bigger amp, usually a bit cleaner and bassier like almost a clean blend effect.

[dunwichamps]

the input shelving filter Hemi suggested would be nice, tighten up or loosen the clipping quality .

[bass sic]

Yea I'm gonna look into that one.

[Fuhgawz]

You should do the mids pot as described here:
http://rkerkhof.ruhosting.nl/Taas/Mods/Big%20Muff.htm

You replace one 3n9 cap with a 22n and one 22k resistor with a 25k LOG pot and 2k7 resistor in series. Makes the Muff way more versatile and useable. You can also use a 10k pot instead of 25k so it goes from scooped to flat, if you are not interested in boosted mids.

Adding a DC jack would also be on my list of mods to the black russian Muff.

[dunwichamps]

I would love to experiment with a full bax stack driven by a emitter follower circuit with a higher gain recovery stage instead of the usual tone stack

[Hemisaurus]

and then make it with tubes

[dunwichamps]

and then make it with tubes

thats called The Wizard but theres no diodes in signal path.

har har hemi

[bass sic]

Whoa, you fuckers just started talking chinease to me. I'll stick with my simple diode and maybe cap change.

[chille01]

Just did a bunch of Muff mods last month. Biggest noticeable changes were the first stage diodes, the tone bypass, and surprisingly the transistor mod. Replacing those, even mixing a few different values had a big effect on how tight or splatty the distortion was. Combined with the right filter caps it's very satisfying. I basically socketed everything so I could swap values in any combination until I found what I liked.

[Fuhgawz]

Just did a bunch of Muff mods last month. Biggest noticeable changes were the first stage diodes, the tone bypass, and surprisingly the transistor mod. Replacing those, even mixing a few different values had a big effect on how tight or splatty the distortion was. Combined with the right filter caps it's very satisfying. I basically socketed everything so I could swap values in any combination until I found what I liked.

Care to share what exactly you liked?

[bass sic]

I've had a chance to play with mine thru my bass rig, not diggin that too much. But I've never been big into effects on my bass. As for guitar, this thing slays now. I keep A/Bing it and it's def worth the 40 minutes I have into it. Going to do the input cap mod maybe tomorrow night at work if it's slow.

[chille01]

Just did a bunch of Muff mods last month. Biggest noticeable changes were the first stage diodes, the tone bypass, and surprisingly the transistor mod. Replacing those, even mixing a few different values had a big effect on how tight or splatty the distortion was. Combined with the right filter caps it's very satisfying. I basically socketed everything so I could swap values in any combination until I found what I liked.

Care to share what exactly you liked?

Sure... I'll dig up my notes that I took during the process and get back to you.

[The Riffer]

For bass:
Lower the input resistor, lowers overall gain, and increases headroom.
Change input/output caps to something like 10uf.
Experiment with coupling caps, these along with the clipping caps determine the overall "wooliness" or "raspyness" of the circuit. Bigger caps move the clipping and frequency range down to lower notes. Also, the 3 small ceramic caps on the transistor stages will determine how "dark" the sound is.
The limiting resistor in front of each transistor will regulate the "gainyness" of that clipping section. Experiment with those to get your preferred level of gain and girth. Higher values give more gain, but also thin out and loose what to me is the "heaviness" of the circuit..if your idea of heavy is gain, then bump these up.

Different clipping diodes will give different levels of  distortion, and can change the sound quite a bit.

I know it's a debatable subject and most cats disagree, but with carefully chosen values, a big muff can be lethal on bass, losing ZERO lowend. A little fuzz goes a long way with bass, especially when you tune the muff to clip lownotes instead of the typical guitar range.

I tweeked all of these values for the Pharaoh making it much less gainy in some places and more in others than any version stock muff. And it KILLS on bass.
For guitar,If you want a great way to fatten and drive your amp, try degaining the circuit, makes a great midgain pusher.

There is alot to be found in BMP, not all good, but socket the fuck out of your PCB and find what works for your particular needs.

[Glitchyghost]

The Muff  is such a fun circuit to mod.   You can also try putting that diode switch on a 1M pot, instead of just switching them in/out completely.  Personally, I find the diode thing shines the best for bass guitar.  Turns the Muff into more of a bass OD.

Where are you getting your mod info from?

[Fuhgawz]

This might also be useful: www.kitrae.net/music/big_muff_guts.html