All Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pedals Compared - Fuzz Shootout

In this in-depth comparison/shootout video, Sam looks at the differences between 4 of Electro-Harmonix's most popular Big Muff pedals...the original Big Muff Pi, Little Big Muff, Nano Big Muff and the Big Muff with Tone Wicker!
It's Big Muff vs. Nano Big Muff vs. Little Big Muff Vs. Big Muff with Tone Wicker!
00:00 Electro Harmonix Big Muff Shootout
01:01 Big Muff Pi - www.pmtonline.co.uk/electro-h...
03:30 Little Big Muff Pi - www.pmtonline.co.uk/electro-h...
05:34 Nano Big Muff Pi - www.pmtonline.co.uk/electro-h...
07:18 Big Muff Pi with Tone Wicker - www.pmtonline.co.uk/electro-h...
10:18 Tone Comparison...Which Big Muff Sounds Best?
The Big Muff fuzz pedal has been shaping the tone of rock music for over 40 years, made famous by countless guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, Jack White, Kurt Cobain and many more...
Nowadays, there's quite a few different models to choose from, but which one is the best option for you? Each delivers that classic Big Muff tone, huge bottom end with biting treble and smooth sustain, but each offers slightly different advantages and disadvantages. Take a look and listen with PMTVUK, and check them out for yourself at your local Professional Music Technology...
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[@Cam_B]

just use the original big muff as a pedalboard and put pedals on top of it. simple fix.

[@shannonmitchell8515]

You're a god-like genius

[@judeodom2428]

Do you know how many mini pedal you could fit on it

[@rareform6747]

funny

[@AlfredHugecokk]

@@judeodom2428 Specialists say : PLENTY !

[@AlfredHugecokk]

Personnally. I put it on the roof of my car and put stuffs in it when I go to see my mom for a week.

[@luisg6404]

the best comparison video i've ever seen. it's great how you played a loop through all the pedals to show that there was no difference between them at the same settings. good job

[@sawriter163]

I absolute agree...

[@jacksonroscoe7653]

They made the Nano because they realized that the lil muff isn’t actually little, it’s just not a planet like the classic

[@burninglcd]

Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground. Nice.

[@JacubanGecko]

I really enjoy the clear, professional and to-the-point style of narration and review here, thanks:) Great comparison and Im thinking of getting a Wicker pedal.

[@z20000z]

This is one of the best comparison videos ever; thanks! Well thought out and very well produced. Thank you for the hard work!

[@steves7053]

Best pedal comparison video on KZbin. Well done

[@abelramirez7320]

Awesome job of explaining and demonstrating these pedals! New sub!

[@Wabin22]

Extremely great comparison, thank you very much for this :)

[@band_recording]

Great video and awesome comparison, thank you a lot for that. My favorite is definitely the Little Big Muff. I find the tone most satisfying!

[@igortikho]

Great comparison, really helpful! Thanks!

[@davidrmohr]

That's how you compare pedals! Great job. I was about to head down to my local music store to do this same comparison, now I don't have to. I just have to go buy one! Thanks.

[@spinnito]

I am a non english speaker guitarrist so this is like the first video I've ever watched from this youtube channel, and that super heavy duty battery just made my day tee hee 2:44

[@MK-tj5bf]

The best comparison! Thanks.

[@JKM395]

You missed a golden opportunity to have all four cranking at once.

[@mateusgondimrb]

Great video! Pedals very well described and demoed. I'm going with the nano!

[@davidtrueslayor7474]

Sam you rock, the way you present the info straight forward and cover a lot of ground in a sensible and clear fashion is really appreciated. I am very new to guitars and now nothing really of pedals is the company that makes this electro harmonix and good one to get all the basic pedals from or is Boss a better way to go or ???? Thanks again David

[@vonfron]

Amazing video!!! Wish every review was like this!!!!!!

[@liamreynolds2506]

5:40 feels like he's playing dead leaves and the dirty ground by the white stripes

[@madfuggindecent8963]

The Tone Wicker model is incredibly versatile. I've had mine for over a year now, and i play everything from Sludge Metal to Punk to Delta Blues. I love it so much. I do highly recommend using a noise gate when playing with the tone wicker engaged, as it does make quite a bit of noise.

[@1985cactus]

Delta blues on an electric guitar?

[@jeremiahmcghee8337]

1985cactus Think Jack White on his blues-ier tracks, especially the ones where he uses a slide and heavy distortion/fuzz like Catch Hell Blues

[@1985cactus]

@@jeremiahmcghee8337 But that's not delta blues

[@tommyg5095]

@@1985cactus So, now you have the THAT'S NOT THE DELTA BLUES BLUES".... Artists are always breaking the rules....

[@iansmiler]

I Just bought the wicker model after watching this :) Great vid - Thank you

[@bobbyberetta4206]

Fantastic demo!

[@guitarwizard1989]

I got a Big Muff pi tone wicker pedal some years back. I love it. I do want to get more though. Im building a fuzz face atm also :) Thanks for the comparison.

[@david135-6]

Good comparison. Using the loop pedal was a really smart move.

[@Brayden329]

Some company should put Clint Eastwood on a pedal and call it Dirty Hairy... I think it would sell lol.

[@AlfredHugecokk]

And then the Million Dollar Fuzz lol

[@ryanmcdermott3604]

And another one that’s called the punk

[@scottrattray5454]

I think the Tone Wicker gives a bit more versatility looks like I buying that one! Great video cheers!

[@alphanumeric1529]

Did you? Looking and listening here, I saw there was no change in the tone when the wicker's tone was all the way up, and the wicker switched from on to off, no change, implying that the top of the tone is the same as the pedal with the tone switch on. You gettin' me?

[@alphanumeric1529]

@Kye Rushton Cool!

[@ttothep1]

Scott Rattray I own the pedal. Yes the wicker boasts the high end. When you solo you can hear it. Great buy if your into 90s grunge for sure. Not sure how these others are listing to the video but if it’s over their phone then of course you miss out on tonal changes. But as a owner of the pedals I can assure you wicker boasts the high end to hear more clearly the individual notes better. Throw all the fuzz glory wicker cuts through enough to hear what’s being played. I use it only in solo other than that I like being able to control the tone.

[@stordytime]

Superb review and comparisons... 'Ive got an hour to get to the store to pick the Nano up!

[@Yupppi]

Very useful comparison video. Hard to know how up to date one is if it's not as late recorded as this one. Also having all four good options in the same having good comparisons. The thing that confused me the most is that when I had finally made the decision in my mind which sounds the best and what kind of character it has, the next comparison with different settings made them sound completely different in character and in comparison to the others. At first I liked the smoothness of the default, then I thought the clarity of the Tone Wicker was the best. The only real conclusion I came to was that Little Big Muff sounded somehow weird, losing the mojo while being too aggressive while the Nano was just too aggressive. But all of them sounded similar to default Big Muff in some comparisons, or close enough, keeping that mojo, and sometimes the Tone Wicker sounded too harsh. Such a hard decision. And here I thought this video would solidify my thought of default being my go to Muff for that smoothness and not too aggressive sound. Yet if another one keeps the mojo of default, what's the point in getting the default.

[@victorjbarker]

great demo. nice work!

[@Lukewarmrats]

Great comparison, thanks!

[@guitarrwd]

I just got a big muff with the wicker switch and it’s amazing

[@jasonpoole7073]

That tone wicker is great! From kyuss to Hendrick in a flip of a switch

[@jetaimemina]

Ah yes, the famous Joni Hendrick

[@zeke6461]

awesome demo. Now I cant decide

[@sawriter163]

best video ever great job...

[@renangoncalvesflores]

DAT battery

[@Rocanrollnene]

Great Comparison!!!

[@shannonhondo260]

They all sound great. EHX dang sure knows how to make a great pedal!!

[@DDE_ADDICT]

excellent vid

[@boynamedlen]

I was expecting some difference at the same settings but they're near identical, except for the tone wicker switches. No reason not to get the Nano since I have no need for extra switches, although I can't deny there is some charm to the giant original.

[@mstheroff]

Yeah, I'd go w/ the Nano just to save space. When they sound that close, why not?

[@superceotto4584]

The original has that charm, but I find the lil' big muff the coolest one.

[@mattgilbert7347]

I like the LIttle Big Muff into my NOS Tweed Blues Jnr. Mk.3 with an SG. I also like the new Green Russian reissue with a Strat, it's really tweakable and cuts through a mix and can do rhythm and lead tones.

[@DenisMorissetteJFK]

Thanks for not including unfunny jokes and screenshots of unrelated stuff that we see way too often in other similar videos.

[@jordionly82]

For me the best one is the Big Muff withTone Wicker, with the tone onand the wicker off.

[@adylp7818]

Any video with a Beastie Boys riff deserves a thumbs up!

[@itsliketryingtofitapowerst1860]

Expected gratitude wasnt dissapointed

[@luispelaeztores]

Little Big Muff is the best.

[@judeodom2428]

1. Big muff pi 2. Big muff pi tone wicker 3. Little Big muff pi 4. Nano big muff pi

[@kaiserwilhelmii1827]

Sam's voice is so relaxing

[@CC-fi3pp]

The OG wide boy NYC is the one for me! Iconic, simple, a fashion & tone statement, and if you want, you can easily mod it.

[@wiggledixbubsy98]

Do this again but add Green Russian, Op Amp, and Deluxe versions to the mix.

[@alphanumeric1529]

AGREE

[@pssed]

And now we have the Triangle Big Muff re-issue. A new video is a must :D

[@mike_lowndes]

yah forgot the double muff

[@jacobbrown1690]

tone wicker still wins

[@tomas_nehyba]

@@mike_lowndes And Ram's head

[@maxgreen9967]

the little big muff kills them all in a live setting. a much fuller bigger tone and sound. there need to be more attention on this circuit. i would love a dual edition of the little big muff with a boost on it.

[@Da_Mick]

I agree with many here that the presentation was clear, concise and top-notch. I was also impressed with the use of a looper for the side-by-side comparison of these pedals. You don't often get that in quite such a lab-like control situation presentation. Sorry, but my one complaint, and I suspect it's because I'm a dinosaur guitar player, is that, while Sam did an excellent job of even playing between pedals, I'd like, for once, to hear fuzz boxes demonstrated with playing styles for which they've classically been used, and to my mind are primarily used. And by that I mean NOT with chords (there are plenty of distortion and overdrive pedals available for that) but for thematic lines and leads. Would it kill presenters to play classic fuzz lines like "Satisfaction," or the thematic lead riff to "No Time," by the Guess Who, among many others, for example as that's where we've all heard great fuzz boxes used, and can therefore get a great sense of what these things sound like by comparison to something we know, instead of banging on chords for which I would never use a fuzz. Kudos for Same though for at least playing both humbuckers and single coil guitars through the boxes. But, unfortunately, he, once again, falls short by, for some reason, playing the single coils at a low fuzz level, basically rendering the demonstration as useless, for who's going to buy a fuzz box to play barely overdriven chords on a strat? As I said, there's plenty of other distortion/overdrive devices available for that. How about some classic ripping Hendrix riffs for a true ear comparison? Sorry to be a downer, but with all the good things this demo has going for it, it's frustrating to once again have the demonstrator's playing fall short of a realistic alignment with what the product would likely be used for. For some reason, I've found almost all fuzz demos to be like this. It's frustrating.

[@rollingon5566]

I bought an op amp big muff from PMT in December, it plays like a dream!

[@kevinkinnu341]

An amazing very versatile pedal

[@insidesilence132]

Love the white stripes additions

[@PingPongPix]

Fantastic comparison video 👍👍👍 Thanks for doing the demo on bass as well. I'll take the biggest & original sized one. 😀

[@LuisEduardoBraschi]

I like how the Big Muff looks like an "economy pack" pedal.

[@rkuder1991]

Was that last riff somewhat of a variation of 'Israel's Son' by Silverchair? I haven't thought about that song in years, and that totally caught me off guard.

[@wayne2150]

The big box big muff is the creamiest; and the nano big muff has the most clarity, while still having good hair to the notes. Don't even bother with the other two. I don't know why EHX bothered putting them out. All you need is the big box one and the nano. ** Also, the Green Russian big muff and Triangle Big Muff reissues are amazing! Get them!

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

I didn't think they'd sound so different. I think I like the little big muff the best. The original sounds great but the little is just a bit brighter and I can see how that could be used as your main distortion as opposed to just when you want a vintage fuzz sound. Although maybe it's just about the tweaking.

[@weeb1296]

Just to clarify, so is the pedal with the tone wicker the same as the normal big muff pedal but just with an additional adjustment?? I’m a beginner with this 😅😅

[@Cougar139tweak]

Just check out 11:08 onward .... you appear to assume correct!!

[@bassfishingwiththeantichri2921]

My first pedal was a Lil’ Big Muff I bought for $20 in 81’. I plugged it in a Roland Cube 60 with my one Hum Kramer and I was running with the Devil, off the rails on a crazy train, and buying a stairway to heaven.

[@explosionmonty]

the little big muff is from early 2006, did you have a time machine to buy one? :D

[@nhkhkm8874]

​@@explosionmontyi tot so too until i found a used 1977 Lil Big Muff listed on reverb. It's the size of a small stone and has only one volume knob and tone switch.

[@explosionmonty]

@@nhkhkm8874 oh thats an interesting info. thank you. So I made a little joke and I was wrong :D

[@b1kbrd986]

Holy Jack White!

[@TheCSpang]

I like the big ol’ original Big Muff. There’s something about it’s classic sound that stands out and makes it much more recognizable compared to the others. Of course, any of these pedals would suffice and sound great when not side-by-side.

[@lonely_.man_66]

I am the 1000 like in this video jaja, good video bro

[@misaelrocknroll69]

What about the little big muff with sustain and volume controls inverted?

[@pssed]

Can you do this again with the newly released Triangle Big Muff re-issue added to the mix?

[@shannonhondo260]

Rams Head and Op are my Favs

[@MrBikboi]

Original muff pie diver for me baby. Sounds as fuzzy as I like my 70s looking muff to be.

[@mjeffn2]

Pi, Volume pedal, delay, and Dunlop waa. I’ve wasted tones of money on pedals but only wind up using these.

[@ej88]

Tone wicker 💪

[@MetalD1e]

Hell yeah!

[@the_black_sun]

do you charge the little big muff with a 9vlt battery or does it get its power from the leads ? i just bought one and it didn’t come with the battery

[@migueltorres8078]

How do I get the Big Muff sound on GarageBand? Please help here!

[@94SexyStang]

I'm hanging onto my Wicker!....All it takes is ONE artist to feature it on their Gear Rundown....and now prices Double over night. It's happened a Bunch of times with other Fuzz pedals, and even with that Crappy BOSS distortion pedal, because "Korn" used it, and now Boss permanently Doubled the price.

[@howardkisgay3543]

The only problem with the original big muff is how fucking big it is. I wanted it but I didn’t have room so I just use the little big muff.

[@SaxJockey]

You could always put it another room via a long cable 😂. Seriously though, the design seems to be from a time before compact pedal boards, there is precious little inside that cavanous box! For that reason I chose the BMPTW for good sound, moderate size and versatility. I love the sound but hate the horrendous pop/crack when switching it on, always in fear it will kill my amp. Nobody seems to mention that, but there are lots of discussions about this issue on EHX pedals on various forums.

[@michaelm7934]

Its amazing that the ones with less paint have better tone...just like guitars!

[@jacobbrown1690]

Tone wicker all the way

[@masonangel_1]

So if I want to get the smashing pumpkins Siamese dreams sound I get the big muff Pi?

[@diepainfullyyoutube]

OP amp

[@VinnieBlues1]

The BM Pi NYC is for me... the best

[@eggman1978]

The tone wicker version is superb I can vouch for this as I have one. All versions are great though. It would of been nice to have the green Russian in the mix though

[@SaxJockey]

I have the BMPTW, yes it sounds great, but do you experience the horrendous pop/crack when turning on? I do, on two different amps; that is far from ideal. Reading various forums, EHX seem to have a problem with that issue on some pedals.

[@SirEnVo]

I found the Big Muff and Little big muff sound almost the same. The nano sounded a bit clearer (which is good and bad. I personally like more dirt so not as good for me) and The big muff wicker is just great tbh. I own the little big muff.

[@ejfields7666]

Bayley McNamee Sorry for the late reply, but I don’t think it’s the pedal’s fault. If you look closely, the sustain knob varies on each pedal.

[@luukderuijter1332]

Why does the nano muff have less bass?

[@user-cq8mp3gi4z]

Hey Sam, which would you recommend if i play stuff like Seven Nation Army, Vertigo by U2, classic Weezer and Gotta Get Away from the Black keys? I'd appreciate the input. I also saw your EH OP amp pi, nice but too pumpkins for me.

[@edrosa3485]

Doesn't the larger muff require an adapter before using a conventional 9v power supply?

[@PMTVUK]

Hi Ed, thankfully not anymore, this current version now has a standard power supply connector :-) Hope that helps - Sam

[@mark6302]

legendary devices

[@shaneruff8805]

🤘🤘

[@kyleadams1310]

Nano for me

[@frankymcdonald7176]

There is a difference but you will only be able to hear it on its own. The original one sounds wider imo

[@Poopyheaddd]

I bought both the Big Muff and the nano big muff to compare and honestly, the big muff has a better tone to it compared to the nano. The Big muff just has a cleaner fuzz sound. The thing that sucks is that the big muff is of course huge. If you’re going to put this on a pedal board you should consider if you have space and wanna throw in an extra 10 bucks or so for a cleaner sounding fuzz, get the Big Muff, if you wanna save some space I’d say get the nano or any other small muff pedal. Just my two cents

[@thebreakfastmenu]

But what kind of bear is the BMP with tone wicker? !

[@bloodswarms]

What about the tube version?

[@Cam_B]

santawna

[@superdavey69]

The nano sounds like it is a mp3 with less bandwith when you compare it of a higher quality one, tiny slight crackle, something cheap in that box, would only go the other 3, the new one with another channel for the option, no brainer

[@RabbaDooDabba]

Green Russian Big Muff all the way

[@Thurston86]

I just got a Big Muff Deluxe and I’m kinda overwhelmed(I’m a newbie) with all the sounds and knobs! I’ve been playing other pedals but the Big Muff Deluxe sounds so low and heavy!

[@justseanmusic]

It’s supposed to sound low and heavy that’s what muff is all about my friend. I had the deluxe for a while, I realised it took too much room and that I didn’t really need the extra knobs, so I’ve downgraded to tone wicker to save space. Tbh the difference between every muff out there is almost unnoticeable even to the trained ear so just find a tone you like and rock it 🤘🏻

[@TomPark1986]

"little big muff" sounds the best to me.

[@luispelaeztores]

x2

[@tigmil8116]

I think the same thing

[@ericlafond7596]

T FP a

[@felixsnow5563]

Yes

[@erichazucha645]

Go big or go home, big muff all day everyday, my favorite pedal, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it! Go with the OG pedal!

[@nickwilliams8502]

I use my original big muff as a cybertruck. Main difference is that people hear me coming.

[@paolochilardi8672]

The nano it's colse as a superfuzz in particular tone

[@gebsonsmith]

14:12 Beastie Boys ftw

[@Nomad-Rogers]

Big muff tone wicker 100% a lot more versatile.

[@thegioxd532]

I like de little big muff the most

[@wrathpsp]

Just scored a nano for £49! :D