Green Russian Big Muff- What's all the fuzz?

This week we take a look at Joe's personal collection of Russian Muff Pedals and compare it to the re-issue Electro Harmonix Green Russian Big Muff Pi.
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[@jacktowers7533]

Best way to describe the difference between US muffs and Sovtek muffs is think of the Classic muff as a lean trimmed down man with crazy hair but no body hair, think off the Sovtek as a burly bald psychopath with a lot of hair on his chest

[@TheErikrust]

I think you've just sold me on one......

[@zplapplap]

Jack Towers Underrated comment.

[@justaridemotovlogs9282]

I’ll take the bear

[@VesiustheBoneCruncher]

So, Guile vs Zangief.

[@TheBlueskyson]

JT. you've successfully described yanks and rusky's to a tee.

[@shamone23]

Guys. The russian word on the russian muff is not over-drave. It's "russified" overdrive, but spelled phonetically (Russian is written phonetically). Imagine the word overdrive in a russian accent - OU-ver_drAAIV.

[@DeeKeyLP]

it's O - VER - DRAYV haha

[@Ginanity]

Playing starts 7:33

[@Grinfas]

Thank you!!!!!!!

[@rodneyfrothingham2579]

Glad a comparison with actual Sovtek big boxes was done. I have 4 originals CW - Black Russians. The CW isn’t as compressed and it has a much more open and complex sound. It also stacks better with other boosts. The frequency cut-off filtering for each pair of diodes is higher and gives the bass more wool/fuzz plus the limiting resistance is higher and lets less signal through from 1st to 2nd gain stages. Generally has lots of harmonic distortion and more ‘open’ and articulate. The reissue is really bass heavy in this comparison and has a boxy quality to my ears. The price difference and enclosure size are pluses w/the RI.

[@alontzchori8744]

I have a PRS and I've been looking for someone who used a big muff and a prs for a reference. This video was absolutely perfect, thank you.

[@guillaumedube5230]

Thanks for the detailed review, that helped a lot. Glad to see that the re-issue fits my needs for the ''non-collector'' budget ! Cheers guys.

[@johnpkorb2112]

Trust your ears and watch your budget. Some of those old fuzzes Hendrix used his tech guy (Meyers or something) fiddled with the innards and Jimi just said "I like that one." I also know a pro named Boulware who worked with Tom Petty and an encyclopedia of famous artists and his fav is the TS9. Pretty much everything since the TS9 is some variation of a TS9 and they can still be got for cheap.

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

Love the tone of the new one at a FRACTION of the cost... i`m sold on it.

[@shamone23]

Thanks for this video guys. It's made it clear to me that the small russian muff is at least as good as, nay - better than the others (for me) - and at £75 very well priced.

[@harryemmott8597]

Indeed! Mike Matthews outdid himself here. And the old units have a habit of breaking. Absolute no brainer frankly.

[@SimAlex20000]

oh, man, the small green russian pi sounds exquisite. to me, it sounds absolutely massive.

[@lloydland]

I have to say I don't like the reissue as much, though it doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as the classic. My favorites ranked: Green Russian Tall Font, Bubble Font, Reissue, and then the classic sucks $h!t in last place. Just my preference.

[@ak2112]

Good comparison. I had a black bubble font big box for years. Loved it. I picked up a Nano Bass Big Muff a few years ago that sounded EXACTLY like it but with good bypass so I sold the big box.

[@pCeLobster]

The reissue is so god damn good. What a victory for EHX.

[@Atomic_Johnny]

It's really not. The Op Amp, Tri, and Rams head are fantastic. The green reissue is a huge let down and doesn't sound like the OG

[@CC-fi3pp]

It's really not, every boutique company has made a better Russian muff.

[@80-s_Rock]

Ty for the demo guys! always wanted to hear what it sounds like with a bush riff

[@80-s_Rock]

I gave the vid a like😉

[@setphaser]

when i bought my muff in the late nineties, i had a choice between the two, and i liked the crisper unruliness of the silver. but over years of playing it, yes i’d wish i’d bought the green one for more clarity and control. one of my fave things still is a muff losing its batteries... heaven. but... i do like a bit of bite, i reckon, having both is the only way to be happy! i do think the tone control on the new green isn’t doing as well as the others.

[@spookyfingers]

Listening to actual songs featuring big muff pedals from my youth < repeatedly watching videos of guys on youtube discuss the minute details/variances in multiple big muff models.

[@K_Gray]

I had the black Russian version. First pedal I purchased. Unfortunately it died in a basement flood :(. I miss it so much.

[@macca4prez1]

Best review of anything ever!!! And Big Muffs…

[@MichaelJ023]

I really liked this comparison. I have the v1 Red Army OD, and the Bubble font Russian Big Muff. I prefer the Green Russian as it just sounds balanced and full. The Red Army is closer to the classic Muff from the 70s. It’s tricky to get a good tone out of it. You have to lower the distortion and tone a bit to find a sweet spot.

[@lesfrithdidier2745]

Good demo! I love my ehx green russian muff (reissue) ! Great for stoners music👍.

[@iplayloud2]

If they sound different, it's not only because of component tolerances. Schematics show a bunch of different component values.

[@nojuanatall3281]

i have got the V7D Big box black russian with chicken head knobs. so it was right before the smaller enclosures. Same board as the Green Russian. Best fuzz ever!!!!!

[@harryemmott8597]

What amazes me is the degree to which people can "cork-sniff" about fuzz; an effect that is supposed to "destroy" your tone (it's meant to be an over the top effect) and sound gnarly... I suppose they get what's coming to them when they buy a vintage unit that doesn't work, or sounds s**t because of components ageing badly. Saying all that, it's great to get a comparison between the models, so thank you, but I know what my choice is here.

[@teledunc]

I've got a black Russian one with the smaller enclosure that I bought new. It's in great shape but I wish I wouldn't have gotten rid of the wooden box, that was kind of cool.

[@jonafernal]

Highly recommend checking out the JHS muff shootout. Some great history & detail.

[@monkeyxx]

You guys did a really good job on this one, looking forward to the IC challenge

[@sld67869801]

Thanks guys! Another great Big Muff video. Looking forward to the video you all will do for the reissued Triangle.

[@benmiddleton9984]

The green Russian for the win. Just sounds better to me

[@JeremyMcCollum]

Bummed you guys didn’t stack all of them together. What’s better than a big muff? Two muffs

[@charliedflea]

Any chance ya could do all this with a bass? Preferably an active bass? And with the bass big muff? Cool vid cheers :)

[@Guitaryuga]

Best muff comparison!

[@javiceres]

Had the silver been produced for just a couple of years, it’d go for crazy money now.

[@mattg082]

Still looking myself…the reissue for the money seems close enough. But it’s not there I feel. But at the price point good enough. Been looking at many of the Greens and still can’t make my mind up. I know JHS is probably pretty good. But I really don’t want to spend Botique prices unless it’s on an original, or one that can really nail it.

[@photofriend44]

Would have been nice to see which ones the bass was going through.

[@Jack-fi7nv]

The Russian green is so much more throaty, I love it

[@lloydland]

I have a tall font Green Russian that I bought back in 92, while I was playing in High School, and it is beat to $h!t but I like it much better than my Big Muff Deluxe that I paid over twice the price for more recently.

[@fabiob.7070]

Very good overview! thank you guys! I know that I'll buy the classic one now

[@briankehew579]

Didn't actually mention, the name is Big Muff Pi (muff pie) - no one seems to notice. The Red Army came out, basically the first company to make an "old pedal" again at that point.

[@kierenmoore3236]

18:24 - Spoonman?

[@youreallygotmenow4855]

Yep, most definitely!

[@theallseeingarmpit5519]

It's a civil war muff because half is grey (confederate), and the other half blue (union).... The colors of the 2 different army's uniforms. Not the text.

[@GREENDAYSFUNKY]

Awesome video! Really liking the reissue! Which amp were you going through?

[@mattgilbert7347]

Is Muff. Is gud.

[@amrmohamed3546]

I'm turning that into a sticker and slapping it on my big muff

[@mattgilbert7347]

@@amrmohamed3546 Haha awesome! Nice to know I'm making a difference

[@monkeyxx]

GRITTY. SCOOPED. MORE. YES. BOOMY. GREEN. YES. BASS.

[@monkeyxx]

one word sentences!!!!!! 😀

[@Dreyno]

I have a bubble font I bought in the 90s. Love it. But I wouldn’t dream of paying the going prices for them. Making silly money now.

[@fnmkd3142]

Whats the darkest looking pedal called? Love that sound

[@whatabouttheearth]

To the far left? Civil War Green Russian Muff

[@whatabouttheearth]

To the far left? Civil War Green Russian Muff

[@ronaldothomejunior3702]

I think the Green Muff (the third pedal) sounds richer and deeper. It's my favourite. P. S.: beautiful PRS! :)

[@MichaelMoore-od4jz]

awesome video love the history lesson. You have any information on rams head models? Thanks

[@TheBlueskyson]

Thx gents. How do i quieten the pick up buzz when muff distortion pedal is on? ty 4 vid

[@robertcrystals]

FUCK YEAH ROCK HOBBITS

[@markferguson3745]

Def one of the best Muff variants, phat harmonic content, and some decent gain range.Gotta note, however, there's a hundred better versions out there these days.Cheap & cheerful,though.

[@Cguy7]

Try not to use so much reverb in your clean next time. Also helps to try single coils. 👍🏾

[@roeletti]

They use single coils...check the whole video ;)

[@danhaggarty2178]

Did you leave the reverb off in your comprehensive and entertaining hi res overview of Russian Big Muffs?

[@088Noir]

Tkx for the bush riff 🤟

[@Gyroscopicnightmare]

great video guys cheers

[@tideslider664]

I have a rams head works great

[@guytori9330]

Emuff is Emuff, I need to get me one

[@gaborkun7290]

Guys, you do a good job and it is clear that you have knowledge and love for these pedals. On the other hand, please work on your articulation and do not half-finish your sentences. There are many foreign people watching these videos. I would love to see new talents in the guitar demo world and you are promising ones. Cheers :)

[@timscarrow9151]

Classic "smoke on the scratch fever".

[@arturoalvarez_music]

That's a fine PRS!

[@akinyavuz9469]

great video

[@jobckts682]

Is he a few years off? I thought 90s had Black yellow Russian Muff. This is Pre OP amp green. 73'?

[@W_H_K]

Jo Bckts opamp was only 1977-78

[@brians3948]

Good stuff joe!

[@justaridemotovlogs9282]

You don’t need to know much about muffs to get down. Stick it in, press it down, and rock n roll

[@hendrix923]

I got a Nano Muff to add just a touch of fuzz to my clean channel. HAHA that pedal wants nothing to do with that, its wants to explode and shatter the windows in ur house! Fun pedal tho.

[@PedalScience]

Nice vid!

[@이현재-w6h]

Good job people

[@LewWelchThePoet]

👍🏿🤘

[@TheRealcdawg22]

Hey guys. You need to run each of them through a loop pedal. You are dealing with potentially different input impedances. Running them in series is less-than-scientific.

[@ZachScruggs]

Exactly. No true bypass? No true comparison.

[@nycLPplayer]

Wow the little one nails the bubble font. They did a great job.

[@rareform6747]

Fast Forward ....

[@tideslider664]

Is it really made in Russia

[@dannyv.6358]

I may have missed it, but does the reissues come with a wooden box??

[@W_H_K]

Danny V. For most of Sovtek production they came in wood boxes, yes. Then for a while cardboard boxes and then they stopped production altogether. The American version has mostly come in cardboard boxes but also done wooden boxes for a while too.

[@fnmkd3142]

Whats the darkest bigmuff called? That thing is evil

[@taylorelsner6332]

Whole lotta muff

[@Animalmasks]

Вы еще компрессоры не слышали такие как Molot vst

[@88DirtMax88]

Get Putin on the phone! hahaha

[@ThaRealChuckD]

Those two green pedals dont sound the same. That guy doesn't know what he is talking about. Listen to the stuttering decay on old green pedal. Its smooth on the smaller new one.

[@zplapplap]

Nobody in that video said they sounded the same. Those are your words. You’ve ascribed that fiction to “That guy”, whoever that is. Here’s what was said in comparing the reissue green Russian to the model it was based upon. “They’re quite similar” and “Same ballpark.” Both are correct. It’s clear that the reissue captured the defining sonic attributes of the model.

[@samuelmerrin9109]

No bass... That's sad

[@Grinfas]

Just play the dang pedal man!!!!!

[@neoaureus]

I dont understand that banter in the beginning...! doesnt take sustain for nothing ???? Mathews wants sustain ??

[@m.f.3347]

They said "it doesn't say 'sustain' for nothing", because one of the knobs is labelled "sustain", which controls the amount of fuzz/compression.

[@neoaureus]

Malek F. ...yes thanks....btw my EHX Green Russian BMPi just arrived yesterday... And oh boy ! The sustain works...my pedals and my Strat went from 0 to 11 ...in a second...amazing .

[@regortex3364]

Had an original tall font and bubble font, got rid of both. They do look cool, but soooooo overrated.

[@exitostropicales101]

bla bla bla, too much talking