Difference between green Big Muff reissue and black BM reissue?

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9/5/2000 3:21 PM

Humbucker

Difference between green Big Muff reissue and black BM reissue? I was wondering if there's any difference between the green Big Muff Pi reissue from a couple of years ago and the newer black with yellow lettering reissue Big Muffs out now? Is it just cosmetic or do the two pedals sound different in any way, and which is better? I used to own the big green reissue, I thought that the sound was ok but nothing too special, I found that the jacks, footswitch and knobs were rather cheap and flimsy. Are the new black ones an improvement over the green ones?

 

9/5/2000 5:20 PM

Pauley

I've never seen inside a black reissue, but I have a green one. The one thing I can comment on is that the green ones have red 0.1uF coupling caps that really sound very good which I've heard other people say they don't have in theirs.     The biggest thing is that you change out the 4 components that make the tone stack to be the "correct" values on the reissues. I did this to my green one, and it sounded 100x better. I thought it was muddy before but it cleaned the sound right up.

 

9/5/2000 5:49 PM

Greg

Pauley? Pauley, I was curious what four components make the tone stack the correct values. Do you have an article saved. Or remember off the top of you head?     Well, I haven't tried the new black ones but I've had my muff modded a few years back by Jeff Doucette, I'm sure you've heard of him the guy who now makes the creamy dreamer. My 2nd issue reissue sovtek green muff does sound alot better but still is missing alot of bass. Does any one know if I can switch out some transistors or change the pot, or some caps?     it still sounds nothing like my 1st reissue green muff in the much thicker and heavier heavy duty green enclosure. At volume on 2.5 this thing has so much punch. It takes my second reissue muff at volume 7 to even compare to the volume of my first reissue. If you find one of these they sound great, very organic, and loud, a huge difference between the reissues and rare to find.     Greg

 

9/5/2000 6:22 PM

Pauley

quote: "Pauley, I was curious what four components make the tone stack the correct values. Do you have an article saved. Or remember off the top of you head?"     Ok, look at the BMP (Transistor version) on Aron's page. The 4 components are around the Tone control, the 39k/0.01uF and 0.004uF/100k pairs. I didn't take the time to measure what was in the reissue to start with but they used ceramic capacitors which stole some high end.     What I did was replace all 4 parts but used polyester film capacitors. Its really not that complicated. Hardest part is tracing out the layout to figure out which 4 components on the PCB are the right ones.     I will say this though: I used the values from Jack Orman's NPN BMP schematic, which isn't available for free anymore. I can't recall if his values matched R.G.'s original schematic (the one on Aron's page).     quote: "it still sounds nothing like my 1st reissue green muff in the much thicker and heavier heavy duty green enclosure."     I know I have the first style reissue, but whats the difference between 1st and 2nd? different box? 1st ones are easy to spot cause they'll be missing at least half their paint.     I'll guess that your 2nd issue doesn't have those red caps then. Check it out when you get to the modding.

 

9/5/2000 6:36 PM
Ry	In all the descriptions of the 1st reissue I have never heard mention of the white 'block' capacitors that are in mine. they look like little chunks of tofu on wires. There are no markings whatsoever on them.     I have always hated the sound of the pedal and plan on modding it soon.     just a random note,     Ry

 

9/5/2000 8:46 PM

Pauley

quote: "white 'block' capacitors that are in mine. they look like little chunks of tofu on wires."     Those might be the old style poly film caps if they're big. I've seen them like that in my Maestro Phaser, but they were marked with black text on the top. If they're small (body about the same volume as 1/4watt resistor) then they're probably monolithic ceramic.     As for the sound, replace all of the caps with the "correct" values from the schematic in ceramic. Use known poly film caps for the tone stack.     I'd really recommend just changing caps first and then go from there with further mods if you don't like the sound after that.

 

9/5/2000 7:54 PM

Greg

Great, I'll try replacing those 4 components. I'll see if mine has those red caps.     Also you ask what the difference is between the the two green reissues? Well, better components, powerfull sound, twice the bass, more durable, and more tone dynamics in the first reissue.     That's kindoff what I'm trieng to modd with my other muff. I remember jeff doucette on his page Sustain Punch, had a decription of the different transistors each version of the EH muffs had as well as sound characteristics (ex. smoother, more bass). I wonder if anyone could help me out? Which transistors?     I don't mind losing a little distortion in order to get more bass.     Thanks   Greg

 

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