As the Big Muff became established in the early 1970s, other manufacturers began copying and modifying the circuit. Many of the earliest examples came from Japan, but versions soon appeared in England, Italy, and elsewhere.
What makes these pedals interesting is that many were not simply copies. Manufacturers changed transistor types, capacitor values, clipping sections, gain stages, and tone sections, sometimes creating pedals with a very different character from the Big Muff that inspired them. In some cases, I feel the changes actually improved upon certain aspects of the original circuit.
Below are some of the most interesting Big Muff clones and variants I have traced and documented over the years.
MIRANO EF-1 EXCITING FUZZ
Produced in the early 1970s by the Japanese company Katayama Electric Instruments Co., the Mirano EF-1 Exciting Fuzz is one of the earliest Japanese interpretations of the Big Muff circuit.
One of the important differences is its use of low gain BC109B transistors, which contribute to the pedal's sweet and musical character. The fuzz is warm and punchy with plenty of gain, but what really sets the pedal apart is its clarity.
When playing chords, the fuzz cascades across the strings while individual notes remain surprisingly well defined. The tone control is also very balanced, with a smooth sweep across the lows and highs without becoming excessively harsh or muddy.
The result is an early Muff based circuit that goes beyond simply copying the original and establishes a character distinctly its own.
SEKOVA SE-2015 BIG MUFF
Made in Japan by Shin-Ei and distributed by Sekova, the SE-2015 was released around 1972 to 1973 and is one of the rarer Japanese interpretations of the early Big Muff.
The circuit is based on the early 1972 Triangle design but incorporates several changes that give it a very different personality.
Compared with the American Triangle circuits, the Sekova has a deeper low end and a darker, louder, more aggressive character. The high end has a sizzling, gritty quality that cuts through the fuzz without sacrificing the weight and body underneath.
Its combination of rarity and distinctive sound has made the SE-2015 one of the more sought after early Japanese Muff variants.
ACE TONE FUZZ MASTER FM-3
Released in the early 1970s, the Ace Tone Fuzz Master FM-3 is another Japanese interpretation of the Big Muff circuit, but several changes give it a character quite different from a typical Muff.
The overall tone is balanced and considerably less scooped than most Muff circuits. There is a slight sizzle underneath the fuzz, while the low end remains smooth and sits beneath the notes rather than overwhelming them.
With the fuzz turned all the way up, the circuit becomes heavily pushed with a throaty breakup. Rolling it back smooths out the fuzz while retaining that same underlying character. It also cleans up remarkably well from the guitar's volume control.
The FM-3 was one of the final pedals released by Ace Tone before the company transitioned into Roland and has become one of the rarer pedals from the Ace Tone line.
ELK SUPER FUZZ SUSTAINAR
Released around 1973, the Super Fuzz Sustainar was produced in Japan by ELK Gakki Co., also known as Electro Sound Co., and was one of the earliest Japanese interpretations of the Big Muff.
Based on the early Triangle Muff circuits, it became known for its thick, growling saturation and long sustain.
The circuit appeared under several different names throughout the 1970s, including the Super Fuzz Sustainar, Big Muff Sustainar, and Big Mag Sustainar, with versions carrying the Elk Incorporated, Electro Sound Co., and ELK Gakki Co. names.
The pedal later gained wider recognition through Wata of Boris, helping turn an already rare Japanese Muff variant into a cult favorite among fuzz enthusiasts.
JEN JUMBO FUZZ AND FUZZOLA
Around 1973, the Italian company JEN released the Jumbo Fuzz, followed by later variations including the Fuzzola.
Based on 1972 Triangle era circuits, these pedals retain the huge low end of the early Muffs but incorporate several important changes to the gain structure.
The low end has an interesting quality that seems to sit underneath the notes, almost like a clean blend, while lead lines remain thick, clear, and sustaining with excellent note definition.
One of the most significant circuit changes is the removal of the emitter resistors from the transistors, allowing more gain through the circuit. The result is increased sustain, thicker notes, and a smoother, more saturated lead tone. Interestingly, a similar modification would appear many years later in the Creamy Dreamer.
COLORSOUND SUPA TONE BENDER, TONE BENDER FUZZ AND JUMBO TONE BENDER
Beginning around 1973, Sola Sound of London began producing several Tone Bender pedals based on modified Big Muff circuits rather than the traditional Tone Bender designs.
The first was the Colorsound Supa Tone Bender, which is essentially a modified version of the 1973 Violet Ram's Head Big Muff. The early four transistor version is extremely close to the Violet Ram's Head but removes the coupling capacitors and clipping diodes from the first clipping stage. Interestingly, the early circuit boards still have spaces for these missing components, suggesting that the original intention may have been to copy the Violet Ram's Head even more closely.
Removing that first set of clipping diodes gives the Supa a more open and aggressive character than a typical Big Muff while retaining the fullness and sustain of the Ram's Head circuit.
There was also a three transistor version of the Supa Tone Bender that eliminated the final recovery stage. Around the same time, this simplified circuit appeared in the 1973 Tone Bender Fuzz. Although the enclosure looked very similar to the earlier Tone Bender Fuzz, this version was marked TONE rather than TREBLE AND BASS and contained the simplified Big Muff circuit instead of the traditional Tone Bender MK III and MK IV design.
By late 1975, the same basic three transistor circuit appeared again as the Colorsound Jumbo Tone Bender. Like the earlier three transistor Supa and Tone Bender Fuzz, it removes the first set of diode clippers and the final recovery stage.
The result is a gritty, gnarly fuzz with a big, full low end that sounds huge on chords without becoming muddy. Lead notes remain thick and sustaining, with a more open and aggressive character than a typical Big Muff.
The Supa Tone Bender, Tone Bender Fuzz, and Jumbo Tone Bender are really different variations of the same Big Muff based idea, showing how Sola Sound modified, simplified, and repackaged the circuit throughout the 1970s.
MAXON D&S AND IBANEZ OD-850 / OD-9
The early versions have a bass heavy, gritty character with less gain than many other Muff variants. Although clearly rooted in the Triangle circuit, the changes give these pedals their own distinctive voice.
Around late 1979, the circuit underwent a substantial revision. The new design moved away from the earlier Triangle based circuit and toward a modified early Ram's Head design. Changes to the tone section and increased output resulted in a fuller sound with considerably more harmonically rich gain.
This revised circuit appeared in the updated Ibanez OD-850 around 1980 to 1981, while Maxon released its version as the D&S OD-801.
The final evolution appeared around 1982 to 1984 as the Ibanez OD-9, housed in the distinctive blue and green enclosure. The OD-9 continued the revised Ram's Head based circuit and retained the increased output, fuller body, smooth gain, and strong sustain of the later OD-850.
These later versions are some of my favorites from the series. The fuller body remains underneath the tone even as you turn toward the treble side, while the increased gain is smooth and harmonically rich with excellent sustain, clarity, and definition.
This entire family is particularly interesting because you can see the circuit evolve from an early Triangle based design into something much closer to a Ram's Head while still retaining its own Maxon and Ibanez character.
HOHNER TRI-DIRTY BOOSTER
In the mid 1970s, Hohner released what I consider one of the finest interpretations of the Big Muff circuit ever made.
There is still some mystery surrounding this pedal, including who actually manufactured it for Hohner, exactly which Muff circuit it was based on, and why certain changes were made. Based on the circuits I have examined, I believe the Tri-Dirty Booster was derived from a late 1972 Triangle, likely one of the transitional circuits leading into the early 1973 Ram's Head pedals.
However, the Tri-Dirty Booster is much more than a simple clone.
The circuit changes result in an exceptionally balanced pedal. The low end is big and full without becoming boomy or muddy, with just enough grit underneath the lower notes to give them definition. Lead notes bloom with rich harmonics, incredible sustain, and a sweet, fluid quality.
Of all the vintage Muff variants I have played and traced, this remains one of my favorites. It takes many of the qualities I love about the best Muffs and combines them into one exceptional circuit.
CARRUTHERS DYNA-SOAR
Built sometime around the late 1980s, the Carruthers Dyna-Soar is one of the rarest and most mysterious Muff based pedals I have encountered.
Very few examples seem to exist. The pedal would occasionally surface during the 1990s in its distinctive black enclosure with yellow lettering, and perhaps its most recognizable user is Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.
Having owned and traced both the Dyna-Soar and Dyna-Soar Lite, I can say that they sit firmly within the 1974 Ram's Head family, but with subtle circuit changes that give them their own character.
The result is a huge, full, harmonically rich fuzz with the warmth, weight, and growl associated with some of the best mid 1970s Ram's Head circuits.
SUSTAIN PUNCH CREAMY DREAMER
The Creamy Dreamer appeared in the mid to late 1990s and quickly became one of the most controversial and sought after Big Muff variants.
Its builder claimed that the pedal was responsible for Billy Corgan's guitar tone on Siamese Dream, a story that was later shown to be false. Corgan did, however, use the Creamy Dreamer later, including during the Machina and Zeitgeist eras, and Kevin Cadogan of Third Eye Blind also used one.
For years, many people assumed the Creamy Dreamer was based on a Russian Muff. After tracing the circuit, I found that it is actually rooted in the Reverse Logo Big Muff design, but modified for considerably more gain and a smoother, more even fuzz.
One of its most interesting characteristics is what happens as the gain is reduced. Rather than simply becoming cleaner, the low end begins to bloom, giving the pedal a warm, full character at lower settings while still delivering massive saturation and sustain with the gain turned up.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Looking through these circuits shows just how quickly the Big Muff began influencing other manufacturers. Within only a few years of its introduction, companies in Japan, England, and Italy were already taking the basic circuit and modifying it in their own ways.
Some stayed remarkably close to the original Triangle and Ram's Head circuits, while others removed clipping stages, eliminated recovery stages, changed transistor gain, altered component values, or completely reworked the voicing.
That is what makes these pedals so interesting to me. They are more than simply Big Muff clones. They represent another branch in the evolution of the circuit, and several became important and unique fuzz pedals in their own right.