The Big Muff. Chances are, you own at least one album that has this classic fuzz sound featured prominently on it, but you probably have more like 50 or 100. A classic sound that has stood the test of time, and has been showcased expertly through guitarists ranging from Jack White to David Gilmour to J. Mascis to Billy Corgan to Carlos Santana to Dan Auerbach, as well as countless others. Today’s pedal is a brilliant take on a brilliant original, with a few more options, some updated features and a great design. Ladies and gents, here is the Violet Muffer Fuzz from Tomkat Pedals.
If you’re going to do a Muff, you gotta have the essential control section: Level, Tone and Sustain. Level, of course, adjusts the pedal’s overall output volume, and the Violet Muffer has got a ton on tap to work with. The Tone knob has a great frequency range as well, with dirty low-end sounds, high-pitched fuzz squeals and everything in between. Sustain controls the amount of fuzz you inject into your signal, making it a key ingredient in this fuzzy mix. Turned left will garner some slightly dirty, chunkier sounds, while a crank to the right produces nasty, distorted, buzz walls of fuzzy gloriousness, reaching peak levels that only the strongest fuzz enthusiast will be able to handle.
There’s a toggle switch on the Violet Muffer, too, labeled Lift, to add even more dimensions to this classic-sounding fuzz box. When it’s in the Down position, the circuit is normal, but when you punch it into the Up position, the pedal really opens up. Here, the first pair of clipping diodes are taken out of the circuit, creating some gorgeous low-end beefy sounds, all the while retaining the clarity of the fuzz, just adding in a little bit of extra bass and thump.
I love a good Muff pedal, and the Violet Muffer is one of the nicest I’ve had the pleasure to play. Great fuzz sounds with a great range, excellent and smooth low-end alongside crystal-clear treble frequencies and a toggle switch for more sonic options, it’s not difficult to find an amazing fuzz sound with ease. Thanks so much to Tom at Tomkat Pedals for sending us this rad fuzz (love the artwork, too!) – these guys are making an incredible lineup of fuzz pedals, each with their own flavor and unique personality. Check out their website for more fuzz options, and check back here for more reviews of their gear soon!
Submitted by Mike B, Website
Demo Rock pedalboard by West Coast Pedalboard
