ElectroHarmonix Big Muff with Wicker

August 2009 Guitarist 137
QUICKTEST
MISCELLANEOUS
CONTACT: Your local EHX dealer WEB: www.ehx.com
The latest version of what many
consider to be among the very
best fuzz pedals ever conceived
offers two new features that
may well prove to be the final
stage of its tonal evolution.
By far the most innovative
addition is the titular Wicker
switch, that adds in no less than
three high-frequency filters to
the tone. Why? Well the theory
is that when running the Muff
at high levels the tone can
become somewhat indistinct
and the Wicker enables you to
add a subtle yet discernible bite
and rasp to proceedings.
The second feature, the Tone
switch, lets you bypass the tone
pot for an even more organic
sound, and E-HX tells us that,
with the Tone switch in but the
Wicker out, the pedal is in
effect a Big Muff Pi.
Volume, tone and sustain
controls will be familiar to
those who’ve used the Pi, and
we should also point out the
chassis of the Muff with Wicker
is smaller than its predecessor –
it’s squarer and includes a
removable base plate.
Sounds
As ever, the Big Muff provides
a choice of tones that are as
polarising as peanut butter, but
there’s no doubt that the
Wicker adds a certain high-end
something that definitely
enables even the fattest drives
to cut more efficiently.
The only downside is that, on
our example at least, there’s a
significant drop in volume
when switching on the Tone
control. When tried through a
set-up at gigging volume, the
The Bottom Line
We like: Innovative concept
We dislike: They can end up
being quite expensive
The Bottom Line
We like: Typical muff tone;
Wicker switch
We dislike: Volume change
with the Tone switch
GUITARIST RATING
GUITARIST RATING
difference in signal is as
startling as it is unexpected.
Verdict
If you’re new to the whole idea
of organic fuzz pedals, you
should get this. It’s nicely
priced, well-made and sounds
great. Muff said! [SB]
Fusion F1 gigbags £109-139
Electro-Harmonix Big
Muff with Wicker £72
More than just a gigbag – it’s a complete carrying system
The ultimate Muff that offers extra high-end
slam. It’s wicker, man…
CONTACT: Aria UK PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.fusion-bags.com
Although carrying
your
guitar on your back does
leave both hands free to
grasp yet more of your gear,
it’s certainly more convenient
if your gigbag provides you
with a number of pouches in
which to secrete your
gigging paraphernalia.
These bags from UK
company Fusion
certainly win the prize
on that score – they
have more pockets
than Fagin’s overcoat.
The range
comprises bags of
varying padding
thicknesses that are
priced accordingly –
the 10mm F4 cases
start at £24, while the
these F1 examples, with 30mm
of padding, are a lot more – and
sizes are available to hold
electric, bass, acoustic and
more, not to mention a wide
selection of brass and
woodwind instruments too.
In Use
Where Fusion comes into its
own is with the wealth of
additional bags you can buy,
which can be seamlessly
attached to the main bag. For
example, you can grab a padded
bag designed to hold a laptop
(priced from £39.95), strap it
onto the front of the guitar bag
and you’re away: the whole
package remains nicely
balanced and therefore
comfortable too.
Verdict
Fusion is keen to promote these
cases’ applicability for students
and we can certainly imagine
the halls of BIMM, ACM, et al
filled with Fusion-totin’
players. The only downside is
that an F1 case with a couple of
attachments won’t leave you
with much change from £200,
but these cases are certainly of a
good enough quality, so the
choice rests with you. [SB]
GIT318.rev_quick 137 18/6/09 5:22:38 pm