Around 1973-74 EH yet again made another tweak to the artwork and schematic of the early Big Muff circuits.

A close relative of some of the early “Ram’s Head” muffs in tone, these pedals had a couple distinct changes that gave them their own sound, and were easy to spot because of their violet colored silk screen ink. Collectors refer to them simply as the “Violet Editions”.

As usual with EH, there are a couple different versions of this era’s muffers, so despite what you may hear, there is no exact “Violet” sound.

The most distinct feature IMO is a generous mid-scoop in the overall voicing. When most people think Big Muff, this is the sound they think of. Lots of gain and a nice sharp dip in those mids.

Two words come to my mind when I hear this pedal: “Juicy” and “Velvety”. If it was an icy day in New York, this is the oversized, fur-lined velvet jacket you’d slide on before you head out the door.

After the usual meticulous hunt for the best transistors, I had a thought and wondered if the famous BC108C “tin can” transistors could suit this circuit. The answer was yes, yes, yes!!!

None of the original Muffs actually used these transistors, in fact, the BC108C’s are most known for being the favored transistors in the original 1970’s era silicon Fuzz Face pedals, but we found they sounded great in this circuit.

This pedal is a true treasure that has to be heard to be believed. If you prefer a lot of gain, a big scoop, and velvety tone, this is the pedal for you.

Specs:

Power: 9VDC neg tip adapter or 9V battery

Current draw: 5mA

Dims: 4.8” x 2.6” x 1.6”

Weight: 9.5 oz