Big Muff Problem!

[Kaiu]

I'm sure I read somewhere about the problems of using an active bass with a little big muff?

Anyway, not sure of the science here, but in order to get the required 'boost' from the big muff when I engage it, the input gain has to be below a certain point.
Which means turning down the output on my wireless reciever, and bringing up the overall 'master level' on my amp to compensate.

For these purposes my signal path is: Musicman (Wireless) --- Wireless Reciever - Big Muff - AMP.

However, my DB750 doesn't sound as good when it's not being driven as hard (I have the gain on full and the output on my Wireless on full), so what do I do?

Is my Big Muff broken or is this a common problem?

Another thing I heard over on TB was that changing the tube in the first stage could help, maybe giving more gain so I wouldn't have to run the gain knob on full? or is this just speculation?

Thanks, ed

Edited June 5, 2008 by Kaiu

[Kev]

im not sre abot wireless or anything like that, but i can assure you big muffs works fine with active or passive basses, in fact i find they work better with actives (and i also have a musicman), but that might just be my preference

Edited June 4, 2008 by BassManKev

[ahpook]

[quote name='Kaiu' post='212642' date='Jun 4 2008, 06:10 PM']Anyway, not sure of the science here, but in order to get the required 'boost' from the big muff when I engage it, the input gain has to be below a certain point.[/quote]

sorry..the input gain of what ?

[Kaiu]

Sorry for my misuse of terms.

Basically the level of the signal running into the Big Muff. If it's to high the big muff doesn't work properly.
There is a volume drop when I engage it, even with the volume on full.

[Kev]

that aint right, there should never be a volme drop using a muff, the thing is stupidly loud

[cheddatom]

There will be a volume drop with the big muff if the input is too hot and/or if you have the gain set too high. I suppose it's more of a "perceived volume drop". I'm not sure specifically why this is, but I have had the same problem with my guitarist's big muff. He solved it by realising that it sounds better, and it levels out the volume drop, when you turn down the gain.

I'm sure someone has a better explaination/solution?

There are no tubes in a little big muff!

[Kev]

iv not used a little big muff, so maybe this is a problem, but i use a stingray with my old skool sovtek muff, works fine at full volume and nearly full gain, surely the stingray with slight bass boost is a hotter signal as any?

[cheddatom]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='212985' date='Jun 5 2008, 09:47 AM']iv not used a little big muff, so maybe this is a problem, but i use a stingray with my old skool sovtek muff, works fine at full volume and nearly full gain, surely the stingray with slight bass boost is a hotter signal as any?[/quote]

Try it with a new standard american one on full gain and you'll see what I mean.

[Kev]

fair enough, i think i can imagine what the problem sounds like i think. solution: get a decent muff

[cheddatom]

Indeed. I've never liked big muffs that much really. I'd like to try a little one, 'cos they're small enough to go on my board, but not really buying effects atm

[Kev]

civil war muff that i have is the best fuzz iv ever tried hopfully the DHA im expecting will give me the valve drive sound i want, n then il be done distortion wise

[johnnylager]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='213005' date='Jun 5 2008, 10:11 AM']..then il be done distortion wise [/quote]
I'll believe that when I see it mush!

[Kev]

nah money wise at least i wont be able to buy any pedal now til september

[Dubs]

IMO the little big muff is the best 'new' muff you can buy (that is of course not taking into account the new 'Bass Muff' as it's not even out yet). I use one and it's great with the tone and drive backed off a bit - it keeps the low end so well and gives a dirty fuzz with nice harmonic content. I've never experienced the relative volume of the muff to drop when it's activated though - maybe yours is dead? or maybe you need to just back off the wireless output or something? What’s the issue with turning down the output on the wireless receiver?

[cheddatom]

[quote name='BassManKev' post='213005' date='Jun 5 2008, 10:11 AM']civil war muff that i have is the best fuzz iv ever tried hopfully the DHA im expecting will give me the valve drive sound i want, n then il be done distortion wise [/quote]

I tend to get my fuzzy sound by cascading all my favorite overdrives, which is why i've never bought a fuzz - apart from the french toast which is quite muff like.

[Kaiu]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='213026' date='Jun 5 2008, 10:33 AM']IMO the little big muff is the best 'new' muff you can buy (that is of course not taking into account the new 'Bass Muff' as it's not even out yet). I use one and it's great with the tone and drive backed off a bit - it keeps the low end so well and gives a dirty fuzz with nice harmonic content. I've never experienced the relative volume of the muff to drop when it's activated though - maybe yours is dead? or maybe you need to just back off the wireless output or something? What’s the issue with turning down the output on the wireless receiver?[/quote]

My DB750 doesn't sound as good when the output of the wireless is backed off. I like sending a really hot signal to the DB750 in order to get a slightly overdriven sound from the tubes in the preamp. It sounds to clean otherwise.

Our FOH engineer just says 'Get an Ampeg', but I don't see the point, the DB750 is reliable, no power tubes to replace, and and when driven it can sound really good.

All I need to do is sort out this big muff! I'm not sure if it's broken or not. Even when I plug directly into the big muff and engage it, although there is a little boost, it isn't huge.

The way I see it, maybe the output level of the Big Muff is finite, i.e after a certain point no matter how hot the signal running into it, the output will always be the same?!

ed

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Kaiu' post='213079' date='Jun 5 2008, 11:51 AM']The way I see it, maybe the output level of the Big Muff is finite, i.e after a certain point no matter how hot the signal running into it, the output will always be the same?!

ed[/quote]

Yeh, isn't that the same for most distortion pedals?

If you like overdriving the input of your amp, I would get a boost and/or OD to go just before your amp, and plug the rest of your pedals (lbm) into this.

[Kaiu]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='213082' date='Jun 5 2008, 11:53 AM']Yeh, isn't that the same for most distortion pedals?

If you like overdriving the input of your amp, I would get a boost and/or OD to go just before your amp, and plug the rest of your pedals (lbm) into this.[/quote]

Thanks! Do you know of any decent pedals that can be used? something that really does just give a boost and doesn't colour the sound to much. I have a sansamp that I used to run before the amp but it changed the tone too much, so now I just run it parallel as a DI.

ed

[Kev]

mxr micro amp

[Kaiu]

Thanks m8.

Doesn't take up much space either!

[Toasted]

There are a great deal of clean boosts. Know what you mean about the DB750 tho... I love mine.