Advice about attaching old pedal to board

[KellyS]

Hello Team,

I was wondering if anyone had a bright idea to attach an EHX Green Russian Big Muff V7 (The big old russian boy) to a pedalboard. I was lucky enough to get it without too much paint damage and feel like velcro would rip chunks out the paint, especially as I need to get under it to change the battery every so often. Cable ties would cause similar damage and mounting plates aren't great because the screws are on the front and back side respectively.

Any advice appreciated!

[lidl e]

Someone mentioned using bicycle chain links in here recently. It looks pretty slick

 

https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2015/09/03/pedalboard-supplies-introduces-pedal-links-effect-mounting-system/

 

[KellyS]

12 minutes ago, lidl e said:

Someone mentioned using bicycle chain links in here recently. It looks pretty slick

 

https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2015/09/03/pedalboard-supplies-introduces-pedal-links-effect-mounting-system/

 

It’s a great ideal but this pedal doesn’t have screws in the base. It’s a right awkward box. Thanks for the suggestion though!

[lidl e]

What about zipties but put bits of foam under the part where it goes around the edge. 

 

Or only use it in studio and get a big muff clone for the board. 

[ahpook]

36 minutes ago, lidl e said:

What about zipties but put bits of foam under the part where it goes around the edge. 

 

Or only use it in studio and get a big muff clone for the board. 

 

Yep - ziptie it to a piece of board* and velcro that to your pedalboard.

 

 

*Other thin, flat materials are available

 

Edited March 19, 2024 by ahpook

[ped]

Is it a V7 with the six screw folded sheet metal box and metal battery door or the type in the ridged box? 

[KellyS]

1 hour ago, ped said:

Is it a V7 with the six screw folded sheet metal box and metal battery door or the type in the ridged box? 

It’s the ridged box with the plastic battery door and the 4 screws. 

[ped]

17 minutes ago, KellyS said:

It’s the ridged box with the plastic battery door and the 4 screws. 

 

OK. Yeah a bit tricky. First of all I'd recommend that you use a 9v battery snap to power it so that once it's on your board you don't need to take it off.

 

Two options spring to mind, depending on the tolerances of your particular unit. You could take off the green front cover and run a cable tie vertically up the case so that it's hidden with the cover on, and secure that to the board. Shown in blue here:

 

 

Or take off the inside cover and do the same across the base plate:

 

 

Other than that, you could use an Aclam pedalboard which secures pedals with little clamps, which could be quite a nice way around it.

 

 

 

 

[KellyS]

9 hours ago, ped said:

 

OK. Yeah a bit tricky. First of all I'd recommend that you use a 9v battery snap to power it so that once it's on your board you don't need to take it off.

 

Two options spring to mind, depending on the tolerances of your particular unit. You could take off the green front cover and run a cable tie vertically up the case so that it's hidden with the cover on, and secure that to the board. Shown in blue here:

 

 

Or take off the inside cover and do the same across the base plate:

 

 

Other than that, you could use an Aclam pedalboard which secures pedals with little clamps, which could be quite a nice way around it.

 

 

 

 

Great advice! I’ll have a look at doing something like this, hopefully won’t lose much paint in the process. They are surprisingly fragile for something so heavy. Nothing I’ve tried sounds like it though! 

[ped]

Let us know how you get on. The one I had was pretty clean and even had the rubber feet and battery door so I was also worried about pulling the paint off. It never made it to my board but always wanted one to compare other pedals against, as the tall font is such a classic. 
 

If you’re tempted to use something else for convenience and to avoid worry ‘out and about’ you might like to try the Sovtek Deluxe Muff, which in standard mode sounded almost identical to my tall font (though I know they can vary a bit). Also the Valco KGB fuzz matches the sound exactly and has a lot of other sounds within it too. I sold my tall font because the KGB was so spot on. In particular one of the modes flattens out the mid scoop quality of the muff so it works much better live. At least for my setup. 

[KellyS]

Will do, the one I have is not dissimilar to the one you had in terms of condition. Feet and door. 
 

I’ll have a look at your recommendations. I’ve been through a lot of the muff variants over the years (pun NOT intended). I like the Ram’s Head reissue fuzz, different sound but sounds great. The Valco KGB sounds worth a shot, I’ll have a look at that. Thanks!

[ped]

There's definitely something special about the originals isn't there! All of my pedals are massive so I nearly got the Aclam board which seems like a neat solution, if the clamps can take the weight of the muff. You don't want it falling off because it might kill someone!

[KellyS]

If I figure out a mounting solution it's going to be a very small board as well. At worst, its a good counterweight to the guitarist's ego on the other side of the stage.

[KellyS]

I made the decision to just Velcro the muff to the board. I wasn’t thrilled to do it and tried to do it as neatly as possible, but paint came off the pedal when I took it to practice in a literal silk bag. I figure it’s safer in a penguin huddle of pedals around it in a static position. I also bought it to play it!

 

thanks for all the advice though!