Electro-Harmonix English Muff'n

Easy to get a great authentic tube distortion from crunch to high gain that will mesh well with a variety of amps IF you take the time to understand the very interactive and sensitive tone controls. With a bright amp like my little fender amp, you will surely want to keep the treble on zero! The midrange carries a lot of high end with it starting around 10 oclock and it is very interactive with the bass knob. And for godsake don't neglect to try 12ax7's instead of the stock ay7's!

I first want to give a big thumbs up to Electro Harmonix for their modesty. Although I liked it immediately I was fully prepared to open it up and find that this was yet another low voltage diode and op-amp assisted tube-fraud. Boy was I wrong! This is a full blown tube preamp running on HIGH VOLTAGE (280 Volts) which is accomplished with a large torroidal transformer inside. EHX strangely does not bother to mention this HUGE selling point. I have read ignorant complaints about this pedal being unnecessarily large. The pedal couldn't possibly have been made any smaller to contain a complete high voltage tube preamp complete with beefy power supply caps.

I gave this pedal a very difficult job and it came through with flying colors. For fun I recently bought a cute little Fender Champion 600 which has a fantastic chimey clean tone but is absolutely incapable of generating crunchy type distortion. Pedals that normally send my vintage marshall into distortion bliss like my old DOD 250 and vintage MXR distortion II could not put a dent in it. So I wanted a distortion box that could generate a fully cooked natural tube distortion and deliver it to the front door.

I was not trying to turn a 5w tube amp with a 6 inch speaker into a marshall. Instead, I wanted a pedal flexible enough to blend in with the personality of my amp and this pedal does just that. I get great old Zeppelin approved tones with this pedal and there is enough gain for fairly saturated soloing as well. The tone controls are so active that I thought for sure they were active meaning powered, thus I erroneosly assumed there might be an op-amp powered eq section inside ala ADA MP-1 etc. But amazingly they are passive.

For perspective I also tried it into my tweaked-to-perfection early 70s spec Marshall 50w half stack. I normally get my tone on that amp by overdriving it hard with a vintage DOD FET preamp pedal (a very simple pedal with only 5 parts inside). I could not get quite the same clarity to my guitar tone nor the attack but I got a fully respectible high gain marshall tone. This is no fault to a deficient design just that a full preamp with a complete tone section going into a another amp with another tone section could not compete with the purity of my FET boost straight in. That doesn't mean I could not easily great 80's modded marshall metal tones because I did! It was a bit noisy but two cranked tube preamps stacked together what do you expect? (You should be very suspicious of ANY high gain tube distortion pedal that ISN'T noisy).

So, I think the best use for this pedal is probably for non-master volume type amps that cannot generate much if any distortion on their own.

Now some tips. I swapped a higher gain 12ax7 in the first position which brought me more clarity to my guitar tone and better dynamics. Then I swapped the other one and got more of the same. I think it sounds MUCH better with 12ax7's and to my ear lower gain tubes just crap down the sound making it less responsive and sort of honky. There is also some bizzare interaction with the voicing of the treble knob and a fender amp. With a Blues Junior and my little Champion, the treble knob adds in heinous buzzy "kazoo" like texture that completely overpowers then entire tone. Into my Marshall this was way less noticable but even then anything beyond 11 oclock was ugly. Thus I keep the treble on zero and the very interesting midrange carries enough high end starting around 10 oclock so all is well. Like all pedals I'm sure this one will not provide stellar results with every amp and guitar out there.

I know the folded sheet metal box annoys some but I think I think its fine. A steel box this size could have added a LOT to the price too. Oh, I forgot to mention it is indeed true by pass by using a TPTT switch and confirmed with my own very descriminating pair of ears.

As of this writing I am still waiting for an e-mail response to a question after several days. It was a tech question involving modding the tone stack that migh require some head scratching so I we'll see.

I actually find the slight crudeness somehow reassuring because it gives a human element with personality. I like the looks and vibe of this thing. EHX's 70's mad scientist stoner image gets on my good side. I will probably wind up tinkering the tone section slightly, revoicing the rather savage treble pot in particular. I think this is amazingly innexpensive considering that it is a high voltage all tube preamp not to mention MADE IN THE USA for which yours truly will always happily pay more for.

I'm in my 40's and have been playing a long time. I'm usually pretty hard to please and have no tolerance for cheesy sounding gear. Most other tube distortion pedals just can't resist the temptation to blow a good idea and you get a pedal using a tube as little more than a pilot light. Not this one!

5 knobs..

this is a response to the "Roger" review below...,

A. He didn't say what type of amp he was playing it out of. (i'm using a PRS Swamp Ash Special into a bunch of stuff, the muff'n tubed with 12ax7's, a bunch of delays, into a fender "twin" with a thd hot plate)

B. He didn't try to retube the pedal which literally turns it in to a different pedal (sound wise).

C. Unfortunately some people don't have the finances to go out and buy a Marshall tube amp/ arsenal of amps.

D. He seems like a "overdriven tube amp, SNOB."

The right pedal in front of a decent tube amp will give you a great sound, and I guarantee you most people in the audience wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Unless you have all kinds of money to buy a bunch of different amps, a tube amp ran clean with decent od/distorion pedals (fulltone, barber, EH, Zvex, etc...) in front will more than get the job done, I don't care what you "tube amp od snobs" say.

and the English Muff'n does get the marshall sound with 12ax7's!!!!!!

great

great

GO BUY IT AND TRY IT!!!!, ignore the haters below.

This pedal makes good sounds automatically. It is incapable of making a signal sound worse going out than when it went in. Probably a pair of these should be a part of every home theater setup.

I use this pedal for a very specific purpose, so this review should be read in that light. I use it essentially as a DI box to record synthesizers and drum machines direct to tape. I bought the thing specifically to provide smooth, continuous low-level distortion that simply cannot be emulated by solid-state effects. I use it especially to provide overdriven harmonics between high notes played simultaneously on the synths. When turned down low, the effect is basically added sweetness and more definition. As the gain goes up, the overdrive becomes completely aggressive. The high-string harmonics on some Pavement songs set me on the quest that led me to this pedal, and it delivers 100%. As opposed to every solid-state distortion-fuzz-overdrive effect I've ever used, this is way WAY more sensitive and precise and exact and smooth, etc.

This is surely as reliable a design as is possible given that it holds two tubes. I wouldn't dream of gigging with it; the very idea seems crazy. But as a piece of studio equipment, it is tough enough.

I asked them to point me in the direction of some primo high-gain 12AX7s and 12AY7s, and they hooked me up. The fact that they manufacture the 12AX7s I needed helped.

I play zombie hypnosis drone carols. This pedal does exactly what I need it to do. The other distortion pedals I've stuck with are: Boss MD-2, Ibanez FZ-5, and Danelectro DJ-1. They are all great pedals that provide me with basically the entire range of overdriven sounds that I need. I love them. They are cheap and effective, but they all fell short in the one area I needed most: subtle, low-level overdrive. Every one of them is great at mid-gain and high-gain distortion. The problem is that, at the lowest levels, they're either already breaking up (FZ-5 and MD-2) or going from zero to grain with no in-between (DJ-1). With the English Muff'n I can get the organic, living warmth and depth to perfectly suit the juicy globularity of my analog synths, while also getting into some serious overdrive. The dual-stage preamplification circuit in this pedal is a unique and living thing that can't be duplicated even by single-tube designs. When I need it to go over the top, I just chain one of my other pedals behind this one and turn it up. If these other pedals (or any other solid-state I've used) are buckets of rocks and dirt, this is a bag of ultra-fine cake flour. Expensive, but mandatory.

This is a follow up to my previous review.
I've used this pre-amp for about a year and a half now, and I love it just as much if not more than I did when I got it. It is so easy to get a great overdriven to light distorted tone out of this thing.

It really shines on the Vox AC30 or Marshall JTM tones. With higher gain tubes, you can almost hear a JCM800 hidden in there.

Since this is a pre-amp, don't forget to try it directly into your power amp in if you have an effects loop. This unit can take the place of your existing preamp.

Love it. It gets gritty, but stays smooth at the same time, very musical.

No problems so far - a year and a half and still going strong.

So far so good.

Electro Harmonix is a cool company. I hope they are always around.

It's like an amp: GAIN, HIGH, MID, BASS and OUTPUT. Easy.
You don't need to read the manual.

I'm using it with a Jazz Bass with EMG pickups. My amp is a Markbass SA450 with a Markbass Standard 106HR cabinet. My pedalboard has the following stomp boxes: EH bassballs, Boss OC2, Morley Pro Series II wah/vol,EH English Muff'n, EH Big Muff, MXR Phase 90 and Guyatone MD3 delay.

No noise issues. I think that's quiet for an overdrive/distortion box. If you crank the gain to the max you'll get a little noise, but this is normal in a distortion device.

This pedal really adds balls to my sound without sacrifying low end. If you turn up the LOW pot you'll add more air to the sound, the MID pot adds more muscle nicely and with the HIGH you controll the attack content. I think this box is one of the best overdrives for bass that you can buy (However it's designed for guitar). The sound can be warm and subtle or agressive and gritty if you want, it's very touch sensitive.

The box is made of aluminium and the tubes are protected by a special grill. Tubes are fragile and shock sensible... but the overall sensation it's well constructed.

Not needed

I'm playing stoner rock with a new band. I was playing funk before: www.myspace.com/politicalamitymusic

Fantastic value. A real tube preamp/overdrive under 200 bucks. Sounds rich and full.

I read almost all of the below reviews, and because they were overwhelmingly positive, I bought the EM. Then I promptly sent it back. It's better to tell you what the EM is not, first:

1) it's not a Marshall stack in a box. Nope, doesn't even come close. If you think it is, you need to go play through a stack at performance volumes, to establish a baseline for the Marshall tone. It's hard to divine such a thing from recordings of your favorite players. The recording process heavily alters the tone.
2) the tubes that come with the EM (12AYs) on their own will give you a very tame Vox AC30 tone, and really nothing else. They will also come close to Angus Young's ka-chunk, when he's playing with the guitar dialed back to five, in order to get under the vocals.
3) it won't make a good amp sound better. If you have a Marshall, Mesa, Soldano, etc. and like the tone, don't waste your time. It will not improve it, and will muddy it up, most likely.

Ok, in all fairness, here is what the EM is:
1) Noisey. Period. No way around it, and I like most EH products.
2) Brit sounding yes, but it will not supplant a good throaty amp. It won't even come close. Marshall it ain't.
3) the EH is really a tube preamp for "tubifying" a mid-to-low quality amp. Probably might help most cheap SS amps. However, why don't you save that $200 and just get a better amp?
4) Kind of wimpy, and not in a good vintage sense. There are tube boosts out there with roughly the same technology that will blow the doors off this box. It might sound better with 12AXs, but then, why don't they sell it with these tubes?

Oh, but it is easy to use...

See "ease of use".

Don't know.

Again, don't know.

See "ease of use" for the story. This box is probably not what you're thinking of, unless you want the "Vox" sound, but don't want to actually go buy a Vox (they're not that expensive, incidentally). But again, to dispell any rumors, this is not Marshall tone. It would require a retube with 12AXs and probably a boost up front to get anywhere near Marshall territory. Just being honest...

It's very simple to get a good sound and to change valves.
Eq controls are very reactive and interactive, you have to understand how they work.

This is a real preamp but it's a pedal. Tubes work, use it with a valve amp to get the best. I use it with a fender blues jr, they work so well together. Changing tubes (one or both) with 12ax7 you'll get more gain, in every way great tones. It has a lot of dynamic.

Eq is so sensitive and is interactive, will give many different shades of sound.

Great british tone, like the best marshall and vox tradition learns...

If you want a great distortion pedal, with true tube preamp stage (not hybrid like many others and not with tubes for marketing....)and with a great british tone, with a lot of dynamics, buy it.
It's very versatile, you can change tubes for different tones.

Easy to use, nicely laid out & visible. I wish the T-former was not a wall-wart but rather built in to the unit. Basically this is a full-function pre-amp with the british O.D. raspy tone dialed in. Changing the tubes requires a screwdriver for the shield. Better if it were thumbscrews perhaps. Comes well-boxed with instructions and EH literature.

Slightly noisy when engaged, but it nails the british Vox/Marshall tone to a tea. I've plugged it into a bunch of different amps and it turns them into redcoats every time. I actually A/B'd this with the Seymore Duncan Tube Classic overdrive i bought & used the SD but after a while went back to GC and exchanged for the English Muffin. I like the tone better. It can be harsh and raspy, but working with the knobs that have extreme tone ranges, one can clean it up well. If you like the Tom Petty sound (which i do), you'll appreciate this pedal. Gives a nice jangly overtone to the cruchiness regardless of amp/guitar/speaker combination, and fattens up the overall sound in a good way.

I'va had it for a year with no problems. I have several other overdrive pedals just in case.

Electro Harmonix is a great company!

This pedal has a very unique sound that no other pedal i have tried has. Although it nails the british sound, it also adds something different - it's hard to describe. I like pedals that inspire me to play differently than i normally do. The fun thing about this pedal is that it works great for country licks and chicken pickin'. I think this is due to the subtle compression it has similar to old british tube-rectified amps. I've become a bit of tele-spanker recently and this pedal really works well with it through any amp. I'm not a molten-metal fan - this pedal gets close to early metal, but it has enough grind for most styles of music. I wish it had an on/off switch so i wouldn't have to unplug the wart when leaving for any length of time.

Operation is pretty simple. There are 5 knobs basically just like a preamp on any amplifier, output, gain, hi, mid and low. The more gain you dial in the greater distortion you get, etc. It's very simple to use. EHX manuals are pretty simple and straightforward not a lot of fluff.

I use this pedal for bass and it sounds really good with little to no noise. I can get a nice smooth subtle overdrive that is responsive to picking dynamics. The harder the attack the more it breaks up. It just sounds real nice and natural without being a raging fuzz. I also like to use it to fatten up the Big Muff Pi I have for when I want a more concentrated fuzz tone. I have tried literally every overdrive available (both boutique and production models) for both bass and guitar and I truly like this one the best. I run this with a Stingray bass into a GK 1001 RB-II head and a 212 NEO cabinet. It adds some nice subtle dirt and a fat tube tone to the GK head. I like the clean sound of my GK but for certain songs it just needs a little dirt and that's where this comes in.

I think it should be OK. I have it housed on a pedal board that is transported in an ATA case that is pretty solid. The tubes are protected by a steel cover plate and the box itself is pretty solid. I am worried about the power adapter jack because it is a little jiggly. I would recommend buying a spare 12V adapter for it because I have heard they can be a little flaky. I keep a Analogman modified Tube Screamer with me as a backup but I don't think I would need it.

I have never dealt with them. I bought this at a Guitar Center store and I have never been real impressed with their level of service overall.

A great sounding overdrive pedal that uses real tubes for a natural overdrive sound. It can fatten up your existing tone and warm up a cold solid state amp if you are using one. It is, in my opinion, the best sounding overdrive pedal available and I have tried about 100 of them.

Simple - output knob, gain knob, and low, mid, high controls. and a foot bypass switch

use those controls with your guitar volume and tone and you can make a great variety of sounds, with just this unit. I'd imagine if I added a reverb or chorus, I wouldn't need anything else.

The dual A7Y tubes (pre and post) make for a very rich sound that sounds good through almost anything - my 9V Fender mini twin included. Whatever volume, you can get a good sound for lead, rhythm and anything in between. I play through this and the mini twin and am quite happy with the sound.

just got it, dunno. construction is fairly solid with a decent seeming shield over the exposed tubes

They responded fast and answered the basic questions. But this unit was designed for swapping different tubes: You can use 12AX7, 12AT7, 12AY7, 5751 (and most any tube in the 9A pinout/12 volt filament family) to customize your tone. And they were not very helpful in supplying info on what tube configurations produce what kinds of sound. I was given the "trial and error" brush off answer.

I am a jazz trained heavy rock guitarist. Been playing 10 years. Most of my good gear (gibson SG gothic, 67 fender twin with tremelo) was stolen - I'm down to a Dean Vendetta, and old 80's electra, a fender mini twin, and a peavy practice amp. Also have a yamaha mt50 cassette 4 track, ART SGE mach ii, and some software (guitar rig, guitar synth).

I do love the 60's British tube sound and this unit beats any amp simulator for richness of sound. I also found the concept of it being purposely designed for swapping tubes to be a big factor. Anything that can make a 9V battery powered mini amp sound that good is worth gold. I would definitely get another.

I had looked at the other muffs, but the tube swapping on this one sold me. Beats any digital amp modelling simulator easily. Simply - it has killer sound, which can be easily adjusted from lows to highs. What I dislike is tha it runs on 12V AC and uses an AC/AC adapter. So it's not very portable. It doesn't seem difficult to build a 12 DC to AC inverter that could run of any laptop battery or a 12V ;lantern. Yes it uses 1 amp, but if you could get 20 minutes of portable use I'd be happy. My other wish is that it had an integrated spring reverb system for the complete distortion plus reverb sound.

Regardless, I love this unit. Dual tube sound in a muff sized box just can't be beat.

I'm about to get some A7X tubes and try different configs for the pre and post tubes - different tube brands and age. I'm leaving my email address in case anyone else has tried swapping tubes and wishes to share notes.