Russian Big Muff

[drewl]

Nyet!
What insane mad Russian designed the enclosure for these versions?

Restored one that was just parts in a bag.
Forgot the last time I worked on one, took a few minutes to figure out how it all went back together, the LED holder assembly goes on top of the top mounting plate etc.

Seems like of unnecessary work.

[52 Bill]

I thought that I had read somewhere that these boxes were originally Russian military designs. They are overbuilt and depending upon what color scheme, currently way overpriced.

[Enzo]

I bought a Big Muff Pi when they came out. It came in this nice birch ply box with sliding lid.

I tend to doubt the Russians had military fuzz tone boxes, but I will believe they used military parts. Back then, the Russians had not yet developed a consumer electronics industry. I found the parts to be quality. The big stomp button looked for all the world to me like the big button we used to have on the floor of the car to stomp on for high-beam headlights. Big and real sturdy.

[drewl]

It was probably a missile control launch box or spare tank parts, repurposed!

The electronic parts of this era are great, it's the pots and Jack's and such that are problematic.

Same with the amps.

[Enzo]

I had an early MIG30, I thin serial number was 00045.

It was well made, but the knobs. They were brown bakelite-sorta stuff, with a sorta three lobe vaguely floral shape. Looked like a knob on a console radio or even a dresser drawer.

[drewl]

Yeah, I have a few of the plastic pots from a MIG60 I had replaced for a customer who wanted them upgraded .

These Muffs are really something to behold.

Some wires are cheap and thin, while others are robust shielded wire, all nicely wrapped together with loom rope.

[Mick Bailey]

Back then, the Russians had not yet developed a consumer electronics industry. I found the parts to be quality.

Here in the UK we did get some Russian consumer goods and during the 70s Russian transistor radios and hi-fi could be bought. Usually these were westernized brands. I dismantled a few radios for spares - the components usually had a decent lead length and were good quality. We also got a lot of optical equipment - binoculars, cameras, microscopes. These were often derided at the time but were in fact solidly made and reliable. In 1983 I bought a Russian 'fridge that was 'Snowcap' branded for the UK. The steel was insanely thick but the plastic lining broke up after about 18 months. We also got Moskovich cars and later Lada - very common. They were supplied with an astonishing toolkit along with tins of paint, a stirrup pump and some spares.

A lot of guitarist dismissed the soviet big muff and they had a period of almost zero value. One music store that imported them had stacks of them in their wooden boxes for £15 each in their closedown sale in the early 2000s.

[drewl]

In Russia, Big Muff distorts you.