Super Muff build

[OC75]

I want to try to build a muff pedal with extra controls. Specifically, a mid control pot, maybe a switch for different mid settings. And also a bass specific control, to get the super low end for low tuned guitars and make it usable for bass.

I am thinking of getting a byoc or ggg muff clone pedal and starting form there.

Does anyone have any schematics for such mods?

Any other ideas, opinions , or input on the project?

Thanks in advance.

[Mark Hammer]

Yeah. Go here: AMZ Lab Notebook & Guitar Effects

[OC75]

Nice. Excellent page of info.

Thanks a ton.

I'm looking at the dual tone control. I'd also like a mid control, or at least a switch for a mid boost. How would that work out with the dual tone control?
Would it be redundant with the dual tone?

Thanks in advance.

[Mark Hammer]

The Big Muff tone control is not active. That is, it boosts nothing. What it does is selectively lose signal. Fender and Marshall tonestacks work the same way.

Jack's notes (and there are many that might not seem applicable to a BMP but are) indicate that it is possible to vary how much midrange one loses, though it is not possible to achieve a tone which has very prominent mids, only one which has enough mids added to the woolier sound of max bass and enough mids added to the more nasal treble end of the tone contro.

Losing the treble and bass, but keeping the mids would require a different sort of tone-control design. Jack is simply tweaking the basic design to do other tricks. If, however, you used the separate bass and treble levels, as shown here, then you could add a little more mids to the bass control side.

[OC75]

I am studying his V2 of the AMZ presence control, where he is subtracting bass and highs , to give the illusion of boosted mids. Is that a way you would describe that control?

I guess what I don't want to get into here is losing overall volume to the point that the BMP would not slam the front end of my amp.

Opinions?

Thanks, Mark. Your help is most great appreciated. And all you do for the community.

[nbabmf]

You can also use a pot to "blend" between two input caps to adjust the amount of bass that goes in and gets worked over. The Supercollider uses this arrangement on it's Depth control. There's a wide variety of tones available there.

[OC75]

^cool idea. I'll try that. I think I'll start with the stock ..1uf on one side and a 1uf on the other. Or should I go a little more extreme on both sides?

[nbabmf]

My Supercollider goes between .01 and 10uF on the depth control. It should also be noted that the output cap is also 10uF...

[OC75]

I tried that idea. I like it.

I used a 10uf tantalum for the output cap. For the input I used a .01uf film and a 100uf electrolytic ( the only large cap I had available on a whim). Attached to a 100k pot.

What does adding the 100k resistance do to the circuit?
What is the difference if I use an electrolytic cap? It worked, but am I negatively affecting the tone?
Should input and output caps be of the same size?

Thanks for your help.

[nbabmf]

The Supercollider uses a 10k pot to blend between the two input caps. A 100k pot would most certainly have an effect on the tone, so I'd try a smaller pot to see what you prefer.

[OC75]

I replaced the 100k with a 10 k pot. It is better.

I think next I am going to experiment with transistors. Any insight or opinions on that?

Thanks for the help!

[nbabmf]

Do you have a multimeter that measures hFe? You can play around with different gains in different places.