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1962
Gibson Maestro FZ1 Fuzztone
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The first instance of fuzz used in a song was on the 1961 Marty Robbins track "Don't Worry". A faulty preamp on the console caused Grady Martin's 6 string bass solo to come out very fuzzy. The recording engineer was Glen Snoddy, he soon devised a way to replicate the sound with a transistor circuit and pitched it to Gibson. This became the Gibson Maestro Fuzztone.
Also in 1962, Red Rhodes built a custom one off fuzz box for The Ventures. It was used on their 1962 track "2000 Pound Bee". This is the first track ever recorded using a "fuzz box".
The first chart-topping track recorded using a commercially available fuzz box was the Rolling Stones 1965 track "Satisfaction" using the Gibson Maestro fuzztone.
Despite the availability of the Maestro Fuzztone, Dave Davies of "The Kinks" achieved his fuzz sound using an old school blues method, a torn speaker cone. In Davies case he had purposely slashed his speaker cone with a razor blade. He ran his "modified" amp through a AC30 to record the 1964 track "You Really Got Me".
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1965
Solasound MK I Tonebender
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The tonebender was designed by Gary Stewart Hurst. The MK I was a three transistor circuit based on the Gibson Maestro Fuzz-tone that Hurst modified to produce more sustain.
You can hear the sounds of Jeff Beck's MK I on the Yardbirds track "Heartful of Soul". It was also Tonebender MK I that Paul used on his bass track for The Beatles 1965 "Think for Yourself".
For the full low down on Tonebender's, David Main of D*A*M is the man.
He has a great history write up here.
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1966
Solasound Tonebender MK I.5
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In early 1966 the Tone Bender swiched to a sand cast aluminium design finished in grey Hammerite paint.
It featured a newly designed two transistor circuit that used two Mullard OC75 devices.
This is the same circuit type that was used by Vox in their Italian Tone Bender production.
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1966
Arbiter Fuzz-Face
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In 1969 Arbiter redesigned the Fuzz-Face using Silicon transistors instead of Germanium.
David Gilmour used the Germanium version on "Corporal Clegg", "Let There Be More Light" and "Nile Song". He used a Silicon Fuzz-Face on "When You`re In", "Time", and "Money".
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1966
Hornby Skewes Zonk Machine
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The Zonk Machine was almost identical circuit wise to the Tonebender Mk I.
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1966
Baldwin-Burns Buzzaround
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1966
Solasound MK II Tonebender
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The Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional MKII was produced between 1966 and 1968. With the right kind of set-up it is one of the finest sounding British fuzz boxes ever made.
It should be noted the Marshall Supa Fuzz is the exact same circuit.
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1966
Marshall Supafuzz
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This is basiclly a Marshall branded MKII Tone Bender. It uses the exact same circuit.
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1966
Vox Tone Bender
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Made in 1966 the Vox Tone Bender had the longest run of all the tone benders as it was still being produced in some form or another untill the mid to late 1970's. Just like the Vox organs, these pedals were actually made in Italy.
The very first Vox Tone Benders did have slightly different component values but all had an OC76 transistor in the second position within the circuit. These early Vox units were fitted with a SFT337 and an OC76 transistors. David Main reports that models from 1967 still used the SFT337, but in place of the OC76 used a SFT363E.
The tone produced by this circuit can be a little shocking. The treble content is quite high for a fuzz pedal but makes for a very unique sounding effect and well suited for the dark sounding British valve amplifiers.
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1966
Mosrite Fuzzrite
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The Fuzzrite was designed by Ed Sanner, who worked at Mosrite at the time.
Early versions of the pedals used Germanium transistors, the circuit was later redesigned for Silicon transistors.
Around 1967 Guild contracted Morsite to build this circuit as their Foxey Lady fuzz. Approximately 1000 of these were made, before Mike Mathews of Electro Harmonix took over production for Guild.
The Fuzzrite circuit can be found in the ZB Custom fuzz and the Rosac Nu-Fuzz.
The Germanium version of this pedal was used on Iron Butterfly's 1968 track "In-A-Gada-Da-Vida".
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1966
WEM-Rush Pep Box
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1966
Selmer Buzz Tone
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An early solid-state distortion unit Selmer introduced in September 1966.
The three-stage transistor circuit gave the Buzz-Tone a smoother distortion than other fuzz pedals.
It was an integral part of Syd Barrett's setup.
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1966
Sam Ash Fuzzz Box
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This was a fuzz box put out by the legendary Sam Ash Music of New York.
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Late 60's ?
Manny's Fuzz
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This was a fuzz box put out by another NYC icon, Manny's Music.
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60's ?
Hofner Buzz tone
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A german built effect that uses three BC108B silicon transistors.
This same pedal was amrketed under the name Halifax Buzz Tone.
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1967
Roger Mayer Octavia
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The most notable instances of this fuzz/octave pedal can he heard on the 1967 Jimi Hendrix tracks "Fire" and "Purple Haze".
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1968
EHX Axis Fuzz
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When Mike Mathews took over production of the Guild Foxey Lady in late 1967, the Axis fuzz was the circuit he used.
He would later move the Foxey lady to the Big Muff Pi circuit.
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1968
Solasound MK III Tonebender
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1968
Univox (Shin-ei FY-6) Super Fuzz
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This circuit gained the most popularity under the Univox brand.
It was designed by Shin-ei and manufactured in Japan by Unicord.
You could find these circuits under a bunch of names..... Ibanez, Apollo, Companion, Shaftsbury, Mica, JAX, Kent, Teisco, Marlboro, and Royal to name a few. In the end, they are all the same FY6 Superfuzz. . Around 1970 unicord production changed to a die-cast metal box, featuring a rubber cover with "Super-Fuzz" embossed on it.
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1968
Jordan Bosstone
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1969
Ampeg Scrambler
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The Ampeg Scrambler ranks among the rarest of effects pedals.
It features a distortion circuit that adds upper octave harmonic content, while blending a unique overdrive effect to the signal.
It has been noted that perhaps fewer than 2500 units were ever made. It's best been described as a NASTY sounding fuzz.
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1969
EHX Muff Fuzz
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1969
Big Muff Pi "Triangle" v1
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Mike Mathews buit the first Big Muff in 1969 as a prefboard prototype.
An etched production version of the board went out in early 1970.
The "Triangle" nickname comes from the layout of the controls.
This version uses PNP transistors. The sound is a very musical distorsion with lots of sustain.
Used by David Gilmour on part of the On An Island tour.
Also note there is a second version of the "Triangle" big muff that uses NPN transistors.
The sound is about the same with a little less gain.
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Late 60's ?
Hofner Fuzz
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A german built effect using two BC109 silicon transistors.
This pedal was also marketed as Schaller Fuzz, Blackfield fuzz, and the Kent 6400 Distorter.
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70's
Shin-ei Companion FY-2
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The FY-2 is well known for its raw, distinctive, chainsaw-type fuzz. There are two knobs on the pedal, volume and fuzz.
The effect is rather dark sounding so it works well with organ and bass. you can hear this effect used by Colin Greenwood on Radiohead's "Exit Music (For a Film)".
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70's
Interfax Harmonic Percolator
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The Harmonic Percolator is a distortion pedal that was built by Ed Giese in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the 1970's.
It used a silicon NPN transistor and a germanium PNP transistor in a design that passes even order harmonics while suppressing odd order harmonics.
These even order harmonics are thought to be more pleasing to the ear than odd order harmonics.
Steve Albini of the bands Shellac, Big Black, and Rapeman uses a Harmonic Percolator heavily.
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70's
Kay Fuzz Tone
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The Kay Fuzz Tone can be heard on the U2 song "Elevation".
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70's
Olson Frizzy Fuzz
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The same unit could be found as the Sekova SE2008 and SE2009 "Frizzy" Fuzz.
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1971
Foxx Tone Machine
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The FOXX Tone Machine is best loved for its wide range of fuzz.
It can get thick and hairy, but also can do a nice Fuzz Face imitation.
You also can switch between sustain and octave modes.
That versatility has attracted users from Adrien Blew to Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
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1972
Roland AF-100 Bee Baa
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A fuzz and treble boost in one case.
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1973
EHX Big Muff Pi "Rams Head" v2
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The "Rams Head" big muff was named due to the rams head graphic in the lower right corner of the face.
The major changes from the previous version were a larger case, the controls layout was changed to a stright line from the triangular pattern, and a circuit redesign.
While this pedal still uses PNP transistors, the design of the tone circuit gives this version a more pronounced mids scoop and a little less gain than the "Triangle" version.
This is the only Big Muff used by Dave Gilmour in the "The Wall" tour.
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1974
Ibanez OD850 Overdrive
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Discontinued in 1976.
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1974
Ibanez OD855 Overdrive-II
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Discontinued in 1976.
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1974
Ibanez No. 59 Standard Fuzz
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Discontinued in 1980.
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1974
Ibanez No. 83 "New" Fuzz
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Discontinued in 1975.
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1976
EHX Big Muff Pi "Red & Black" v3
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When you say Big Muff, this is the graphic design people know, the classic american red & black.
This version moved to use NPN transistors. It's best described as Wilder and more "out of control" than it's predecessors.
There was a version of this pedal with a tone bypass switch wich brings more mids to the sound.
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1978
Boss Ds1
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The Boss DS-1 is an icon in distortion pedals.
It features one tone knob, one level knob, and one distortion knob.
It can produce a thin, light, snappy distortion up to a heavy and harsh sound.
The DS-1 has been used by to many artists to list. You can hear it on Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" or anything by Steve Vai.
In the past I've found stock pedals to be a bit tame, the "Keeley" mods really bring this circuit alive.
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1978
Proco Rat
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1979
EHX Big Muff Pi "Op-amp" v4+5
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While the grahics stayed the same, marjor changes were made under the hood.
The circuit was redesigned to use op-amps instead of transistors. This version is loved by some and hated by others.
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1979
EHX Big Muff Pi "Red & Black Transistor" v6
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1979
Ibanez TS808
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The first Tube Screamer was the green TS-808 overdrive pro.
It was preceded by the Orange "Overdrive" and green "Overdrive-II", and the red "Overdrive-II".
The overdrive and OD-II had a different, much more distorted, fuzzy circuit.
The TS-808 and its generation have small square chrome on/off touch-buttons.
Almost all TS-808's sound great. This pedal uses Japanese JRC4558 opamps.
One of the best know users to the Ibanez tube screamer is Stevie Ray Vaughan, he used the ts-808, ts-9, and It's a little known fact that nearing the end of his career he was using the TS-10.
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1981
Morly Distortion 1
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The Morley Distortion 1 (MOD-D1B) is IC based distortion built by Morley/Tel Ray using a single 741 op amp.
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1981
Morly Deluxe Distortion
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The Deluxe Distortion (MOD-DDB) featured "tone", "distortion", and "output" controls and utilized TL074 opamp based circuit.
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1982
Ibanez TS9
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The TS-9 tube screamer is almost the same as the TS-808 internally.
Externally the on/off switch grew to fill about 1/3 of the effect with the Ibanez 9 series pedals.
The main change in the TS-9 circuit is in the output section.
This caused the tube screamer to be a bit brighter and less "smooth".
In later years the TS-9s were put together with seemingly random op-amp chips, instead of the JRC4558 which is called for in the schematics.
Some of these sound BAD, especially the JRC 2043DD chips. Changing these opamps is the main function of the "ts-9 to 808" mods you see everyone offering.
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1985
Ibanez STL "4 knob"
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After Ibanez discontinued the "9" series, the MASTER or "L" series pedals were made.
This series was only made in 1985, and did not include a tube screamer in the lineup.
They did include the SUPER TUBE model STL, which is like a 4 knob tube screamer.
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1986
Ibanez TS10
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The POWER SERIES or "10" series is very similar to the "L" Series, this line up including the TS-10 tube screamer.
Compared to a TS-808, a TS-10 has about 3 times more circuit changes than the TS-9 had.
This series was discontinued in 1989, some TS-10 pedals were made in Taiwan using an MC4558 chip.
All TS-10s (and other L and 10 series pedals) used cheap jacks and pots which were mounted to the boards instead of the cases.
In light of this it was not uncommen for them to break and fall apart. There is also a ribbon cable inside which attaches the pot board to the main board.
This pedal is not as sought after as the 9 and 808 models. It should be noted that this is the pedal SRV was using near the end.
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1987
Boss Ds-2
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1991
EHX Russian Red Army Overdrive "BIg Muff Pi" v7
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The actuall name "Big Muff" never appeared on this pedal.
It is a Big Muff transistor circuit, and all of the the later Russian Big Muffs were essentially this same pedal with different graphics.
This is probably the rarest of all the Russian made Muffs due to the classic "Star" graphic on the top panel and the small number that were manufactured.
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1991
Russian EHX BIg Muff Pi Sovtek "Cival War" v7
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The circuit is identical to the second edition Red Army Overdrive and uses russian transistors.
This is the version Used by Gilmour on the "Momentary Lapse Of Reason" tour.
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1993
Ibanez TS9 reissue
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1994
Russian EHX BIg Muff Pi “GREEN RUSSIAN” v7
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The first two revisons of this circuit board (#BM-1-01.00.000) were the same transistor based circuit as all of the previous russian muffs,with some capacitor value changes.
The third revision (#BM-1-01.00.001) came with some new added circuit traces and more capacitor changes.
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1995
Morly Diamond Distortion
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The Morley Distortion Distortion using a TL0741 op amp, very similar to their earlier "Deluxe Distortion" .
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1998
Russian EHX BIg Muff Pi "BLACK RUSSIAN Large Case" v7
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This is the same circuit and PCB trace as the third edition Green Russian Muffs.
The transistors were Russian E type and these pedals were 9V battery operation only.
A red LED light shows when the circuit is on.
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1998
Ibanez TS9DX Turbo
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The TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer was made available for those who want more volume, distortion, and low end.
It is the same as the TS9, but has an added knob which has four MODE positions.
Each position adds low end, increases volume, and actually decreases distortion.
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1999
Russian EHX BIg Muff Pi Small "BLACK RUSSIAN" v8
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This cricuit used a slightly modifies desing with some component changes.
The transistors used were of the BC549C or BC547C type.
Again power was supplied from a 9V battery only and a red led shows when the circuit is on.
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2000
Ibanez TS7 "Tone Lok"
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The TS7 TONE-LOK is made in Taiwan like the TS5, but in a metal case that will surely stand up better.
There are several circuit boards inside, they seem to be generic and several different effects can be built using the same boards.
These have a HOT mode switch for extra distortion and volume, which is quite useable.
Most TS7 pedals come with the correct JRC4558D chip. The TS7 is a lot cheaper than a TS9 but I'm not sure how they will stand up to abuse and time.
All the boards, connectors, and cables inside add a lot of complexity and there are many things to break. Most of the partinside are not standard so replacments may be hard to come by.
I do like the srping loaded retractable knobs, but again it's a proprietary part and would be hard to replace.
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2000
EHX Big Muff Pi "NY Reissue" v9
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Fran Blanche, superb boutique pedal maker and founder of Frantone, was a designer at E-H from January 1999 to the Summer of 2000 and was the circuit designer for the reissue New York Big Muff.
The silk screened graphics were identical to the version 3-6 graphics, classic red and black. The main visual change is the addition of an led.
The first edition circuit board was marked EC3003-A and used four 2N5088 transistors.
In 2007 the board was changed to a second edition 3003-B schematic and with BC550C transistors, and in 2008 it was changed to a third edition 3003-C schematic, also with BC550C transistors.
The sound is slightly different for each edition.
The 3003-C changed the volume pot to a 500k linear taper pot, though the tone and sustain pots remained 100k linear taper as on previous Muffs.
The 2000-2001 Muffs were not true bypass, but after 2001 all V9 Muffs were made true bypass.
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2004
Ibanez TS808 reissue
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Ibanez finally reissued the TS-808 pedal due to popular demand.
It looks good, other than a slight color variance.
The reissue TS-808 uses the new TS9 reissue board, made by Ibanez, not the older MAXON board like the original TS808 and pre-2002 TS9.
It does have the correct JRC4558D op amp and output resistors, so it sounds better than the TS9 reissue.
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2005
Ampeg Scrambler Reissue
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I've heard only good things about this reissue. In fact Analog man noted a preferance to the tone of the new reissue in his comparison.
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2006
EHX LITTLE BIG MUFF Pi "XO" v10
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This is basically the same schematic as the large box V9 reissue Big Muff, though several component values are different.
The old style components were replaced with the newer micro "surface mounted" components.
Transistors in mine are unmarked, but these are probably BC550s, or 2N5088/MMBT5962 as the various schematics call for.
The circuit is true bypass. It runs off of either a 9V battery or an industry standard 9V AC adaptor.
For the first time, the AC polarity of a Big Muff was changed to standard polarity.
All previous USA Muffs were reverse polarity. This meant you could use a standard Boss type AC adaptor to power it.
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2008
EHX "BASS" BIG MUFF Pi v11
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This pedal is based on the Russian Big Muff and 1970s Big Muff circuits.
Circuit board is all "surface mounted" components.
Transistors are BC547C, same as the last black Russian Big Muffs.
The circuit is true bypass.
While the pedal was based on the Russian Big Muff circuit, it is not identical in tone to the Russians.
All toggle switch settings - bass boost, norm, and dry - sound good with bass.
For guitar, the normal setting sounds best, and is very close to the black Russian Big Muff tone, though not as noisy at full sustain.
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2008
EHX USA "Tone Wicker" BIG MUFF Pi v12
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The curcuit is a different design than the V10 Little Big Muff.
The transistors are four BC550Cs. Early circuit boards are marked EC-D47, and later EC-D47 Rev. A.
The circuit is true bypass and uses "surface mounted" components like the V10 Muff.
Here is what Electo-Harmonix founder and owner Mike matthews had to say about this version:
"I wanted to hear again what the Big Muff sounded like if I hadn’t inserted those 3 roll off capacitors
(Mike added these to Bob Myer's original Big Muff circuit design in 1969 to smooth out the raspiness),
so we put in a switch so that the user could have the option of taking them all out or leaving the Big Muff the way it was.
This time, the raspiness option sounded good to me, and it helped a lot to open up natural feedback between guitar and amp.
Then I tried a second thing, We put in a switch to completely take out the strong tone control of the Big Muff
(the same feature as on the old V5/V6 tone bypass Big Muffs). This gave a really wide sound."
The tone range of this pedal is quite broad.
It can match the tones of the V10 Little Big Muff somewhat in standard mode, but with the Wicker switched on
it becomes a much sharper and brighter sound, but not too harsh. The "buzzy-fizzy" sound that many Muff users
complain about with the V9 NYC reissue Big Muffs can be smoothed out with the Tone Wicker.
The "fuzz" tones it produces have much more range than previous Big Muffs.
While it sounds good do note that compared to a vintage V1 or V2 Muff, it sounds nothing like them.
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2010
EHX GERMANIUM 4 BIG MUFF Pi v13
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This is a completely brand new circuit design, not based on the common four stage Big Muff circuit at all.
The design incorporates two independant circuits based on Bob Myer's original designs. Each includes two Germanium transistors.
The four NOS NKT275 transistors in the G4BM are evaluated in the standard listening QC check that is done with every EHX pedal to determine if the pedals is suitable to go out the door. How long these NOS transistors will be available is unknown.
"The G4BM definitely has its own sound. But with the adjustability of the circuit, you can get a wide variety of tones, including more vintage fuzz tones, OD tones, as well as raunchy distortion. It doesn’t have that great saturation as the Big Muff though, as we were aiming for more of a Distortion/Over Drive type of thing...What we came up with was a pedal that captures the warmth of the germanium sound and is capable of going from completely clean, to warm and smooth, to insane and over the top." - EXH designer Daniel Shin
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