Post by freekingprawn on Nov 14, 2015 17:08:40 GMT
ATTENTION PLEASE:
I wrote this review a couple of months ago after some time of having the unit. I no longer have the unit and am in the process of getting either a new unit or my money back from Thomann. I will explain what happened at the end of the review for better understanding.
Yet another HOLY ***** WALL OF TEXT MY GOD!!!
Fuzz! Either you love it or hate it. Personally never cared for them. At least not until the Deluxe version of the Big Muff pi came out [this version, not the old version].
So what is about it that made me want to get one for myself? Simply put: it's a FAT TWEAKIN' MOTHA****** OF A DISTORTION UNIT! Not only it's FAT it is also very tweakable and versatile, turning it into a completely different sounding unit. So much so, it is possible to turn a Muff sound into a Fuzz Face and everything in between and beyond.
If there is something the DBMP is not is "soft". Though you can get a soft-ish fuzz out of it, don't expect it to act as an overdrive or distortion unit with the gain knob [dubbed "sustain"] rolled back. Neither should you expect it to clean up nicely with your guitar volume knob. It doesn't work that way.
If one would compare the Deluxe Big Muff Pi [DMBP] to any other Big Muff ever produced, the DBMP would be that big, fat, curly haired looking cousin that dresses up like a recently unburied Goth [the black on the top of the unit suits it just nicely] but is able, at the same time, to be very pleasant and joyful... despite being constantly dragging his ****, eating fried chicken wings; drenched in sweat and grease.
It's not a wimpy sounding unit, quite far from it. It's fat, cuts through when you want it to and is bound to win your heart despite some apparent laziness on it's built [I'll talk about its shortcomings later on].
The Unit:
For a 2 channel unit it is fairly small [way smaller than any Big Muff from the past, that's for sure]. Roughly the size of 2 unplugged Boss pedals put side by side [in this case I compare it to the size of 2 Harley Benton/Joyo Dyna Compressors put side by side and unplugged]. All in all it should take a rather small portion of real-estate in your pedalboard [especially when compared to a 2 switches Boss pedal, such as the DD-20]. Comes with a battery included. Make sure you open the unit and take it out,
As the picture above shows, it has the following knobs:
Volume: the volume for the unit. It has a ton of volume on tap. I set it to 11 and it already blasts.
Tone: counter-clock wise it cuts the highs. Fully clock wise it emphasizes the highs but doesn’t cut the lows [which is nice]. I find it to be pleasing somewhere between 10 am to 2 pm [and I’m not talking about the time of day, lol].
Sustain: the amount of fuzz. Counter clock wise for a “softer” fuzz. Turning it Clock wise increases the fuzz nastiness/goodness [prefer it at 8 am, 1 pm and full]
Attack: This is one curious knob. Essentially it makes the Fuzz not to engage fully as you turn it clock-wise. To my ears though it sounds like there is a smidge of the direct sound introduced to the fuzz signal as well. As you increase the value of the knob the less compressed it initially sounds. The pick attack becomes more apparent but the overall sound becomes a bit more articulate as the fuzz will take more time to ramp up. I have really no idea what kind of voodoo is at motion there, but I like it. I usually turn it down and let it as is.
Gate: One of the best ideas implemented in the DBMP is the inclusion of a Noise Gate making it virtually noiseless. Using it is pretty straightforward: you turn the knob slowly clockwise till you stop hearing that annoying background buzz. And it works. However there is also another use for it [more on that later].
Now to the juicy parts:
Bass Boost Switch: under the Tone knob you can see a switch. Up position engages the Bass Boost, down position disengages it. This is available to both channels on the unit.
Q Switch: under the Gate knob there is another switch dubbed “Q”. This is just for the “Mids” channel and that channel must be engaged to use it. The up position centers the Q in the High frequencies for the mids. Toggling it down centers the Q in the Low frequencies of the mids. It’s a handy switch for tailoring the mids to your pleasing, especially because this switch is interdependent to the last two upper knobs.
Level knob: cuts or emphasizes the amount mids in the signal. Counter-clock wise for cut. Clock-wise for emphasis.
Frequency knob: Counter clock-wise for low mids frequency range and clock wise to higher mids frequencies range.
Both the Level knob and Frequency knob work in tandem very similar to the sliders on a synthesizer [plus the Q switch to center the sliders action in a given frequency – low or high].
Foot Switches: the one on the right engages the unit [volume, tone, sustain, attack, gate, bass boost switch]. The one on the left [dubbed Mids] engages the mids section of the unit [Q, Level and Frequency].
Expression IN: located on the right side of the unit, next to the input jack. Because someone at Electro Harmonix was feeling rather generous, they decided to include an Expression Pedal Insert to the unit. This is very, very, very cool. Especially if you enjoy wah and fuzz and always wanted a fuzz wah. Well, now you can have it without breaking a bank. The Expression pedal will take the duties of the Frequency knob. You set the threshold on the Frequency knob [the highest point of mids or limit you’d like the Expression pedal to stop at], adjust the Level knob for the desired emphasis in the mids frequencies, select the Q for the mids [high mids or low mids] and rock that pedal to your hearts’ content.
The Sound:
Did I say how FAT it sounds already? It’s not a overbearing quality. Quite on the contrary. Though it has a Bass Boost switch, the low end remains well within that pleasant realm. The Tone knob also offers a lot of range which I find perfect. If there is something I dislike in dirt pedals is the small amount of tonal shaping. The ever so elusive “tone” knob seldom goes to the widest range on both sides of the spectrum. I prefer the 3 EQ Knobs solution as well [which is sadly not that common under a certain price range]. Cutting and boosting frequencies is a must in any pedal that meddles directly in tonality, especially dirt pedals. And if you have different guitars with different pickups, you know how it works.
However, the Tone knob on the DMBP seems to address this issue by giving the user a wider range of tone shaping. It easily goes from a lot of low end to a lot of top end when turning the knob fully. Finding that “sweet spot” that works well with your guitar and ears is not difficult at all [and is preferable than having to rely on an extra EQ pedal].
The fuzz itself is of the “round” kind. Highly compressed. The more you turn the sustain knob [the gain of the unit] the more the sound will “open” without losing its compression. It’s not a focused, tight kind of dirt. I would say it’s “almost” there but not, really. It’s pleasant and musical, though it’s a fuzz we’re talking here, after all. What matters is that it doesn’t sound like a broken box of transistors like so many fuzzes do [or a robot on meltdown]. At least not to my ears.
But then you have that “extra”. The Mids section of the unit is nothing short of amazing. Granted, this is where it can get nasty and exaggerated. It will go from subdued to complete havoc just by playing with the Frequency knob and the Q switch [which is 50% of the fun]. Maybe you’ll even like it for that. I can see some people using it just for that portion of sound. It will make all the WAHHHIIIIIZIIZZZZIIIOOOOOONNNNNNN FLLLOOOOIIIIIIIINNNNNGSHHHHHHHIIIIIIINNNNNNN sounds of a synthesizer when played with its resonance, peak and frequency sliders. Makes the skin crawl with both annoyance and delight. And isn’t that fun?
It’s even more fun when you don’t have to stop playing and turn the knob to shift the frequencies. Plug in an Expression pedal and it will do it for you, becoming a Fuzz Wah. Glorious!
The Attack knob is also a worthy mention. It helps with note articulation the further you turn the knob, by delaying the attack of the fuzz. The more you turn the knob clock wise, the more it will take time for the fuzz to engage to its fullness. It’s cool. Is it useful? Depends on how you use it I would guess. Personally I don’t use it at all, since I prefer to blast away. But it’s a nice addition. I guess it will also depend on your picking dynamics. The further you turn the knob the more prominent the pick will sound. I have this impression that a certain amount of “clean” signal is introduced, but I could be wrong.
Also, because the DBMP sounds nice with power chords as well as major and minor ones [though you should roll off some of the Sustain for that], I can see how toying with the attack knob can benefit arpeggiating.
Soloing is also a trip. The compression in the signal helps a lot to keep your notes ringing for days without end.
That’s nice… but can it Djent?
Speaking of sustain, the Gate knob [the noise gate of the unit] can give you a double function. Firstly it will effectively cut the annoying buzz of the unit when is engaged without cutting your signal. Handy, to say the least, because it also means 1 less pedal in your chain. Just turn the knob slowly till you hear that buzzing suddenly disappearing.
Secondly, if played with right, you can create that stutter effect most fuzz lovers enjoy [EHX has another unit with this function; the Germanium 4, but is called Bias]. It will make the fuzz splatter and angry. Like a zombie that doesn’t know it’s already dead…. but alive…. only dead.
Playing with the Attack knob and the Gate knob may help on palm muting action to a certain degree, but don’t expect a tight and focused high gain distortion reaction while doing so. The DMBP is of a different nature. Sustaining chords and soloing seems to be where it’s best.
Shortcomings:
Because nothing is ever perfect in Paradise, here is where I get a bad ranting about it: those damn foot switches are bloody awful.
Seriously, I keep my pedals on top of a small desk because I have few of them which doesn’t make go out and buy a pedalboard [or build one]. Also I don’t gig. So why would I bother? Anyways, needless to say I haven’t put a foot on any of the pedals I have [except the Expression pedal]. And what would you know… after a couple of months of pressing the DBMP’s switches with my thumb, those goddamn switches started to fail on me. WHY? Because they are a piece of crap, that’s why.
I had heard of bad assembling from EHX before and thought maybe the dudes that bought their units were hitting hard on them. Well, it turns out that EHX has a story of such happenings.
It’s a pity though, because the unit is great…. Except for those awful ****ty switches.
Pros:
. Versatility: the unit gives you a 3 in 1 iteration in fuzz territory by presenting 2 different channels, plus the ability to turn the second channel into a ripping fuzz wah when using an expression pedal
. Second Chanel: dubbed "Mids", the second channel allows you to tailor a completely different sound out of the unit by tweaking the various knobs associated to it.
. Tweakability: knobs galore for the tweakers delight. Tailoring a sound out of the DBMP is an adventure in its own.
. Expression In: using an expression pedal with the unit, literally turns the second channel into a fuzz wah.
. Noise Gate included: dirt units are noisy by nature and the higher the gain the noisier it gets. Including a tweakable Noise Gate at the surface of the unit was one of the best shots Electro Harmonix could come up with. Simply turn the knob until the background noise is gone and voila! pleasing silence.
. Sustain for years: hit a power chord and let it ring. It won't stop until you mute the strings. Sludge/Doom/Stoner rockers will love it.
Cons:
. The Second Chanel is only available with the first one engaged. It's not necessarily a bad thing, especially because the second channel is not a second channel in itself. It would be great if one could engage it just because of the Expression In feature, instead of having to press both switches to go there.
. If using an expression pedal and wanting to use the Mids channel just for a secondary kind of sound, make sure you park the expression pedal to the sound you want to use, since it will take the turn of the Frequency knob. Meaning that, depending on how you adjust it, a slight rocking of the pedal will change the sound dramatically.
. Bad Switches part 1: the switches are of that "clicky-clacky" annoying kind. Some people love them [they say they feel it better]. I hate them.
. Bad Switches part 2: after a couple of months - and no feet on it - the switches started to crap out. Engaging the unit sometimes requires to keep the switches pressed or touch it lightly. Seriously, I haven't stepped on it, ever. I keep my pedals in a desk and I am gentle with things. The goddamn switches are still crapping out.
. Bad Switches part 3: sometimes the unit will take time to engage. You know it has engaged as soon as you press the switches, but both the volume and the fuzz will ramp up instead of being immediate. I blame it on the SWITCHES! THOSE BLOODY GODDAMN SWITCHES!!! C'MON!!!!!!!!
After-thoughts:
If you are after a good FAT sounding Fuzz, this is it.
If you want yet another Big Muff, look no further.
If you want both a Big Muff and a totally different sounding pedal altogether [think FUzz Face with a bad attitude[, voila!
If you want a dirt unit that gives you 2 main channels and fuzz wah capabilities, this is your pedal.
But make sure you change those footswitches please. I can’t emphasize it enough. Also get an expression pedal [I’m using a cheap M-Audio one]. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor even if just to toy around with a fuzz wah to the point of driving your neighbors crazy with all that WHOOOOSHHHHIIIIIINHIIAAAUUUUUUUU ZOOOIIIINNNNNNNNNNN SHHHHWAAAAAMMUUUOOOOOIIIAAAAOOOOOOOOOO (rofl)
POST-REVIEW: What happened since then?
At some point later on, the unit stopped working altogether. Since the unit was still inside the guarantee I sent it back to Thomann for free of charge repairs. All fine and dandy, except that UPS lost the package.
This is not Thomann's fault, obviously, and the nice folks at Thomann gave me 2 choices: either wait till April to get a new unit [the unit is no longer available at Thomann] or get my money back while at the same time promising me to update me on the case with UPS till the 21st of the last month [October].
Because I'm a costumer I am naturally curious and worried about what ever happens to my money and product so I asked twice about it and I was told that the issue was still being taken cared of.
Now, today is the 14th of November and I still haven't had any call, message, or any news about it for that matter. This is not good at all. I'm starting to quit on the idea of getting another unit [and much prefer to spend my money on something else] and having second thoughts about Thomann's client service.
As for EHX, well, I talked to some online friends and some other people who had had their products at one time or another. The general consensus is that the ideas behind their products are great, but the products themselves are a risky business [you take a look at online EHX costumer rants and you'll get a better picture]. From annoying bad switches, to crappy plastic parts to bad soldering to obnoxious other set of problems, the rants are all over the place.
It's too bad really. I love EHX products but I'm not spending a dime on them anymore [and I wanted their SuperEgo and Pitch Fork so bad]. And it gets even funnier [and sad at the same time] when you realize you spent 30 euros on a pedal that works like a charm [knock on wood] and 88 Euros on another that fell apart.
If you have or had any situation similar to mine, please share it. Advises are also welcomed.
I wrote this review a couple of months ago after some time of having the unit. I no longer have the unit and am in the process of getting either a new unit or my money back from Thomann. I will explain what happened at the end of the review for better understanding.
Yet another HOLY ***** WALL OF TEXT MY GOD!!!
Fuzz! Either you love it or hate it. Personally never cared for them. At least not until the Deluxe version of the Big Muff pi came out [this version, not the old version].
So what is about it that made me want to get one for myself? Simply put: it's a FAT TWEAKIN' MOTHA****** OF A DISTORTION UNIT! Not only it's FAT it is also very tweakable and versatile, turning it into a completely different sounding unit. So much so, it is possible to turn a Muff sound into a Fuzz Face and everything in between and beyond.
If there is something the DBMP is not is "soft". Though you can get a soft-ish fuzz out of it, don't expect it to act as an overdrive or distortion unit with the gain knob [dubbed "sustain"] rolled back. Neither should you expect it to clean up nicely with your guitar volume knob. It doesn't work that way.
If one would compare the Deluxe Big Muff Pi [DMBP] to any other Big Muff ever produced, the DBMP would be that big, fat, curly haired looking cousin that dresses up like a recently unburied Goth [the black on the top of the unit suits it just nicely] but is able, at the same time, to be very pleasant and joyful... despite being constantly dragging his ****, eating fried chicken wings; drenched in sweat and grease.
It's not a wimpy sounding unit, quite far from it. It's fat, cuts through when you want it to and is bound to win your heart despite some apparent laziness on it's built [I'll talk about its shortcomings later on].
The Unit:
For a 2 channel unit it is fairly small [way smaller than any Big Muff from the past, that's for sure]. Roughly the size of 2 unplugged Boss pedals put side by side [in this case I compare it to the size of 2 Harley Benton/Joyo Dyna Compressors put side by side and unplugged]. All in all it should take a rather small portion of real-estate in your pedalboard [especially when compared to a 2 switches Boss pedal, such as the DD-20]. Comes with a battery included. Make sure you open the unit and take it out,
As the picture above shows, it has the following knobs:
Volume: the volume for the unit. It has a ton of volume on tap. I set it to 11 and it already blasts.
Tone: counter-clock wise it cuts the highs. Fully clock wise it emphasizes the highs but doesn’t cut the lows [which is nice]. I find it to be pleasing somewhere between 10 am to 2 pm [and I’m not talking about the time of day, lol].
Sustain: the amount of fuzz. Counter clock wise for a “softer” fuzz. Turning it Clock wise increases the fuzz nastiness/goodness [prefer it at 8 am, 1 pm and full]
Attack: This is one curious knob. Essentially it makes the Fuzz not to engage fully as you turn it clock-wise. To my ears though it sounds like there is a smidge of the direct sound introduced to the fuzz signal as well. As you increase the value of the knob the less compressed it initially sounds. The pick attack becomes more apparent but the overall sound becomes a bit more articulate as the fuzz will take more time to ramp up. I have really no idea what kind of voodoo is at motion there, but I like it. I usually turn it down and let it as is.
Gate: One of the best ideas implemented in the DBMP is the inclusion of a Noise Gate making it virtually noiseless. Using it is pretty straightforward: you turn the knob slowly clockwise till you stop hearing that annoying background buzz. And it works. However there is also another use for it [more on that later].
Now to the juicy parts:
Bass Boost Switch: under the Tone knob you can see a switch. Up position engages the Bass Boost, down position disengages it. This is available to both channels on the unit.
Q Switch: under the Gate knob there is another switch dubbed “Q”. This is just for the “Mids” channel and that channel must be engaged to use it. The up position centers the Q in the High frequencies for the mids. Toggling it down centers the Q in the Low frequencies of the mids. It’s a handy switch for tailoring the mids to your pleasing, especially because this switch is interdependent to the last two upper knobs.
Level knob: cuts or emphasizes the amount mids in the signal. Counter-clock wise for cut. Clock-wise for emphasis.
Frequency knob: Counter clock-wise for low mids frequency range and clock wise to higher mids frequencies range.
Both the Level knob and Frequency knob work in tandem very similar to the sliders on a synthesizer [plus the Q switch to center the sliders action in a given frequency – low or high].
Foot Switches: the one on the right engages the unit [volume, tone, sustain, attack, gate, bass boost switch]. The one on the left [dubbed Mids] engages the mids section of the unit [Q, Level and Frequency].
Expression IN: located on the right side of the unit, next to the input jack. Because someone at Electro Harmonix was feeling rather generous, they decided to include an Expression Pedal Insert to the unit. This is very, very, very cool. Especially if you enjoy wah and fuzz and always wanted a fuzz wah. Well, now you can have it without breaking a bank. The Expression pedal will take the duties of the Frequency knob. You set the threshold on the Frequency knob [the highest point of mids or limit you’d like the Expression pedal to stop at], adjust the Level knob for the desired emphasis in the mids frequencies, select the Q for the mids [high mids or low mids] and rock that pedal to your hearts’ content.
The Sound:
Did I say how FAT it sounds already? It’s not a overbearing quality. Quite on the contrary. Though it has a Bass Boost switch, the low end remains well within that pleasant realm. The Tone knob also offers a lot of range which I find perfect. If there is something I dislike in dirt pedals is the small amount of tonal shaping. The ever so elusive “tone” knob seldom goes to the widest range on both sides of the spectrum. I prefer the 3 EQ Knobs solution as well [which is sadly not that common under a certain price range]. Cutting and boosting frequencies is a must in any pedal that meddles directly in tonality, especially dirt pedals. And if you have different guitars with different pickups, you know how it works.
However, the Tone knob on the DMBP seems to address this issue by giving the user a wider range of tone shaping. It easily goes from a lot of low end to a lot of top end when turning the knob fully. Finding that “sweet spot” that works well with your guitar and ears is not difficult at all [and is preferable than having to rely on an extra EQ pedal].
The fuzz itself is of the “round” kind. Highly compressed. The more you turn the sustain knob [the gain of the unit] the more the sound will “open” without losing its compression. It’s not a focused, tight kind of dirt. I would say it’s “almost” there but not, really. It’s pleasant and musical, though it’s a fuzz we’re talking here, after all. What matters is that it doesn’t sound like a broken box of transistors like so many fuzzes do [or a robot on meltdown]. At least not to my ears.
But then you have that “extra”. The Mids section of the unit is nothing short of amazing. Granted, this is where it can get nasty and exaggerated. It will go from subdued to complete havoc just by playing with the Frequency knob and the Q switch [which is 50% of the fun]. Maybe you’ll even like it for that. I can see some people using it just for that portion of sound. It will make all the WAHHHIIIIIZIIZZZZIIIOOOOOONNNNNNN FLLLOOOOIIIIIIIINNNNNGSHHHHHHHIIIIIIINNNNNNN sounds of a synthesizer when played with its resonance, peak and frequency sliders. Makes the skin crawl with both annoyance and delight. And isn’t that fun?
It’s even more fun when you don’t have to stop playing and turn the knob to shift the frequencies. Plug in an Expression pedal and it will do it for you, becoming a Fuzz Wah. Glorious!
The Attack knob is also a worthy mention. It helps with note articulation the further you turn the knob, by delaying the attack of the fuzz. The more you turn the knob clock wise, the more it will take time for the fuzz to engage to its fullness. It’s cool. Is it useful? Depends on how you use it I would guess. Personally I don’t use it at all, since I prefer to blast away. But it’s a nice addition. I guess it will also depend on your picking dynamics. The further you turn the knob the more prominent the pick will sound. I have this impression that a certain amount of “clean” signal is introduced, but I could be wrong.
Also, because the DBMP sounds nice with power chords as well as major and minor ones [though you should roll off some of the Sustain for that], I can see how toying with the attack knob can benefit arpeggiating.
Soloing is also a trip. The compression in the signal helps a lot to keep your notes ringing for days without end.
That’s nice… but can it Djent?
Speaking of sustain, the Gate knob [the noise gate of the unit] can give you a double function. Firstly it will effectively cut the annoying buzz of the unit when is engaged without cutting your signal. Handy, to say the least, because it also means 1 less pedal in your chain. Just turn the knob slowly till you hear that buzzing suddenly disappearing.
Secondly, if played with right, you can create that stutter effect most fuzz lovers enjoy [EHX has another unit with this function; the Germanium 4, but is called Bias]. It will make the fuzz splatter and angry. Like a zombie that doesn’t know it’s already dead…. but alive…. only dead.
Playing with the Attack knob and the Gate knob may help on palm muting action to a certain degree, but don’t expect a tight and focused high gain distortion reaction while doing so. The DMBP is of a different nature. Sustaining chords and soloing seems to be where it’s best.
Shortcomings:
Because nothing is ever perfect in Paradise, here is where I get a bad ranting about it: those damn foot switches are bloody awful.
Seriously, I keep my pedals on top of a small desk because I have few of them which doesn’t make go out and buy a pedalboard [or build one]. Also I don’t gig. So why would I bother? Anyways, needless to say I haven’t put a foot on any of the pedals I have [except the Expression pedal]. And what would you know… after a couple of months of pressing the DBMP’s switches with my thumb, those goddamn switches started to fail on me. WHY? Because they are a piece of crap, that’s why.
I had heard of bad assembling from EHX before and thought maybe the dudes that bought their units were hitting hard on them. Well, it turns out that EHX has a story of such happenings.
It’s a pity though, because the unit is great…. Except for those awful ****ty switches.
Pros:
. Versatility: the unit gives you a 3 in 1 iteration in fuzz territory by presenting 2 different channels, plus the ability to turn the second channel into a ripping fuzz wah when using an expression pedal
. Second Chanel: dubbed "Mids", the second channel allows you to tailor a completely different sound out of the unit by tweaking the various knobs associated to it.
. Tweakability: knobs galore for the tweakers delight. Tailoring a sound out of the DBMP is an adventure in its own.
. Expression In: using an expression pedal with the unit, literally turns the second channel into a fuzz wah.
. Noise Gate included: dirt units are noisy by nature and the higher the gain the noisier it gets. Including a tweakable Noise Gate at the surface of the unit was one of the best shots Electro Harmonix could come up with. Simply turn the knob until the background noise is gone and voila! pleasing silence.
. Sustain for years: hit a power chord and let it ring. It won't stop until you mute the strings. Sludge/Doom/Stoner rockers will love it.
Cons:
. The Second Chanel is only available with the first one engaged. It's not necessarily a bad thing, especially because the second channel is not a second channel in itself. It would be great if one could engage it just because of the Expression In feature, instead of having to press both switches to go there.
. If using an expression pedal and wanting to use the Mids channel just for a secondary kind of sound, make sure you park the expression pedal to the sound you want to use, since it will take the turn of the Frequency knob. Meaning that, depending on how you adjust it, a slight rocking of the pedal will change the sound dramatically.
. Bad Switches part 1: the switches are of that "clicky-clacky" annoying kind. Some people love them [they say they feel it better]. I hate them.
. Bad Switches part 2: after a couple of months - and no feet on it - the switches started to crap out. Engaging the unit sometimes requires to keep the switches pressed or touch it lightly. Seriously, I haven't stepped on it, ever. I keep my pedals in a desk and I am gentle with things. The goddamn switches are still crapping out.
. Bad Switches part 3: sometimes the unit will take time to engage. You know it has engaged as soon as you press the switches, but both the volume and the fuzz will ramp up instead of being immediate. I blame it on the SWITCHES! THOSE BLOODY GODDAMN SWITCHES!!! C'MON!!!!!!!!
After-thoughts:
If you are after a good FAT sounding Fuzz, this is it.
If you want yet another Big Muff, look no further.
If you want both a Big Muff and a totally different sounding pedal altogether [think FUzz Face with a bad attitude[, voila!
If you want a dirt unit that gives you 2 main channels and fuzz wah capabilities, this is your pedal.
But make sure you change those footswitches please. I can’t emphasize it enough. Also get an expression pedal [I’m using a cheap M-Audio one]. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor even if just to toy around with a fuzz wah to the point of driving your neighbors crazy with all that WHOOOOSHHHHIIIIIINHIIAAAUUUUUUUU ZOOOIIIINNNNNNNNNNN SHHHHWAAAAAMMUUUOOOOOIIIAAAAOOOOOOOOOO (rofl)
POST-REVIEW: What happened since then?
At some point later on, the unit stopped working altogether. Since the unit was still inside the guarantee I sent it back to Thomann for free of charge repairs. All fine and dandy, except that UPS lost the package.
This is not Thomann's fault, obviously, and the nice folks at Thomann gave me 2 choices: either wait till April to get a new unit [the unit is no longer available at Thomann] or get my money back while at the same time promising me to update me on the case with UPS till the 21st of the last month [October].
Because I'm a costumer I am naturally curious and worried about what ever happens to my money and product so I asked twice about it and I was told that the issue was still being taken cared of.
Now, today is the 14th of November and I still haven't had any call, message, or any news about it for that matter. This is not good at all. I'm starting to quit on the idea of getting another unit [and much prefer to spend my money on something else] and having second thoughts about Thomann's client service.
As for EHX, well, I talked to some online friends and some other people who had had their products at one time or another. The general consensus is that the ideas behind their products are great, but the products themselves are a risky business [you take a look at online EHX costumer rants and you'll get a better picture]. From annoying bad switches, to crappy plastic parts to bad soldering to obnoxious other set of problems, the rants are all over the place.
It's too bad really. I love EHX products but I'm not spending a dime on them anymore [and I wanted their SuperEgo and Pitch Fork so bad]. And it gets even funnier [and sad at the same time] when you realize you spent 30 euros on a pedal that works like a charm [knock on wood] and 88 Euros on another that fell apart.
If you have or had any situation similar to mine, please share it. Advises are also welcomed.