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Hey everyone, here is the Rufff Mufffin, an obscenely modified Muff’n. I started with a Green Russian as my base, then used 3 mods to adjust the components to match those of other versions. Using the Hi and Lo pass mod pads, you can adjust the input capacitor selection to match that of up to three different options each (or three different versions). Using a Roto-Tone mod board, I was able to simultaneously change two more components to different 4 different versions. The icons show which version you are selecting.
For clipping, I added Jfet and GE clipping options along with the Si option in the first clipping stage using one of Barry’s dpdt mod boards, and added a 6 way clipping selector for the second (removable) clipping stage. Speaking of removable clipping, I used a footswitch for the Bender mod to remove the second clipping stage and get a boost to the volume. I also added the Pi bypass mod for a flat response, as well as the mid scoop knob for when the Pi is engaged.
Thanks for looking!
Chris- another excellent build. Every time I see a new Rambler Effects pedal I always see a cool mod or tweak that I hadn’t thought of before. Your posts continually inspire me and have vastly improved my pedal game.
I am especially interested in this one since I’m in the middle of my own Muff build. I’m planning on doing a Violet Ram with a switchable treble booster/emerald ring- something reminiscent of the 90s alt guitar sounds of Dinosaur Jr and J Mascis. A couple questions on your build:
What diodes did you end up using on the 6-way mod for the second clipping stage?
Maybe a more general question for the group, but I’m also interested in how clipping mods impact the overall sound when applied to the 1st vs 2nd stage of the Muff. For instance, your 6 way mod is set up on the 2nd clipping stage, while Cybercow used his 4 way mod on the first stage of his Klingon Muff. My thinking is that, since the 1st and 2nd clipping stages are essentially the same circuit, it doesn’t really matter where the diodes are in the signal chain, you’ll end up getting the same sound. In others words, if you use the stock 1N914 diodes in the first stage and a Roto-Tone for the 2nd stage, you’re gonna get the same results as if you used the Roto-Tone in the 1st stage and the 914’s in the 2nd, provided the Roto-Tone diodes remain the same. Correct?
Thanks man, I really appreciate the kind words and the shout out on my “imagination” we’ll call it haha!
In regards to which diodes – they are some of my favorite parts to play with, because the difference in clipping structure makes up sooo much of the tone. For most of my 6-way inclusions, I like to use a wide range of types to cover most guitar/amp combos. This one has the following diode pairs 1) 1N4148 (stock) 2) BAT46 3) Green LEDs (color DOES make a difference) 4) 1SS137 (silicon) 5) 1N3666 (Ge) 6) 1N34A
In regards to placement within the circuit and if it will make a difference in first section vs second section, the short answer is YES. Different places within the circuit (depending on the layout) can do VERY different things, as with the Muff. Here, we have one stage driving the next so think of it as stacking gain pedals. In some circuits, there could be soft clipping and hard clipping. Hard clipping is identified by one side of the diode loop being connected to ground and is a much more apparent clipping than soft clipping. @barry, @cybercow or @wilkie1 could probably provide much better explanation as to why and how this occurs, but I just let my ears be the guide and try different things. But you will definitely get very different results in this circuit as the first and second clipping loops are driving each other.
Hard clipping is defined by the signal reaching the upper and lower limits of the power rails or the diode cutoff voltage. It has a sharp or harsh cutoff. Hard clipping diodes are placed in the signal chain with a connection to ground.
Soft clipping also occurs when the signal reaches the voltage limits but the signal slightly overshoots the limit creating a soft “knee”. Soft clipping diodes are placed in the feedback loop of the gain stage. This makes it easy to see what type of clipping will result from those diodes.
I agree that placement does matter. Changes to the signal early in the path will alter the effect of subsequent changes made. For example, adding clipping to a signal before sending it to a modulation effect such as reverb or delay will provide a more complex signal filled with harmonic overtones that will result in a more noticeable lush sound.
Thanks for the follow up discussion. Totally makes sense now. I was thinking of the clipping effect in terms of their combined Vf, as if they were in the same circuit, rather than considering how each set of diodes has their own unique effect on their individual clipping circuit and how that stacks.
Time to plan, socket, and test.
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