Electro Harmonix EHX Double Muff Fuzz Test Review

Setting a Standard

 

Preface:

Good day to all of you Fuzz lovers out there. Over the course of the last 3 years I had the pleasure to operate A LOT of drive pedals. This blog is supposed to help you find not only your sound, but also a device that is well built, nice looking and - ideally - affordable.

1.) Optics and general Built Quality

The modern take on the classic Double Muff circuit comes in your regular one-fx-slot-sized Nano housing, made out of some aluminium alloy, which is partly imprinted with a nice but very standard logo. Everything feels quite robust - from your firm and clicky on/off-switch to the outstandingly descriptive mini one. The two control knobs are also expressly declaring their function just as well. Plus, they have just the right resistance to them.

In short: This does not feel like a €59 device at all on the outside!

Now let's see what's inside - gutshot time:

Well, what did you expect at this price point? Hand-soldering? At least a PCB ensures reproducibility and a consistent high quality output of Muff circuits.

One thing is for sure - the Nano shell is filled to the brim with electronics. This seemingly left no place for a comfy 9V port - removing it feels a bit like ripping out the Muffs innards. Overall, everything looks fine by my standards. The Double Muffs mechanical quality thus fits into the EHX roster.

2.) Sounds and Tonal Options

Let's plug the bugger in and start out in Single Mode.

This means that only the Muff 1 knob is active and it simultaneously controls volume and the amount of fuzz in your sound. Unfortunately, unity gain is at about 1 o'clock. This means, that everything below that produces a nicely overdriven and bassy-soft, but also really muted sound. This is not the pedals strength, but you can tap into these tones by neutrally post-boosting it with another pedal.

As soon as you push the mode beyond unity gain, early Sabbath tones and general vintage psychedelic rock ensues. The Single mode offers a soft attack and bassy-dark sounds when using it in combination with humbuckers. Going single coil opens up the treble and a mid-focussed dirt boosted clean sound follows. This is definitely useable as well!

What I do not like - and this also goes for the Double mode - is that the fuzz pedal cleans up instantly with the first touch of your guitars volume poti. The Muff circuit does not produce an interstage like other devices do. 

Now lets actually flick that switch and fire up the second Muff! This is where the magic of this pedal begins, since both of the volume knobs become sensitive and interlocking parts of the device. The Muff 1 knob now defines the amount of attack, crunch, general openness and distortion in your tone while the Muff 2 circuit regulates your volume, sustain and headroom. 

This pedal now positively differs from your standard Big Muff, since you can bring out a distorted Metal tone as well as a fuzzy, hairy and bottom-end-filled Doom tone. Stoner Rock is one of the Double Muffs easiest tasks.

I can really recommend pushing the relatively easy-to-use settings to their extremes. Feel free to almost kill one Muff while cranking the other to the max. This produces slight oscillations and a somewhat bit-crushed sound that I absolutely adore! The Double Muff works well with single coils and humbuckers and I do not want to miss it in any of my setups.

So - what can the Double Muff not do? While it does a lot for 59 bucks, it is really not your pedal if you look for a transparent or TS-style overdrive. A metalhead looking for a defined and structured distortion will also be somewhat disappointed, since the Double Muff does not go too smoothly with down-tunings and fast riffs. It is a bit too mushy for that and the palm mutes aren't that chonky.

 3.) Conclusion and Tips

Bottom line - this is a good pedal at a good price point! You can get some overdriven, some distorted and mostly fuzzy tones out of it. It can not deny its relation to the Big Muff family but there are certain noticeable differences between the circuits.

The strength of the Double Muff is - in my opinion - the Double mode with all its modern and vintage capabilities. I would not call the pedal "flexible" though, since you can not shape the amount of frequencies individually. 

REALLY RAPID RESÚMÉ: 59 bucks go a long way these days. Try kicking the Muff with a flexible boost for even more fun!

PROs: 

- vintage AND modern capable

- easy to use because of descriptive markings on the pedal

- sturdily built for a fuzzy long-time relationship

- all the jacks and switches work really well

- the LED light is nice to look at (trust me, this is a valid point)

- you can't get a single bad sound out of it

- cascade the Muffs at your own liking for od/dist/fuzz

- kick it like its Beckham (with a boost pedal that is)

- affordable and obtainable everywhere (not a rarity)

- product of the USA

CONs:

- the battery sits really tightly inside the pedal

- you could hit the mini switch pretty easily with your foot while turning the Muff on/off

- in and for itself not very flexible in terms of equalization

- you can't push the Single mode Muff without boosting your volume

- affordable and obtainable everywhere (you hear and see the Muff family all the time)

VERDICT: 3,8 out of 5 stars - mostly positive!

That is it for today. Feel free to leave me a comment or a recommendation for future reviews. There are many more to come!

Much obliged, 

Your Fuzz Buster