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NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:24 am
by coldbrightsunlight
So an NYC muff has come into my hands for free because friends are great.

I want to do some mods to it just for fun. First up I will try diode swapping (and no diodes) and a tone bypass. But what else is cool?

It's not so much that I'm hunting for a sound - I never went out looking for this in the first place. I just want to have FUN. :joy:

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 8:12 am
by goroth
I suggest the bin mod.

You modify the location of the pedal to the nearest bin.
Guaranteed to improve your toan.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:07 am
by coldbrightsunlight
What I'll do is cast it in concrete, then throw that through your window. It'll put a nice toan hole in your apartment

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:18 am
by goroth
Yes!

Cast the pedal in concrete and sell it as a limited conceptual art piece. Call it the Chastity Belt for Post-Industrial Misär.
You will look more artsy with euro-letters in your title.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:24 am
by coldbrightsunlight
It shall be inscribed with the ancient runes.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 10:25 am
by Jero
goroth wrote:You will look more artsy with euro-letters in your title.
*takes down notes*

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:05 am
by chromandre
version 9 schematic
I'd say the diode swap is a good idea with the NYC muff(2000-2007ish), they eventually fixed it but that was the only official big muff that didn't use normal silicon diodes, and I personally think it sounds wrong. if it has the blue diodes(schottky) and swap those for a normal 1n914, 1n4148.

or red LEDs are really good for clipping diodes too, sounds more like the EQD hoof, gives it a better range of gain on the sustain knob, I also like the hoof style tone caps, swap c9 and c8 to 6.8nF (682) ... it closes the mid scoop if you don't want the mid scoop

all versions schematic history have a look you can basically plan on swapping components out to get closer to some era of big muff you want, I think changing the 1uf caps to 0.1uf caps alone gives it a much tighter sound while still being muffy


mods and tweaks I was thinking next time I get my hands on an NYC I will add both the gate and feedback mod and have like a big muff/fuzzfactory...

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 11:37 am
by goroth
Jero wrote:
goroth wrote:You will look more artsy with euro-letters in your title.
*takes down notes*
Jêrö

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 12:11 pm
by Jero
goroth wrote:
Jero wrote:
goroth wrote:You will look more artsy with euro-letters in your title.
*takes down notes*
Jêrö
I make furniture now everyone, sorry

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 2:14 pm
by eatyourguitar
you can mod it to be anything else. change the filter, change the gains. change everything. you can probably build a companion fuzz with all the mods if you know where everything is.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:24 pm
by coldbrightsunlight
hahaha yeah I guess the sky is the limit... I'm looking at stuff that retains the original sound, so switches including the original as an option and replacing resistors with pots that cover the original values and more. I will definitely start small. Since I have no set end goal and just want to see what I can do since it's a nice easy one to work with.

Thanks everyone :thumb:

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:24 am
by goroth
Put one entire gain stage on a bypass.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2020 7:38 am
by coldbrightsunlight
But it already has ALL the gain stages on a bypass. And as a wise philosopher king once said, less can't be more.

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:48 am
by Jero
You could bypass so only the first or last stage is active and have a boost/od option


Why idk

Re: NYC big muff mod suggestions

Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2020 10:11 am
by eatyourguitar
first problem, it is really compressed. second problem, that EQ needs to be swapped to different values. all you have to do is swap caps and resistors. stop when it feels right. you get something between a NYC and a russian. rams head is not my thing. I go for very modern muffs or very old russian ones.