#3 Sound-shaping session with the Dazatronyx Big Fuzz Console - 1994 V7C Green Russian Big Muff Edition

The 1994 Green Russian Sovtek V7C variant is one of the best loved - and recognised for its additional low-end heft - typically the bassiest of the Big Muff types. That variety used mostly KT3102EM / KT3102E Soviet transistors during its initial production. Where the 2017 EHX Nano Green Russian reissues had mostly BC547C’s onboard - indeed the same ones as the Violet Ram’s Head reissues.

The 2N5088 and 2N5089 are pretty solid alternatives for the BC547B and BC547C varieties - while they all do something a little different in the Bass department - progressively delivering a tighter and more modern voicing. Initially I liked the B547C’s best - the 2N5088 gets tighter, and the 2N5089 tighter still with more of a modern high-gain edge. I thought I should try all the different Transistors then - just for the sake of it - as I had already tried out 4 of the varieties. And when I landed on the BC337-25 it was kind of magical for me - a more vintage slightly more elastic / saggy feel - and with a more vintage style of low-end - slightly looser - but still punchy and elastic. While the 547’s and 5088/9’s sound a lot tighter and more modern - each one of those sounds slightly different. While my favourite sounding one was the BC337-25 - which is rarely identified with the Green Russian sound - but for me it undeniably delivers the best version of that low-end heft!

As beforec- I used a variety of reference sources - including Kit Rae - to reference the original Capacitor and Resistor values - and then I A/B/C’d al those 30 switches individually by ear - until I was satisfied that I had the best sound for that variety.

So my absolute favourite sounds came from the more vintage sounding BC337-25’s, followed by the BC547C’s - which are probably more correct and deliver a more modern and taught low-end response. If you want to tighten the low-end up further - try the 2N5089’s!

So another fun exercise for me - the most elaborate one to date, but also one of the most satisfying. All 3 of my sound-shaping settings thus far deliver very different voicings - even though I mostly gravitate to a similar EQ profile.

The next exercise will be to check out the EQD Hoof / Loe Sounds She Fuzz variants - which start off as Green Russian Muffs, but then swap in Germanium Transistors on Q2 and Q3 slots.

Both the Hoof Fuzz and She Fuzz use 2N3904 Silicon on Q1 & Q4, with Germanium 2N1308’s on Q2 & Q3.

So I will be loading my 2N1308’s into the Socketed Slots (I need to cut them down to size first as they have considerably longer legs) - so that I can try out my own variant of Germanium Muff! Thorpy tells me he once made an experimental Fallout Cloud with just Germanium Transistors - so I will trying that kind of thing also as a part B to my #4 Sound-shaping session.

Following that exercise I will take a hiatus on these sound-shaping sessions for a month or two - before checking out further varieties again at a later stage this year.

I’ve very much enjoyed the process so far.

The full settings are below - with the original recommended references [in partentheses]!