The JHS Muffuletta takes six versions of the Big Muff Pi circuit and puts them in one pedal.
Not approximations or mods but individual circuit recreations of each era, each selected and painstakingly replicated by JHS from actual vintage units.
The rotary selector gives you access to five of the most beloved Muff variants from across the pedal’s history, plus JHS’s own take on the circuit as a sixth option.
This is the same approach JHS used to build the Bonsai (nine Tubescreamer variants) and the PackRat (nine RAT variants).
In each case they sourced original pedals, measured them, accounted for decades of component drift, and replicated not just the circuit but the aged character of the original.
The Muffuletta was the first of these multi-mode recreations and remains one of the most comprehensive Muff pedals available.
The Six Modes
‘73 Ram’s Head: The early to mid-70s version with its distinctive ram’s head graphic. Smoother and more sustaining than the Triangle, with a violin-like quality on held notes. David Gilmour’s go-to Muff era.
Triangle: The original Big Muff circuit from the early 1970s, named after the triangle-shaped knob layout. Considered by some to have the most natural, musical character of all the Muff variants.
Pi: The mid to late-1970s version, more aggressive than the Ram’s Head with more bite and top-end presence. Used by Frank Zappa, Billy Corgan, and Jack White.
Civil War: The early Russian-made version from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Named after the grey and blue colour scheme reminiscent of Civil War uniforms. Heavier low end, smoother top.
Russian: The later Russian version, a favourite of bass players for its low-end weight and sustain.
JHS: JHS’s own take on the circuit — more powerful and less compressed than the vintage recreations, with a more pronounced midrange. JHS specifically designed this mode to work well on bass.
Controls
- Volume: Output level.
- Sustain: Gain and distortion level.
- Tone: High-frequency character.
- Mode selector: Selects between the six circuit variants.
Key Features
- Six Big Muff variants in one pedal
- All-analogue circuit recreations — not digital modelling
- Built from vintage units with component drift accounted for
- ‘73 Ram’s Head, Triangle, Pi, Civil War, Russian, JHS original
- JHS mode works particularly well on bass
- True bypass
- 9V DC centre-negative
- Made in Kansas City, USA
Power
9V DC centre-negative. 4mA current draw.
Watch The JHS Muffuletta In Action
FAQs
This is all analogue circuit recreations, not digital modelling. JHS used a digital switching system to route the signal through different analogue circuits, but each mode is a genuine analogue recreation of the original circuit.
73 Ram’s Head (early-mid 1970s, smooth, violin-like sustain), Triangle (early 1970s, original circuit, natural character), Pi (mid-late 1970s, more aggressive with more bite), Civil War (late 1980s-early 1990s Russian, heavier low end), Russian (later Russian version, bass-friendly), and JHS (JHS’s own take, more powerful and less compressed with stronger midrange).
The JHS mode is described (by JHS!) it as the best mode for bass guitar.
A vintage Ram’s Head or Triangle in good condition will cost several hundred pounds and will have aged, potentially drifted components. The Muffuletta gives you recreations of six eras in one pedal with a warranty, at a fraction of the cost of even one good original.
Yes.
9V DC centre-negative.
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