The Mojo Hand FX 1979 is a Big Muff-style fuzz built with op-amps (or integrated circuits / IC’s as sometimes known) rather than transistors.
Every other Big Muff uses transistors for their gain stages.
The late-1970s Muffs used integrated circuits instead. They produce a different saturation character. It’s more compressed, aggressive and has a raw, grinding quality that transistor Muffs don’t quite replicate.
Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins used this era of Muff heavily, which gives you some idea of how they sound.
Mojo Hand are direct about what this pedal is – raw and aggressive.
It does not clean up well with your guitar’s volume knob. It doesn’t sound pretty. It smashes you in the face. If you need something subtle, look elsewhere. If you need something that delivers exactly that kind of aggressive, grinding, wall-of-fuzz sound, this is built for it.
The second footswitch is the key practical feature.
It bypasses the Tone control entirely, routing the signal straight through with no EQ.
What you get is maximum bass, treble, and a volume boost. The Tone Bypass Level control sets how loud this is, from unity to full boost. It’s useful for solos or for adding a completely different character without changing other settings.
Controls
- Level: Output volume with Tone circuit engaged.
- Tone Bypass Level: Output volume with Tone circuit bypassed.
- Tone: EQ filter — shapes the frequency content of the fuzz.
- Gain: Controls the fuzz gain level with an adjusted taper for more usable sweep than the original circuit.
- Left footswitch: Bypasses/engages the Tone circuit.
- Right footswitch: Bypasses/engages the fuzz circuit (main bypass).
Key Features
- Op-amp Big Muff — late 1970s circuit with IC instead of transistors
- More compressed and aggressive than transistor Muff variants
- Second footswitch bypasses Tone circuit — all bass, all treble, maximum mids and volume
- Tone Bypass Level control for unity or boost
- Adjusted Gain pot taper for more usable sweep
- Does not clean up with guitar volume — this is by design
- True bypass
- 9V DC centre-negative, 8mA
- Made in Holland, Michigan, USA
Power
9V DC centre-negative at 8mA.
Watch The Mojo Hand FX 1979 In Action
FAQs
The integrated circuit baserd gain stages produce a more compressed, more aggressive saturation character than transistor versions – rawer, more grinding.
It removes the Tone EQ circuit from the signal path entirely, giving full bass,treble and a significant extra helping of mids and volume.
No. This pedal does not clean up with your volume knob. This is an animal.
Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins is the most famous user of late-1970s op-amp Big Muffs. The grinding, compressed wall-of-fuzz character is prominent on Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie.
Yes – both footswitches are true bypass.
9V DC centre-negative at 8mA.
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