That's right folks, it's officially my fifteenth year in business and I'm celebrating by making some limited edition pedals like the Lyle Distortion Sustainer and this Ram Head that Tone did some new "15 year old worn" artwork for to differentiate it from my "standard" Ram Head.
Its no secret I'm a little bit obsessed with the circuit in it's many variations and forms over the years. While the circuit design itself hasn't changed much (except for the Op Amp version, stay tuned) and the different versions tones are mainly due to component values and types, it's a fascinating circuit to play with.
Over the years the BM has been released in SO many versions due to not only ups and downs for the manufacturer, but also due to their almost non existent quality control.
Of all the versions around I still keep going back to the Ram Head as my preferred tone. There's something about that versions good bottom end and clarity of tops that keeps me coming back. After making so many different versions I now appreciate other models more, like the Civil War and the Triangle, but that Ram Head just has what I want. The Tym Ram Head is my favorite version of this particular model.
I was going to make a slightly different version of a Ram Head for this model but about a month ago I came across some old TO18 "Tin Can" style 2N 2222 transistors that I grabbed to use in some of my other fuzz pedals, like the Buzzrite. As I use 2222's in my Ram Heads I thought I'd give them a try in a Big Mud.
While these transistors measured close to the specs of my current ones, they had "slightly" more gain but I decided to test them in an identicle circuit and see what it sounded like.
Im so glad I did. While the tone is "almost" identicle to my current Ram Head, it does have slightly more bottom end, without going at all flabby. It also has just the tiniest amount of top end "fizzle" that makes it sound a little clearer without being "fuzzy". All this while still having those GREAT Ram Head harmonics that I love over all other BMs.
I currently only have around 100 of these transistors which would make 25 Big Muds but I'm only making 15 to coincide with my anniversary models. That should leave me enough transistors to make a few special ................ Buzzrites, like say, 15 of 'em .................
If you already own one of my Ram Heads I wouldn't get one of these to compliment it. The tone is VERY similar. If you've been after one though, these are limited edition and to me, have that great Ram Head tone in droves.
These are available from my pedals page.