Boss DS-1 vs EHX Big Muff vs ProCo Rat 

Alt title: shootout between the pedals that were used on nevermind

Clearly no winner here. My personal favourite may be the Rat but all three are great pedals, otherwise they wouldn't have been around for decades.

They different animals. For studio use the RAT delivered the “most professional” tone, if that makes any sense. The DS-1 sounded pretty gnarly, in a rebel teen way. I like rebel teens. Also I like to observe how this supposed distortion unit can have fuzzy characteristics. I really enjoy that. Finally, the Big Muff sounds like the town is being invaded by a huge army. As it should be. If there’s any choice to be made here, it really depends on what kindda music one makes and plays.

I have had all 3 of those pedals at different points in time and they are all very good pedals. Different guitars, amplifiers, speakers, and signal chains make a huge difference in how they sound. Additionally, as was brought up by other commentators, the settings of the knobs is also key to getting the best sound out of either. Some rigs sound great no matter what you put in front of them.

BOSS DS-1 has that unmistakable "can of bees" buzz to it. Certainly less Fuzz and more Distortion than the other 2, but all are classics for a reason. And all can be found used for a steal.

I've been running two muffs (sometimes one muff and one rat) in stereo,and I love it.

All 3 sound great. I have a DS-1 AND Big Muff. I use them on diff amps with diff chains. Love both of them. Never thought I needed a Rat, but it still sounds good. Keep bringing the great content!

Rat sounded great to me but the DS-1 is such a awesome pedal. Probably my favourite ever pedal!

The Rat certainly feels like the middle point between the clinical DS-1 and the fuzzy Muff. I love my Rat. I have a Shin Ei Companion clone that sounds like a chainsaw in a blender, just like the Jesus and Mary Chain like it... Pretty over the top!

Anytime you move the distortion dial past noon on a DS-1 you should turn the tone anti-clockwise to get fatter tone. Otherwise it goes too bright and fizzy. It can sound very natural with the drive all the way anti-clockwise, and the tone around 10 O' Clock as well. Quite versatile compared to most other distortions.

Great demo Rob! They all sound great but, I was feeling the Rat a little more today. Cheers man!😎

Great demo and playing ! I prefer the DS-1 because I have one and use it all the time. I used to own a Big Muff when I played out in the 70s because there wasn't many pedals back in those days. It's really good for Hendrix tunes with a wah wah.👍

I have the Rat, to me it does it all. Cool video as usual Rob.

To me the RAT is more open and less compressed sounding than the other two. I would be inclined to use the Big Muff or Boss for the power chords and then the RAT for the lead. That way two different flavors. Also the sweet spot on the Big Miff is with tone a little bit brighter than that.

I've got all three and couldn't choose between them. They're all different animals that sound great in their own way. Great comparison!

I agree, big muff sounded the fullest. I only have two pedals but they work great for guitar and bass. Oldschool v8 big muff and ehx bass wah.

The song he's playing is basically Losing touch with my mind by Spacemen 3. Freakin awesome

🎉 ótimo comparativo, muito bem detalhado e direto ao ponto G

For me, The Big Muff for lead and the RAT for the chords.

ProCo Rat 2 IS BY FAR THE BEST FOR SOLO DS1 RIFF IS THE BEST THE MUFF IS A MUFF - MUFF :)

all of these are great pedals but big muff is definitely my favourite. cool vid as always ✌👌

Happy to say that I’m here before this channel blows up

I believe the EHX "Flatiron Fuzz" should be right up there in legendary utility with these three and it's a rather improved version of a Rat but can do very defined fuzz as well.

I was always interested in the Big Muff after reading when I was kid that Gilmour used one, but the one time I got to try one (same model you use here) in a store, I found it to be one of the nastiest, harshest sounding pedals I've ever played through. I realized later that you can make it sound great with added reverb and delay or studio processing, or maybe even stacking it with other types of drives, but I found it's own raw sound was just terrible, right up there with my old Shin Ei fuzz or DOD Grunge. I finally sold my Shin Ei for 5 times what I paid for it back in the late 70s, and I couldn't believe it had become such a cult pedal that anyone would be willing to pay that much for one. I still have the Grunge, but only because I eventually learned I could get a decent fuzz sound out of it if I stacked it with another drive pedal and an EQ pedal. I have an old Rat and I like that but I tend to find it sounds best set to barely breaking up and with some bass added back with an EQ. I think the most useable fuzz sound I've ever heard is the classic Fuzz Face, but these days I tend to just get good fuzz tones by stacking drive pedals.

Bought a DS1 just to realize GAS is an incurable disease, god damn it give me all three

Now here’s a great comparison video

Great Content Great Channel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT

i use my rat with my bass.sometimes i use it with my Jazzmaster. and when i use it with my Jazzmaster, i sometimes like to use the rhythm circuit and get a really dark and distorted tone

The Rat is the first pedal I ever bought and the last I'd ever part with.

Cuvave Fuzz is a nice cheap fuzz pedal sounds similar to nirvana budget wise. I ordered the Joyo Zip Amp overdrive compressor and sounds like its nice according to the videos I've seen.

This man deserves more subscriber!

Oh do remember the all girl band "we've got a fuzzbox and we're gonna use it " ?

Hi Rob. Do you find that you get a fizz that sits under the tone of the rat? I took my first one back because it bugged me but the replacement was just the same. Sounds great here but can't love mine.

For me Big Muff was more intense and cooler. Great lead sound!

Rat sounded great! They're all cool. I just got my first Muff. The Green Russian re issue. Love it! Have a nice weekend Rob.

I use a boss ds1 bosting a big muff on a bass guitar for post-punks riffs.

I really dig that Superfuzz from the Bigmuff.

Nice review! Was wondering tho, on what amp were you playing?

I'd stack all three. Muff in the middle, ds1 on low in front as overdrive, Rat on high after the muff for distortion.

As someone in comments said "Three different animals". There is no definitely winner, at least not until I try all of them (I tried only DS-1) 😄 From here: Rat has the most beautiful leading/solo tone definitely, but for rhythm is, as in my place people say: dead race. Can't decide so simply.

Dumb question but when you play barre/ power chords on the E string do you ever leave the middle finger in to make it major or do you only use the top 3 strings only??

Three sounds I love, was surprised to prefer the Rat overall, though.

These three are mine favorite pedals! :)

Man you can't go wrong with any of the three! I love the muff! The DS sounds good on lead too! They're all fun!

I just love the meatiness of the DS-1. They all sound great, but for my personal playing style the DS-1 is a no-brainer.

Very good video. Were the pedals the current models or old ones?

Is it ok to use and switch between the three of them on a pedalboard to get a specific tone of each while playing live?

Hmm... I feel like I need a Volkswagen and all three pedals to go on tour :)

I might need to go try out a rat. It's like a balance between the ds1 and muff.

BIG MUFF for the win! tonally in between the other two, but with nice big grainy fuzz

I got a ds2 a rat and an op amp big muff. All amazing pedals 😊

Rat: chunky, crunchy, mid heavy, bold DS1: aggressive, crisp, fizzy, blistering Big Muff: fat, hot, searing, scorched

Great comparison. I love my Rat and my Big Muff

The Rat is always the answer. Dirty boost to Op amp Muff tones depending on where it's set, plus it always cuts through.

It's clear that the Proco is ten miles ahead ! 😜 I'm not surprise cause I compared them in different music store and took the Rat. Now I have two pedalboards and 5 good overdrives but if I had to keep only one it would be the Turbo one. Never understand the enthusiasm for Boss overdrive and his "digital" sound ?

I think Big Muff sounded the best, then the rat and the ds tin of wasps. Buy them all.

…what’s your review of The Nano Big Muff pi? It has good grit on the fuzz side; I haven’t tried muffing much.

The RAT sounds much better. Has the overtones in control ...super pedal !

They are all great, but I really like the tightness of attack on the DS1.

They all sounded good but you got a wicked Epiphone Les Paul custom and that was the star. Big muff is my fave , it pushes the single notes way out front. Plug that Guitar into a Fender Deluxe or similar and crank to 10, you won't even be thinking about boxes and wires.

I have the Bad Dog distortion another classic 👍

You should have thrown in the MXR Distortion+...

I preferred 1. Big muff 2. Rat 3. Boss

Ds1 sounds the best I think

Yessss

That lead with Rat was instant Noel Gallagher sound.

I have the BIG MUFF and the DS-1. Great pedals. Along with my CRY BABY Wah pedal.

DS 1 THE BEST ! Three of them are really cool btw, so grunge I would say may be.

All Three Combined Please!

Great video - most youtubers would take 30 minutes to cover what you did in 5 minutes!

I have the DS1 and a Big Muff... now I want a Rat.

Muff sounds so full and silky not trying to be 3 different pedals

На отдельных нотах, во время соло, Big muff более певучий, приятный на мой слух. Ритм партия гитары на аккордах, в данном видео, конечно Rat даёт более зрелый звук.

The DS-1 made me smile for some reason. Some kind of wonderful awfulness that sounds like it would sit it the mix really well in a loud rock song.

The Big Muff sounds like early Black Sabbath.

the RAT had the best most defined thick heavy chords and its lead was equal to the muff ... good demo but one has to try it on their own guitar and amp!

The Rat and Big Muff are good for classic grunge sounds. Ds1 might be better for punk.

1st rat, 2nd ds1, 3rd muff

Luv the Rat the best...Big Muff last sounded too muddy compared to the other 2..

The Rat, the Rat...of course. Solid pedal. Simple, and good sound. That's just the sound we are accustomed to ear from the beginning of times😄

The Rat Sounded Great!

Do you get a volume drop when you stomp on the ds1? I do on mine. So annoying because I love the sound.

I love Big Muff sound

Yeah Rob the Big Muff. Argos are selling Hardtail Strats but they're not Bullets with no stripe down the back & only come in red or black only '£90. I wonder if they have the same measurements as the Bullets or the Affinity & if they are routed for humbuckers?

From a time ago, but i have experience with all 3 (i know i'm not alone ;) I bought a red script Big Muff new in '75, used it with a Cry Baby, nice little tube Magnatone amp and a Strat, well SG first. I loved this rig. Perfect for UFO, Trower, Yesterday And Today and 'Skynyrd stuff. A year later, i stop by the same shop like always but saw a new version of the 'Muff. Tried it and didn't like it. I know that EH would use what ever was available for parts (Tube Screamers from the '80s, same deal) so maybe mine was supposed to be sludgy,,,it wasn't. Screamed ! Then again, maybe they changed the circuit with the 'logo'. Gone so got nostalgic and tried one again about 20 years ago. Still didn't like it I have a DS-1. Got it about 10 years ago as part of in store credit for a Super Shifter that i didn't like. I hit a Bad Monkey or BBII first. Have tried to use it more since shut down free time,,, Nephew wants to buy an amp and pedal to go with a guitar i gave him (LP Special copy), he's like 14 in '84. Marshall Lead 12 combo and a Rat or SS Princeton style amp and a Tube Screamer. I suggested the latter. I don't know if he went back and swapped but heard he couldn't get the sound he wanted. Looking back, it was a great rig for a kid. To me it sounded crappy. He went semi pro playing all over the place so not all bad ;)

If you take the Muff apart there is a small board inside.

i"m a big muf pedal fan and i've got a ds 1 but here the rat wins for me

Definitely the rat it rings. Have the other two but these are classic. Will look out for one.

Are you playing through the amps clean channel?

I choose them all, but I do own a big muff and ds1

That big muff has clearly seen some action

i got the rat n the ds -1 but got a muff tone wicker

I'll go with big muff any day

just a personal thing, but my favourite is the rat

It seems Big Muff is the coolest.

Proco rat For me! Is more like "Oasis"sound here!

i want to get a big muff at some point but i can’t right now because i’m saving up for a jazzmaster

2:51

Big Muff forever!

Well, i have the 03 pedals but Muff 4 me