The BLAMMO! Electronics Bad Bluff is a fuzz pedal built on the Russian Big Muff circuit, the large black boxed pedal of Russian descent, but with a reworked two-band tone section and an extra clipping option. BLAMMO! describes it as an honest take on that circuit, adding a Mids control and a Mod setting that opens up the clipping beyond the classic sound. It is handmade in Portland, Oregon, and lists at $159.99 USD as of the maker's product page dated 2026-10-25.1
What it does to your sound
At its core, the Bad Bluff follows the Russian Big Muff formula, but the tone section is where BLAMMO! reworked things. The pedal adds a Mids control that works in tandem with the Tilt control: dialing the Mids knob to the right brings in more middle frequencies, while dialing it to the left cuts them for more classic Big Muff sounds. At noon, the frequency response is flat, so players can dial in scooped classic tones or push the mids forward depending on the amp and the mix.1
The pedal also offers a second clipping character. The Mod setting offers a more open, less saturated asymmetrical clipping sound that gives users access to different shapes beyond the standard fuzz voice, with a bit more output.1
Controls and clipping
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Mids | Works with the Tilt control; right brings in more middle frequencies, left cuts them for classic Big Muff sounds, noon is flat1 |
| Mod setting | More open, less saturated asymmetrical clipping sound with a bit more output1 |
The clipping comes from Russian KD521V diodes, and the circuit uses Panasonic film capacitors.1
Build, bypass and power
The Bad Bluff sits in a sand textured 125b enclosure with top mounted jacks, which keeps the pedal compact on a board and leaves room for patch cables at the sides. BLAMMO! updated the switching from the old clicky style footswitch to a relay based true bypass soft-switching setup, so the pedal is true bypass without the mechanical click of a traditional stomp switch.1
"we've updated the old clicky style footswitch to a relay based true bypass soft-switching setup"
Power comes from a standard 2.1mm center negative 9 volt DC adapter, and the pedal draws 35 mA. That is a modest draw by modern standards, but it is worth noting when budgeting a shared supply.1
The Bad Bluff draws 35 mA and takes a 2.1mm center negative 9V DC adapter. Check your power supply's per-output budget if you plan to share it with other pedals on a daisy chain.
Where it sits in the BLAMMO! range
BLAMMO! Electronics builds a range of hand-made fuzz pedals. The Fuzz Banger and the Jordan Bosstone sit alongside the Bad Bluff as part of a lineup focused on hand-built fuzz designs. The Bad Bluff itself is, in the company's words, "an honest take on that large black boxed pedal of Russian descent," with a reworked 2-band tone section and an extra clipping option. For more on the effect type, see Fuzz Pedals.1
Videos
AndyDemos
Harsh Tones, Inc.
Brett Kingman
Questions
Is the BLAMMO! Bad Bluff true bypass?
Yes. BLAMMO! Electronics fits the Bad Bluff with a relay based true bypass soft-switching footswitch. The maker says it updated the old clicky style footswitch to this relay based true bypass soft-switching setup, so the pedal switches cleanly without the mechanical click of a traditional stomp switch while still removing the circuit from the signal path when bypassed.
What does the Tilt control do on the Bad Bluff?
The Tilt control works in tandem with the Mids knob. Dialing the Mids knob to the right brings in more middle frequencies, while dialing it to the left cuts them for more classic Big Muff sounds. At noon, the maker says the frequency response is flat, so the pedal sits at its most neutral midrange in that position.
How much current does the Bad Bluff draw?
The Bad Bluff draws 35 mA, according to the maker's product page. It runs on a standard 2.1mm center negative 9 volt DC adapter, so it fits ordinary pedalboard power supplies, though a 35 mA draw is worth keeping in mind when budgeting a daisy chain or isolated supply.
What diodes does the Bad Bluff use?
The Bad Bluff uses Russian KD521V diodes for its clipping, alongside Panasonic film capacitors in the circuit. The KD521V diodes are the Russian parts that suit the pedal's Russian Big Muff based design, and the Mod setting offers a more open, less saturated asymmetrical clipping sound as a second option.
Where is the BLAMMO! Electronics Bad Bluff made?
BLAMMO! Electronics describes the Bad Bluff as handmade with care in Portland, Oregon. The company builds its pedals by hand, and the Bad Bluff follows other BLAMMO! fuzz designs such as the Fuzz Banger, which is also described as hand built in Portland, Oregon.
Sources (1)
- Bad Bluff, BLAMMO! Electronics
