The GUPtech Big Pinotte Fuzz is a hand-built fuzz pedal for guitar and bass, and GUPtech's own tribute to the original Big Muff Pi circuit. It keeps the classic Volume, Tone and Sustain control layout of that design and adds a three-position clipping selector, so one pedal can move between diode, Op Amp and Germanium clipping flavors. It is built in two editions: a green Guitar edition and a yellow Bass edition with a Blend knob for keeping low end1.
How it works and what it does
The Big Pinotte follows the Big Muff template: a three-knob fuzz where Sustain sets how hard the circuit clips, Tone shapes the voice, and Volume sets output level. On top of that, GUPtech adds a three-way clipping selector. The low position is the classic diode clipping, the center position is Op Amp clipping, and the high position is a Germanium clipping option that GUPtech describes as new1.
The two editions differ in one feature. The green Guitar edition carries an added HI knob that GUPtech says adds a shimmery treble tone. The yellow Bass edition instead carries a Blend knob, to keep all the low end you want, and GUPtech says it is also compatible with low tunings and 7- and 8-string guitars to keep your low end. Beyond that feature, the maker states both editions are exactly the same1.
| Control | What it does | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | Output level | Both |
| Tone | Fuzz voice | Both |
| Sustain | Amount of fuzz and clipping | Both |
| Clipping selector (3-way) | Diode (low), Op Amp (center), Germanium (high) | Both |
| HI | Adds a shimmery treble tone | Guitar (green) |
| Blend | Blends clean and fuzzed signal to keep low end | Bass (yellow) |
The Big Pinotte runs on 9 to 18 VDC center negative at a 2 mA draw, so it is light on power, but the maker's listing gives no battery option, so plan for a standard DC supply1.
The Big Muff connection
GUPtech introduces the pedal as "our latest tribute to the original Big Muff Pi π fuzz"1. The Big Pinotte follows that circuit's spirit with its own additions: three clipping modes, including the classic diode (low position), Op Amp clipping (center position) and a Germanium clipping option (high position), and, on the Guitar (Green) edition, an added "HI" knob to add a shimmery treble tone1. One player, writing anonymously about a white lab model, said "I have used it in front of plexi style amp for a bit," including on a small bass pedalboard1. The Big Pinotte sits in that same territory as a Big Muff-style fuzz with a dedicated bass edition.
Availability and price
GUPtech lists the Big Pinotte Fuzz at £77.00 GBP as stated on the maker's page (2026-10-26)1. The page also links to a press release for release information1. A buyer review on the maker's page, based on 5 reviews, describes a white lab model from professor Pinotte used "in front of plexi style amp for a bit" and on a small bass pedalboard1.
Videos
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The Fuzzed & Doomed
Questions
What is the difference between the Guitar and Bass editions of the Big Pinotte?
Both editions share the same circuit and the classic Volume, Tone and Sustain controls. The green Guitar edition adds a HI knob for a shimmery treble tone, while the yellow Bass edition adds a Blend knob to keep the low end you want. GUPtech says the Bass edition is also compatible with low tunings and 7- and 8-string guitars to keep your low end, and that the two editions are exactly the same except for that feature.
Is the Big Pinotte based on the Big Muff Pi?
Yes. GUPtech describes the Big Pinotte as a tribute to the original Big Muff Pi fuzz, and the pedal carries the classic Volume, Tone and Sustain control layout associated with that circuit. Electro-Harmonix, which makes the Big Muff line, sells several bass-oriented versions such as the Bass Big Muff Pi, a fuzz, distortion and sustainer for bass.
Where is the GUPtech Big Pinotte made?
GUPtech builds all of its pedals in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, and the Big Pinotte Fuzz is made there by the company itself.
What do the three clipping positions do?
The Big Pinotte offers three clipping modes on a selector. The low position is the classic diode clipping, the center position is Op Amp clipping, and the high position is a Germanium clipping option that GUPtech describes as new. Each position changes how the fuzz distorts the signal.
Sources (1)
- Big Pinotte Fuzz Guitar Bass Effect, GUPtech (guptech.ca)
