The JHS Pedals '73 Ram's Head Replica Fuzz is a fuzz pedal built to replicate the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi sold in the mid-1970s, the version now commonly called the Ram's Head. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, described its range as "Ranging in color from a slight gritty tone to all-out levels of distorted fuzz", and called it "an excellent modern take on a classic"1.
This pedal is discontinued. Pedal of the Day lists it on the JHS website under the discontinued-rare section, and it was a limited edition sold only through Chicago Music Exchange, so it never had a wide retail run1.
What it is and where it comes from
The Ram's Head name refers to the second version of the Big Muff Pi. Kit Rae's Big Muff history page identifies Version 2 as the "RAM'S HEAD" BIG MUFF, made in the USA circa 1973, and notes that "Basically the V2 was just a larger enclosure for the V1"3. The circuit became one of the most sought-after Big Muff versions: David Gilmour's 1974 Ram's Head Big Muff is one documented example of the vintage original4. When Electro-Harmonix reissued the circuit in 2019 as the Ram's Head Big Muff Pi '73, gearnews.com called the Ram's Head '73 "one of the most coveted versions of this great American fuzz pedal"5.
JHS's take on that circuit predates the official reissue. Pedal of the Day describes the '73 Ram's Head Fuzz as "designed to replicate the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff π sold in the mid-1970s"1. Delicious Audio, describing the same circuit lineage for another builder's pedal, calls it "version 2" of the most popular fuzz circuit sold between 1973 and 19776.
Controls
The pedal carries the classic three-knob Muff layout, which Guitar Pedal X describes across mini Muff pedals as "Variously labelled : Volume / Level | Tone | Sustain / Drive"7. On the JHS pedal, Pedal of the Day explains each control this way1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Blends the level of the effect with your guitar's signal |
| Tone | Focuses on either the lows or highs produced when the pedal is engaged |
| Sustain | Dials in the amount of fuzzy deliciousness protruding from your amplifier |
Mike B found the layout easy to live with: "With 3 knobs, the level of difficulty to dial in a great tone is minimal"1.
How it compares
Against a vintage original, Pedal of the Day's verdict was that it "sounds a lot like a 1970's Big Muff, but with updated circuitry and modern components"1. The reviewer also framed it as a value alternative: originals "are still going for a pretty penny on eBay and elsewhere as well, so this may be a more affordable option for some"1.
Other builders have made their own versions of the same circuit, and Tonebox covers several:
- Vick Audio 73 Ram's Head, a Big Muff clone that gearnews.com called "quite revered in the world of fuzz"8
- Retro Tone Ram's Head V2, covered by Delicious Audio as version 2 of the circuit Electro-Harmonix has since reissued6
- JHS's own later Muff-related work, including the Mini Foot Fuzz V2 and the EHX BY JHS Big Muff 2
For the wider family of circuits like this one, see Fuzz Pedals.
Videos
Chicago Music Exchange
Reverb
Curtis Kent
Questions
Is the JHS '73 Ram's Head Replica Fuzz still available?
No. Pedal of the Day lists the pedal under the discontinued and rare section of the JHS Pedals website, so it is no longer in regular production. Because it was a limited edition sold only through Chicago Music Exchange, secondhand examples are the usual route for players who want one. Players looking for a current Ram's Head-style fuzz can find other options covered on Tonebox.
Where was the JHS '73 Ram's Head Replica sold?
It was an Exclusive Limited Edition sold only through Chicago Music Exchange, according to Pedal of the Day's review. That retail arrangement is part of why the pedal is now considered rare: it never had a wide dealer network, and once JHS moved it to the discontinued and rare section of its site, the secondhand market became the main source.
How does the JHS Ram's Head Replica compare to an original 1970s Big Muff?
Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Mike B, found that it sounds a lot like a 1970s Big Muff, but with updated circuitry and modern components. Original mid-1970s Big Muffs were still changing hands for a pretty penny on eBay when the review was written, and the reviewer suggested the JHS pedal could be a more affordable way to get that sound.
What does the Volume knob do on the '73 Ram's Head Replica?
The Volume knob blends the level of the effect with your guitar's signal, per Pedal of the Day's review. It sits alongside Tone, which focuses on either the lows or highs produced when the pedal is engaged, and Sustain, which dials in the amount of fuzz. That three-knob layout is the classic Muff control arrangement.
How many knobs does the '73 Ram's Head Replica have?
Three: Volume, Tone and Sustain. Pedal of the Day noted that with 3 knobs, the level of difficulty to dial in a great tone is minimal. The same Volume, Tone and Sustain arrangement appears across many Big Muff-style pedals, sometimes labelled Level and Drive instead.
Sources (8)
- JHS Pedals '73 Ram's Head Replica Fuzz, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2014-08-10
- Source Audio True Spring, JHS Mini Foot 2, ProAnalog Manticore 2, Catalinbread Coriolis, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2019-02-19
- Big Muff Versions_Quick Identifier, Kit Rae (kitrae.net), 2026
- The Big Muffs of David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Kit Rae's Big Muff Page, 2024-07
- Electro Harmonix reissues Ram’s Head Big Muff Pi '73, gearnews.com, 2019-10-16
- Retro Tone Ram's Head V2, Delicious Audio, 2021-02-08
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-21
- Vick Audio Hypocenter: From Big Muff to Delay!, gearnews.com, 2016-07-30
