The JHS Pedals Muffuletta is a fuzz pedal from Missouri-based JHS Pedals that puts six Big Muff circuits in one box: five recreations of classic Electro-Harmonix Big Muff versions plus one JHS original fuzz design, selected with a Mode knob1. The idea was to take the Big Muff, a fuzz pedal introduced by Electro-Harmonix decades ago with what Pedal of the Day's Mike B called "a ridiculous cult following," and make its most beloved versions available in one small format pedal12. Guitar World's Jonathan Horsley summed up the concept: "Six circuits, one pedal, the Muffuletta does for the Big Muff what the Bonsai did for the Tube Screamer"3.
The pedal was developed and released in 2014, according to JHS's Josh Scott in a Sweetwater demo video, with press coverage following in 201541. Scott designed it, with help from Jon Cusack and Cusack Music52.
Six Big Muff circuits in one pedal
The Muffuletta's core idea is that the Big Muff changed repeatedly over decades, and players argue about which version is the right one. Rather than pick, the pedal offers five recreations of the most beloved designs plus a JHS original, for six modes in total1. Each mode is a distinct circuit voice rather than a tweak of one sound.
| Mode | Based on | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| The Triangle | 1969 to 1970 V1 | More low end and more articulate5 |
| '73 Rams Head | 1973 to 1977 V2 | Scooped midrange, less gain, overall darker tone51 |
| The Pi | 1977 to 1978 V3 | Best known for a more aggressive sound5 |
| The Civil War | 1991 to 1993 V7 | More midrange, brighter2 |
| The Russian | 1999 to 2009 V8 | Less clarity, less low end5 |
| JHS "2015" | JHS original design | More powerful, less compressed, more haunting midrange; the best mode for bass guitar15 |
The five recreations are all-analog, as JHS describes them: "We crammed five all-analog re-creations of the pedal's most beloved tones into this box"1. The sixth mode is JHS's own fuzz design, added because, as Delicious Audio put it, "Not happy with five recreations, JHS included one of their own fuzz designs for a total of 6 different options"1.
Controls and power
The control section is simple: Volume, Sustain and Tone, plus the Mode selector2. Sustain controls the amount of input gain, so it works like the Sustain control on a traditional Big Muff, feeding the fuzz stages harder or softer1. Volume sets the output level.
The Muffuletta requires standard 9V DC negative power and draws only 4mA, so it is easy on a pedalboard power supply1. No battery operation is mentioned in the maker's specifications.
Mike B at Pedal of the Day found the controls interact well: "There's plenty of output volume here, great range of gain stages as well, which, along with the Tone knob, interact with the Mode knob to produce a vast array of fuzzy and distorted sounds"2.
Where it came from
Josh Scott of JHS Pedals designed the Muffuletta, and he credited the circuit work to a collaborator: "I want to give a massive thank you to my good friend Jon Cusack and Cusack Music for helping this hefty idea be fully realized"5. Pedal of the Day likewise called Cusack a "circuitry wizard" behind the pedal2. Scott dates the development and release to 20144.
The pedal sits in a wider JHS history with the Big Muff. JHS had already built a business on Big Muff modifications, including the EHX Triangle Big Muff Pi Illuminati Mod, the EHX OpAmp Big Muff Pumpkin Patch mod and the EHX Green Russian Pi Moscow Mod, along with the '73 Ram's Head Replica Fuzz. The Muffuletta carried that history forward by packing five all-analog re-creations of the Big Muff's most beloved tones into one box, covering the Triangle, Ram's Head, Pi, Russian and Civil War eras, plus a JHS fuzz design of their own for a total of six modes1. Josh Scott designed it, with help from Jon Cusack and Cusack Music52.
The Muffuletta and the Big Muffuletta
The Muffuletta should not be confused with the Big Muffuletta, a separate and later pedal. JHS Pedals describes the Big Muffuletta as "the first in a new series of larger than life pedals," the BIG series, which "harkens back to the day where pedals were big and so was the tone"7. The original Muffuletta is the small format version, measuring 2.2" x 4.8" x 1.6"1.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio's take was positive on the value proposition: "it's easy to see the versatility (and savings) offered by the Muffuletta. Add JHS rock-solid build quality and you have" a compelling package1. The savings argument is the pedal's main pitch: six circuits in one box instead of six vintage pedals.
Pedal of the Day's Mike B highlighted the output and the range of gain stages, and how the Mode knob multiplies what the other controls can do2.
A Sweetwater demo video with Mitch Gallagher and Josh Scott walks through the pedal's origins and its modes4:
In the video, Scott explains that JHS "in 2014 we developed and released a pedal called the muffuletta," and the demo covers how the six modes compare4.
Price and availability
At launch, Premier Guitar reported that "The Muffuletta pedal is priced at $229 and is available now" (September 2015)6. A 2026 Guitar World review lists it at $249, with UK and EU pricing of £219 and €2793.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Chicago Music Exchange
Reverb
News
Questions
Which Big Muff versions does the Muffuletta copy?
It recreates five classic Electro-Harmonix Big Muff circuits: the Triangle (1969 to 1970 V1), the '73 Rams Head (1973 to 1977 V2), The Pi (1977 to 1978 V3), The Civil War (1991 to 1993 V7) and The Russian (1999 to 2009 V8). A sixth mode, the JHS 2015, is JHS's own fuzz design rather than a copy.
Is the JHS Muffuletta good for bass?
The JHS 2015 mode is described as the best of the six for bass guitar, being more powerful and less compressed than the other modes, with a more haunting midrange. Players who want a Big Muff voice on bass would start there rather than with the vintage recreations.
How much does the JHS Muffuletta cost?
At launch in September 2015 the Muffuletta was priced at $229. A 2026 Guitar World review lists it at $249, with UK and EU pricing of £219 and €279. Prices can change, so treat the newer figure as the more current one.
What is the difference between the Muffuletta and the Big Muffuletta?
The Muffuletta is the original small-format pedal with the six Big Muff circuits. The Big Muffuletta is a separate, larger pedal that JHS Pedals describes as the first in its BIG series of larger than life pedals, harkening back to the day when pedals were big and so was the tone.
Is the JHS Muffuletta analog?
Yes. JHS describes the five Big Muff recreations inside the pedal as all-analog, and the sixth mode is an analog JHS fuzz design. There is no digital modeling involved.
Sources (7)
- JHS Muffaletta Muff-Style Fuzz, Delicious Audio, 2022-03-23
- JHS Pedals Muffuletta Distortion Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2015-10-06
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi 2 Dual Op-Amp Fuzz review, Guitar World, 2026-03-23
- JHS Bonsai Multi-overdrive Pedal Demo, Sweetwater (YouTube channel), 2018-01-23
- JHS Pedals Unveils the Muffuletta Fuzz Pedal, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-09-17
- JHS Pedals Unveils the Muffuletta, Premier Guitar, 2015-09-16
- BIG MUFFULETTA, JHS Pedals
