The Stomp Under Foot Civil War is a fuzz pedal that recreates the "Civil War" Russian Big Muff Pi of the early 1990s, built with the original KT3102 Russian transistors. Stomp Under Foot describes it as having a huge low-end, smooth fuzz, and dynamic response, producing soaring lead tones and full-bodied chords with just a hint of grit. It lists for $199.99 USD as of 26 October 20261.
The Russian Muff lineage
The original Civil War Big Muff was released around 1993, and Stomp Under Foot calls it the second evolution of the Russian muff1. Richard Purvis, writing at Guitar.com, explains the name and the character: "While the Civil War model predates the more famous green Russian Muffs, it's known for the same sound: less sweet and more snarly" than the American-made versions of the Big Muff2.
Kit Rae's Big Muff history pages document the Sovtek-era Russian versions in detail. Rae notes that the Civil War Russian Big Muff Pi was "Identical to the Red Army Overdrive circuits, just different graphics and colors"3. The two versions of the original differ mainly in their transistors and graphics:
| Version | Look | Transistors |
|---|---|---|
| Version 7A | Blue and gray | KT3102E in T018 metal cases, marked 9108, near equivalents to the NPN 2N5089 or 2N52104 |
| Version 7B | Green | Unmarked Russian silicon, almost always in the black plastic T092 case with white dots painted on top4 |
Stomp Under Foot's pedal uses the original KT3102 Russian transistors, along with NOS through-hole components, which is the point of the recreation1. What the maker says the pedal does:
- Huge low-end
- Smooth fuzz
- Dynamic response
- Soaring lead tones and full-bodied chords with just a hint of grit1
The original has inspired a family of clones. Rae lists the Stomp Under Foot CWM Fuzz, Blackout Effectors Musket, Montgomery Appliances Civil War Fuzz and Wren & Cuff Box of War among the pedals built on the Civil War circuit4.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's review of the related Stomp Under Foot Civil Unrest, the company's take on the same territory, gives a sense of how players regard the original's voicing. The reviewer notes a "bossy bottom end that some players would pass over," saying "particularly if you're the sort of player who would pass over a Civil War because of its bossy bottom end"5. That low-end emphasis is exactly what Stomp Under Foot highlights as a feature of the Civil War, describing its huge low-end and full-bodied chords1.
Power and practicalities
The Civil War runs on a 9V battery or a 2.1mm 9V adapter only1. Stomp Under Foot does not list a current draw or polarity for the pedal, so check the maker's page before adding it to a daisy chain with other pedals.
The maker specifies a 2.1mm 9V adapter only. If your power supply uses a different barrel size, you will need an adapter or a different outlet on your brick.
Stomp Under Foot builds a range of Big Muff-inspired pedals alongside the Civil War, including the Green Russian, the Ram's Head and the Civil Unrest. For more on the effect type, see the site's guide to fuzz pedals.
Videos
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Demos In The Dark
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Questions
Does the Stomp Under Foot Civil War take a battery?
Yes. Stomp Under Foot lists the Civil War as running on a 9V battery or a 2.1mm 9V adapter only. If you use an adapter, it must be a 2.1mm type, and the maker does not list any other power options for the pedal.
Is the Civil War true bypass?
Yes. Stomp Under Foot lists the Civil War as true bypass, so the pedal is removed from the signal path entirely when it is switched off. The maker also notes the pedal is built with NOS through-hole components.
What is a Russian Big Muff?
A Russian Big Muff is a version of the Big Muff Pi fuzz built in Russia during the Sovtek era of the early 1990s. The Civil War model, named for its blue and grey color scheme, predates the better known green Russian Muffs and is known for a sound that is less sweet and more snarly than the American-made Big Muffs.
Where is the Stomp Under Foot Civil War made?
Stomp Under Foot builds the Civil War by hand in the USA. The maker lists it as handmade in the USA on the pedal's product page.
Sources (5)
- Civil War Russian Muff Fuzz Pedal, Stomp Under Foot
- Review: Electro-Harmonix Sovtek Deluxe Big Muff Pi & Grand Canyon, Guitar.com, 2019-03-08
- Big Muff Versions_Quick Identifier, Kit Rae (kitrae.net), 2026
- The Big Muff History of All Versions 2, Kit Rae (kitrae.net), 2011-04
- Stomp Under Foot Civil Unrest Review, Premier Guitar, 2013-09-18
