The Tym Fuzz Munchkin is a fuzz pedal made by Tym Guitars of Australia. It was built to sound exactly like the Big Muff that J Mascis keeps on his board, placing it in the Big Muff family of fuzz pedals.1
What it does
The Fuzz Munchkin is a fuzz design in the Big Muff lineage. Stompbox Book describes it as "made by Tym Guitars of Australia to sound exactly like the Big Muff that J has on his board," referring to J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr.1 For a player, that means the pedal's stated purpose is to reproduce the sound of a specific, well-known player's Big Muff rather than to offer a new take on the fuzz formula.
J Mascis and the Fuzz Munchkin
The pedal's connection to Mascis is the clearest thing known about it. In material published by Stompbox Book, Mascis said of the Fuzz Munchkin1:
"This one is the only one that I use. All the others are backups for this one."
That comment indicates the pedal serves as his main unit, with his other fuzzes held as backups. Players researching the Fuzz Munchkin are, in effect, researching the Big Muff sound Mascis is known for, which sits in the same broad territory as other distortion and overdrive pedals but with the sustained compression fuzz is known for1.
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Questions
Who uses the Tym Fuzz Munchkin?
J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. is documented as using the Fuzz Munchkin. In an interview published by Stompbox Book, he said of the pedal, "This one is the only one that I use. All the others are backups for this one." The pedal was made by Tym Guitars of Australia to sound exactly like the Big Muff Mascis keeps on his board.
What is the Tym Fuzz Munchkin based on?
According to Stompbox Book, the Fuzz Munchkin was made by Tym Guitars of Australia to sound exactly like the Big Muff that J Mascis has on his board. It belongs to the family of fuzz pedals descended from the Big Muff circuit.
Sources (1)
- J’s Big Muff Museum, Stompbox Book (stompboxbook.com), 2020-12-30