MusicRadar Verdict
A Big Muff at heart, but a great-sounding, well-made and handsome-looking boutique version.
Pros
- +
Superb sounds.
- +
Beautifully-built.
Cons
- -
Expensive.
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Greer Amps pedals are designed by Nick Greer and hand-built in Athens, Georgia (hometown of REM).
A Big Muff-style fuzz, the Tarpit is based not on the common four-transistor versions, but on the version from the late 1970s, which featured two op-amps (ICs), was favoured by Billy Corgan, and is generally regarded to have a little more edge than the tranny versions.
To our ears, the Tarpit has a classic Big Muff sound and, in an A/B test with various vintage and modern transistor Big Muffs, the differences are subtle, with small variances in the midrange. It has a singing quality in the upper mids and a slightly crispier, grainier edge to the distortion.
This is an excellent variation on a theme and it’s out there for Big Muff aficionados who appreciate the nuances of different models. Others may question the price when there are less expensive alternatives around...
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