Mirano - EF-1 - Exciting Fuzz [schematic]
- jrod
- Resistor Ronker
I found this on a Japanese web site. I'm pretty sure this is a Big Muff clone closely resembling this "factory" schematic: http://www.kitrae.net/music/10_15_75_Bi ... ematic.jpg. I see at least one pair of clipping diodes and it looks like another hidden behind one of the electros. At least one electro is 1.0uF and at least one ceramic cap is 500pF. I'll bet the large greenies are 0.1uF. I did not check the resistor values. This pedal is made in Japan, according to the site, in 1970. Transistors are metal can Matsushita 2SC539 × 4.
Discofreq also has some pics at his site: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/mirano/ef1
Enjoy!
Discofreq also has some pics at his site: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/mirano/ef1
Enjoy!
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- mictester
- Old Solderhand
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You're right. It's a cloned Big Muff, or it might be the pedal that the Big Muff was cloned from! There were stories that the Big Muff was based on an obscure Japanese product. Perhaps this is it!jrod wrote:I found this on a Japanese web site. I'm pretty sure this is a Big Muff clone closely resembling this "factory" schematic: http://www.kitrae.net/music/10_15_75_Bi ... ematic.jpg. I see at least one pair of clipping diodes and it looks like another hidden behind one of the electros. At least one electro is 1.0uF and at least one ceramic cap is 500pF. I'll bet the large greenies are 0.1uF. I did not check the resistor values. This pedal is made in Japan, according to the site, in 1970. Transistors are metal can Matsushita 2SC539 × 4.
Discofreq also has some pics at his site: http://www.effectsdatabase.com/model/mirano/ef1
Enjoy!
"Why is it humming?" "Because it doesn't know the words!"
- phibes
- Transistor Tuner
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Now that would be some shit!mictester wrote:You're right. It's a cloned Big Muff, or it might be the pedal that the Big Muff was cloned from! There were stories that the Big Muff was based on an obscure Japanese product. Perhaps this is it!
GuitarlCarl - "TGP = The Gear Polishers"
Ken
Ken
- theehman
- Diode Debunker
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mictester wrote:
You're right. It's a cloned Big Muff, or it might be the pedal that the Big Muff was cloned from! There were stories that the Big Muff was based on an obscure Japanese product. Perhaps this is it!
In all the years I've been collecting/repairing EH pedals this is the first time I've ever heard that.
Ron Neely II
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Home of RonSound effects: http://www.ronsound.com
fx schematics and repairs
- Kitrae
- Breadboard Brother
I have never heard those "stories" either. An original circuit design coming from Japan in the early 70's? - not likely. Japan was huge into pedal knockoffs from the late 60s and all throughout the 70s. Bob Myer designed the first Big Muff circuit in 1969, and knockoffs started appearing as early as '71. The Sekova Big Muff is another Japanese clone from the early 70s. A guy from Japan emailed me pix of the Exiting Fuzz a few years ago, which I think are these same photos. He said it was one of the first Big Muff clones from around '72. According to him, Mirano/Ktayama made a lot of tape delays, pedals, and amps - all based on existing products. If anyone has any more info than that, let me know, as I have never found much else about this company.
Kitrae - Muff junkie
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- John Lyons
- Solder Soldier
Well at least the name is really cool!
- mictester
- Old Solderhand
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I have a "Sonic" "distortion / sustainer" that was bought in Japan in mid-1968, and appeared on a couple of tracks recorded in the Netherlands in late '68 and early '69. It's clearly a Big Muff Pi, using the usual four transistors, two pairs of clipping diodes, and a mid-scooped tone control with lots of range. It was obviously mass produced, as there are only about three values of resistor and two values of capacitor used throughout - where other values are needed, components are fitted in series or parallel as required. The three pots are all 100k, and mounted at the back of the box like the Mirano. The bypass isn't "true" bypass, but it has a DPDT footswitch. One side switches the output socket either to the input or to the board output, and the other shorts the "Sustain" pot to ground to silence the pedal when bypassed. They didn't care about the loading effect of the input of the pedal!Kitrae wrote:I have never heard those "stories" either. An original circuit design coming from Japan in the early 70's? - not likely. Japan was huge into pedal knockoffs from the late 60s and all throughout the 70s. Bob Myer designed the first Big Muff circuit in 1969, and knockoffs started appearing as early as '71. The Sekova Big Muff is another Japanese clone from the early 70s. A guy from Japan emailed me pix of the Exiting Fuzz a few years ago, which I think are these same photos. He said it was one of the first Big Muff clones from around '72. According to him, Mirano/Ktayama made a lot of tape delays, pedals, and amps - all based on existing products. If anyone has any more info than that, let me know, as I have never found much else about this company.
The next time I'm at my family's place in Amsterdam, I'll see if I can find it. It was last seen in a box of old musical gear in the loft, and had been discarded (as I remember) because the battery connector was missing - it was to be mended when I "got around to it"!. There are also a few other vintage pedals there, including a Schaller Volume Pedal that I used to use a lot, and original Cry Baby, one of my earliest Tonebender clones and a few other goodies. I'd forgotten all about this junk until the Mirano thread started, because the box described at the start of the thread looks very like a larger version of the "Sonic" box.
"Why is it humming?" "Because it doesn't know the words!"
- phibes
- Transistor Tuner
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Rig Ruff!Kitrae wrote:The Japanese were really good at naming products using English words weren't they?John Lyons wrote:Well at least the name is really cool!
GuitarlCarl - "TGP = The Gear Polishers"
Ken
Ken
- mictester
- Old Solderhand
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I'll be going over there in the next few weeks. I'll collect all the old gear and bring it home. As I remember, there are some real gems there!Kitrae wrote:I would love to see pix of that one. You purchased it in '68, or someone else said they did? Post some gut shots if you find it.
"Why is it humming?" "Because it doesn't know the words!"
- mattpas
- Breadboard Brother
Did you ever find that old fuzz pedal?mictester wrote:I'll be going over there in the next few weeks. I'll collect all the old gear and bring it home. As I remember, there are some real gems there!Kitrae wrote:I would love to see pix of that one. You purchased it in '68, or someone else said they did? Post some gut shots if you find it.
- DiscoFreq
- Resistor Ronker
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I'd love to see that pedal, I never heard of a pedal with that name...
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- jrod
- Resistor Ronker
Mictester, did you ever find the Sonic distortion?mictester wrote:I have a "Sonic" "distortion / sustainer" that was bought in Japan in mid-1968, and appeared on a couple of tracks recorded in the Netherlands in late '68 and early '69.
- mictester
- Old Solderhand
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I'm waiting to see my nephew - apparently he cleaned out most of the musical junk from the attic over there. The big prize he found (in his eyes) is a WEM Copycat in "perfect" condition! There was also a couple of old "Schaller" volume pedals and "a few odd boxes". When I get hold of the remainder of the old junk, I'll post some photos.jrod wrote:Mictester, did you ever find the Sonic distortion?
"Why is it humming?" "Because it doesn't know the words!"
- jrod
- Resistor Ronker
Looking forward to it. Thanks!mictester wrote:I'm waiting to see my nephew - apparently he cleaned out most of the musical junk from the attic over there. The big prize he found (in his eyes) is a WEM Copycat in "perfect" condition! There was also a couple of old "Schaller" volume pedals and "a few odd boxes". When I get hold of the remainder of the old junk, I'll post some photos.jrod wrote:Mictester, did you ever find the Sonic distortion?
- sinner
- Old Solderhand
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