
A Ram's Head roars In pure vintage style.
About as smooth a muff-type pedal as you'll hear. Lovingly built. works incredibly well for big chords. Great sustain.
Authenticity comes at a price.
$279
The art of stompbox cloning is, at best, an inexact science. A lot of the most classic pedals vary wildly from specimen to specimen—mocking that pillar of empirical science, the control set—and making a definitive version of just about any classic a near impossibility. This certainly holds true for the Big Muff. And it might be doubly true for the mid-'70s Ram's Head version that legions of fuzz fanatics regard as the finest Muff of all.
Yet the manufacturing inconsistencies that make vintage Ram's Head Muffs such a mixed bag has not deterred stompbox builders from attempting to make the ultimate Ram's Head clone. And if there is such an animal, Wren and Cuff 's Caprid is right there in the running for the title.
Running with the Sheep
It's no secret why the Ram's Head Big Muff is as revered as it is. It's the cornerstone of some of David Gilmour's most famous solos, the vehicle for Ernie Isley's soul-fuzz excursions, and the foundation for J Mascis' skull cap-ripping live sound—which is to say they can sound colossal, smooth, aggressive, responsive, squirrely, and just about everything in between.
Wren and Cuff, who have already kicked up waves with their Sovtek-type Muff clones like the Tall Font Russian, demonstrate uncommon reverence to these iconic Muffs of yore in building the Caprid. The enclosure is a dead ringer for an original at a few paces, and it's resplendent in playful and vintage-inspired touches like the little ram head logo in the lower right hand corner and use of the Art Nouveau Böcklin font. It also feels like a sturdy little brick in hand—which inspires all kinds of faith in actually stomping on this stompbox.
The period-correct touches on the exterior only begin to tell the tale of how reverent this design is. The tone control works in reverse, just like the original, which means you (very counter-intuitively) crank the tone with a counterclockwise turn, while you boost the volume and sustain with a more familiar clockwise turn. The on/off switch is a faithful touch that also serves a practical purpose—you can turn the pedal off, leave your cables plugged in, and not drain your 9V battery.
When it comes to period authenticity, however, the pièce de résistance is the printed circuit board, which retraces the 3003 circuit board in the original Electro-Harmonix Ram's Head Muff—right down to the wide copper traces. It's indulgent, it's impractical, it's probably expensive—and if you're a major circuit nerd, it's nothing short of glorious.
One aspect of the Caprid's design where Wren and Cuff was willing to deviate from vintage exactitude is the transistors themselves. After excitedly sourcing a rather pricey stash of 2N5133 transistors, Wren and Cuff owner Matthew Holl determined that the whole batch sounded altogether underwhelming. So rather than bow to to-the-letter authenticity under the hood, Holl adopted a mix-andmatch approach to transistor sourcing—with rather stunning results, as it turns out.
One Heavy Muffin
The differences between Big Muffs and Big Muff clones can be subtle. But the Caprid succeeds in being extraordinarily creamy and smooth by any Big Muff standard. It also has a lot of range for a Muff-type pedal.
If you set up the Caprid for unity gain (which, very authentically is right around 2 o'clock) and set the sustain and tone at about noon, you'll get a sweet, thick, sustaining lead tone that coaxes a very vocal fuzz and grind from a larger amp like a Fender Twin without getting unmanageable, but also sounds gorgeous through a smaller rig like a Fender Deluxe. At these relatively mellow settings you can still use the tone and sustain controls very effectively to dial up more aggression—and with smaller amps in particular, a sweet, buzzing '60s-flavored fuzz that you can transform from singing Page/Beck Yardbirds tones to more radical beehive garage menace.
With the volume at unity, and the tone and sustain at about 2/3 full, the Caprid is great for heavy chording. But it goes way beyond just being useful for I-V power chords, as the pedal retains detail for arpeggios and complex chords at the low end of the fretboard where other Muffs can get mired in muck.
Cranking the volume all the way—a setting preferred by many Ram's Head users— does nothing to blunt the Caprid's capacity for detail. Even when you roll the tone knob all the way off at these heavy levels, the Caprid remains focused and incredibly rich with overtones and color. With volume and tone at these opposite extremes, the sustaining, savage growl of a barred F chord run through a blackface Fender is easily among the most delicious distorted tones I've ever heard. And there aren't many fuzz pedals— of any type—that can swing that trick.
The tone knob, meanwhile, is beautifully reactive and effective. Cranking it wide open and going full throttle on the sustain and volume uncages a fire-spitting monster that's at once deadly, blindingly beautiful, and full of intricacies. You can move from singing and stinging lead tones (that sound particularly smooth with neck pickups and humbuckers) to fast chord arpeggios that retain amazing note-to-note balance. Roll the sustain back a bit and plug in a Stratocaster and you have the combination of tooth and sustain that's typical of Gilmour's Animals tone—perhaps the definitive Ram's Head lead tone.
The Verdict
Unless you're willing to brave the vagaries, risk, and expense of the vintage Muff market, the Caprid is about as complete as a classic Ram's Head experience as you can get. The pedal is built like a battleship and Wren and Cuff nailed the design idiosyncrasies that made old Electro-Harmonix the coolest-looking pedals in the shop.
Whether the Caprid captures the perfect Ram's Head tone is impossible to say, given the unique voice of each original. But the Caprid is a spectacular-sounding fuzz by any criteria. It's capacity for note-to-note detail— even when chording in the most extreme gain settings—is extraordinary. Lead tones are classically Ram's Head—singing, aggressive, and responsive to varied input from a guitar's volume and tone controls—and snarling and savage enough to get out over a raging maelstrom of drums and bass. If there's a drawback, it's that you're not likely to get a Caprid on the cheap. And at 279 bones, less obsessive Muff fans might find the Caprid too much for a relatively simple circuit. But Muff fans that savor the design elegance and civilized-to-savage personality of the best vintage Ram's Heads are bound to be thrilled by what the Caprid can do—and consider this lovingly crafted homage a bargain.
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Brent Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ’90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, you’ve likely heard Mason’s playing.
Professional transcriber Levi Clay has done the deepest of dives into Brent Mason’s hotshot licks. At one point, he undertook the massive project of transcribing and sharing one of Mason’s solos every day for 85 or so days. Mason is, of course, on of the most recorded guitarists in history, who helped define the sound of most ’90s country superstars. So, whether you know it or not, you’ve likely heard Mason’s playing. Levi shares the insight he gleaned from digging deep, and he tells us what it was like when they shared a stage last year. Plus, Levi plays us some great examples of Mason’s playing.
For the first time ever, two guitar greats, John 5 and Richie Kotzen will be heading out on the road this year. The tour will launch October 16 and run through November, hitting markets across the U.S.
Find the full tour itinerary right plus a link for tickets & VIP, including additional dates featuring John 5 only. Reserved seating tickets will go on sale Friday May 16 though a fan presale will begin today at noon local time and fans are strongly encouraged to buy early to get the best seats.
Meet and Greets for both artists will be available. For John 5 please go to: https://john5store.com/collections/vip.
Today, John 5 also announces more details of his anticipated new album. Called The Ghost, it will be released October 10 and is led by the new track “Fiend,” featuring Kenny Aronoff.
John 5 continues running public tours this month for his Knights In Satan’s Service Museum of KISS Memorabilia in Los Angeles, California. Guided tours are open to the public for one month only (with a possible expansion). Current dates available are May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-30. Each will be led by John 5 himself who will provide tons of rich detail and answer any questions. Secure your place HERE.
JOHN 5 continues to tour with Mötley Crüe including an upcoming residency in Las Vegas in 2025.RICHIE KOTZEN &
JOHN 5 FALL 2025 TOUR
October 16 El Cajon, CA @ Magnolia
October 17 Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts
October 18 Roseville, CA @ Goldfield Trading Post
October 19 San Jose, CA @ The Ritz
October 21 Phoenix, AZ @ Celebrity Theatre
October 22 Albuquerque, NM @ KiMo Theatre
October 24 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
October 25 Leander, TX @ The Haute Spot
October 27 New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
October 28 Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
October 29 Nashville, TN @ Fogg Street Lawn Club
October 30 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
October 31 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
November 1 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
November 2 Clearwater, FL @ Capitol Theatre
November 4 Richmond, VA @ The National
November 5 Leesburg, VA @ Tally Ho Theater
November 6 Patchogue, NY @ Patchogue Theatre
November 11 Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre
November 12 Derry, NH @ Tupelo Music Hall
November 13 Foxborough, MA @ Six String Grill & Stage
November 14 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theater
November 15 Lorain, OH @ Lorain Palace Theatre
November 16 Columbus, OH @ The King Of Clubs
November 17 Warrendale, PA @ Jergels
November 19 Wyandotte, MI @ District 142
November 20 Flint, MI @ The Machine Shop
November 21 Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere’s
November 22 St. Charles, IL @ Arcada Theatre
November 23 Belvidere, IL @ Apollo Theatre
November 25 Denver, CO @ Oriental Theater
November 29 Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet's*
*John 5 only
AEROSMITH guitarist and songwriter JOE PERRY is set to return to the road for a series of August performances with THE JOE PERRY PROJECT. The 8-date run kicks off August 13 in Tampa, FL and wraps August 23 in Port Chester, New York, with an August 19 performance in PERRY’s Boston hometown (see the itinerary below). For the North American trek—which marks the first solo shows for PERRY this year—the legendary guitarist will be joined by his Aerosmith bandmates Brad Whitford (guitar) and Buck Johnson (keys), along with The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson (vocals), and Stone Temple Pilots’ Robert DeLeo (bass), and Eric Kretz (drums).
“Well…it’s time to let the music do the talkin again,” PERRY says. “I’m really excited about the JPP line up this year!!!! Most of these guys played with me at The Roxy in L.A. at the debut event for my latest solo album [Sweetzerland Manifesto] in January 2018. They’re all busy as hell but thankfully they’re able to carve out some time for this run. And I’m not only lucky enough to have Brad Whitford onstage with me but Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes! [who sang ‘Fortunate One’ on Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII], Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz from STP!!! and Buck Johnson who plays keys and sings with Aerosmith, the Hollywood Vampires, and is also a solo artist in his own right.”
For the shows, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee says “the set list is gonna include my fav JPP cuts, STP, Black Crowes, and with Brad we’ll be hitting the Aero hits and some deep cuts and then ya never know!!!! Gonna be a BLAST, and if you’ve ever been to one of my shows you know the words GARAGE BAND on STEROIDS come to mind! See you there!!!!”
DATE | LOCATION | VENUE |
Wednesday, August 13 | Tampa, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Tampa |
Thursday, August 14 | Hollywood, FL | Seminole Hard Rock - Hollywood |
Saturday, August 16 | Toronto, ON | HISTORY |
Sunday, August 17 | Muskoka, ON | Kee to Bala |
Tuesday, August 19 | Boston, MA | Wang Theatre |
Wednesday, August 20 | Hampton Beach, NH | Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom |
Friday, August 22 | Mashantucket, CT | The Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino |
Saturday, August 23 | Port Chester, NY | Capitol Theatre |
A sample page from the author’s analog log.
Seasonal changes are tough on your acoustic. Here’s how you can take better care of your prized instrument.
As you read this, spring is in bloom in most of the US, or maybe it has been for some time. I’m timing this column specifically to ask acoustic guitarists, in this season of increasing humidity and comfortable conditions, to prepare for what’s coming. It’s never too soon, and time flies. Before you know it, we’ll be back to the maintenance phase and you might be blowing up the phones of your local guitar shops, luthiers, and techs. I’m here to encourage a decidedly old-school approach to preventative guitar maintenance, and yes, it starts now.
Why, you ask? Well, as the lead luthier at Acoustic Music Works, I can tell you that in my nearly 15 years in this position, this was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars. Fret sprout, bridge lifts, top sink, soundboard cracks, back cracks, loose binding, general malaise… These hit us very hard in the winter that spanned 2024 and 2025. Am I complaining? On the one hand, no. This is part of how we make our money. On the other hand, yes! Repair schedules related to dryness and humidity issues can stretch into weeks and even months, and nobody wants to be without their favorite instruments for that amount of time. With a little thoughtfulness, however, you might get through next winter (and every one thereafter) without hefty repair bills or time apart from your musical companion.
Our preparation is going to start with an unlikely but very important guitar accessory: the humble notebook. Plain, lined, grid, day planner… it doesn’t matter. We all need to actively participate in our instrument maintenance, and in my experience, fancy apps that track humidity via Bluetooth breed a kind of laziness, a feeling of safety that might prevent us from actually physically looking in on conditions. Better we keep an analog, well, log, so that we know where things stand, and I suggest checking in daily.
“This was the worst winter ever for preventable repairs on acoustic guitars.”
Track your relative humidity, both in the case and in the room where your instruments mostly reside, but also take notes on your action height, top deflection (StewMac has some great tips for measuring this) and anything related to playability that you believe you can observe empirically.
Dryness is the root cause of most guitar issues that manifest in the fall and winter months. Symptoms of dryness include sharp fret ends, falling action and dead frets, sunken top around the sound hole, and cracks and bridge lifts. With your trusty notebook, you’ll get a feel for the sensitivity level of your instrument, and that knowledge is power!
A few other basic implements will not only assist you in your observations, but may also satisfy your need to buy guitar-related things (at least for a minute). Getting quick and comfortable with a fret rocker is a great skill to have, and is invaluable in diagnosing buzzes due to high frets or frets that have come unseated due to dryness. A well-calibrated relief gauge might seem luxurious, but it can prevent you from making unnecessary or extreme truss rod adjustments. A string action gauge, or even a simple machinist’s rule or set of feeler gauges, will help you keep track of your action. Get a three-pack of hygrometers so you can average their readings, rather than depending on one.
Lest we forget: A guitar can not only be too dry, it can also be too wet. By beginning your maintenance diligence in the spring/summer, you’ll also be able to tell if your instrument is the victim of a too-humid environment. The signs of over-humidification are subtle: Your action may rise from a puffed-up top, and in extreme cases, glue joints could begin to fail. In my experience, an over-humidified guitar will suffer from dulled tone, almost like a sock in the sound hole. If you’re sensing a lack of clarity in your guitar all of a sudden, start with new strings. If it persists, it might be due to over-humidification, and you may want to introduce a desiccant to the case for a time. The more lightly built your guitar is, the more sensitive it will be to seasonal changes.
By getting into these habits early, you’ll be empowered by knowing your instrument more intimately. You’ll understand when and why changes in tone and playability might have occurred, and you’ll hopefully save on repair bills year-round. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Who knows? I might just send you a notebook with an AMW sticker on the cover!