Quick Hit: Way Huge Russian-Pickle Review

Though I’ve played many fuzzes since, my favorite remains the green Sovtek Big Muff that I bought new in the ’90s. Way Huge’s Russian-Pickle is inspired by the sound of that circuit. But the Pickle also delivers the wooly, hazy essence of Russian “muffiness” with a unique accent that breaks the well-codified green-Muff mold.

Seasoned Muff players will hear the Pickle’s mid-range bump as the primary audible difference between the Way Huge and Sovtek originals. Players who love desert-rock grind and circa-’94 Gilmour sounds will likely dig the extra harmonic color. Those that savor the Sovtek’s mid-scooped profile may miss the sizzling, high-end potency of the original. One big upside of the Pickle’s smooth, less-scooped sound is agreeability with other gain devices—a plus in an age of pedalboard maximalism. My treble booster, for instance, added heat and meshed seamlessly with the Pickle’s wall of fuzz. In many respects the Way Huge sounds more similar to modern Muff evolutions, like the EQD Hoof (the closest match to the Pickle in my own tests). And though it lacks some modern Muff features like mid sweep, it’s a thoughtful, well-built, and unique evolution of a killer fuzz template.

Test Gear: Fender Jazzmaster, Fender Jaguar, Fender '72 Telecaster Deluxe, silverface Fender Bassman, blackface Fender Tremolux, Fender Vibro Champ