Electro-Harmonix Release 'Special' J Mascis Signature Edition of V2 Violet Ram's Head Nano Big Muff Pi

I’m obviously a significant fan of Big Muff Pi Fuzzes / Distortions - and have all of the recent EHX Nano Reissues - in fact I have them mostly in JHS or Alchemy Audio Modded Editions - bar the hitherto most recent Nano Metal Muff variant - which is unadulterated.

JHS used to regularly modify EHX Pedals - but all of that had stopped by the time the initial V2 Violet Ram’s Head reissue occurred (October 2019) - so I acquired Alchemy Audio’s Modded edition of that instead. In fact the first thing I did when I spotted this newest Muff variant was to contact Johnny and Victoria at Alchemy Audio and inquire as to whether they would be doing a modded version of that too. Their reply was that likely not as it was a Reverb.com exclusive and they could not therefore buy these in at their usual dealer / wholesaler discount level.

I was then still browsing Reverb.com and noticed that only a handful of those J Mascis ’Special Editions’ remained in stock - and I was triggered to make a somewhat spontaneous purchase lest I miss out!

Controls - Volume, Tone, Sustain.

It latterly transpired, as far as I can gather, that this is simply a re-packaged / re-skinned version of the previous 1973 V2 Violet Ram’s Head 2019 reissue - where the only discernible differences are a slightly different ’paint job’ onto White Enclosure with ’Big Muff π’ now in Violet instead of the former Red - and with the addition of J Mascis’ signature script.

I must say that I feel slightly duped here as the initial messaging around this release was very opaque and vague - and actually seemed to imply a proper signature pedal - which is normally somewhat honed to that signature artist’s specifications  - where I would say that what we got instead was somewhat misleading. Apparently ’Special Edition’ here just means limited graphics edition - supposedly no different on the inside to the former edition which I already have in its Alchemy Audio Modded guise - pictured top left in the main visual.

This whole project feels somewhat cynical to me and cheapens both the name of EHX and J Mascis - who obviously signed off on this affair - I mean by all means correct me if I’m wrong here! But this is a somewhat misleading cash-grab really. I don’t begrudge any company making an honest buck - but this sort of thing seems underhanded and somewhat colours my opinion of both parties involved.

Of course J Mascis still has his actual and proper two Signature ’Garbage Face’ collaborations with Wren and Cuff - where that core version of Ram’s Head is very specifically J Mascis’ individual favourite Ram’s Head pedal exactingly recreated and reproduced in compact and deluxe formats. Obviously the signature EHX V2 Violet is significantly lower priced at $131.50 vs the two Wren and Cuff Garbage Faces at $235 and $350 (with Germanium Treble Booster). But to be perfectly honest - I would much rather have had the compact Garbage Face over a second re-skinned copy of a pedal I already own - with just a touch different artwork. I feel really sorry for Wren and Cuff in this situation - the purveyors of the actual genuine article Signature Editions - where this whole episode will impact very negatively on them - and quite unfairly so! 

I’ve long bemoaned that I have Special / Limited Editions fatigue - and this may very well be the final straw that breaks the camel’s back. I’m doubly peeved here in that I was prompted to make a purchase because said pedal was seemingly running out of stock - but now they’ve announced a second batch. Surely that further takes the shine off ’Special Edition’ I’m not sure anyone will be able to use that moniker seriously ever again. In fact it’s even worse than that as a more recent announcement seems to indicate that dealers will have this version in stock from October. So in short this version is not deserving of the ’Special Edition’ or ’Limited Edition’ monikers - in fact it’s not properly a Signature J Mascis product either - even though he has lent his signature to the outside of the pedal.

I still haven’t forgiven Catalinbread for their faux ’Limited Red Mod Edition of DLS’ which was then later fully mainline released with just black knobs in place of the white ones of the limited edition. In a properly regulated industry these businesses would be fined for false declarations, misrepresentation and misleading trade descriptions. So these brands are somewhat ruining the use of those descriptors / monikers and trashing their own reputations in the process.

Both companies (EHX and Catalinbread) have significantly lost brand equity by their actions alongside that most essential brand value of ’Trust’. Based on this sort of behaviour, neither can really be trusted much any more - which is a shame. I’m not sure of J Mascis’ motivations here - but I do feel this is a disservice to his fans - and his former and still-standing agreement with Wren and Cuff.

Actually shame on Reverb.com too - which is another willing participant in this venture - surely this is a false statement : "If you’re looking to sound like the Dinosaur Jr. legend, there’s no better way than with a pedal designed to match." That line surely applies to the Wren and Cuff Garbage Face - not this re-skinned cash-grab of a pedal!

How do all of you feel about this - does anyone else feel duped here? Am I over-reacting?

I am very keen to hear your opinions on this subject!

Of course if you didn’t get the original 2019 V2 Violet reissue - then all good and well for you as this is then a pretty good buy at a reasonable price - but for those who now have both - unintentionally or inadvertently - surely some negative feelings and resentments will remain! To my mind this is the very worst example of ’Signature Edition’ where the signature artist has had no salient impact or input on the production - but where an existing product has simply been cynically re-branded. Most guitar brands are guilty of this too for several of their own ’Signature Editions’. It’s long since time this nonsense was stamped out!

Apologies for the semi-rant here. I really hate being taken advantage of though ...