Wren and Cuff Eye See '78 Dual Op-Amp Distortion

It’s been a minute since we’ve had anything from Wren and Cuff come through the shop, but today’s pedal most definitely makes up for lost time. The Eye See ’78 Dual Op-Amp Distortion takes a peek at a very particular piece of Big Muff history, when the famous circuit changed drastically, if for just a brief period: 1978-80 or so, when the usual transistors were scrapped in favor of operational amplifiers (op-amps), which are integrated circuits, or ICs. This one’s full of history and gusto, let’s dive right in…

Apart from the lack of transistors, the Eye See ‘78 features a drastically different clipping section for a monstrously woolly distortion sound, such as the one popularized by Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins on Siamese Dream. As expected, the sound of the Eye See ‘78 is different from a standard Muff circuit. While most vintage muffs are a little “sweeter” sounding, the Eye See ‘78 is certainly crunchier and more ballsy than a standard Muff.

In 1978, a switch was added to the back of the original, and the Eye See ‘78 includes this switch as well. The control is labeled as “Tone Bypass” and it, essentially, removes the passive tone stack from the circuit for a volume boost and a significantly more raw and open sound. Of course, this switch renders the Tone control useless, but you won’t miss it — the sound this switch provides is just too cool.

The original Eye See ’78 featured a bigger, near Muff-sized enclosure, which has been slimmed down for this current version, making it more pedalboard-friendly while keeping the excellent tone and distortion in tact. Pedals that focus on rare and unfamiliar circuits are always welcome here, and this one is no exception. Wren and Cuff have knocked yet another effect out of the park, and we can’t wait to explore more of their gear for you all soon. If you’re looking for a largely-untamed IC-based fuzz and distortion machine, with the ability to adapt to most genres of music under the sun, look no further than the Eye See ‘78 Dual Op-Amp Distortion. Be sure to visit their website, and don’t forget about our demo video below, cheers!

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