Electro-Harmonix · Sovtek Big Muff Pi (Civil War) · c. 1991–1994
After EHX went under in the 1980s, Mike Matthews turned to Russia, and the Big Muff came back in the early 1990s from a St. Petersburg factory that had built training equipment for the military. The first ones were sold as the Red Army Overdrive, then as the same pedal with Sovtek Big Muff graphics. Collectors call the blue and gray boxes Civil War Muffs, after the Union blue and Confederate gray, and Kit Rae puts the earlier green and gray boxes and the all-green transition boxes in the same family. They're built like tanks, with a cast bottom and a steel inner plate, though the plastic jacks and battery door are flimsy. The sound is darker and bassier than an American Muff, with a smoother midrange and less gain, which is why bass players like them. David Gilmour used a Civil War Muff for The Division Bell and the Pulse tour, and Kit Rae calls them the most sought-after Sovtek Muffs. Kit Rae also says the USA Bass Big Muff comes very close if you want that sound with a power jack. If you want a Civil War itself, buy one with its original jacks.
The plastic input and output jacks are soldered straight to the board with no nut, so they work loose and can lift the traces, which makes the sound cut in and out. Battery doors are usually missing, the paint chips easily and the anodized tops can show corrosion.
Buying guide
With only about 8 Civil Wars listed, the $2,225–2,925 band is a rough read, and the one we'd buy is the gray 1990s one from a US seller at $1,440 delivered, about $785 under it. The rest ship from Japan at $2,492–3,400 delivered, and riversideworks_japan adds nearly $500 shipping to each of its two. These ran on a 9V battery only, and their plastic jacks are soldered straight to the board and work loose, so ask for a clip wiggling each cable while playing, check the photos for an added power jack, and look for the battery door, which is usually missing. Skip the zero-feedback seller at $1,250 and the two $3,300 listings that share one photo and title, a copied-listing pattern.
$1,439.98est. delivered
A gray Civil War titled 1990s from a US seller at $1,440 delivered, about $785 under the band and over $1,000 less than the Japan listings. Ask for a clip wiggling each cable, since the jacks are the weak spot, and check for the battery door.
Electro Harmonix Sovtek Civil War Effector Gray Big Muff Fuzz Distortion 1990’s
$2,492.37delivered
Titled early Russian at $2,492 delivered with free shipping from Japan, the lowest ask inside the band. Ask for photos of the jacks and battery door, and a clip wiggling each cable while playing.
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Civil War Fuzz Pedal Rare Early Russian Used
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 10, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Snapshot
Checked . Some may have sold.
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 10, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ. eBay shows yours before you pay.
Used$1,439.98est. delivered
$1,399.99 + $39.99 shipping
Buy It Now$1,399.99
Good buy
Titled gray, 1990s. In the US.
Seller: peppers83
100% positive
Used$2,492.37delivered
$2,492.37 · free shipping
Buy It Now$2,492.37
Good buy
Titled early Russian. Free shipping from Japan.
Seller: botuku-jpn
99.1% positive
Used$2,597.97est. delivered
$2,577.97 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$2,577.97
Our take
Titled V7B Civil War. Ships from Japan.
Seller: digree_japan
99.8% positive
Used$2,750.95est. delivered
$2,273.35 + $477.60 shipping
Buy It Now$2,273.35
Our take
No year in the title. $478 shipping from Japan.
Seller: riversideworks_japan
98.4% positive
Used$2,776.31est. delivered
$2,278.81 + $497.50 shipping
Buy It Now$2,278.81
Our take
Titled green with a wooden box, bought in 1994. $498 shipping from Japan.
Seller: riversideworks_japan
98.4% positive
Used$1,250.00delivered
$1,250.00 · free shipping
Buy It Now$1,250.00
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Titled gray Civil War, but the seller has zero feedback. Pay only through eBay checkout.
Seller: gre_812659
No feedback yet
Serviced$3,299.99delivered
$3,299.99 · free shipping
Buy It Now$3,299.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title and photo as another seller's listing. Pro-Serviced is the seller's claim.
Seller: ysk-japan
100% positive
Serviced$3,399.99est. delivered
$3,299.99 + $100.00 shipping
Buy It Now$3,299.99
This seller takes offers, and many sellers accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Check the seller
Same title and photo as another seller's listing. Pro-Serviced is the seller's claim.
Seller: gyro-01jp
98.6% positive
Prices change daily. The live eBay search shows everything listed now, including anything new since Oct 10, 2026.
See every listing on eBay ↗eBay searchPlenty of used pedals turn up without a power supply. Check the power line in the specs above, then match the voltage and plug before you buy one. This searches Amazon for the usual kit.
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