What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

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What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Mon Mar 12, 2018 10:16 am

I have several fuzz pedals that get a hint of octave, but aren't dedicated octave fuzz pedals. The most prominent one is the octave fuzz section of my Lovetone Ring Stinger. It's a huge box and the octave effect is very obvious and tracks very well. In the past that was enough for when I wanted an octave fuzz.

Now I have a couple of pedals where the octave pokes out at certain settings or parts of the neck. I like the chaos of it, the occasional ring moddishness thing that happens, but none of those pedals are pedalboard friendly either.

What are your favorite octave fuzz pedals? Do you like something classic like an Oktavia? Ring moddish like a Green Ringer based circuit? A Japanese buzzsaw like a Super Fuzz or Ibanez Standard fuzz?

I get an octave down effect from my Op Amp Big Muff, and a hint of octave up from my Roland Bee Baa. The Basic Audio Gnarly gets some Companion fuzz octave clangyness here and there. The Fairfield Four Eyes gets some oscillating octave craziness if you really push it.

What else should I try? An Au Claire Thunder? Kama Sutra or Octapussy? The Basic Audio Super Fuzz and Kay fuzz sound good in sound clips.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by tonehungry » Mon Mar 12, 2018 12:36 pm

i got some old shin ei super fuzzes which I love, I recently bought a reissue fender blender and did some mods to bring it closer to vintage spec......it is now my favorite.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by sessylU » Mon Mar 12, 2018 12:45 pm

It's not exotic, but I've always loved the Danelectro French Toast.
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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by Zork » Mon Mar 12, 2018 1:01 pm

I've got 4: A Fender Blender, an Ibanez Wau Fuzz and an Octavia but the Foxx Tone Machine beats all of them without a doubt.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Mon Mar 12, 2018 2:37 pm

French Toast is a Foxx Tone Machine clone, so two votes for that. I tried a re-issue a few years back that was red white & blue felt, but didn't bond with it. Clean amp probably didn't help though. I'm leaning in the Super Fuzz direction ATM.

Any ZVex Octane users or Death by Audio choices I haven't mentioned?

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by zhivago » Mon Mar 12, 2018 2:45 pm

The Zvex Octane is the only octave up fuzz that I actually bought again. I've had a I and two IIIs...they sounded the same, but the IIIs were not as prone to picking up radio! :D

It is a very in-your-face pedal...chords are almost impossible, although you can get away with root + 5th simple riffs. After the 12th fret on the neck pickup the octave just slays. I have often compared it to riding a wild horse. :freako:

Image

Another excellent octave fuzz was the Bearfoot Candy Apple Fuzz...I had the Ge version...if you set it right, it actually tracks all over the neck. Pretty awesome.

Image

I did really like the French Toast I had about a decade ago...but it lacked bottom end....cool pedal though.
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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Mon Mar 12, 2018 4:26 pm

I did not know the Candy Apple was an octave fuzz. Hmm

And thx for the Octane info.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by MrShake » Mon Mar 12, 2018 6:28 pm

#1) Super Fuzz
I have a BYOC, and both settings are the ripping-est, unholy howls I can imagine, but pretty much totally musical. Mode 1 for pinched, screaming-octave Mudhoney/Who/lead lines, Mode 2 for big, scooped Cramps-esque or stoner rock horror. It's the sound of Electric Wizard's "Dopethrone" and Fu Manchu's cover of "Godzilla". Mine's usually on Mode 2 for the garage-punk wash. It sounds even better when it's bathed in reverb. My desert island fuzz pedal, bar none. I've heard myths about "mild settings", but I say those don't exist. This monster screams. Fun sound: Mode 2 into a flanger with the sweep frozen in the right sibilant spot (a la the Electric Mistress' Filter Matrix), and you can make it sound like a 15-foot robot with chainsaw teeth.

#2) Fender Blender
Got a reissue, rewired it to "vintage" specs, and it's the only pedal I own that actually kinda frightens me when I engage that Boost button. Like, if you set "standard" mode (which is the best kind of disgusting) at a volume to match your amp/other pedals, and then Boost it, it mimics "the split second before your amp is about to explode". Not just like some DBA/Devi Ever pedals I have, where there's a big volume jump. This is some kind of scary roar. Like the brakes just blew up on the bus. Like a big dog suddenly appearing and pouncing at your throat. One of the few items on this planet I would ever un-ironically label "brutal". And there are ways to utilize the clean blend for some haunting ambient stuff, to boot.

Bonus points: I once had a Dano French Toast, and it was up there, for sure. But it broke after a couple months. I'm still shopping for a cheapo Foxx-sound replacement, I'll get there eventually. But with the octave on, it's almost up there with the other two. I'd never kick one out of bed for eating crackers, you know?

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by Mike S » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:42 pm

1. Fredric Effects Super Unpleasant Companion Fuzz. This recently replaced my Black Cat SuperFuzz. This is basically a Companion Fuzz and Super Fuzz in one pedal. The FY-6 is my absolute favorite.

2. MXR Sub Machine. This is a Foxx Tone Machine with Series/Parallel switching and a Blue Box-Style Octave Down. I think they may not totally have permission but the La Machine and Sub Machine are straight up Tone Machine clones. Awesome for Misfits songs.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by zhivago » Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:12 pm

fuzzjunkie wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 4:26 pm
I did not know the Candy Apple was an octave fuzz. Hmm

And thx for the Octane info.
No worries!

Yes the CAF definitely does octave up, you just have to set the knobs right. You can also do chords with it (when you don't have it in the octave setting, obviously), so it is arguably more versatile than other octave up fuzzes :)
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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by mynameisjonas » Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:37 pm

My Boss Hyper Fuzz, which has been modded to sound a bit more like a Superfuzz.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:29 am

MrShake wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 6:28 pm
#1) Super Fuzz
I have a BYOC, and both settings are the ripping-est, unholy howls I can imagine, but pretty much totally musical. Mode 1 for pinched, screaming-octave Mudhoney/Who/lead lines, Mode 2 for big, scooped Cramps-esque or stoner rock horror. It's the sound of Electric Wizard's "Dopethrone" and Fu Manchu's cover of "Godzilla". Mine's usually on Mode 2 for the garage-punk wash. It sounds even better when it's bathed in reverb. My desert island fuzz pedal, bar none. I've heard myths about "mild settings", but I say those don't exist. This monster screams. Fun sound: Mode 2 into a flanger with the sweep frozen in the right sibilant spot (a la the Electric Mistress' Filter Matrix), and you can make it sound like a 15-foot robot with chainsaw teeth.
I have the BYOC too. Love it! I can't compare it to anything else as it's the only pedal of this type I own but it's a great tip for getting Shin-ei/Companion fuzzy madness on a budget.

I've often considered modding the 2-way switch for a pot but have come to realise it's better to have that "one extreme to the next" set up instead. There's something magical & intensely heavy about switching to the scooped setting. It kind of punches you in the chest.

I actually rehoused mine & fucked it up somehow. I keep meaning to troubleshoot the circuit & get it back to it's best again.
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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by MechaBulletBill » Tue Mar 13, 2018 1:31 am

I like superfuzzes a lot. I've never had a good octavia but I think they sound great when others use them

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by loudwizard » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:38 am

The Basic Audio SuperFuzz you mentioned is fantastic.
I love Superfuzzes and have had a few of the better ones - Wattson, Creepy Fingers, etc, and the Basic Audio is my favorite.
The switches that cut the level in half and octave in are out are super useful. I can flip those and the settings that I have for a ripping SuperFuzz still give you what you’d expect, and the octave really does jump out a lot in 1/2 level settings.

Like all these things, tho, definitely works better higher up the neck and on the neck pickup - if you want tracking lower on the neck, something like a POG along with a fuzz is the way to go.

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Re: What is you favorite Octave Fuzz?

Post by fuzzjunkie » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:10 am

^^^ Thx, that's what I was wondered vs building my own Leeds from BYOC. I wasn't sure if the half gain switch was useful and like others, I kinda like the drastic tone change the switch provides, at least on my Bee Baa.

The octave on/off switch is something the Foxx has, it does make it more versatile, but I am not sure Si would use it. It's good to know the fuzz tone holds up without it.

I know the Foxx octave tracks better over the whole neck, but I like how it disappears a bit on lower notes and then pops out when you go higher.

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