Product: ?ecret Sound Octa Phuzz
Price Paid: US $150
Submitted
09/29/2002
at
05:16pm
by
Anonymous
Ease of Use
:
10
Obviously, it's super easy to use. Volume, phuzz, tone knobs + bypass and octave button switches. Two lights tell you if it is bypassed (yes, it has true bypass) and if the octave effect is on.
Sound Quality
:
10
I mostly play what people call alternative music (no, I don't like the label but it gets the idea across) using two Fender Jag copies (Warmouth body and neck + Fender electronics) through various combo amps (most often a Fender Twin reissue, sometimes a tweed Gibson).
This octave up fuzz is exactly what I wanted. It is perfect for me. The fuzz is fat and rich, not harsh or scratchy sounding. It is smooth, so if you want that "broken speaker" sound (which is cool in its own way) don't get this fuzz. The tone control has a useful range and gives a variety of tone characteristics to the already great fuzz.
The octave-up, when engaged, is good and strong. It doesn't just give a hint of octave up. It is pretty pronounced, especially when using the neck pickup and playing up high. Even when playing power chords down low, you can still hear it though.
One thing I was surprised about was how dead quiet the thing is when you aren't playing. Volume full up on the guitar, it doesn't add much hiss or noise at all. Most high gain fuzz pedals are noisy suckers but this one isn't.
Reliability
:
10
It seems trustworthy. As good as any other pedal anyway. It is a hard metal case like the MXR style with full (amp) size dials and metal foot switches. The finish is transparent so you see the silver metal underneath. I've only had it for a few months, but when it gets scratched up from use it won't hardly show. A scratch will be the same color as it already is.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
?ecretSound? Um, who? I bought it at a music store where I go to college. I never heard of ?ecretSound but I tried it out at the store and I bought it. They don't have a website as far as I can tell, or even a phone number for that matter.
Overall Rating
:
9
I'll give it 9 overall because I don't know if there is any customer service (see above) and because people tend to inflate their ratings here anyway. I do love the pedal (great regular fuzz, great octave up sound too), it seems well made, and I would buy another if it was lost.
