Catalinbread Ottava Magus

No instruction manual came with the pedal, which is fine because it's so simple to operate. The components are contained within a tiny, but tough, case with a two quality potentiometers, a robust stomp switch, quality input and output jacks and a standard polarity, Boss-style 9V power input. It really is tiny, but the output of this pedal is incredible, both in terms of the effect itself and its sheer volume. This makes it excellent for lead passages - the high octave, great germanium fuzz and high output allow your guitar to jump out above a thick rhythm section.

I play blues and stoner rock. I have a Fender USA Stratocaster and a Yamaha AES620 - which, incidentally, is a stellar guitar and the most underrated Les Paul knock-off since the Ovation of the 1980s.

My pedalboard is fairly simple: Dunlop Crybaby GCB-95 wah, Catalinbread Ottava Magus, Boss OC-2 Octave, Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive, EHX Big Muff Pi USA, Akai E-2 Headrush Tape Echo/Delay/Loop Station.

From the E-2, I split my signal between a Fender Pro Jr. and a Fender Deluxe 85.

Catalinbread rightly claims there are multiple usable settings on this pedal. I've owned three different fuzzes, but this is my first octave-fuzz, and I can readily understand the glowing reviews for this pedal. It is inexpensive and the build and sound quality are superb - second-to-none.

One of the best features, which I've previously stated, is the output of this pedal. I use it for lead passages with my Yamaha over (usually) a wall of thick, fuzzy, heavy rhythm guitar and fuzz-bass (similar to Dinosaur Jr., Fu Manchu, Nebula, etc.). It really slices through the mix.

For blues playing with my Strat, it really captures the Hendrix vibe. You can set the pedal for subtle and intense octave-fuzz sounds. Subtle settings can lend an interesting, barely-perceptible-but-definitely-there edge to country and blues style lead playing, while the extreme settings can take you into Band of Gypsys territory.

For a gain boost, the pedal works well with an overdrive. I have used my SD-1 after the pedal and this adds gain but in no way diminishes the octave effect - such is the strength of this pedal's output.

As I wrote earlier, this pedal is extremely tough - tougher than a Boss pedal, dare I say it?! - and I would use it for gigging without a back-up.

Some might say the lack of battery power is a weakness, but I can't see why any serious musician would risk playing with batteries, which leak, go flat and are getting very expensive here in Australia.

I bought this pedal through Catalinbread's Australian distributor. The Catalinbread website suggests that this pedal cannot be bought here! The website itself seems to be in a delayed state of construction, but perhaps this is because the company is fairly small and must divide its time between marketing and production. Whatever the reason, the pedal is an excellent product and deserves to be successful and lucrative for its maker.

A quality product and excellent value for money - I don't say that about many things I buy!

Just for reference values, I'll consider the 5-6 value to be average (it's what I had expected for the device, given the price range and manufacturer's rep). Anything less indicates that the unit is perfoming in a manner that is less than I expected, anything greater indicates that it exceeds my expectation. I realize that this is in conflict with the standard if-it-works-at-all-I'll-give-it-a-10 user interpretation of the HC numeric review values, but that's the only way I can figure to indicate performance above and beyond the standard, so...

The OM offers the best of all worlds in the ease of use vs. flexibility. Two simple parameter adjustments that cover a wide range of useable (and palatable) options. Just great. It's a simple as it can be, but not simpler.

I'm very pleased with both the overall tonal options and quality offer by the OM. Actually, it's inspired sufficient joy in me to warrant an interpretive dance in celebration of finding an octve unit that I don't want to heave out a window within a few hours of initial testing, but that's beyond the scope of this review.

I've had time to experiment with it using a half dozen guitars of single and double coil neck configuration. As expected for this type of device, it shines most brightly with single coil neck PUs... though there is no reason to limit it to Strat-types. It works better with neck humbuckers and P-90s than any other big money octave unit I've tried (and chances are you can't name one I haven't tested extensively over the past thirty years of play). In the interest of brevity, I'll simply list what traits I find in it that place it above the standard octave/ring mod stompbox.

Low noise. Not breathtakingly quiet, but very good for this type of device. The ring mod effect is available over a much wider fretboard range than with a traditional octavia clone. This isn't just a lead solo toy. With the proper settings and a user that understands how to milk ring mods, you have a wealth of great tones available (and not just novelty industrial tones, but stuff that allows you to go somewhere musically). The intensity should have a micrometer dial on the pot, as you can get so many tonal options out of it. I'd love to have a expression pedal option for the intensity control.. it's that good. As with most of the Catalinbread stuff, there's no shortage of gain available from the unit... and it's all "good" gain in that there seems not to be a threshold value at which the overal tonal qualities start to implode. Both pots range though fully useable values in terms of output voicing (in other words, you're not left with a pedal with only a few useable sweet spot voicings).

Seems to play well with just about everything downstream of it. You can get away with some forms of drive on the upstream side, though to maintain the magical response of the unit, you should minimze the degree of compression or attack dynamic dulling. I generally play fingerstyle without thumbpick. This thing responds wonderfully to subtle string nuances. Most octave units perform poorly in that respect.

Given the inherent limitations of each amp (SS and tube), I haven't found anything it can't be made to work with. AC-30TB, JC-120, Fender Metalhead, Bassman, Twin, JTM45, Fender Jazzmaster UL, Acoustic 120, etc. all ran well with it. I was surprised it ran as well as it did with the solid-staters. Usually it takes a fair degree of downstream signal massage to get an octave ringer to cooperate with a solid state unit, but this one dove right in. No probs.

I've had a few Catalinbread pedals for years now (SCOD, Teaser Stallion, Semaphore). No problems. This one seems to be well made from good components. Time will tell, though I have no indication that it will weather more poorly than the others. I treat pedals as though they're a glass menagerie anyhow, so I may not qualify as a good judge of durabilty...

Catalinbread seems to be responsive to cutomers, though I'm simply basing that on folkloric recitation from other players, techs, and what I've read online. I have no direct personal experience with customer support and cannot offer any opinion on the quality of such.

I really appreciate this pedal, which for me is exceptionally unusual considering the type of pedal it is. The designer/developer either put a great deal of time, effort, heart, and ear into it... or he/she just happened upon a good combination of traits by random chance. I'm going to assume the first scenario to be more likely. It's an outstanding musical tool in that it takes you places you didn't know you wanted to go. The price is reasonable considering that there really is no other unit that does what it does as well as it does it in the format it does it in (Lewis Carrol moment there). Kudos to the person that made it a reality.

One switch and two knobs - volume and intensity. Easy. The intensity winds more of the upper octaves in whilst increasing the 'fuzz.' It has plenty of volume if you want it and the bypass has no audible tone sucking. There's no manual, you won't need one.

If you want that late 60's / early 70's octave/fuzz thing then this baby (Nicholas Harris calls this series 'Bantams') will give it to you in spades. It absolutely sings. At first when I fired it up I didn't get it immediately but after switching my SG and Strat to the neck pickup and doodling Hendrix-isms around the 12th and 14th fret positions, I couldn't turn the thing off. It absolutely sings. The more intensity you wind in, the more the octaves are emphasised along with its aggression and sustain. Gorgeous.

Built like a small, colorful brick. It would take a jack hammer to damage it. First class switch, jacks and paint job throughout.

I've had the good fortune to deal with Nicholas a number of times and he's a top and very supportive fella. No qualms in this department.

What style of music do you play? Is this a good match?
Everything. I've been playing for over thirty years and my live and recording experience has covered nearly every style imaginable. I'm partial to classic rock though. :) This pedal can bring magic to a solo.

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own?
I own a myriad of MI Audio, Catalinbread, Subdecay, Durham, Boss, Behringer(!), Gibson, Fender, Fernandes, Tokai, Laney, Vox, on and on....

what do you love about it?
It's simplicity, sonic perfection in its chosen field and aesthetic desirability (very important to us pedal fetishists!)

What do you hate?
The fact that Catalinbread will soon take off (IMHO) and my little collection won't be so special anymore. But good luck Nicholas!

What is your favorite feature?
The sound and the purple knobs and LED.

Anything you wish it had?
A bigger case; my clodhoppers are driven largely by enthusiasm and amber fluid on stage and there definitely is a chance of unwanted interference with the controls. Also, a bigger case would allow for a battery - there is no space in its current form. Cute as a button though. :)

Does it help you make music, or does it get in the way?
The sound of this stomp will definitely inspire.

Anything else you'd like to share?
Yes, responsibility for my mortgage payments.







What do you hate? What is your favorite feature?