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Fulltone OctaFuzz

Summary
Manufacturer URL http://www.fulltone.com/
Ease of Use 9.5 (24 responses)
Sound Quality 9.2 (25 responses)
Reliability 9.7 (22 responses)
Customer Support 9.4 (15 responses)
Overall Rating 9.2 (24 responses)
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Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: USD 190
Submitted 04/02/2009 at 05:15pm by john molson

Ease of Use : 10
Great No Brainer

Sound Quality : 10
This Freaky Pedal is Wild .One trick Pony and thats Great.

Reliability : 10

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : No Opinion
Strat Octafuzz Fender Deluxe..........................


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: USD 135 USED
Submitted 12/25/2008 at 12:37am by This1smyne@hotmail.com

Ease of Use : 6
It is easy to use, but not easy to get a good sound out of. I'm not a huge octave guy, but thought i would give the OF a try.... should have stayed away. There was little definition in my notes, and was almost too twisted, not smooth like i was looking for.

Sound Quality : 6
Eh, was ok. def a silicon fuzz digital sounding pedal. Great for modern sounds, but not for the warm fuzz that i was after. WAAAY too digital, practically not my guitar coming through. i'm comparing with a sunlion (from analogman) and that pedal was much tighter and usable.

Reliability : 10
yeah, very reliable.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 6
Is just a so so fuzz pedal. I've played a bunch of fuzzes, and a bunch have the octave option. this is near the bottom of those pedals. I had a BYOC kit built that sounded better than this fuzz, and it cost me $35 on ebay. If you're looking for a usable octave fuzz in one i'd go with teh perscription electronics experience fuzz, much more usable and better sounding.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted 12/11/2008 at 12:06am by joe

Ease of Use : 10
10
so easy to use. so many great and usable sounds

Sound Quality : 10
wow so versatile. works well with other pedals. very quiet.

Reliability : 10
fulltone made it

Customer Support : No Opinion
never needed support for any other fulltone products

Overall Rating : 10
so good so versatile. the octave up switch opens up all kinds of options.

best fuzz i have used.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: USD 152
Submitted 01/17/2008 at 11:25am by Phil

Ease of Use : 9
It's easy--two knobs and the toggle for Fuzz/Octafuzz (on latest models). For the Octafuzz sound, you need to play with it for a while to get that sound dialed it because different pickups and pick intensity, as well as neck position, really affect the sound. The manual is clear about this, however. For best results, soft picking up at the 10th fret or higher works best.

Sound Quality : 10
I'm using this with my Super Reverb, with a Gibson ES339 and a Fender Strat with noiseless pickups. Works great for both. You can get smooth Fuzz with the toggle switch on Fuzz, or some really raunchy blues sounds with the Octafuzz switched on. I had a '69 which I never liked and, with this pedal, I feel like I'm getting 2 pedals in one. Great deal.

If you're looking at the overpriced 69s on EBAY--don't. It's not worth it. Unless you can crank up an old Marshall stack, you'll never dial in the sound from the sound clips on the Fulltone site.

Reliability : 10
I have four Fulltone pedals now and they are built extremely well. I've not had a problem with any of them.

Customer Support : 9
They've been good when I've needed them. I've contacted them more than five times and I got a quick (albeit breif) response each time. Good support--Not as good as say Keeley, but a hell of a lot better than you're going to get from a company like Boss or Ibanez.

Overall Rating : 10
Again, this is 2 pedals in one. I love this thing. You can't use it all the time--especially the octafuzz--but it's great for tone change and to mix it up a little.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted 08/22/2007 at 08:40pm by tiki man

Ease of Use : 10
Two knobs, one switch for regular fuzz/ocatfuzz.

Simple enough.

Sound Quality : 10

Massive, over the top fuzz devastation. If you want balls out walls of fuzz, this is it. This is the best fuzz pedal Fulltone makes, at least to my ears. The 70 fuzz pedal isn't bad, but that one only really sounds decent with single coils. Way too mushy with humbuckers.

And forget paying $500 for Lovetone or Wayhuge, totally overpriced and overrated. This one sounds better than both of those any day, but people's egos lead them to believe that if a pedal costs more, it must be better.

Quiet, no noise

Reliability : 10
Built very well. No problems to report.

Customer Support : 10
They've always been nice to me whenever I had a question or needed repair.

Overall Rating : 10
Best fuzz pedal ever! Again, this should not be used for Eric Johnson Fuzz face worship, this one is total destruction and carnage. Strap in and hold on!


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: USD 125 USED
Submitted 03/10/2007 at 02:28am by Nate

Ease of Use : 10
Very easy...less is more. I like the features much better than the '69 pedal.

Sound Quality : No Opinion
The regular fuzz is my favorite among the fulltone lineup, and my favorite fuzz ever. That's not why you're supposed to buy this, but I've owned 3 different '69 fuzz pedals because I was drawn back to them time and time again. I could never quite make them work for me, even though 1968-69 produced some of my favorite guitar tones. The octavia tone is the real deal, I'm not kidding here. It gives you that raunchy, nasty-ass, funky Hendrix vibe. It's almost worth it alone just for this feature, but Mike was very cool to make this pedal versatile and save us some money so we don't have to use two fuzz pedals...maybe the nicest thing he's done. This rules...very thick tone and fun, but don't overdo it. Please don't punish people buy using the octavia effect 8-9 times out of an 11 song set. This should be used sparingly...maybe 2-3 times a show (max). You'll have dudes coming up and digging your tone. You'll drive people (me) away if you abuse it.

Reliability : 10
It's a Fulltone...you bought it because you don't want a backup. Buying an expensive pedal one time is smart. Buying two cheap pedals due to the fear it might crap out, plus you're never really happy with the tone is dumb. Spend the money and buy nice stuff. If you're reading reviews of Fulltone, Z. Vex, and Keeley stuff then you're privy to cool shit. Buy it because you've gravitated towards quality for a reason. I have had a '69 fuzz pedal switch crap out on me, but Mike said it was a bad batch of switches...this leads me to customer service.

Customer Support : 5
Mike is an asshole. For the amount of money he's scooping up he should have a full staff of people answering phones, taking care of returns, and treating us like we're rock stars. I don't want to hear the bullshit on his website about how most of the returns are just customers being dumb and not properly checking out the pedal before shipping it to him. I don't mind paying shipping both ways to get my shit fixed, especially if it's his fault (for a switch) because I like the tone and build of the pedals. Most people I know don't just own one Fulltone pedal, they own 2-3. If he was as considerate as Keeley or Z. Vex he'd put those guys out of business. He makes thee best stuff out there, but he doesn't want to deal with people. I'm sorry, if people spend $220 on a wah pedal you'd better be there for them. If I have a '69 fuzz pedal that craps out just fix it. He did fix it, but I had to pay shipping and he made me feel like I was bothering him, even though it wasn't my fault.

If customer service is a concern for you there are better companies to buy pedals from. Unfortunately, Mike makes the best stuff. I think this needs to be said and I know I'm not the only one who has experienced this.

Overall Rating : 10
Back to the pedal I'm reviewing...great pedal. Buy it. I paid $125 with shipping included on ebay. I love it and it's fun to have around. I've owned everything except the distortion pro and the tube tape echo. All of the pedals are great and can work with any tube amp. I think it's well worth the price brand new. Yes, true bypass is worth it.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $169
Submitted 05/29/2006 at 05:39am by Maxx Play46
Email: max_Play46<at>hotmail dot com

Ease of Use : 10
Very easy if you know how to usa an octivia-type effect.
For me it is very easy to gat a good sound out of.

Sound Quality : 10
Basic Setup: 71 Les Paul Custom (bought new) or 77 Strat, into a modded 79 Marshall 2203. into 1969 Marshall 1960B, 4xG12M-25

Noise: No. very quiet.

The Effect: Quite usable. Not something I can say about other octivia-type effects. I have tried a few in my search and they paled by comparison. The MR was very good used in the typical manner. (above 12 fret, front pickup. tone down, etc..) but was dreadfull any other way. Not the case with the Fulltone. Yes, it does the typical above the 12 very sweet, but also retains tone at lower regesters, and instead of falling apart when used with a bridge pickup, just adds to the flavor in a very musical way.
Also, the big added bonus here is the Fuzz-only switch. I was never a big fan of the fuzz effect as far back as I can remember. This pedal has changed my mind. The fuzz sound is thick, clean and rich in harmonics. So forget everything you know or heard about fuzz until you plug into this. It might change your mind. Over all this IS the real deal. The "one" I have been searching for. I have been playing 35+ years and I do not give 10's easily. If you have spent the time and money I have searching for "that" octivia sound , you would understand the "10" rating. My hat is off to Fulltone. Excellent.
Search over.

Reliability : 10
Reliability: I have seen car ramps not made as strong as this pedal.
The highest quality.
I trust it, I depend on it, I have no backup, it needs no backup.

Customer Support : 10
This company is a true pleasure to deal with. They will go out of their way to help you. Their tech support is bar-none, some of the best in the business. Good People.

Overall Rating : 10
I play classic rock and original music in the same vain.
Playing for 35+ years.
...have had countless amps and guitars over all these years.
...have stuck with what works for me.
If lost or stolde I would replace it asap. It is a permanent part of my setup, a tool I choose not to be without.
Finally an Octivia that sounds and acts like an Octivia should.
With it's quist operation and true-hard bypass it never gets in the way. Always a pleasure. Allows me to travel to old and new places in my playing. A vey creative effect that works off the player, not the player working off the effect.
If you want a serious Octivia, this is the one. Try the rest if you want (I did) but in the end I have settled here at Fulltone.




Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $154.00
Submitted 09/30/2005 at 06:29pm by www.myspace.com/thebusylights

Ease of Use : 8
very easy IF you know how to use an fuzz octave pedal. please keep in mind this does not work or sound in any way like a cheesy pitch shifter adding an above octave. the manual (sheet) tells you what to do but it is missing one thing. please read on.

i am using a fender strat into the fuzzoctave into a bunch of other stuff into orange and fender amps.(orange for dirt, fender for clean as i believe the flat sound of a marshall, orange, etc. accepts dist or fuzz and a fender twin or musicman amp fights it but blows away the marshall and orange for clean!!)

when using a fuzz-octave pedal, doe not matter if it is a RM octavia, tycobrah, fulltone, whatever, it shines the best on the neck pickup (in my case single coil). you should bring the boost down for more of the octave effect. the only thing the manual (sheet) leaves out is that you should bring your tone knob down all the way or pretty close to squeeze that octave out.

so once again, this pedal is a breeze for me to use, to someone new to the effect, not so simple.

Sound Quality : 9
i have owned over 5 octave-fuzz devices and over 15 fuzz pedals...i have to tell you...this one is it. unless you can spend $1000. for the tycobrahe, this is the one. who am i? nobody. i have been playing for 20 years and building pedals for 5. i am a tone freak. i am into eric johnson and jimi hendrix as far as players and tones. if you like the fuzzface and/or yardbox, you will probably love this. it crushes the newer rocketship mayer octavia (even though it all began with mayer!!). i just can't recommend this thing enough.

i am running it through an orange ad30. i have also tried it through a marshall superlead and it sounds great. it sounds AWFUL going through a fender twin reverb (as any fuzz/dist usually does).

please understand that any effect is only as good as what you are putting into it and what you are putting it through: this is why a lot of people try something in the store, bring it home and sounds so different, they are dissapointed.

you can really get the eric johnson vibe out of this if you have the switch to just use it as a fuzz.

Reliability : 10
like all fulltone products, i would travel the world with it...without a backup.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 10
i have to give it a 10. it sounds cliche' but i can back it up.

solid construction, outstanding vintage octave sound (tycobrahe copy), great simple look, amazing fuzz tone, but here is the kicker...if you buy it new now, you get a switch to go from octave to fuzz alone!! this is like buying 2 great pedals in one!! i'm serious, it really is!! the 2 options sound very different!!

or you could buy a fuzz and an octave from another manufacture and spend twice, maybe three times the price!! (and maybe not touch the sound you get from this gem)


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $154.99
Submitted 09/14/2005 at 05:42pm by David Hungate
Email: 58mileshigh at comcast<dot>net

Ease of Use : 10
Unbelievably Easy To Get an that Sound. Who Knows? This may be Fulltone's best pedal.

Sound Quality : 10
Both Options are the greatest....Octave on "Band of Gypsys" unbelievable. I can't stop playing it....if I am not playing it then I am listening to Band of Gypsys on CD...exactly the same tone. No noise....dead quiet even when set outrageously obnoxious. The harmonic layers are multiple, thick and hauntingly graceful. The Fuzz only setting is the best Fuzz I have ever heard including Fulltone '69 and '70. I have both of those too. This is the best kept secret out there man...Machine Gun tearing my body all apart.

Reliability : 10
I applaud Mike Fuller for his dedication to quality. This never Changes. Power To Love...

Customer Support : 10
Message of Love...fast email...no BS and keeping it real too. Asked a Stupid question or two? Sure I have and was properly ignored. We need to play more and worry less. I love reading the negative stuff on Harmony Central. You negative guys need to relax. What would Hendrix say? We Gotta Live Together.

Overall Rating : 10
I have been playing 25 years. I mostly play classic rock and really get into improvised stuff by Hendrix or Zappa, etc. I own multiple Fenders and Gibsons. My current favorite is a '61 SG Reissue or a Super relic '50s Strat. Amp wise I am currently trying the New Fender '57 Twin which sounds great with all my Fulltone gear...Clyde Deluxe, DejaVibe 2, FullDrive 2, '70, ChoralFlange. I choose Fulltone because the sound is natural and open or something. It just sounds bigger and yet doesn't alter your instrument's natural tone. I have tried a lot of stuff with an open mind...Teese Wahs, Budda Wahs, Vox Reissues, Colorsound Mojo Vibe, Analogman Tube Screamers, Voodoo Lab everything. All of that stuff was awesome but Fulltone just sounds better to my ear. Plus I think the quality is better overall. I am glad it is so competitive now. It wasn't always this good folks.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $115.00 used
Submitted 08/11/2005 at 12:28am by ekimtoria

Ease of Use : 10
Two knobs, one switch and an LED. Super easy and super awesome! This pedal also features a power jack and true bypass.

Sound Quality : 10
Unreal tone! I love this pedal. My favorite Fulltone. I owned 8 and recently let go of 4. The 4 I kept were the Custom Shop Deja-vibe, the Supa-trem, the 70' pedal and the Octafuzz. I can't say enough good things about this pedal. There's a really cool tone tip on the instrucitons page that I've found useful. Running this pedal before all other dirt pedals (ie. overdrive, fuzz, etc.) It adds a great boosted touch to all those other tones. The octave up isn't as prominent when doing this and it makes all those other pedals take on a whole new character.

Reliability : 10
All the Fulltone pedals rank high in this category. The Fulltone pedals are built beyond compare. Built like a tank! All wiring is clean and tight. Awesome all the way around!

Customer Support : 9
I've never had a problem with Fulltone and Mike Fuller. His attention to detail should be applauded and his hard work should not go unnoticed. The guy works hard to get guitarists' inspiring tones.

Overall Rating : 10
My favorite Fulltone pedal hands down. Every setting is inspiring.
I love the fact that it's operation is so quiet and sound! Just a great unit from top to bottom. I'm very satisfied with this super pedal!


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: 190 (euro)
Submitted 12/10/2004 at 06:22am by Henk
Email: none

Ease of Use : 8
There's a one-page manual included with a couple of important notes and tips. A simple pedal. An exact copy of the old Tycobrahe Octavia. True bypass. Battery included.

Sound Quality : 8
For all you people here going on and on about the old days, put aside those 'Axis Bold as Love' and 'Band of Gypsies' records for a few minutes and listen to Scott Henderson's sound on 'Song Holy Hall' (the 3rd track on the Tribal Tech - Rocket Science record). That's this little gem-pedal for real! The track is actually a long solo and the pedal's sounds are omnipresent. Listen to it growl and rasp on the low strings being bent by the vibrato bar. Listen to that hard steel sound cutting through as soon as the first higher notes are softly played and listen to those extra tones that come out of nowhere as soon as he moves up the fretboard. And the way this device handles those subtle two or three note chords, the overtones and harmonics, simply beatiful. That's what this pedal is all about: in the right hands it can do modern magic.

Reliability : 7
It is well built -- look and feel is solid.

Customer Support : No Opinion
No comments.

Overall Rating : 8
Two eights and a seven, then this must be a rounded eight, right?
Use it anyway you like. Be creative. Think about what you play and choose your notes well. Whether you leave it on all of the time or whether you just use it for double stops or bends, runs, the pedal does not care.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $150?
Submitted 08/30/2004 at 01:05pm by William
Email: aliensurfmusic at msn<dot>com

Ease of Use : 10
Extremely simply unit. You have Volume, Fuzz and a switch between the octave and regular fuzz. So you can easily tweak it. Anything from crunchy 70's power chords to Jimi Hendrix haunting octave fuzz. The new switch was the selling point for me. I just wanted the octave every once in a while but wanted a fuzz. They're both great. Both do what they did 30 years ago.

Sound Quality : 10
Octave isn't for everyone...octafuzz is like a ring modulator, like something out of a sci-fi movie. Why Hendrix used his Octavia on Purple Haze a song which was influenced by a Sci-Fi article. This unit does the trick. I'm going through a few different amps that are not a Marshall.(Ampeg Jet, Rolnd Jazz Chorus). I think it sounds best through my Ampeg due to tubes warm up the edge of the octave.

On the straight fuzz it's great. Everything from smooth fuzz to fuzz that has a little extra. It's as if there are overtones giving it a new character at louder levels.

Reliability : 10
Like I said about my Choral Flange this is what they call a tank. Fulltone costs more because they put more into it. I'm confident this unit will hold up against time.

Customer Support : 10
Again I have no problems with Fulltone. I'm glad they exist. Mike was helpful when I ordered I have nothing but praise.

Overall Rating : 10
If you need a fuzz which is different than distortion but might need an octave too this is a great deal. It's very vintage sounding. Again you get what you paid for.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $115
Submitted 08/07/2004 at 02:33pm by Edgar

Ease of Use : 10
I bought this second hand, no manual, but it only has two knobs.

Sound Quality : 9
I've since limited my effects, so i've used the octafuzz along with only a dod octoplus into a marshall avt50 head with a 2x15 cab, an orange head and cab, with two lp copies a peavey tele copy and a danelectro double cut away with lipsticks.
This was my first "boutique" pedal and i have to say i was really impressed by the tracking of the octave effect as well as how quite it was even through the dirty channel on my marshall. I bought the octafuzz with the thought that it would replace my guyatone micro fuzz pedal, the micro ate batteries and when i used an adapter hummed. I like very heavy sounding guitars not to mention dirty, the octa can't really do heavy, but it does do dirty. at full boost settings it does swirl the notes which i like. It also does add a little noise, but not enough to bother me, and it is understandable.

Reliability : 9
WEll i bought it used 3 of the 4 screws for the bottom plate were missing, and when i placed my foot on the pedal (not on the switch) it made these "pops" so i removed screws from a big muff and installed them into the octafuzz's bottom plate and i solved that problem, I'm assuming that the pops came from the loose metal touching. I had been playing for some time and i decided to check what type of battery was installed because, i dont like the removing screws for battery access, and i was stunned to see a walgreens brand battery, i thought it was a pretty nice sound for a store brand, an it has lasted me quite a while, still going on strong for 3 weeks of heavy use. I havent gigged with it, and wont for another month, but i don't see any possible problems that can arise.

Customer Support : No Opinion
still havent dealt with them, i may have to order a footswitch from them soon though, just to have around.

Overall Rating : 10
I guess i play regular old rock and or roll, with sludge and doom influences. I have way too many stomp boxes and i wish i would have shelled out the bucks for this pedal early on, then i wouldnt have had to go through so many fuzz, distortions, and overdrives. I love the sound of this box, i love the fact that when i turn it on alongside my dirty channel i don't get ungodly feedback. I love that it doesn't produce excess noise. When i was trying it out, i was comparing it to very different pedals, a hombrew electronics germania and a vintage rat, homebrew was out of the question after i tried it out, it did very little for me, and i ultimately chose the octa over the rat because, the octa is a fuzz and has that octave which i think makes things more unique. So if this box were stolen i would pay full price for a new one.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 09/12/2003 at 07:38pm by Anonymous

Ease of Use : No Opinion

Sound Quality : 9
this is an addendum ot the review below-i thought it was splatty/farty at higher boost settings,but i figured out that it actually swells the notes in a crazy sorta way...basically,it's supposed to do that(provided that you like this kind of thing)...cool pedal!

Reliability : No Opinion

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : No Opinion


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US trade
Submitted 09/12/2003 at 06:39pm by Anonymous

Ease of Use : 10
for me,only a few knob positions work properly,and it didn't take long to figure it out!

Sound Quality : No Opinion
not noisy at all,really-does it sound 'good'? yes,BUT...it seems to fart out terribly with the boost knob up past 1:00 or so-i wonder if that's the way it's supposed to be? it's actually pretty tame for single note stuff(very 'classic')-i like the weird overtones you can get by accident the best. playing mostly a tele through a deluxe or mesa amp...

Reliability : No Opinion
looks real nice in and out.

Customer Support : 10
quick email response always...

Overall Rating : 8
i've also had a PE Face Lift(more like the Octafuzz) and a Menatone Chawbox(sorta more like a foxx tone machine)-don't know why i decided to try yet another Octavia type pedal besides hoping this one could be a little more subtle...it would be fun to check out an original or one of the Chicago Iron versions...this can sound pretty cool at times though,and the 'electric blue' casing is a nice touch.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $126.00
Submitted 03/15/2003 at 03:14pm by JKM
Email: necrochine at hotmail<dot>com

Ease of Use : 9
Very easy to use to get a 60's Octavia sound, a little more difficult if you are a higher gain type of person like myself. It took about an hour of fooling around with it to get it where I wanted it.

Sound Quality : 10
Sounds amazing. Fat, gonky, dissonant, screaming octave up effect just like the Octavia. The degree of the octave up is very dependent on your picking attack. It's not something you want to overuse.

Reliability : No Opinion
Seems well built.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 9
I'm doing noise-indie rock and this box is great for that 'way out' effect on the occasional solo. For blues and low-gain rock sounds this thing is abso-fucking-lutely amazing.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $150
Submitted 09/02/2001 at 11:49pm by DKW

Ease of Use : 10
Very simply laid out and easy to get your tone with.

Sound Quality : 9
I use a custom made strat with noiseless pu's into a Fulldrive 2-Octafuzz - '70 - Deja 2- RMC-3 then to my vintage fender Super Reverb. This is a versatile pedal great for covers New or Old, and great for providing an original sound to create with. I love it!!! just like the $650 Tycobrahe you wish you could own, but I'll just take the sound for now for a mear $150

Reliability : 10
Very tough, as are most of Mr. Fullers products. The Carling switches used in the past broke (in any pedal...My Teese for instance) way to easily and now he's made his own switch that rocks. I'd never worry about it or have a back up.

Customer Support : 10
Never needed too, but I'm sure he'd be a helpful guy. He's taken some bad shots on this site for other work, but people he can't reply everyone to gab...and so what if other boutique makers email faster...they all don't put out the amount of pedals/products Mr. Fuller does.

Overall Rating : 10
I Play Rock,Blues and anything I can manage to work out, and I'm sure I could find a spot for this pedal in almost all styles. Simply Excellent!


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 04/10/2001 at 01:52am by chris jones

Ease of Use : 10
two knobs. volume and drive

Sound Quality : 9
Awesome sound. it gets real voodoo like. I wish the effect would be more prominent in the lower register of the guitar, like at the very end of "Who Knows". I run a special editon strat w/texas specials into a Vox 847 wah> vintage rat> Octafuzz> Mesa dual rectifier Trem-O-verb. I set the mesa on the Blues mode with the gain slightly up and the master way up for a pretty clean sound with just a bit of preamp warmth while the the effects are bypassed. The Octafuzz sounds a lot better to me when the drive is all the way down and the volume set to equal the incoming signal AND you have another distortion,overdrive,or fuzz pedal before it(i.e. the octafuzz closer to the amp side). It does nail a lot of Hendrix style sounds though. But I want to nail that lower register sound on "Who Knows". I have a '69' pedal on layaway at South Austin Music(Bill is a nice guy)and plan on getting an OD-808. Maybe I need to get a Marshall Plexi re-issue to get closer to Hendrix' Who Knows lower register sound. Anybody "who knows" e-mail me. But this is definately my favorite pedal thus far in my guitar playing career.

Reliability : No Opinion
It looks sturdy. Bought it 3 days ago.

Customer Support : No Opinion
never dealt with em'

Overall Rating : 9
I play blues rock. Played for 16 yrs. I would try a roger mayer octavia first and then I would decide whether or not to buy it again, but one of the two definately. I love the way it just sounds so bad ass when set right. I hate nothing about it really. My favorite feature is its sound.I chose this pedal because of the reviews I read here and really didn't try any different ones. I wish the Octave effect was more pronounced in the lower register. I has already helped me create a couple of new songs.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $110 used
Submitted 04/06/2001 at 10:49am by Tim Greenwood
Email: tg146 at yahoo<dot>com

Ease of Use : 10
Two knobs are Volume and Boost. Boost controls level of fuzz. It is quite easy to get a good sound out of this box as long as you have a good tone to start with. I give it 10 because I didn't have to mess with stuff to get the thing I wanted. Just keep in mind that despite the fact that it only does one thing, it does it very well.

Sound Quality : 10
I have a Tele going into a Deville 410 with my chain in between. I put the Octafuzz 1st because it sounds better through my Bad horsie if it is before it. My whole chain is Octafuzz->Bad Horsie->TS9->FD2->Uni-vibe->HK Rotosphere. The octave doesn't really resound on any pickup but the neck. It also sounds best when used with no boost dialed in on the pedal, but rather, a separate fuzz box like an FD2 or TS9. The actual sound is a great octave up that sounds almost buzz synth like. It is a very satisfying tone. Below the 9th fret, it is more of a buzzy harmonic overtone, but once you get to the 11th and 12th fret, it really just wails. Very Jimi, Very cool. Purple Haze is yours. Beautiful tone and very simple. Just keep in mind that it can be used to much. Be tasteful with it.

Reliability : 10
Built like a tank. I think it says like 16 gauge steel or something. Don't know much about it, but I don't have money for a backup, and doubt I would need it. It would break your foot before it broke.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Haven't needed it.

Overall Rating : 10
I read through a few reviews before posting mine, and was a little annoyed. It seemed like people were just buying this because it said Fulltone on it and then when it didn't solve every guitar problem they ever had, they were upset. The thing about effects is that they can't immediately give your sound a dimension that it didn't have before you plugged it in. Whether in terms of tone or skills, you can't expect to rule because you buy a Fulltone pedal. I bought this pedal when I wanted a new sound to go with my already good sounding style and setup. This pedal has enhanced my solos with a cool sound and I could not be happier with it. But bear in mind, the reason I like this pedal, is because I can live without it. I am after Jimi's tone and this pedal does it well. But you need a specific use in your head before you buy this pedal. I love this pedal and I would replace it because if it were stolen.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $169.99
Submitted 01/14/2001 at 07:37pm by Anonymous

Ease of Use : No Opinion
Fairly easy, two controls, volume and boost.

Sound Quality : 8
Can hardly hear the octave at first, but let it sustain and you get a good upper octave fuzz. Can seem like feedback at first, but its really the pedal working the magic.

Reliability : 10
This may sound cliched, but like Boss pedals, and the rest of the cast iron pedal manufacturers, this is a tank. Always bring spare batteries, tho.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 8
You really dont need an octavia, unless you have a "need" for one (cough cough *Hendrix wannabe*....erhhmmm). BUT, master pinch harmonics, and you could save yourself about 200 bucks. More or less, a good pedal.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 01/04/2001 at 12:44pm by Anonymous

Ease of Use : No Opinion
Volume and Boost only. LED indicator.

Sound Quality : 3
Good for octave legato runs, fifths legato runs, and single note runs. Does one thing right.

Reliability : 7
Very reliable.

Customer Support : No Opinion

Overall Rating : 3
I have been playing 20 years. 1956 Telecaster and 1950 Fender Pro Amp. Overall, I would say this pedal is good as a vintage fuzz ala "Wired", but for modern sounds it is not very good. Very difficult to get a consistent sound from amp to amp and from signal chain to signal chain. Ring Modulation effects are introduced, and serious clipping distortion on the note attack. I could not use this for recording because of inconsistency. I think it would be good for a session musician who wants a retro fuzz, and has to nail that sound exactly.

I don't understand why this pedal is so expensive since it is an exact replica of the Tycobrahe, whose schematic is available in the Internet. With about $10 - $15 in parts, where's the justification?

Sorry to pop the bubble on all these 9 and 10 ratings, but criticism is important.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $169
Submitted 01/02/2000 at 07:56pm by Matt Ferch
Email: Ferch119<at>aol dot com

Ease of Use : 10
I just wanted to write this review to help you if you are thinking of buying this pedal. My advice: Try it first.

I checked out the Fulltone homepage when I wanted an octave pedal and thought an Octafuzz would be great, especially since it is a replica of the Octavia. Long story short: I got the pedal, and I couldn't make much use of it.

In terms of ease of use...it's really simple...Volume and Boost. Boost kicks in the fuzz in a major way.

Sound Quality : 9
Make sure you have a specific need for this pedal or a use in mind for it. I didn't, and after messing around with it I determined I had absolutely no use for a pedal like this (I play blues mostly). I'm not after Jimi's sound, and unless you are...you better try it before you buy it.

However, for what it is, I does the job. No question.

The only thing I noticed is that if you turn both the boost and the volume up, you get plenty of extra noise. I'm guessing some players would really like it, but it's a matter of taste.

For FYI, I used it through a Super Reverb and a Strat. For experimentation, I threw in a FD2 and a TS-9 on the top.

Reliability : 10
I have several Fulltone pedals and have never had a problem with them. Perfect as far as I can tell.

Customer Support : 9
I've sent a few e-mails....fairly helpful.

Overall Rating : No Opinion
Again, I don't want to say bad things about the pedal. If it is what you are into, you'll love it. Just make sure it is something you can use. I recommend trying one out.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $135
Submitted 07/13/1999 at 09:46pm by Aberwa@aol.com
Email: Aberwa<at>aol dot com

Ease of Use : 10
Really easy to use, two knobs fuzz and volume. Easy to get a good sound out of my strat rig. Great manual.

Sound Quality : 10
This is the best Octafuzz in my opinion besides the real thing of course Tycobrayhe version. Its a clone of the original and the closest clone to me opinion. I tried a few, way huge, voodoo lab, etc. Never had the priviledge to try the tyco but I have recordings of the original and to me this sound more smoother. Which I like. Hendrix didn't really turn me on with the octafuzz sounds he created until I heard SRV use it in one of his last concerts. He used it in his redition of Voodoo Chile and I just loved the sound and how he used it for the song. I am happy this isn't the exact same sounding pedal as the original. When I recorded with this pedal, I had this original smooth octafuzz on my solo and I just love it. So its my main octafuzz. I use it with my 1960 strat and fender super. The sound is awesome. Also its on top of my Jeckyll and hyde and sounds really smooth. Additionally, I use eveready silver carbon 9 volts and that really gives it the smooth sound I want.

Reliability : No Opinion
I had problems at first with the volume pot, but man theres nothing perfect and defects do slip by once in while. So I sent it back to Mike and he repaired to working order. So its all good now.

Customer Support : 9
Mike is a busy man and he will get back to you in suprising speed. So his support is excellent.

Overall Rating : 10
If it was stolen, I would buy another. Its the best out there in its class as far as all clones concern. I wish I had the dollars to buy the original Tycobrayhe and A/B them both. Like I said it sounds different compared to a sound recording of the original and a sound recording of the fulltone version. But thats not really accurate results. However I do love it and its the only fulltone pedal I use. Because to me its great.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: US $125.00 used
Submitted 03/17/1999 at 02:14pm by Eric
Email: eric dot b<at>acumenstencils dot com

Ease of Use : 8
I had to mess with this pedal a few times under different circumstances before I started to get the hang of it. Through a mega-distortion setup, this didn't add much. But put it through a nice tube amp with some headroom and this pedal screams like nothing I've ever heard. Pretty versatile, too. The boost level lets you go from subtle octave effect w/mild fuzz to screaming feedback chaos.

Sound Quality : 10
Full bypass! Absolutely quiet until you hit the strings, too! Impressive. I haven't mastered that Hendrix Band of Gypsies sound yet, but I can see potential there. Great for solos with the boost up. It kinda swells after the pick attack, like you hear on many Smashing Pumpkins songs. And then if you hold a note you can modulate into crazy feedback. I haven't used this with another fuzz box yet. Mainly I've used it with a Sovtek Mig-50 head into Marshall 2x12 1922 cab. This pedal will not work well for chords. But that's OK.

Reliability : 10
First thing I did was take it apart. The housing is very very tough-looking and beautifully powder-coated, the components and PCB seemed well-fastened inside. Wiring layout and soldering is outstanding (no loose wires here). I was surprised by how simple the layout is. I can't imagine what would break, except maybe the switch after a few years of abuse. For the money these sell for, they shouldn't use those cheapo battery-holding clips, though.

Customer Support : 10
I only contacted Mike at Fulltone once via email (when I was looking for dealers who carried his stuff), and he replied very quickly. I had informed him that a certain dealer was out of "Ultimate Octave"'s, and I think they received a shipment within a few weeks.

Overall Rating : 10
This is my forth octave pedal (including: Boss OC-2, MXR Blue-Box, DOD Buzz-Box), and the last! I've spent years trying to get this sound. If you like Hendrix or Smashing Pumpkins, this pedal will make you smile. My metal-head buddy grinned and said "That thing is SICK, dude!). It's sorta like a Big Muff: you can't use it very often, but you are always glad when you do! I like it.


Product: Fulltone OctaFuzz
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 12/20/1998 at 02:08pm by Ismael Santos

Ease of Use : 9
The are two controls volume(self explanatory) and bost. They are fairly simple to use and one quickly gets the hang of the controls. However the bost control is very interesting as it seams to do more for hightening the fuzz part of the effect than the ocatave in fact the lower the boost the more clearly the octave effect can be heard.This gives for very interesting results in cunjuction with other effects (especialy distortions) as it alows the octave caracteristic to be heard while smoothening out the fuzz I feel this is the true use for this pedal and it sould not be baught with the intention of beeing used by itself. With higher boost you get more fuzz (alot!!) and a knid of screaming sound with endless sustain this and the subtle octave I mentioned before were my reasons for getting this pedal. Yuo just cant get that eary octave up solo or that incredible guitar scream ala hendrix without this efect. I will not kid the effect does take some time to master but this has to do with playing tecnique and not with the ease of use of the mechanism itself, the controls are interactive providing for a very wide range of sounds.

Sound Quality : 10
This effect is dead silent when off and very close to it when on you have to look at the led or play a note to check if its on. The effect itself is very good I compared it to the voodoo lab proctavia( horible name yak ) and it just blew it away this is an effect ou cant aford to be close on either it tracks or it doesnt and I have to say that the fulltone does a very good job at tracking all over the fret board. Obviously the effect is more pronounced at higher frets and with the neck pu but while the others didnt track well at all in the lower range this one does cpontinue to track well there but with less of a pronounced effect so my conclution whas that the others just didnt do the job in that rage so they failed there was no octavia effect. The sound quality is extreamly high this is the classic octavia effectand not much more can be said for it. If you ned to know more just check out the fulltone web page and listen to the sound clips.

Reliability : 10
The effect is very well built. It is solid and easy to use at an ergonomic stand point.The comonents are top quality and this is parent imediately apon handleing the effect, pluging in the jacks, or rotating the controls. The wireing is very clean and well done aswell. I truley believe that this is will last very laong and become the vintage classic of the future.

Customer Support : 10
I believe that Mike Fuller stands by his product I think this has become his trademark and that he realizes that it is one of the rasons people are so loyal to his products.If he is smart he will continue the good things he has started and in so doing keep all his loyal customers and create many more.

Overall Rating : 10
I believe this is the best clasic octavia effect onthe marketand I did my homework.Some come very close but are not the same and may I say are very over privced for the quality they offer.Others, the majority, just dont do the job because they cant track well,thease just fail compleatly in my mind and are not worth buying.This efect is very specific and not for everyone so please listen to an octavia befor e getting it. But if this is what you are looking for then THe fulltone octafuzz is in my opinion the best one out there.

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