Voodoo Lab Proctavia

Pretty simple pedal; two controls. one for volume and one for boost. the real tone sculpting will come from the latter knob, however. volume is pretty straightforward.

I imagine this will be seen as a fairly polarizing pedal (see review below me as proof) in terms of how well lauded it is. I find it to be a wicked cool offering from VL. it absolutely nails the old octave sounds from band of gypsys era hendrix. if that's the sound you're looking for, then YOU HAVE TO PUT IT BEFORE ALL OTHER DIRT BOXES!!! otherwise it doesn't sound quite like it's meant to. it's the first pedal in my chain. it goes strat/tele > proctavia > tubescreamer > wah > tubescreamer > little big muff > nano small stone > carl martin delay > fender blues deluxe. this thing is really responsive to your pick attack, and really kills it above the 12th fret on your neck pickup. that's the best place to use it. it does the octave up tone, but can also get you a nice fat fuzz sound depending on how you saturate the boost.

a neat trick was to actually max out the boost so i get the fuzzy sound, but by rolling back the guitar volume it really brought out the octave up sound; you can get both tones at the roll of a volume knob.

i also bought the voodoo lab power supply (long after the proctavia, mind you), and this makes a really nice compliment to the pedal. with the isolated outputs of the PP2, you can run the proctavia on a sagged output (bringing the voltage from 9v down to 4v) and this REALLY brings out the broken/octave up tone. i used to just run it with a battery, and noticed it always sounded best right before the battery died; that's where i've got the pedal set now all the time thanks to the power supply. i'm not one for giving 10s (is any pedal really 'perfect'?), and i won't here because i'm only getting the most optimal tone (consistently, mind you) now that i have the power supply also.

i said this thing is probably polarizing because people don't set it up in their rig properly, don't use a proper power supply for it, or were just expecting to get a different sound out of this pedal (which would seem odd as it is pretty much exactly what it's advertised to be)

seems pretty solidly built. have not had any troubles using this thing live before, but i haven't really given it a serious gigging workout. this score is tentative because I haven't run into any issues. mind you, not running into issues would seem to be an indicator of this pedal having good build quality

i sent one email not even regarding this pedal to voodoo lab, and they were very helpful. so they're getting good points here for timeliness and effectiveness of response

i do mostly blues based music with some psychedelic touches in there, and this pedal is a lot of fun. i've been playing for 8 years and would like to think that i've picked up a thing or two in my brief playing time thus far; this is just a quality sounding pedal. reading reviews below, i shook my head in sadness at the ignorance of people. dismissing this thing as useless because it doesn't work with their power supply. for god's sake just buy a battery if you don't have a properly isolating power supply!!

if you're looking for hendrix-esque tones from band of gypsys era, then you're gonna love this pedal. otherwise, i might suggest looking elsewhere for a fuzz thing.

also, totally aside, this thing sounds f'n spectacular when coupled with an octave down effect! super high and low pitch simultaneously! just be sure to run the octave down behind this pedal

Even if you haven't used an Octavia before it's easy.

Exact copy of a copy of a Tychobrahe copy. This pedal sounds like a tychobrahe that is on it's last breath maybe. Not an exact copy, overhyped and overpriced, but will work well for a kid or rookie player after a cheap octave up thing like Jimi Hendrix...yawn.

You can depend on this as much as any cheap imatation of a Tychobrahe.

Wouldn't waste my time dealing with people advertising a piece of crap pedal as an "Exact copy" of a Tychobrahe sound co. Octavia!

For how often the average guy will use this pedal it might be worth getting one for $20, or you can maybe get a job save some money and hear what a Real Tychobrahe sounds like and come on a review board and slam guys cheaply copying it. Next.

Two knobs. Volume and boost. Couldn't get much easier than that.

Right now my setup constists of this: Fender American Standard Stratocaster/Gibson Les Paul Standard/Epiphone Sheraton -> Proctavia -> Fulltone Full-Drive 2 -> Fender Super Reverb. I started digging the whole octave up effect after hearing Hendrix use it on Who Knows from the Band Of Gypsys album. I never cared about it to the point of going out and buying something to recreate that sound until I saw this on e-bay for pretty cheap. I guess it was somewhat of an impulse buy but I got it and I'm happy with it. If you get it, take it out of the box, and plug just straight into an amp you might be a little disappointed. It will sound like crap. If you run guitar -> overdrive -> Proctavia it will sound like crap and suck up every bit of your tone. Now if you run guitar -> PROCTAVIA -> overdrive, the unit will really shine. Replicates those Hendrix tones in a pretty authentic manner. The one key to it though (if you are looking for the good octave up effect) is to keep the Boost setting almost totally down, and adjust the volume accordingly. The higher up you set the boost, the less definition there is in the octave up effect. Also I've gotten the best results from this using it with my Strat on the neck pickup...go figure.

Seems pretty sturdy to me. I'd gig without a back up either way though because it's not really a necessary effect. It's more along the lines of just something cool to break out once or twice here and there. Definitely not something that can be used in every tune. Or even every other tune for that matter.

Haven't dealt with them and hopefully won't need to.

I've been playing since I was 11 (I'm 24) and play almost any style but right now I'm mainly doing blues and jazz and like I said earlier, this pedal is great for using here and there. Can't use it much, but when you DO use it, it gets the job done. If this were stolen from me, I would probably purchase another one if I could find the same deal that I got for this one. Even at full price though I would recommend this to anyone looking for that unique octave up/crazy ring modulation sound.

Just a note - all those people complaining that the Proctavia can't be daisy-chained with a load of other pedals off any cheap "ordinary" power supply need to do some research before parading their lack of knowledge publicly. The Proctavia's power supply requirement is exactly the same as the pedal (Tychobrahe Octavio)it's a copy of.

The circuit is a copy/re-creation of a 60s effect that used the early transistor designs which were based on germanium rather than silicon (even now, for some jobs germanium just happens to sound better/warmer). Germanium tranistors are basically "backwards" regarding earth compared to silicon transistors (which are used in most pedals).

If you daisy-chain the proctavia with a silicon-based pedal all kinds of power shorts/smoke will occur. The same thing would happen if you could get hold of the original Tychobrahe or an original (or even current Dunlop) Fuzz Face, which is also germanium based.

To use a power supply this pedal must not connect to the earth used by the silicon stuff - it needs it's own seperate supply. Voodoo Lab probably suggest using their pedal power because it can provide power to pedals while leaving them electronically isolated from each other. One result is no earth-loops (=much less hum), the other is that it can power silicon and germanium-based stuff at the same time.

Voodoo Lab aren't trying to rip you off, nor have they designed a pedal that can only use their power supply. That's how the originals were, and it's a by-product of a circuit based around germanium.

Anyway, the Proctavia works fine on batteries (in fact probably better than using any power supply), and a battery lasts for ages in these.

If you'd get rid of a really nice effect (one of the best of it's type) because you might have to put a battery in it once every couple of months or so then that's your loss. Just don't blame the manufacturer if you went and bought something without bothering to find out about how it works and what it does.

You need to work at it to get a good sound. Is it easy to use? No. Hence the 5. Also need to consider where in the pedal chain it goes. It will sound different in different chain positions.

Having heard pretty nuch every octave-up FX box there is, this one sounds as good as anything out there. More versatile than the much less expensive and cheaply built Danelectro French Toast, which has just about one pretty cool setting that works. I use the Proctavia with an AC-30. Sounds good. Nails Hendrix, KWS "Blue on Black", Storyville "Bitter Rain", etc.

No backup required.

Haven't had trouble.

Two knobs....easy

Pretty quiet. This must be used before an overdrive or fuzz, otherwise it sounds awful. But it's sounds very good with my Keeley Fuzz Head.

Seems solid

THIS IS A POSITIVE GROUNDED PEDAL AND WILL NOT WORK WITH MOST POWER SUPPLIES. Because of this, it would not work with my MPS PedalPad Power Pad or my Dunlop DC Brick. They do not mention this anywhere on their website. When I emailed them to find out why it wouldn't work, they told me to buy their power supply. This is total BS!

What a scam! Buy this pedal and you have to buy their power supply. eBay time.

I suggest first using the suggested settings provided by VoodooLab. Then after you understand it, tweak it for yourself. Very easy to use after you understand it. It is not like any other pedal.

This is truly THTA sound, The solo form " WHO KNOWS " tone is very accesible with this pedal. I STRONGLY recommend you put it before any other overdrive/fuzz/distortion pedals. If you don't, the beauty of this pedal will be missed. Put it before them and you will experience the joy of having the OCTAVIA!!!!!!!

Have only had it for a few days, but I know they are a great company!!

When you call Voodoolab, you talk to John Aycock...to sum it up....
This guy GETS IT!!!!!!!

Me and my guys play blues based funk and rock. If you have herad of Ronnir Baker Brooks, Bernard Allison, and Anthony Gomes then you will have a good I dea of what we do. I did not tell my guys I got the Proctavia, I just kicked it in on a solo, and they really liked it. I recommend this pedal.

Easy to use, two knobs, one footswitch, you don't even need a manual.

You need to put this in front of your distortion boxes, oterwise it'll sound like crap! Used alone, it'll sound like your speakers are blown! But in front of your dirt boxes it adds an awesome Hendrix like octave effect. This pedal is more of an accent pedal than a full sound. I've found it usefull for Hendrix, 70's, fuzz type of tones, thats all it's goog for. If thats the sound you want this is a great pedal, if not you'll hate it. I'll rate it a eight for those specific tones mentioned.

This is my first voodoo lab, they've been around for a while and have a good reputation, seems tough built to me.

Never needed them

I play Priest to Jimi, to blues. As I said before this is good as an accent pedal and needs to go in front of you dirt boxes, even if you use a dirt box with an over drive this needs to go before the overdrive. I haven't tried other fuzz, octave boxes, but this seems to capture that 70's fuzz, octave sound to the top!

An octavia is not easy to use, and I don't recommend it to beginners. But once you know how to play with it, the sound is very cool

I use a fender strat and a yamaha dg 60 112. You can easily get Hendrix's tone with that pedal and it must be aweomse with a tube amp. The proctavia really adds a nice touch to a solo especially with long sustains.

I bought mine from a guy who bought it from a guy so I suppose they are strong. I would bring it on stage with no problem

If you're a fan of jimi, then get an octavia. At 1st, I wanted the roger mayer octavia but the price is so high so I went with the proctavia. The voodoo lab is the same thing as the Mayer's octavia. The sound samples on voodoo lab's web site really sucks and doesn't do justice to this pedal. Go buy it now ! You can't go wrong

just a note to anyone using octavia type pedals. they were designed for use with marshal amps. the marshal's take all the top end of these things....if your using a fender twin type thing or an ac30, octavia pedals are gonna rip your head off. but roger mayer has a new one with a tone knob now.....so everythings gonna be ooooo..kkkk.

Level, and Boost (fuzz), no problem there.

I'm using this on bass to achieve a brassmaster like sound. This unit is extremely high passing, so you NEED a blendable effects loop to use it for bass. Produces very nice fuzz for bass with good sustain.(Am. Jazz -> SWR head /Eden Cabs) Very interesting but subtle harmonics when playing higher and/or lighter. With blendable effects loop it is easy to acheive a Beastie Boys Gratitude sound. Oh yeah, it sounds good on my guitar too.(mex. tele -> vox cambridge reverb)

sturdy construction. no problems so far, and i got it used.

By itself it would get a 0 as a bass effect. In a blendable effects loop or as a guitar effect 8.

very easy to get good sounds, everybody mentions Jimi and Srv, but don't forget Trower. when i say easy,,you must have control over your picking attack, and a good idea of what level of octavia sound/chaos you want, and set your volume/boost level appropriatly. more on sounds below, I got sounds of my guitar heroes rather quickly.

Jap 80's Fender strat (e-series 22 fret)going into: Coron Equalizer/Prooctavia/Keeley mod ts-9(on all the time/Prescription Vibe unit/80's thomas wah w/tdk inductor/Nobels od/aria ad10 delay/ibanez fl10 swellflanger/ibanez sc10 stereo chorus, going to: Peavey classic 50 w/celestion vintage 30's. Powered by voodoo labs pedal power. Immediately found "Purple Haze" solo, I'm a big Trower fan, put the Boost up all the way, and you got "Long Misty Days". Hey, the Volume will have to be set to your personal taste, everybody's rig reacts in their own way, so far I hover around 12 o'clock on the volume, and if I want more octavia, 9-12 o'clock on the Boost, more fuzz, 12-5 o'clock on the Boost. I think Trower went more to the fuzz side, as on "most" of his recordings the Octavia effect is more subtle. But check out Robin Trower Live "I can't wait much longer" the 2nd solo, he's wailing with the Octavia engaged. I don't know that solo yet (if ever)but this pedal can do that. But Jimi freaks should be happy (as I am) "Tax Free", a lot of the songs on "Axis Bold as Love", are easily obtainable (the sound. This pedal plays well with my other pedals, no extra noises/hums, nice sturdy case, sure beats the larger bulkier original, and all the other copykats. Yes, as mentioned in other posts, to personal taste you probably would roll off tone/volume for more "octavia" effect. You also put this effect in a separate loop combined with an equalizer with the "highs" on the equalizer lowered substantially, and the other sliders lowered a little more than usual so when you kick this loop in, you don't have to mess with your guitars tone/volume knobs.
This effect requires higher volume if you have no other "overdrives/fuzzes/equalizers" your chain, in order for this to have "balls/tone and/or react in a fitting manner", or at lower volumes you must have "overdrives/fuzzes/equalizers" to push the amp/effect for proper "balls/tone" (not pushed/too low volumes all fuzzes/octavias can sound like "farty bees")(it also likes my aria delay, just a pinch) oh yeah, for the price it's a no-brainer, I got the older one with no led, I don't care about led's, is it better than the newer ones with led's? I don't know, I'm pretty sure led's won't make it better. Is that enough info for now? Can I go back to playing? ROck on!

don't need a back up with this,

na

I've had Tychobrahe clones that worked ok, but with no adapters, flimsy larger cases, again this gets the sound/effect i want. If it was lost/stolen, I would be on E--y instantly to find another. Hell yes it helps me make music, or at least annoy my neighbors!

If you don't know what to expect this can be a VERY frustrating pedal. Luckily I had done some research before hand & had an idea of what to expect. It's not a plug & play kind of pedal. It takes a little experimentation to find the sweet spots. It is VERY dynamic & the effect you get is COMPLETELY reliant on how you set it up & play through it. The manual states that you must learn to play it like a new instrument. This is no exageration. It seems to need to be placed first in the signal chain. Although I've found that it works in all PU positions it is at it'smost extreme in the neck position. It also works better when the tone is rolled off. Volume is another factor. You MUST roll back the guitars volume in order for the octave effect to come alive. Finally it reacts to your picking dynamics like nothing else. The lighter you pick the more the octave comes out. By experimenting with all those factors you can go anywhere from straight ahead germanium fuzz, to Jimi's "Who Knows" octavia, to bizzare sci-fi bleeps & metallic pings. It's AWSOME.

Just got it yesterday & couldn't stop playing with it. Played from @ 3pm until @ 2am just because there's so many sounds to discover I couldn't stop.

I'm playing it through: Mid '80s Fender stratocaster with Fralin Blues Specials & a Dean flying V with Duncan '59s > Proctavia > '80s era Dunlop Crybaby > Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz > Fender Pro Junior & a Gallien Krueger 250 ML. That's the set-up from last night. I have a '77 Marshall JMP 50watt head the I run through a 4x12 cabinet also. The head is in the shop, but I can't wait to hear it through the Marshall & I'll update the review when I can because the Proctavia definately reacts with a tube amp better than a solid state amp.

It is dead silent when not in use. The only time it's noisy is when it's up full pushing the Axis Fuzz, also full up, to get some TREMENDOUS, controllable, screaming, harmonic feedback. But I guess that's to be expected. It's much better than I expected.

I've only had it for a day, but it seems pretty rugged. Only time will tell.

Haven't had to deal with them.

I can't imagine how I can say that $81 is a fantastic value for a guitar pedal, but I am. Even at full price,if you really need an octavia you should, at least consider, the proctavia.

I've been playing for the last 20 years, but haven't really gotten into effects until the past few years. Used to use a bunch of DOD things back in the High-Schoolish era, but once I got the Marshall that was it. Guitar > wah > Marshall. Now I guess that I have an idea of what sounds I want I what I can get with just my guitar/amp I'm getting into pedals.

Does it help me make music? Hmmm...that's an interesting question. There are so many sounds in this little bit that I'm a bit overwhelmed right now. I feel like until I use it enough to get it out of my system I'm going to be overusing/abusing it's sounds.

Would I buy it again? Probably.

Super easy to get a great sound from this pedal.

The sound quality is very good. I use only U.S. made guitars into a Mesa Mark IIIB amp. I use a Dunlop DC Brick to power all my effects. This pedal gets a great Hendrix ghost octave tone. The problem with this pedal is that if you try to power it up with all your other pedals on a loop, it will not work. It will cause all your other effects to power down. I contacted Voodoo Lab to see if the problem could be fixed, and I was told to buy a Voodoo Lab power supply. Thanks for nothing! I sold it on Ebay!

Seems well made.

Completely useless, they couldn't care less!

If it dosen't work with my other pedals, it's an overpriced paperweight!

You need to experiment a bit to get the exact combination of drive and level. It will also change from guitar to guitar so be prepared to figure that out as well. Not too hard to do, just takes a bit of time.

Again, takes a bit of time to set this up just right. But when you do it will give you a very unique sound. Works best for single notes rather than chords.

It is obvious that these pedals are high quality units.

They are very friendly and helpful. Answer their emails very promptly too.

If you are looking for a great Octavia sound in a much more dependable and affordable package this is it. As with all Voodoo Lab products-high quality, reasonable prices, great sound. What more do you want ?

This is the most complex 2 knob pedal I've ever used. Like the documentation says you have to learn to play it like a new instrument. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING! There are many sounds in this little box. I find that sometimes I get the most extreme sounds from my neck pickup with the guitars volume at about 5-6. This thing rocks! The range of tones is endless and if that adds some complexity SO BE IT!

It's true bypass so it does not effect anything when unplugged, and when it use it does not cause any hum at all. As far as how the effect sounds, it sounds exactly as it should. A way out there effect for those willing to invest the time into learning it.

It's been a solid unit. The jacks are solidered right to the circut board. At least they are secured to the chasis so it's not just the board supporting them. Looks like the same situation with the switch, but I'm not worried about it.

Called to ask a couple questions before I bought it. Had a little hold time before getting someone to talk to, but not bad at all. They were friendly and knowledgeable.

I use this pedal for singing, long, sustained notes. It works like a champ. I compared this against the fulltone octafuzz before purchasing. The Voodoo Lab box seemed more musical to me, while the Fulltone seemed more "out-there". I do wish it had the option of turning the octave feature off like the Fulltone Octafuzz, and I think it would be better if the jacks and switch were not connected to the circuit board directly. Overall, this pedal is a good value.

Pretty easy for me, two knobs is'nt rocket science.

This pedal or even effect in general is awesome if you can play it well....if you are sloppy on either hand then your going to get a big splat of garbage. I play Fender Strats, pedal setup in order is V.L.Proctavia>TS-9(on all the time)>V.L.Micro Vibe>V.L.Trem>VOX Clyde reissue(all powered by a V.L.Pedal Power Supply 2)....To a Fender Hot Rod Deville 212. I love my sound, my setup is very quiet. This effect when used correctly can be very vicious for the SRV and Hendrix sounds.

I bought it used and have never had a problem.

I have delt with them regarding my power supply(no problems just needed more cables)and they were great, very helpful.

I play SRV, Buddy Guy, Hendrix, Rory Gallagher....I only use this pedal for a few diferent songs but I definetly would get another if it were lost or stolen. I think it's a great effect.

Its not difficult to use. It gets a 7 because is needs an isolated power supply, which is an extra $10.

Fender Roudhouse=>EHX OCtave Multiplexer=>Dunlop Crybaby=>Boss Xtortion=>Voodoo Labs Proctavia=>Ibanez Phase Modulator=>Guyatone SV2=>Cheap-ass Squire Amp

I can get a NIN "Into the Void" sound, and also a decent Missy Eliot "One Minute Man" and "Work It" sound.

It also does a great replication of old Hendrix sounds. It get a 10 'cause you will get what you pay for.

Steel construction. about as rugged as a Boss.

I play experimental. This is a decent tool to do that with. I've played my ass off for 4.5 years -play by ear. I might get a trem if it were stolen, I dunno. You get what pay for, but Voodoo labs does not stress the need for an external power supply so its gets a 9

2 Knobs: 1 for volume, 1 for boost. The footswitch on mine does not have a very natural click, but overall it is pretty easy. Gotta spend some time to play around with the knobs to get the sound you want

My setup is a 1997 Fender Stratocaster Deluxe Plus w/ Rio Grande pickups -> Teese RMC-3 -> Voodoo Lab Proctavia -> Roger Mayer Crossroads -> Fender Vibrolux & Marshall JCM 900 w/powerbrake. I find that this is a very quiet effect, and of course is true bypass. I bought it back in the day when my gear was not as good when I was in my hendrix craze, but I recently pulled it out of the closet. One thing that really impresses me is how sensitive it is to your picking. Especially when playing on a clean amp. It can be real soft, or VERY loud. I find that when playing clean, you have to really play the effect, and to sound good it takes some right handed skill. Kinda like when you get your first wah, you can play it, but it takes a while to get it down good. When playing through the Marshall (or a re-issue fuzzface in my old days) you can really crank it. It adds a very harmoniccy (not real word) texture to your sound, and get real crazy. I play barefoot, and sometimes change the knobs with my feet when I play

Only Problem was that my boost knob came off. But big deal, I just put it back on. It has been a solid performer for me for quite a while

I dunno

I play blues/rock/funk/boogie/whatever and this product definately helps me get different tones every now and then. It is not a critical part of my setup, but I kick it on every now and then for a little extra something. I would like to try out a Zvex Octane sometime, He has some really crazy products. All in all, if you are looking for an octavia, the proctavia should definately be looked at.

It is impossible to get a bad sound out of this box

I play a standard strat with a vox wah and a Ibanez smash box.
I put this through a twin reverb. Very noisy, but in a very, very, very good way

this thing is bomb proof, not a problem yet, very well made

never had to talk to voodoo lab

I bought this because I am a big fan of hendrix. And it has sattisfied be completely, also, with the smash box, make and lead sound like kirk hammet.

Others had stated difficulty tweaking the right sound, but I didn't have that experience. I plugged it in turned the two knobs a little and it sounded great.

I play a tele-proc-fulltone70-wah-fulltonedejavibe-fulltonesupatrem-maxonAD80-MesaDC5. This pedal is so quiet! I have an early model with no Led, but I always know if it's on because the noise out of my rig actually Decreases! The effect does the Tychobrae thing perfectly, and sounds identical to the sound file for the Fulltone Octafuzz. As far as getting the Jimi and Stevie tones, it does. My only word of caution for those thinking of getting this or another like it is that you really have to play the effect, more so than any other type of effect I own. It does everything I wanted it to do perfectly, so I give it a ten.

One thing. I don't know why this is, but if I try and power this with my SKB pedalboard and it's plugged in the other effects-it shuts the whole thing off? As soon as I take the plug out of the proc everything comes back on. I doubt this is a common thing, and it's not that big of a deal to use a battery anyway. Otherwise a very sturdy pedal.

I play a little of everything, and I like to have multiple sounds at my disposal. Getting this pedal was very exiting for me and was a big step towards completing my sonic experience. I had also been wanting a ringmod and a microsynth, but the proctavia has enough of the characteristics of both of those to satisfy me. Try playing the low E string and the 14th fret D string E at the same time. It's one of my favorite sounds.

C'mon ! Two knobs can it be easier ?
Yes, because finding the sweet spot is a pain in the rear end.

I'm using the Proctavia into a CryBaby then into a Zoom 1010(used purely for noise reduction) which feeds a TS-9 Tubescreamer which feeds a Big Muff and gets boosted by a Nobels Pre-amp and thru a Boss HR-2 Harmonizer. My guitars a MexStrat and Ephi Les Paul, my amp a CWL CL-50. This pedal is one quiet muthafocka and it has that good ol' true-bypass. I use it only at lead stuff coz rithym stuff gets absolutely focked up. It's great coz the fuzz isn't overwhelming and the octave effect really kicks butt(it is not too trebbly). But it is not as user-friendly as a WahWah

Just Perfect.

I had trouble finding the right settings and coz I bought it second-hand there was no manual. I mailed them and they gave excellent advice and were pretty fast.

For a pedal thats worth about fl 350,- It sure is worth it. But again this isn't a overdrive or wahwah or something.

it comes in a box with instructions and a little history lesson.the tips they give on how to attack your guitar with the pedal ON,are pretty helpfull.it's got 2 buttons(volume,boost)very idiot proof.

i got a 1960 reissue les paul with 57plus pick-ups and a 78'les paul deluxe pro with p-90's.this goes into a vox wah,proctavia,ts9 and then into the bluesbraker marshall thing.i was trying to go for a lead tone i heard on Jimi's 'Who Knows' tune.THAT octave tone blew me away!now i know pedals don't give you "Jimi in a box",but this octave pedal does not totally blow me away.don't get me wrong it is a good pedal,it doesn't make much noise on the setting i used(volume full up and octave almost all down)but it seemed a little shrill.it does the octave overtones i want it to,but it's not big and thick like what i want it to do.i don't turn the boost full up,i find you loose most of that octave overtone thing(i've tried everything!)it sounds best with the ts9 already on and sounds really trebly and shrill on it's own,but the octave effect is there.i really like the way it feeds back into chaotic insanity when you sustain some wacked out notes or certain chords.real bypass is always a good thing too.but overall thin and shrill.

it is built pretty sturdy looking.alot like a mxr phase 100 type box but lighter.my universe would not be in danger if i didn't have a back up for a gig.

never spoke to mr. or ms.Voodo labs.

i've been playin' lots of groved out physical kind hardcore sweating funk to mellowed back jazzy kind of experimental blues rock jamming stuff for about 10 years or so.i got myself a univox super fuzz(even in the original tacky blueish cardboard box!)and even though it does't have nearly as much octave overtones as the proctavia,it will replace it til' i get the fulltone one.the proctavia does well in giving that octave thing,but to trebly,shrill and thin.too bad 'cause it's got every thing else i'm looking for in a pedal(true bypass is cool)i wish there was a extra knob that made it alot more fat.this thing is anorexic.

Okay, two potentiameters to adjust the boost (effect) and output volume. These are as the Tycobrae which I happened to have owned many years ago. Its simple to use if this is the sound you want.

I've used this unit with several different amp setups and through both tube and solid-state, works well with little added noise. I prefer to use the guitar volume to tweak between its two many sounds:
a nasty overdrive and a harmonic "ringing" effect. I tried to emulate
Satriani's Cool #9 interlude towards the end and it accomplishes this.
The SS amp was a Crate GX-140D with delay and chorus expanded. I ran that into a Crate 4X12 cabinet with a Leslie 60s circuit I installed.
Currently, I am using a Yamaha T100 w/an old Fender 10 inch speaker.
It still sounds great and not noisy, but in retrospect the Crate flex-wave was a better overdriven sound in general.

I've toured with this pedal several months and still am using the original battery. I use this effect sparingly and this probably accounts for extending the battery's life. I just grabbed it out of my gig-bag today to crank it up and it still works well. My original Tycobrae had been in a flood, but survived! I don't know if the Voodoo Lab would and can't recommend trying this since $100 bucks is still $100 bucks!

I haven't dealt with Voodoo Labs but love their name!

As someone trying to "cop" Satch's sound-it works perfectly! But in all honesty, its an effect that is best used as a novelty. If you are going for that "Purple Haze" solo, this is the only thing that can come close to Hendrix's sound. I understand it uses Germanium crystals or resistors and is a faithful reproduction of my sturdy Octacia.

Like others have said, this thing takes some time. Take the afternoon off, grab a cold Colt 45, and play.
While I understand that putting a status light in an effect necessitates the use of components that may effect the amount of noise, it can be a pain not having one (the Proctavia doesn't), especially if you use a lot of effects and things get complicated.
I bought this used, but in pristine condition with the manual, which is about as helpful as it can be.

I'm using this with guitars equipped with EMGs and Mesa/Boogie amps.
This unit is VERY quiet. Without a status LED, it's hard to tell if it's on or off when I'm not playing! The bypass is crystal clear--bless their Voodoo hearts! To me, this adds points in the category of "sound quality."
The effect is not what I expected. The octave effect is not strong, and it reacts to my playing dynamics. It was built to be a replica of the Tychobrae Octavia; I never tried one of those, so I don't know if it's a good copy.
I dig the sound, after giving it a chance. The fuzz is really nasty, and warbles when a note is held.
I've tried running it before and after a Ross Distortion (similar to MXR D+). Put before, the sound is pretty cool, but with the Proctavia after the distortion, the sound is amazing! Give this thing a dirty signal to play with and it cuts loose. The harmonics scream and the fuzz is the aural equivalent of biting on a wad of tinfoil! THIS is the "Purple Haze" sound!

This is a solid unit. Thick metal casing. The battery is accessible by four screws -- I wish these boutique FX companies would figure out a solution where there wasn't the possibility of loosing parts in a dark club! It also takes a 9v, ?" adaptor.
I am not worried about this box failing me on a gig.

I have dealt with Digital Music Corp and have found them to be very friendly and helpful. They stand behind their products and the artists who use them.
The Web site (www.voodoolabs.com) has sound samples of the effects, descriptions, pictures, and even the list prices.

I play a lot of weird, experimental music. The "boost" knob on this effect covers a wide range of sounds, from slight octave effect to heinous, octave-tinged fuzz. I love it.
I've been playing for 20 years and have used scores of effects. The Proctavia's construction is of the highest quality, and the bypass is a godsend.
If this were stolen, I would get another one in a heartbeat.
The only thing I wish this effect had is some easy way to access the battery without screws.
The average retail price of the Proctavia is $99. This is a great deal. I would have paid full price for a new one if I wasn't such a cheap bastard.

You have to give this device some time, what you put into it is what you get out of it, for what thats worth..here goes: to get a good sound out of the Proctavia you need to do a couple of things: 1. use the neck pickup(preferably with a single coil). Turn the gain knob on the Proctavia to almost off(about 7 o'clock). Raise the Volume level knob of the proctavia to match your guitars clean signal. Based on your pick attack as well as playing above the 7th fret will yield the best results from this pedal. If you want the proctavias gain all the way up to hear maximum fuzz, put it in front of another fuzz(it will make the zvex fuzz factory arppegiate) or overdrive pedal. Otherwise, everyone will hate your immitation of an electronic Icepick :) Long live Jimmy!

I use a fender strat with custom 50's into the PROCTAVIA and then to a modded Vox wah into a Zvex Fuzz Factory to my Mesa Tremo. while I don't feel this pedal really comps a true Hendrix thing(Fulltone's octifuzz is the bomb!) It is a very useful tool to keep other fuzz/overdrive pedals in your rig still exciting. Its definitely an auxilliary pedal for my taste, voodoo labs is a quality company making cool pedals for poor musicians who are addicted to boutique toys!

Totally dependable piece of equipment, works great when you need to chuck something at the freakin' drummer and his darn cymbals!

I was impressed with the actual ability to correspond with Voodoo Labs. They answered my email in 48 hrs. Even with my dumb questions for modding the treble range of my proctavia!

My music writing wasn't really enhanced by owning this pedal, but it was worth every penny to piss off the drummer, as well as make the neighbors dog howl!

I wanted to get the octave sound I heard on Purple Haze and some of SRV's live voodoo Chile performances, and this pedal gives you that is mostly the SRV sound. This pedal was supposed to be a tybrocaye replica and it sounds like it does that, however I don't think it's the best sounding octavia out there. Because it only sounds like an octavia at the 12 th fret and the neck pick up selection on a strat. It is definitely easy to use. I didn't get a manual and you really don't need one.

I use a Strat, texas specials, fender super amp 4x10 and a marshall JCM 900 retubed with custom tweaking( little warmer than a normal marshall). Itis a quiet pedal. The only thing I wish it could do is be capable of taking all the fuzz out and only here the octavia effect. I usually use this pedal in the conjuction of my TS-9 and the fuzz is just too much some time on top of my Ibanez tubescreamer. THe octave notes are not as obvious as they were in "Purple Haze". But like I said SRV octavia is definetly obtainable.

Is seems pretty strong.

Overall I really want to get rid of this pedal because I know what Octave sound I want and this isn't it for me personally. Also it sounds like crap if you don't put it above your distortion pedal in your chain.

The Proctavia is very easy to use. It did take me a little time to hear the tones this pedal is capable of. The manual doesn't offer much information about the pedal but that is a relatively small issue. Not to be petty, but couldn't they pick a better name?

With the Proctavia and my existing gear (Fender Roadhouse Strat & Groove Tubes Soul-o 75) I can awaken the Jimi in me. The tone can range from "mellow thick notes" to "over-the-top scream". This pedal sounds far less synthetic than other octavia effects I have tried. It has that organic wild vibe thang happenin' man.
When you don't feel like wiggin' out, the True Bypass will keep this dude silent. I have found that using a fuzzbox after the Proctavia fattens it up and accentuates the octave effect.
This pedal, like all octavia effects, only sounds musical with single note lines, it gets too weird with chords. The octave up tone is most pronounced when playing the higher strings between the 5th and 15th frets and using the neck pickup.

I have had no problems whatsoever with my other Voodoo Lab pedal, the Bosstone. So I have no reason to doubt this one.

Josh Fiden is really helpful. He is very willing to exchange e-mail regarding his products. I feel that his company would fully support their product if I ever needed it.

I paid very little and got a whole lot in return, great bang for the buck. If I needed to replace it I wouldn't hesitate to get the same one. For the price, nothing even comes close!

A very easy unit to operate, two nobs volume and boots, the manual descrives other effects made by Digital Music Corp.

I have a Roger Myer's Octavia, and the Proctavia sounds exactly the same with less noise.

A well built effect, metal case.

These are very easy to figure out, but if you have any questions, the folks at Digital Music Corp, are very friendly, and they will answer any question.

I love the graphics on the top of the effect. When I added to the effect chain, it worked better than the Roger Myers Octabia(I'm retiring the octabia).