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NPD: HomeBrew Electronics Ultimate Fuzz Octave

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  • NPD: HomeBrew Electronics Ultimate Fuzz Octave

    Only sort of new since I've had the checkerboard UFO since 2010 or so, but my 2nd UFO arrived via Fedex earlier today. I've played a few different Foxx Tone Machine clones over the years, and this one is definitely my favorite. Compared to a Fulltone Ultimate Octave, UFOs are a bit less woofy and the octave may be just the slightest bit more 'in your face'. I've said for a long time that a good octave fuzz is like "Nails on a chalkboard in the best possible way" and this one definitely delivers.



    I picked up the red one as the market on these is starting to go a bit nuts, and I didn't want to mod the one in the checkerboard enclosure. The mod itself was pretty simple; removing the octave switch and replacing it with an external switching jack. It works great as long as the switch cable isn't too long; 3ft wasn't a problem, but 20ft picked up radio stations. That should work pretty well for what I have in mind, full details to be posted at a later date.

    Bonus points are in order for anyone who can identify the background...
    Originally posted by crusty philtrum
    And that's probably because most people with electric guitars seem more interested in their own performance rather than the effect on the listener ... in fact i don't think many people who own electric guitars even give a poop about the effect on a listener. Which is why many people play electric guitars but very very few of them are actually musicians.

  • #2
    Nice! The UFO has been my go-to fuzz tone for the last decade or so. I currently have and have owned but then sold many, many fuzz pedals. My UFO isn't going anywhere!

    Congrats on the new one!

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    • #3
      wonder how this compares to a cob

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      • #4
        Originally posted by jeremy View Post
        wonder how this compares to a cob
        I've never played a Prescription Electronics C.O.B. or Experience, so I had to base this response on a few demos I checked out...

        Unless my impression is wrong, the COB sounds like a Fuzzface with an octave built in. The UFO is a lot more modern sounding and has far more gain on tap. The UFO is capable of Big Muff levels of distortion into a clean amp, though it has more of the 'out of control' vibe that I associate with a Tone Bender. It's also extremely loud; I run the fuzz and output around 10 o'clock into the dirty channel of a Marshall Jubilee to cop Smashing Pumpkins-esque lead tones. I want the fuzz to really 'pop' compared to my usual lead sound (Tumnus with gain at 9 o'clock) so I set the tone control as bright as I can stand it ie about 2 o'clock.

        OTOH the UFO sounds very similar to the Experience, and I suppose that's to be expected since they're both based on the Foxx Tone Machine. The most apparent difference is that the UFO doesn't have the swell function, though it does have a vintage/modern switch that the Experience doesn't. I'm not 100% sure what the switch does, but I keep it on the vintage setting as I find modern too scooped and bassy. Otherwise the demos sound so similar to my UFOs that I'd need to actually play an Experience to go into much more detail.
        Originally posted by crusty philtrum
        And that's probably because most people with electric guitars seem more interested in their own performance rather than the effect on the listener ... in fact i don't think many people who own electric guitars even give a poop about the effect on a listener. Which is why many people play electric guitars but very very few of them are actually musicians.

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        • #5
          That's a good summation.

          Warm Audio, Danelectro and Stomp Under Foot all make versions of the Foxx Tone Machine. The WA is supposed to be a 1:1 replica while the others (like the HBE UFO) have some "improvements" over the original.

          The HBE is the only one I have firsthand experience with and to be honest, I have little interest in the others. Homebrew Electronics knocked it out of the park with the UFO. It's quite versatile for being a 3 knob fuzz. The Vintage/Modern switch transforms the character of the fuzz and it is responsive to the guitar's volume control, similar to a Fuzz Face.

          I seldom use the Octave section but I appreciate it being easily foot switchable. It's pretty cool for getting those glitchy, 8-bit tones in the upper regions of the neck.

          It's really a cool pedal!

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