Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

millsart

New member
Still on my on going kick to reduce my pedal count as well as improve the quality of some effects.....I'll take 5 or 6 top quality pedals over 10 or 12 average pedals, half of which don't see much use.

My Teese RMC3 is definatly staying. I will never want for a wah pedal again. My Axis Fuzz is definatly staying (and a few others no doubt). That thing sounds awesome. I'm replacing the micro vibe with a SweetSound MojoVibe so where talking top end effect there as well.

More "housecleaning" has to be done though!

Today has me thinking about octave pedals and octavia's.

I've currently got a Dunlop Hendrix Octavia. The new wedge shaped one. Looks cool on the board and it sounds decent but honeslty its not that great.

Dunlop really doesn't make any great products so its not surprising.

Still its better than the Voodoo Lab Proactavia I had before it. That pedal had very very little octave effect. The Hendrix at least is pronounced though pretty thin and has way too much treble.

I think theres something better out.


But, before I just go buy a Chicago Iron pedal, I thought I'd consider the options and hopefully get you guys input on some of these if you've played them, owned them etc.

The contenders are.........

Chicago Iron, about $300 so its not cheap and lets face it, the octave up effect isn't exactly something you use every song, though it is cool still if you ask me. From youtube clips this sounds alot better than the Mayer version and the Dunlop I have right now. If I go for a straight octavia this would be the choice


FoxRox Octron- A mere $200 so better price wise. From what I understand its got 2 modes for octave up. 1 is the octavia style and the other is a clean octave up. Nice. Its also said to track awesome and even cooler its got an octave down effect. That should make it get twice the use. Very tempting and if I was to buy an octave pedal, it would be this hands down


Thinking of octave up/down one can't ignore the EHX Pog. I'm intrested in one of these for the organ sounds anyways but its supposed to track better than anything out there for octave effects and its POLYPHONIC which would be really amazing and open up a ton of new options. Its of course digital so its going to have a different octave sound than analog units. I've really got to wonder how this pedal with a fuzz after it would do at the Octavia effect ?? Any idea's ?


Then lets us not forget the every popular Digitech Whammy. A pretty cool octave effect in its own right. I'd probably go for the reissue as I don't want to pay $500 for such an effect, not that big of fan. I've had one before (and original I should of kept doh!) and while somewhat digital sounding, it did pretty impressive with octave up and down effects. You don't have to only use it 2 up for RATM stuff though some can't help it I think LOL. This effect has really got me wondering how it would do as well with a fuzz after it. On those Octavia solos give it the 1 up effect with fuzz and also be able to modulate the effect. That could be pretty cool. I always think that if Hendrix was alive today he'd definatly have a Whammy.


So while I'm sort of thinking aloud here, I'd really welcome any opinions or insights you might have on any of these effects
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Oh, and I think it goes without saying, but if you've got some other pedals I didn't consider, please, please throw the idea's out there
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

I like the Boss OC-3. It has an OC-2 mode, which sounds great for going 1 and 2 octaves down for single-note lines. But it also has a polyphonic mode, but it only gives one octave down. The tracking is great, and it can be adjusted further for how many strings it affects. The "drive" mode adds distortion to a one octave down monophonic effect. I mostly use the polyphonic mode.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

I used to have an OC-2 back in the day, it did sound pretty decent for an octave pedal effect, and of course was fun with distortion for some heavy heavy stuff which I'm not really too into anymore. Its tracking on the lower frets was always a bit hit or miss though.

If it can't also do an octave up effect though I think I'd have to skip over it. But I appreciate the suggestion still.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

The POG's polyphonic tracking is the reason why it doesn't function as an Octavia. You can easily have both effects because they are quite different. The Octavia gets it's octave from a ring modulator that feeds the guitar signal into both inputs. This gives you the characteristic 'clang' of the Octavia, especially when two notes are played. The guy that designed Way Huge pedals in the 90's designed the Hendrix Fuzz Face and Octavia for Dunlop. I've read that they come pretty close to nailing the vintage vibe of those two effects pretty well. Keep in mind that you usually need to keep the Fuzz low on an Octavia to get a nice octave, and play around the 12th fret with the neck pickup.

You know how I feel about the POG. I've never used an OC2 or Octron, as the only things I use octave for are the Hendrix style Octavia and the shimmering/organ style POG. (Dave Fox makes amazing stuff, my best Octavia, FF and Vibe is probably all contained in the CC2)

Good luck, feedback if you chose one of the others.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

milstart...before you get in over your head the Octron has an octave up and an octave down...also, the octave up is done in such a way that you can't really get it to be a clean uptave up, there is a little fuzzy around the corners. Also, all the BOss octave boxes are one and 2 octaves down...not up.

The Voodoo Labs Proctavia is a cool unit but requires a lot of tweaking IMO and has a few sweet spots however in other (non sweet spot) settings it can sound opretty bad, however in fairness this is true of ALL octavia boxes.

The dunlop/Hendrix Octavio is not a bad sounding unit at all simply based on sound clips I've heard however I haven't plugged into one yet...

The Roger Mayer "rocket ship" octavia is pretty killer but not real easy to find.

Roger also made a NON rocket ship Octavis thats really nice too, it's called the Vision Octavia...

The Chicago Iron is a nice unit but not cheep

Also, check out the Hi Octane from Retro Man

And the Retro Man Wolf Machine which is a fuzz with an upper octave but it's based on the old Foxx Tone Machine which is a different kind of fuzz but still ver cool and has a great upper octave.

As well as the reissue of the Foxx Tone Machine

Look into the Facelift from Prescription electronics

There is the HBE (Home Brew Electronics) UFO

Don't forget the MJM Roctavios octaver, I really like the sound clips on this unit...

ON the cheep there was also an older Dunlop "JH Octave divider" several years ago, I forgot whats the real name of it is but it's a Phase 90 size box with 2 knobs and is a Hendrix signature thing...they can sound pretty cool.

At least take a look at the ZVEX Johnny Octave...very cool and very old school sounding...

As much as I hate to mention it there is the Fulltone Octafuzz which gets rave reviews

Also, the octave up fuzz I use is actually a Fulltone, (and you know how I feel about Fulltone stuff)...mine is the Ultimate Octave, and I really dig it...

Also of mention is the J. Everman Octave X

and the Hartman 8VA

as well as the Lovepedal Believe

also the MG Lexotone

If you really wanna spend big bucks look for one of the several discontinued Way Huge octave/fuzz units....

and before I go there is also a New Sweet Sound octave comming out soon it's gonna be called the "Sweet Sound Sky Octave" and I was told it should be out soon...

Now that gives you lots of optinos...let me know what you decide!
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

That might be worth checking out if Bob Sweet is going to have an octave as I've always been impressed with everything he's put out. I always think of him as someone who "gets it" so to speak, or at least my idea of "it".

I've never played the RM stuff in person but I know Mayer changed the designs a good bit from the vintage stuff he used to do which most people except him feel was a bad move. The Chicago Iron really seems to be the clear winner if you really want the vintage effect. Theres a really good YouTube comparison done where it just kills the RM pedal. But again, its a $300 pedal so a good deal more expensive than most options.


Certainly a lot of options to consider though.........
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Is anyone who owns the Octave able to comment about how it works in octavia mode ?

Being its Dave Fox I'd have to assume it would be excellent as all his other stuff but I guess you never know......


Being able to have an octavia up effect and then also the option to use the same pedal for some cool octave down heaviness would be pretty cool bang for the buck.

The Dunlap really isn't bad but it is pretty thin sounding, doenst sound much like Jimi's at all. I guess given RM's comments its not exactly the same one either.

It was a $169 pedal though so the Octron sure makes sense at $200 I'm thinking. $30 for octave down is a deal
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

The FoxRox is cool but not a tradition Octavia at all IMO...the Sweet might b worth waiting for and the CI is a killer unit if you've got the 3 bills to dump on it. Another killer option is that retro Man Hi Octane...give the sound clips a listen...
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

As far as a more modern-sounding take on the Fuzz/Octavia sound, I really dig the Fulltone Ultimate Octave. The amount of gain and drive and sustain that thing puts out on fuzz mode is staggering. I think TGWIF bought mine when I didn't have a use for it anymore. B*tchin' pedal!
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

As far as a more modern-sounding take on the Fuzz/Octavia sound, I really dig the Fulltone Ultimate Octave. The amount of gain and drive and sustain that thing puts out on fuzz mode is staggering. I think TGWIF bought mine when I didn't have a use for it anymore. B*tchin' pedal!

I sure did!!!
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

the analogman foxrox will blow your mind. best sounding octave ive heard, and it tracks really really well. But to be fair i havent heard a whole ton of them
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

milstart...before you get in over your head the Octron has an octave up and an octave down...also, the octave up is done in such a way that you can't really get it to be a clean uptave up, there is a little fuzzy around the corners. Also, all the BOss octave boxes are one and 2 octaves down...not up.

The Voodoo Labs Proctavia is a cool unit but requires a lot of tweaking IMO and has a few sweet spots however in other (non sweet spot) settings it can sound opretty bad, however in fairness this is true of ALL octavia boxes.

The dunlop/Hendrix Octavio is not a bad sounding unit at all simply based on sound clips I've heard however I haven't plugged into one yet...

The Roger Mayer "rocket ship" octavia is pretty killer but not real easy to find.

Roger also made a NON rocket ship Octavis thats really nice too, it's called the Vision Octavia...

The Chicago Iron is a nice unit but not cheep

Also, check out the Hi Octane from Retro Man

And the Retro Man Wolf Machine which is a fuzz with an upper octave but it's based on the old Foxx Tone Machine which is a different kind of fuzz but still ver cool and has a great upper octave.

As well as the reissue of the Foxx Tone Machine

Look into the Facelift from Prescription electronics

There is the HBE (Home Brew Electronics) UFO

Don't forget the MJM Roctavios octaver, I really like the sound clips on this unit...

ON the cheep there was also an older Dunlop "JH Octave divider" several years ago, I forgot whats the real name of it is but it's a Phase 90 size box with 2 knobs and is a Hendrix signature thing...they can sound pretty cool.

At least take a look at the ZVEX Johnny Octave...very cool and very old school sounding...

As much as I hate to mention it there is the Fulltone Octafuzz which gets rave reviews

Also, the octave up fuzz I use is actually a Fulltone, (and you know how I feel about Fulltone stuff)...mine is the Ultimate Octave, and I really dig it...

Also of mention is the J. Everman Octave X

and the Hartman 8VA

as well as the Lovepedal Believe

also the MG Lexotone

If you really wanna spend big bucks look for one of the several discontinued Way Huge octave/fuzz units....

and before I go there is also a New Sweet Sound octave comming out soon it's gonna be called the "Sweet Sound Sky Octave" and I was told it should be out soon...

Now that gives you lots of optinos...let me know what you decide!

Phew! If you could pick just one, which would it be?

I have a Prescription Electronics Experience pedal that gets a very Hendrixy sound, BTW. But it's really hard to dial in the "right" tone. Sounds alot like the solo on Purple Haze though when I do get it right. Fuzz and Octave in one unit.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Also, the octave up fuzz I use is actually a Fulltone, (and you know how I feel about Fulltone stuff)...mine is the Ultimate Octave, and I really dig it...

I've got one of those too. What do you like about it? I find it's really good for getting modern in your face fuzztones out of. Everybody usually says that the octave effect is too shrill and nasty unless you turn the fuzz down and the tone way down, which is true if you want a "classic" sounding octave, but I find that I can get some really awesome stuff by keeping the tone up around 12 o'clock. I find I use the effect more for intros and sound effects then I do for standard solos, usually by hitting certain pairs of chords that affect each in wierd ways. They say it's meant for single note stuff up around the twelth fret but I'm working on a song right now with it on for power chords and it rips. Gives it a real processed techno-robot kind of sound.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Phew! If you could pick just one, which would it be?

I have a Prescription Electronics Experience pedal that gets a very Hendrixy sound, BTW. But it's really hard to dial in the "right" tone. Sounds alot like the solo on Purple Haze though when I do get it right. Fuzz and Octave in one unit.

Well, I only have one fuzz/octave pedal and it's a Fulltone ultimate Octave...it's a cool unit, not idea for Hendrix IMO but it is useable for that if you want it.

If you have an experience pedal you already have a killer Fuzz/Octave. If you were to "replace it" what would you be looking for out of another fuzz/octave???
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

POG's are cool but Im just not sure I cold shell out that kind of cash for it...glad you're digging the BB BTW!!!

I'm wanting a POG. I've tried a few and I really like em.

On a completely different note, and sorry to hijack the thread, I am LOVING the MXR Blue Box, guy who invented fire!
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Well are we ever more confused with ever with a TON of choices here huh guys ? LOL

Let me ask you all this, in hopes it might help clear things up (at least for my needs)

In regards to octave fuzz, I really only care about the octave part so if its got a nice fuzz circuit that you can switch on/off seperately isnt a selling feature for me.

On my proctavia and current Dunlop Octavia, I always kept/keep the fuzz/boost all the way down and just have the volume up.

I then run a fuzzface or axis fuzz after the effect. I'm pretty picky about my fuzz and never found the octave fuzz to be the fuzz sound I liked.

So maybe this helps cut the choices down if we only are looking at the octave effect.


Now correct me if I'm wrong but an analog octave effect is always going to have some dirt right ? Just how it does the doubling effect as I understand it.

With the FoxRox for example, does anyone know exactly what the mode switch does in the Normal or Octavia mode ?

Does an analog octave up effect sound different than an octavia set with no fuzz boost ?

Does it not have that ring mod type of clangy tone ?


What I'm really after is something to kick on during a solo to just really make it scream and squeal.
 
Re: Octaves and Octavia's Your Input Please

Hmm...try tweaking your Dunlop before you do anything else...Octavia type pedals make the octave up sound using germanium transistors...this makes the octave up sound but it also makes a fuzzy tone...you can't make it do onw w/o the other, (Now keep in mind...something like a Whammy pedal or a POG don't do the fuzzy octave thing because they are digital). You can run a good octave up box WITH another fuzz to ge the sound you're looking for.

Also, try putting the octave after the fuzz and see if that helps you get a better octave sound. FWIW, I recently heard some clips that were made wit the new Dunlop Octavio and I was VERY impressed...

On the octave mode switch on the Octron it makes a VERY SMALL difference but one of the modes gives a slightly more ring mod tone but it's still not crazy like a ring mod and do be hoenst the difference is very slight.

Also, keep in mind...most octave/fuzz pedals are set up so that you won;t be able to run the octave unless the fuzz section is already on...
 
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