Yo! Just wanted to say I absolutely love your channel man. Killer playing, great taste in gear, super fun ideas, and top notch production. Appreciate all the work you put into your videos. ⚡
Check out the supreme from jhs. Think it’s based off an old univox circuit. Sounds ridiculously heavy. Great vid though. Can’t ever get enough gear videos, especially fuzz pedals.
Great collection! I've always wanted that Prescription Experience. I think my first one was a Fulltone Ultimate Octave. My current faves are the Octaland and Mythos Argonaut (no knobs!)
they all have something different goin' on, very cool! I'm looking to get the LOVEPEDAL BELIEVE and add whatever fuzz,OD,Distortion to blend with it and come up with all types of octacrazy stuff!
While I think the only octave fuzz I've ever bought is a Danelectro French Toast (a Foxx Tone Machine clone), I've worked my way through a great many octave-up and octave-down pedals that I've built: Superfuzz, Green Ringer, Kay Fuzz, Tychobrahe and Roger Mayer Octavias, Ampeg Scrambler, Craig Anderton Octave-Doubling Fuzz, multiple Tone Machine builds, Elektor Frequency Doubler, MXR Blue Box, PAiA Rocktave, a Suprfuzz-like circuit in the Boss ROD-10 half-rack distortion module, and probably more that I'm forgetting. One of my prized possessions is an old Guild Tri-Oct, which, as an all-analog polyphonic octave divider, provided a sort of bridge between fuzz boxes and guitar synths. A few points to make: 1) With the exception of the Tri-Oct (which used a proprietary hex pickup), ALL analog octave-dividers are mono only; no chords allowed. 2) ALL analog octave-up fuzzes will produce a ring-modulator-like tone when you bend two strings at once or do a double-stop. I suspect the reason why the Dan Armstrong octave-up fuzz was called the "Green Ringer" is because he/they noticed this tendency. The math is way over my head. Just trust me that they will all do it. 3) Many octave-up fuzzes will include what looks like a diode-clipping pair near the output. Although at first glance, folks think this is what makes the fuzziness, it isn't; any such pedals will be every bit as fuzzy without them. They are included to provide a crude limiting addition. Why? Pick a string, and all the harmonic content accompanying the initial pick attack will get doubled. The octave-up will be lost in all that harmonic haze, and really only emerge after you've held the note for a bit. But since the amplitude of a picked string drops quickly, one needs to "clamp" the volume level for a bit so that the octave comes out of hiding. The diode pair and the limiting they provide helps to maintain that illusory compression/limiting. The Green Ringer lacks such a diode pair, and if one adds it the octave performance of the GR noticeably improves. 4) The received wisdom about octave-up, and octave-down devices, is that they tend to be ineffective below the 7th fret or so. Why? The shorter the string, the stiffer it is, and the stiffer it is, the less harmonic content to obscure the octave-up or confuse the octave-division process. Use of heavier gauge or flatwound strings will reduce harmonic content and provide more reliable octave-production below the 7th fret. I also find that if I swap the silicon or germanium diodes used for producing octaves for Schottky diodes (with a lower forward voltage), I can get more reliable octave-production down as far as the 4th fret. 5) Most analog octave-up boxes work by "rectifying" the guitar signal and essentially "folding over" a second opposite-phase copy to combine with the other copy. Matching the components used for doing so is essential to getting a robust octave-up. 6) I got to try the Foxrox Octron at a buddy's last week, and it is indeed an excellent pedal Kudos to Dave Fox. Of the others I've made or tried, my favorite is still the Foxx Tone Machine. The octave comes easy, which is pretty much what you want.
The diode pair toward the end of the circuit *is* what rectifies the guitar signal, causing the octave. This includes the Foxx, Octavia, and scrambler, which all implement it quite differently. The rectifying diodes inherently do create some distortion of their own too, or really, the octave itself *is* distortion. If you were to connect the diodes to ground, they will act as clipping diodes, which of course do limit the signal, but more importantly and noticably, will clip it, as is done in an earlier gain stage on the Tone Machine.
Not quite an octave "fuzz" per se, but you ever mess with the DOD Meatbox? Just got one for my DOD collection. Sounds neat with an envelope filter in front of it
Thanks Michael! Now I too may have to empty my bank account into fuzz currency. What is better than fuzz--octave fuzz of course. Some great gems in there.
Love it!
Well that was fun!
Great channel. Great vid.
Which would you recommend for bass, being heavy rock/stoner rock my preferred choice of music.
Thanks 🤟🤟🤟🤟🤟
Try the Tc Electronics Octa Screamer, I too have a bunch of octavia pedals and this is the one that made my board.
Awsome, I have been looking for octave fuzz.
great idea, thank you! i love fuzzes
Yo! Just wanted to say I absolutely love your channel man. Killer playing, great taste in gear, super fun ideas, and top notch production. Appreciate all the work you put into your videos. ⚡
Check out the supreme from jhs. Think it’s based off an old univox circuit. Sounds ridiculously heavy. Great vid though. Can’t ever get enough gear videos, especially fuzz pedals.
Great collection! I've always wanted that Prescription Experience. I think my first one was a Fulltone Ultimate Octave. My current faves are the Octaland and Mythos Argonaut (no knobs!)
Great video, l found you from the Philip Sayce interview! So happy to have discovered your channel! We have very similar tastes, play on brotha 🙏🏼
This reminds me, I'm pretty sure I have that Source Audio pedal somewhere. Time to start digging.
So much fun to be had with that pedal!
My first Octave pedal was a Crybaby Wah that had an Octave Fuzz circuit. The wah was good, but the Octave Fuzz was pretty useless.
they all have something different goin' on, very cool! I'm looking to get the LOVEPEDAL BELIEVE and add whatever fuzz,OD,Distortion to blend with it and come up with all types of octacrazy stuff!
While I think the only octave fuzz I've ever bought is a Danelectro French Toast (a Foxx Tone Machine clone), I've worked my way through a great many octave-up and octave-down pedals that I've built: Superfuzz, Green Ringer, Kay Fuzz, Tychobrahe and Roger Mayer Octavias, Ampeg Scrambler, Craig Anderton Octave-Doubling Fuzz, multiple Tone Machine builds, Elektor Frequency Doubler, MXR Blue Box, PAiA Rocktave, a Suprfuzz-like circuit in the Boss ROD-10 half-rack distortion module, and probably more that I'm forgetting. One of my prized possessions is an old Guild Tri-Oct, which, as an all-analog polyphonic octave divider, provided a sort of bridge between fuzz boxes and guitar synths. A few points to make:
1) With the exception of the Tri-Oct (which used a proprietary hex pickup), ALL analog octave-dividers are mono only; no chords allowed.
2) ALL analog octave-up fuzzes will produce a ring-modulator-like tone when you bend two strings at once or do a double-stop. I suspect the reason why the Dan Armstrong octave-up fuzz was called the "Green Ringer" is because he/they noticed this tendency. The math is way over my head. Just trust me that they will all do it.
3) Many octave-up fuzzes will include what looks like a diode-clipping pair near the output. Although at first glance, folks think this is what makes the fuzziness, it isn't; any such pedals will be every bit as fuzzy without them. They are included to provide a crude limiting addition. Why? Pick a string, and all the harmonic content accompanying the initial pick attack will get doubled. The octave-up will be lost in all that harmonic haze, and really only emerge after you've held the note for a bit. But since the amplitude of a picked string drops quickly, one needs to "clamp" the volume level for a bit so that the octave comes out of hiding. The diode pair and the limiting they provide helps to maintain that illusory compression/limiting. The Green Ringer lacks such a diode pair, and if one adds it the octave performance of the GR noticeably improves.
4) The received wisdom about octave-up, and octave-down devices, is that they tend to be ineffective below the 7th fret or so. Why? The shorter the string, the stiffer it is, and the stiffer it is, the less harmonic content to obscure the octave-up or confuse the octave-division process. Use of heavier gauge or flatwound strings will reduce harmonic content and provide more reliable octave-production below the 7th fret. I also find that if I swap the silicon or germanium diodes used for producing octaves for Schottky diodes (with a lower forward voltage), I can get more reliable octave-production down as far as the 4th fret.
5) Most analog octave-up boxes work by "rectifying" the guitar signal and essentially "folding over" a second opposite-phase copy to combine with the other copy. Matching the components used for doing so is essential to getting a robust octave-up.
6) I got to try the Foxrox Octron at a buddy's last week, and it is indeed an excellent pedal Kudos to Dave Fox. Of the others I've made or tried, my favorite is still the Foxx Tone Machine. The octave comes easy, which is pretty much what you want.
The diode pair toward the end of the circuit *is* what rectifies the guitar signal, causing the octave. This includes the Foxx, Octavia, and scrambler, which all implement it quite differently.
The rectifying diodes inherently do create some distortion of their own too, or really, the octave itself *is* distortion. If you were to connect the diodes to ground, they will act as clipping diodes, which of course do limit the signal, but more importantly and noticably, will clip it, as is done in an earlier gain stage on the Tone Machine.
Somehow I got through the 90s without a fuzz (or a Jazz Master) - and now I've started collecting them. Go figure. Good stuff Mike
damn, both of those sounds killer and I this is my first time hearing of them. ya learn something every day ; )
When you said the swell on the Prescription was useless and sucky I pictured myself slapping you. Love your channel! Cheers
Man, I fell in love with your Prescription COB!!! It sounds so gooood! Is your pedal some brand or some DIY pedal? Just looking where to buy one.
It was made by a guy that goes by “light sound geometry”. I got it used on Reverb
Michael Nielsen Ok. Thank you Michael 👍🌈🎸
Another BadA$$ video Mr. Nielsen! Thanks for sharing once again! Question; that 3rd Man Bumble pedal ... does it have a gate built in?
Yeah. The gate is coming from in the pedal. It sounds like something Zvex would make.
Another great video!💪👏 I just uploaded a video where I mentioned your channel because of the Friedman gear 😉 keep it up!💪
André Rodrigues thanks Andre! Subscribed
Not quite an octave "fuzz" per se, but you ever mess with the DOD Meatbox? Just got one for my DOD collection. Sounds neat with an envelope filter in front of it
never have... I'll keep an eye out for one.
@@BigHairyGuitars It's an interesting sub synth generator that goes 2 octaves down
Thanks Michael! Now I too may have to empty my bank account into fuzz currency. What is better than fuzz--octave fuzz of course. Some great gems in there.
Isaac Johnson Ha! Thanks for watching!!!
So much fuzz too much fun but how do you decide which one to keep on your board? lol
OCD and Octron are always there, the others are situational. Until I make an ALL-OCTAVES pedalboard!!! 😇
Viva Puerto Rico mi amigo. Hella funky pedal, sounds best IMO with
minimal gain AKA Princeton YEAHHHHHH\M/
Pearl Octave pedal, dont check it out
Swell Mode might be useless for you Bro!
Apparently that's not the popular opinion.
@@BigHairyGuitars haha...that's pretty funny, made me smile.......great video Bro!!!
cmon mn, gni is made here in brazil, not so much quality, we got better pedals here like tho ones from deep trip