What is Octave Fuzz And How To Use It

You can stack an octave pedal with your fuzz but it'll never be an octave fuzz pedal. This unique and gnarly effect has been used by everyone from Jimi Hendrix to the Beastie Boys. Today I'm gonna walk through everything you need to know about octave fuzz.

Gear in this video:
0:45 GNI Octa Fuzz
0:59 GNI Analog Tap Tempo Delay
1:06 GNI Hot Drive
2:15 Electro-Harmonix Micro Pog
2:18 Boss FZ-2 Hyper Fuzz
4:08 Tycobrahe Octavia
5:14 Fulltone Octafuzz
6:05 Shin-Ei Companion Psychedelic Machine
6:40 Univox Super Fuzz
7:03 Ibanez Standard Fuzz
7:18 Shin-Ei Sekova Alternado Fuzz
7:45 Earthquaker Devices Fuzz Master General
8:20 Fender Blender 4 Knob
9:01 Ampeg Scrambler
10:06 Dan Armstrong Green Ringer
10:51 Lovepedal Believe
11:04 Way Huge Purple Platypus
11:12 Way Huge Red Llama
11:49 Kay Fuzztone
12:58 Foxx Tone Machine
13:52 Danelectro French Toast
14:09 Joyo Voodoo Octave
14:27 Fulltone Ultimate Octave
14:39 Prescription Electronics Experience Octave
15:42 MXR Dyna Comp and MXR Blue Box
16:33 Stomp Audio Labs Octopus
16:46 ProAnalog Ascension

Record Time:
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
Led Zeppelin -In Through The Out Door

Josh’s record player is by U-Turn Audio:

#jhs #thejhsshow #octavefuzz

[soundinthesky]

So much respect for how you give so much praise to other pedal companies despite having your own. Keep it up with the amazing content

[kalebfrazier]

My family didn’t play music. So I feel like you’re like my Guitar Dad. Thanks again Dad.

[soundsmyth]

The year was 1967, a Serviceman neighbor sold my Dad a Telefunken console stereo he brought back from Germany. This had glorious electronics and some of the beefiest 6X9 speakers ever created. This stereo rocked. I stopped at Ben Franklin and got my first of many copies of Are You Experienced. I ran home, cranked the Telefunken, dropped the needle and was forever changed. I guess I got Experienced. My Mom came home during my 10th listen to the album and started screaming that I had blown up the speakers, I had to explain to her, it was supposed to sound like that. I like to crank my Strat through an Experience Pedal as often as possible, Mines got the cool tie dye finish.

[zandigspiff]

I really find this channel helpful because it's not cramming JHS's products down our throats. Not that JHS stuff isn't awesome. It really is but Josh does a great job of just going into what is worth mentioning and sometimes JHS products fall under that and sometimes they don't. That being said, my JHS wishlist includes the quadraPOG, the shamrock, and the colour box.

[dublock]

The solo on QOTSA's Little Sister is an obviously great modern use of octave fuzz. I was lucky enough to find an Experience pedal a few years ago at a good price, and it's phenomenal.

[DjTroublemaker]

around 1979 I went to a rummage sale and picked up my first pedals, a mxr dyna comp, an eh microsynth, and a mxr bluebox. The sounds i could make were freaky, none of my friends wanted to play with me because my sound was so crazy.

[chrisw]

I'm not an octave fuzz guy. With that being said, I loved this episode because I learned so much about the history, the innovators, and the design. Thank you for helping me appreciate the effect, Josh!

[Sirapache]

My days off are Fridays and Saturdays and every Thursday evenings I get this sweet notification from JHS Pedals reminding me that it's the week end and I could not be asking for something better to watch and relax and forget about work. Thanks a million for that!

[wayfaerer]

Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "Blue on Black" was the first song I heard that REALLY grabbed my attention - I was learning the solo, but I had no clue why it didn't sound like the recording. Then I realized he was using an Octafuzz. Ever since then, I've been fascinated by univibes and octafuzzes.


Great video!

[victorpradella]

My favorite episode until now! I absolutely love Octafuzz. Go Josh

[ignqpck]

Cactus "Evil" - holy cow! Loved it. Energy just jumping out of the speaker - and that DRUMMING!

[davidkronzek]

My favorite track ever with octave fuzz on it is "Little Sister" by Queens Of The Stone Age. I love Josh Homme's sound.

[Youtubemademeaddahandle]

I was in the 11th grade when, one day, my English teacher scheduled a "Show & Tell" day. I brought nothing but my ears were always with me so, when some kid I didn't know put on his brother's brand new "Are you Experienced" LP the teacher grimaced and my eyes at first crossed, and then popped wide open. I spent the rest of the school day trying to process what had happened, and what that might mean for me. I was already playing guitar and still do - but I never try to sound like Hendrix. I guess I may have what could be described as Post Hendrix Trauma of some sort, but I will not call it a "disorder".

[LloydWoodall]

Favorite track ever with an octave fuzz is "Fool In The Rain." Favorite Zeppelin song, too, and maybe favorite song ever.
Got a Blue Box just because you, Josh, taught me that that effect is what Jimmy used on the song. Now if I can learn to set the pedal right and play the solo...all will be well in the world.

[baileywatts]

I remember way back n the day my dad decided that since he was an electrical engineer and I was a guitarist that building some pedals would be some great parent-child togetherness activities and we built an octave fuzz/autowah monstrosity that we never managed to get working the way it should. I used it to try getting Robert Smith tone without knowing that a flanger was what I really needed. It was good times but sadly the box never survived the 90s, dying along with my ladybug ibanez pedals at some house party in the rural midwest

[BadMotivator]

I love that you mention joyo and another time donner. Cheap or not you like what you like! :)

[alanjohnson]

Loved the episode! Great timing too, just got my Pigtronix Octava in the mail today. Enjoying it very much. Super awesome octave fuzz.

[Something]

I picked up the Joyo Voodoo Octave on a whim and am pleasantly surprised with it. It's a pedal that is here to stay!

[leonardsrobert]

Machine Gun by the Band of Gypsys! That live record was sick. That was what sparked my Octafuzz love!

[darthesgoobis]

You got Jack White salivating in the corner don't you?