Mxrm 267 oct avio fuzz

Get fuzzed!

While fuzz may well be the most divisive of the gain family, it’s seen something of a resurgence since the early-00s garage rock revival movement. From the wooly retro sounds of vintage fuzz to the all-out ripping Velcro of more modern examples, it’s a mixed bag that you either love or hate.

MXR’S Octavio pedal sits somewhere between the two, combining silicon fuzz with an octave-up effect. It’s looking to deliver a similar vibe to Hendrix’s favourite fuzz/pitch combo, as originated by effects wizard, Roger Mayer with his Octavia – that’s ‘a’ not ‘o’, as we have here.

MXR recreated Jimi’s original pedals a while ago in association with the Hendrix estate. Here, the same circuitry is housed in a simple white box as part of MXR’S standard line.

Tonally, the Octavio is a bit deceptive. On paper you might expect this to lean towards the gentle end of fuzz tones, with its silicon diode-powered clipping circuit. While that’s the case at lower gain ranges, start cranking and you’ll really notice this little box start to clip and compress into that modern, aggressive territory. The octave-up isn’t quite as overt as you might expect – there’s no control for it for a kick-off, but this subtlety actually makes it more usable, with the effect becoming more intense on harder-picked single notes. Think Queens Of The Stone Age at the medium setting and you’re not far off. Wind it up, and you’re in synthy, squared-off territory: kiss goodbye to pristine note definition if you’re playing chords, it does get ugly!

The Octavio is a versatile fuzz that has you covered for retro jagged edges and more contemporary sounds. Fuzz fans will love it, but if you’re on the fence then we’d suggest trying one out first.

Stuart Williams

A SIMILAR VIBE TO JIMI’S FUZZ/PITCH COMBO