About This Item
Description
For that Hendrix-style synthy octave-up fuzz — with a Fat/Bright voicing switch and a dedicated Octave-Up footswitch — the Ultimate Octave is Fulltone's most flexible take on the Octavia recipe.
The Ultimate Octave is a smooth BC108 transistor fuzz with an active tone circuit, plus a second footswitch that adds the octave-up effect. The current version keeps the original circuit unchanged, with no re-voicing, in a custom enclosure roughly half the width of its predecessor, with top-mounted jacks. The fuzz ranges from smooth sustain to aggressive bite, and the octave adds that classic "Velcro" buzz.
Why guitarists choose the Ultimate Octave
- BC108 silicon-transistor fuzz with an active tone control
- Independent Octave-Up footswitch: play straight fuzz and add the octave only when you want it
- Fat/Bright switch changes the overall contour of both the fuzz and the octave
- Two LEDs: effect on and octave on
- Compact enclosure, about 2.75 x 4.5 in, with top-mounted jacks
- True bypass, premium full-size components, handmade in the USA
- Works with guitar and bass
Controls and switches
- Volume
- Fuzz (gain)
- Tone (active)
- Fat/Bright toggle: Fat is thicker and mid-forward; Bright has more open highs with slightly scooped mids
- Footswitch 1: fuzz on/off (true bypass)
- Footswitch 2: Octave-Up on/off
Power and pedalboard compatibility
- Power: 9-18 V DC, 2.1 mm barrel plug, center-negative; adapter sold separately
- Can be operated with a battery. Battery not included.
- Current draw: about 35 mA
- Bypass: true bypass
Technical specifications
| Brand / model | Fulltone Ultimate Octave (UO) |
|---|---|
| Effect type | Analog fuzz with octave-up |
| Circuit | BC108 transistor fuzz with active tone circuit |
| Controls | Volume, Fuzz, Tone, Fat/Bright switch |
| Footswitches | 2: fuzz on/off, Octave-Up on/off |
| LEDs | Effect on, octave on |
| Bypass | True bypass |
| Jacks | 1/4" mono input and output, top-mounted |
| Power | 9-18 V DC, 2.1 mm, center-negative; can be operated with a battery (battery not included) |
| Current draw | about 35 mA |
| Footprint | about 2.75 x 4.5 in (70 x 114 mm) |
| Weight | about 400 g |
| Made in | USA |
FAQ
How is the Ultimate Octave different from Fulltone's Octafuzz OF-2? The Ultimate Octave is Fulltone's BC108 fuzz with an active tone control, a Fat/Bright switch and a dedicated Octave-Up footswitch, so you can use the fuzz with or without the octave. The Octafuzz OF-2 is a separate, simpler octave fuzz with Volume and Boost controls.
What does the Fat/Bright toggle change? It changes the overall contour of both the fuzz and the octave. Fat gives a thicker, mid-forward sound; Bright gives more open highs with slightly scooped mids.
How is the Octave-Up footswitch used in practice? The fuzz and the octave each have their own footswitch. Play straight fuzz for the whole song and stomp the Octave-Up only for a lead line or accent. For more octave, raise the Tone, lower the Fuzz slightly and bring the Volume up.
Does the octave-up work on all pickups? It tracks well with most pickups anywhere on the neck; the neck pickup gives the clearest octave.
What power supply does it need? Can it run on a battery? A 9-18 V DC center-negative supply with a 2.1 mm plug, able to deliver at least 35 mA. It can also be operated with a battery; battery not included. The adapter is sold separately.
Is this true bypass? Yes. The Ultimate Octave uses true-bypass switching.