Beetronics OctaHive Dual FS The BlackBee Edition

The OctaHive Dual FS The BlackBee Edition is a limited high octave fuzz pedal from Beetronics, part of the Dual FS (dual footswitch) branch of the OctaHive family, and it is currently sold out¹. On its octave mode, Beetronics says "things can get really nasty, splashy and gated. It's great for high gain leads, specially when played above the 12th fret"¹. It carries a 14-Day Hive Happiness Guarantee return policy, though Scratch and Dent products are sold in their current condition and cannot be returned for a refund¹.

The BlackBee Edition is sold out at Beetronics, as of the maker's product page dated 2026-10-25¹. It was listed at £151.00, with a second price of £177.00 also shown on the page¹.

A high octave fuzz based on the Tycobrahe Octavia

The Octavia circuit the OctaHive builds on dates from the 1970s, when Tycobrahe built its Octavia fuzz with an octave-up character. Beetronics says the OctaHive "was based on the 1970's Tycobrahe Octavia and it can produce classic and modern sounds"¹. The practical result is a fuzz whose upper octave is generated by the circuit itself, the way Octavia-style pedals do, rather than by a digital pitch shifter.

Beetronics describes two distinct personalities for the pedal. In octave mode, "things can get really nasty, splashy and gated. It's great for high gain leads, specially when played above the 12th fret"¹. At low gain settings in octave mode, the maker says it "can produce 'ring modulator' overtones, great for textures"¹. With the octave switched off, the character changes completely, covered below.

The controls: PRE, Honey and the octave toggle

The BlackBee Edition keeps the control set shared across the OctaHive Dual FS range: a PRE gain control, a Honey control, and a toggle switch for the octave¹²³.

Beetronics says "the balance between PRE and Honey is the key to achieve a variety of sounds"¹. For players chasing the pronounced octave, the maker's guidance on the Custom Shop Dual FS version is to roll off the PRE gain and the tone control on the instrument³.

With the octave off, Beetronics says "it's a whole different pedal, producing a warmer and thicker fuzz tone, making it more versatile and chord friendly"¹. That makes the BlackBee Edition effectively two pedals in one box: an aggressive octave fuzz for leads and a thicker, more forgiving fuzz for chords.

Power, size and what is in the box

The pedal requires a 9V DC power supply with a center negative plug, and no power supply is included¹. There is no battery option stated.

Physical details, all from the maker's page¹:

• Enclosure size: 5.5" x 3.25" x 2"
• Pedal size including knobs and switches: 5.5" x 4" x 2.75"
• Pedal weight: 1 lb / 0.5 kilos
• Package size: 6.75" x 5.25" x 3.25"
• Package weight: 1 lb 8 oz / 0.75 kilos

Beetronics sells the pedal under a 14-Day Hive Happiness Guarantee return policy, with an RMA process, a possible 15% restocking fee and refunds within 5 business days; the page also states a 30-Day Hive Happiness Guarantee with shipping not included. Products labeled "Scratch and Dent" are sold in their current condition and cannot be returned for a refund¹.

OctaHive Dual FS limited and Custom Shop editions

The BlackBee Edition is one of many finishes of the OctaHive Dual FS. Beetronics has released the Dual FS in a series of limited and Custom Shop versions, most of them now sold out¹⁴⁵:

• Limited Edition Blue, sold out⁶
• Limited Edition Pink/Silver⁷
• Limited Edition "Great Pumpkin", sold out⁴
• Limited Edition LA Purple⁵
• Limited Edition Gray/Red, sold out²
• Custom Shop Dual FS (unit OH1715)⁸
• Custom Shop Dual FS OH1995, sold out³

All of these share the same circuit description, the same 9V DC center negative power requirement and the same enclosure dimensions, so the differences between them are finish and availability rather than function³⁶⁷⁴⁵². Players looking for the same sound in a current product can also look at the wider OctaHive family, including the OctaHive High Octave Fuzz Custom Shop Dual FS and the "American Beeauty" Custom Series.

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