The Beetronics WhoctaHell v2 Low Octave Beeast is a low octave fuzz pedal: a fuzz engine plus two low-octave voices, each with its own volume control so you can blend the mix. Beetronics calls it "the low octave beeast," and describes its character as glitchy, wild, and delightfully unpredictable tones1. It is a reimagined take on the company's very first pedal, which the builder says was also the very first pedal he ever made for his own pedalboard, now more versatile, compact, and affordable12.
Controls
The pedal's control set carries the bee-themed naming Beetronics uses across its range. Guitar Pedal X listed the controls as Whocta (-1 Octave), Hell (-2 Octaves), and Honey (Fuzz Level)3. The two octave voices have independent volume controls, which is what lets you set your own blend of fuzz and sub-octave content rather than accepting a fixed mix1.
Sound and tracking
The Whoctahell v2 is monophonic. Beetronics frames this as a feature rather than a limitation: "No, the Whoctahell is monophonic, delivering unpredictably glitchy square wave octaves in the best way possible"1. In practice that means single notes track cleanly into the sub-octaves while chords and dyads break up into erratic, synth-like artifacts. Players who want a polite polyphonic octave pedal are the wrong audience; players chasing 8-bit-style low-end chaos are the intended one.
Bass use
Beetronics says the pedal can be used on bass, with a caveat worth knowing: "Yes it can. The second low octave get's pretty insane as you can imagine"1. With two octaves of sub-bass content available at once, bass players can dial in anything from subtle thickening to a full sub-synth effect, depending on how much of the Hell voice they blend in.
Versions and the Royal Black run
The v2 is a revision of the original Whoctahell, Beetronics' first pedal12. The Limited Edition Royal Black release was capped at 300 units total, made up as follows1:
- 40 Custom Shop units
- 20 Black Bee Limited edition units
- 240 standard units
The Royal Black release is sold out1, as is the Custom Shop version of the pedal4. Beetronics has also offered the Whoctahell in other formats, including the smaller-format Babee Whoctahell3.
The Whoctahell v2 draws 20mA, and Beetronics notes that "pretty much any basic pedal power supply will bee fine"1. It is not a high-current pedal, so standard pedalboard power is not a concern.
What reviewers said
Guitar Pedal X included the Babee edition of the Whoctahell in its 2024 fuzz roundup, with Stefan Karlsson calling it "A cool Babee edition take on the Whoctahell Sub Octave Fuzz" and pricing it at $149 as of December 20243. He also noted that "Beetronics has had a really strong year this year!" and mentioned snagging one of the super rare Black and Gold units himself3.
The pedal sits alongside the Beetronics Octahive v2 High Octave Buzz, its high-octave counterpart: where the Octahive goes up, the Whoctahell goes down5. Both trace back to the two pedals Beetronics launched with, and both have since grown into families of limited and custom editions. For more of this territory, see the site's Fuzz Pedals and Octave & Pitch Pedals pages.
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Questions
Is the Beetronics Whoctahell v2 true bypass?
Yes. Beetronics confirms the Whoctahell v2 uses true bypass switching, so when the pedal is off your signal passes straight through unaffected. True bypass switching has been a feature of Beetronics pedals across the range since the company's early releases.
Can the Whoctahell v2 be used on bass?
Yes. Beetronics says the pedal works on bass, and notes that the second low octave gets pretty insane in that application. With two sub-octave voices that can be blended independently, bass players can push the pedal into extreme low-end territory or keep it more restrained.
Is the Whoctahell v2 polyphonic?
No. Beetronics describes the Whoctahell as monophonic, delivering unpredictably glitchy square wave octaves. Chords and dyads will produce the erratic, synth-like tracking artifacts that players of this style of octave fuzz often seek out rather than avoid.
How much current does the Whoctahell v2 draw?
The Whoctahell v2 draws 20mA. Beetronics notes that pretty much any basic pedal power supply will be fine, so it does not demand an isolated high-current supply and can run from a standard pedalboard power source.
How many Limited Edition Royal Black units were made?
The Limited Edition Royal Black release was capped at 300 units total. Of those, 40 were Custom Shop units and 20 were Black Bee Limited edition units, leaving 240 standard units. The release is sold out.
What is the Babee Edition of the Whoctahell?
The Babee edition is a smaller-format take on the Whoctahell Sub Octave Fuzz. Guitar Pedal X listed it at $149 in December 2024, with the same control set: Whocta for one octave down, Hell for two octaves down, and Honey for fuzz level.
Sources (5)
- Whoctahell Low Octave Beeast • Limited Edition • Royal Black, Beetronics
- Whoctahell Low Octave Beeast • Custom Shop • WH0027, Beetronics
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-18
- Whoctahell Low Octave Beeast • Custom Shop • TOXIE MELVIN, Beetronics
- • OCTAHIVE HIGH OCTAVE BUZZ •, Beetronics
