The CMC Triple Octave Manipulator Fuzz is an analog octave fuzz pedal from CMC Guitars and Effects, designed in collaboration with Thomas Erak of The Fall of Troy and released in early 2022. It is his signature pedal, and its central idea is simple but unusual: three octaves, the upper octave, the root and the sub octave, each with its own separate fuzz circuit and its own Volume and Gain controls, usable on their own or blended together1. gearnews.com, covering the release on 1 March 2022, described it as an octave fuzz that gives you three octaves to play with combined with a fuzz sound2.
Three octaves, each with its own fuzz
Delicious Audio describes the pedal as a monophonic synth-style fuzz offering a wide range of octave gnarl thanks to its three separate signals for the Upper, Root and Lower octaves1. Because each octave carries its own fuzz with volume and gain, the player can dial in anything from a single voice to a full stack of distorted octaves. The main controls are laid out, in Delicious Audio's words, as easy to adjust as any mixer, with Volume and Gain for the Upper Octave, the Root Octave and the many Sub Octave voices1.
The gain controls do more than set distortion level. Delicious Audio notes that the setting of the gain control is crucial to control the stability and sustain of the octave as well as the threshold of the fuzz gate1. In practice that means the gain knob shapes how cleanly the octave tracks and where the gated, choppy quality of the fuzz begins, so it is worth spending time on it rather than treating it as a simple drive level.
The four lower-octave modes
A four-way rotary knob on the top right of the case selects the wave shape of the lower octave. gearnews.com describes it as a four-way chicken head dial2. The four positions are12:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Clean | Perfect for lower octaves; works great on bass for a fat synth sound heavy on sub-bass vibes12 |
| Synth | An edgier low octave tone rich in harmonics, with a more harmonic synth-style weirdness12 |
| Square Wave Sub | Gated octave-fuzz sounds2 |
| Square Wave Unison | The same setting as Square Wave Sub but without the sub-octave in the mix12 |
The Square Wave modes are where the pedal's gated, synth-like character comes from, while Clean and Synth lean toward the smoother end of the sub-octave range21.
Design and build
The Triple Octave Manipulator is a collaboration: Thomas Erak of The Fall of Troy teamed up with CMC Guitars and Effects on the design2. Each unit is handmade one at a time in New York with great attention to detail, according to Delicious Audio1, and gearnews.com adds that it is built by hand in small numbers in Syracuse, New York2. Players interested in the wider family of octave and pitch effects can compare it with other Octave & Pitch Pedals, and those chasing its distorted character can browse Fuzz Pedals.
What reviewers said
Coverage of the release was short but consistent on the essentials. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio framed it as an analog fuzz/octave with a lot of tweakability1, and gearnews.com's Jef wrote that the all-analog octave fuzz will really thicken up your guitar's sound2.
"This all-analogue octave fuzz will really thicken up your guitar's sound"
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Questions
Is the CMC Triple Octave Manipulator analog or digital?
It is analog. Delicious Audio describes it as an analog fuzz/octave pedal, and gearnews.com calls it an all-analogue octave fuzz. Despite its synth-style voices and square wave settings, no digital processing is involved: the octave and fuzz signals are generated in the analog circuit, which is why the gain setting matters for octave stability.
What are the four lower-octave modes?
A four-way rotary knob selects the wave shape of the lower octave: Clean, Synth, Square Wave Sub and Square Wave Unison. Clean suits lower octaves and works well on bass, Synth gives an edgier low octave rich in harmonics, Square Wave Sub produces gated octave-fuzz sounds, and Square Wave Unison is the same setting without the sub-octave.
Can the CMC Triple Octave Manipulator be used on bass?
Yes. Delicious Audio notes that the Clean mode of the lower octave works great on bass for a fat synth sound heavy on sub-bass vibes. Since the pedal tracks the note you play and adds octaves above and below, it can serve bass players looking for synth-style low-end as well as guitarists.
Who designed the CMC Triple Octave Manipulator?
It was designed in collaboration with Thomas Erak of The Fall of Troy, who teamed up with CMC Guitars and Effects on the pedal. It is his signature pedal.
Where is the CMC Triple Octave Manipulator made?
Each unit is handmade one at a time in New York, with gearnews.com reporting that it is built by hand in small numbers in Syracuse, New York.
Can each octave be used on its own?
Yes. The pedal has three separate signals for the Upper Octave, Root Octave and Sub Octave, each with its own Volume and Gain controls, and each can be used on its own or blended with the others, much like channels on a mixer.
Sources (2)
- CMC Triple Octave Manipulator Fuzz (Thomas Erak Signature), Delicious Audio, 2022-02-28
- Triple Octave Manipulator, gearnews.com, 2022-03-01