Dunlop BFG07 Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz

The Dunlop BFG07 Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz is an analog octave-fuzz pedal with a built-in 7-band graphic EQ, made in the USA by Dunlop as a signature pedal for Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top¹. Its fuzz circuit is based on the Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz, the pedal Gibbons has used since Hendrix himself introduced him to it, updated with the EQ section and an AC power jack²¹.

The idea comes straight from Gibbons' own rig. Dunlop's manual explains that the Rev pairs his Octavio Fuzz with a 7-band EQ, so the BFG07 puts both in one box, dressed in a custom color scheme with the "Pinstripe Billy" design¹. For a player, that means a classic octave-up fuzz voice with the ability to cut or boost frequencies across the spectrum afterwards, something most fuzz pedals do not offer.

An Octavio Fuzz with a built-in 7-band EQ

The BFG07 combines the Octavio Fuzz circuit with seven graphic EQ sliders³. Dunlop describes the pedal's circuit as based on the Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz, "updated for the Reverend Billy F. Gibbons with a 7-band EQ for tone sculpting and an AC power jack"².

The EQ is the part that sets this pedal apart from other fuzzes. Delicious Audio noted at the pedal's NAMM 2019 introduction that "The EQ section is what sets this pedal apart, with a 7-band graphic EQ to help sculpt the sound"⁴. The sliders cover a frequency range from 100Hz to 6.4kHz, with each band able to cut or boost by up to ±18dB³.

Guitar.com's reviewer, Richard Purvis, took a measured view of the pairing:

That is the trade-off in a nutshell: an octave fuzz is usually a set-and-forget pedal, while a graphic EQ invites detailed shaping. Players who want to carve the fuzz to fit a mix get that here; players who just want the raw Octavio voice can leave the sliders flat⁵¹⁴.

The controls

The control layout keeps the two knobs from the original Octavio Fuzz and adds the EQ sliders³. Dunlop's manual lists four elements¹:

Setting up is straightforward: run a cable from your guitar to the BFG07's INPUT jack, then another cable from the OUTPUT jack to your amplifier¹.

For starting points, the manual recommends:

1. Set the FUZZ and LEVEL knobs at 12 o'clock.
2. Set all GRAPHIC EQ sliders to 0dB.
3. Adjust FUZZ for the amount of effect and LEVEL for overall volume.
4. Move the EQ sliders to boost or cut individual frequency bands as needed¹.

Power: 9V, 17.5mA

The BFG07 runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug and draws 17.5mA³. It also takes a battery: one 9-volt, accessed via the bottom of the pedal¹.

For adapter power, Dunlop specifies a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003EU, or its DC Brick, Iso-Brick, and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies¹.

Where it came from

The BFG07's lineage runs through the Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz, the octave-up fuzz circuit Dunlop also sells in standalone form²¹. The Siete Santos version exists because of Billy Gibbons' long association with that pedal: Dunlop's manual notes the Octavio Fuzz has been part of his sound "ever since Jimi Hendrix himself introduced him to it," and that he pairs it with a 7-band EQ in his own rig¹. The pedal was introduced at NAMM 2019⁴.

RockBoard's PedalPedia sums up the pitch in the maker's own spirit, calling it "a mighty fine addition to the board of any player looking to borrow a little of Rev. Willie's legendary magic"³.

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