The Hilbish Design Deathimizer is a fuzz pedal with an analog two-octave-down circuit built in. Hilbish Design describes it as "a fuzz with ear drum wrecking highs stacked with an analog two octave down circuit for maximum chaos," and it came out of a collaboration with King Buzzo of The Melvins, with artwork by Mackie Osborne1. It sits in the fuzz camp but with a pitch-shifting low end underneath, closer in spirit to an octave and pitch design than a straight distortion box.
What it does to your sound
The core is a fuzz voice that Hilbish Design describes in blunt terms: with the octave control off, "you have crusty fuzz tones that sound like rusty nails shooting from your speakers"1. The second half of the circuit generates a fuzz tone two octaves below the input, and blending it in changes the character entirely. As the maker puts it, "as you mix in the two octave down signal you can conjure 8-bit leads, synth sounds, and unpredictable drones"1. That low-octave layering is what separates the Deathimizer from a conventional fuzz, and it is why players looking at synth-flavored textures or sub-octave weight under a riff end up comparing it to octave fuzz designs.
The controls
The Deathimizer keeps things to four knobs and a footswitch13.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fuzz | Controls the amount of fuzz, going from mild drive to all out buzz-saw madness1 |
| Octave | Blends between straight fuzz and a fuzz tone two octaves down1 |
| Filter | Low pass filter control, for extra tone shaping13 |
| Volume | Overall effect level1 |
Pedal of the Day's reviewer highlighted the Octave control's design in particular: "We love how the Octave control is an actual knob, instead of just a switch, too, so you can blend that low end in to a precise amount"3. A blend knob rather than a two-way octave switch means the sub-octave can sit under the fuzz at any level, from a hint of low end to a full synth-like drone. The Filter knob, which the reviewer noted "controls the low pass filter, for extra tone shaping where you need it," gives a way to tame the top end or darken the octave layer3.
The King Buzzo collaboration
Power and price
Hilbish Design specifies "Power: 9V 100mA center negative supply only"1. The "supply only" wording means no battery option, and the 100mA draw is worth checking against your power supply: a daisy-chain output rated well below 100mA will not run it reliably, so give it a dedicated outlet on a supply that can deliver the full draw.
The Deathimizer needs a 9V center negative supply rated for 100mA and cannot run on a battery, per the maker's specification1.
On price, Hilbish Design's product page currently lists the Deathimizer at a sale price of $150.00 USD, down from an original price of $200.00 USD, as of 26 October 20261245. The maker's pages show both figures, with the $150.00 sale price and the $200.00 original price appearing together4.
Videos
Pedal of the Day
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Jon Kelly
Questions
Who designed the Hilbish Design Deathimizer?
The Deathimizer is a collaboration between the pedal maker Hilbish Design and King Buzzo of The Melvins. Hilbish Design calls it their newest and noisiest collaboration with Buzzo, and the pedal's artwork was drawn by Mackie Osborne. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in July 2021 as another collaboration between the two, following earlier Hilbish Design releases.
What does the Octave knob do on the Deathimizer?
The Octave knob blends between the straight fuzz signal and a fuzz tone two octaves down. With the octave control off, Hilbish Design describes crusty fuzz tones, and as you mix the low octave in, the maker says you can conjure 8-bit leads, synth sounds, and unpredictable drones. Pedal of the Day liked that it is a knob rather than a switch, so the low end can be blended in to a precise amount.
What power does the Deathimizer need?
Hilbish Design specifies a 9V center negative supply only, drawing 100mA. Because of the current draw, a low-output daisy-chain supply may not be enough, so a dedicated supply output rated for at least 100mA is the safe choice.
Does the Deathimizer use a battery?
The maker's product page lists power as a 9V 100mA center negative supply only, which rules out battery operation. Plan to run it from a pedalboard power supply with a center negative output.
How much does the Deathimizer cost?
Hilbish Design's product page lists the Deathimizer at a sale price of $150.00 USD, down from an original price of $200.00 USD, as of late October 2026.
Sources (5)
- Deathimizer, Hilbish Design
- Sol Invictus, Hilbish Design
- Hilbish Design Deathimizer King Buzzo Octave Fuzz, Pedal of the Day, 2021-07-26
- T-Fuzz - Hilbish Design, Hilbish Design
- Compressimiser, Hilbish Design
