MXR Octavio Fuzz

The MXR Octavio Fuzz (model M267) is a compact fuzz pedal from MXR that adds an octave above your note to a saturated fuzz tone. MXR describes it as delivering "touch-responsive octave-up saturation," where your picking and plucking dynamics coax out the pedal's "searing, synth-like tones"¹. It is a modern, pedalboard-friendly version of the Octavio effect made famous in the 1960s, and it was the first time that effect appeared as a standard MXR pedal¹.

What it does to your sound

The Octavio Fuzz is an octave fuzz: the fuzz and the octave-up are part of one sound rather than two stacked effects. MXR says the pedal produces "touch-responsive octave-up saturation," meaning the octave component comes and goes with how hard you play¹. Played gently, the fuzz dominates; dug into, the octave above the note pushes forward, which is what gives the effect its synth-like character¹.

Delicious Audio described the result as "a Silicon based Octave-up Fuzz" that is "as simple and responsive as the original units of the '60s, but a lot smaller and quiet"³. The silicon circuit is part of that character: MXR pitches the pedal as a way to "explore the furthest reaches of silicon saturation in a trusted vessel"¹. Silicon fuzzes are generally brighter and more aggressive than germanium designs, and less sensitive to temperature.

The controls: Output and Fuzz

The control set is deliberately minimal. Guitar World's spec list reads simply: "Output, Fuzz, Bypass footswitch"⁴, and at the pedal's launch Guitar World noted that "with just two knobs for Output and Fuzz, it prides itself on a sound that won't need much tweaking at all"⁵.

MXR's own guidance is to "just set the Level and Fuzz controls to your desired volume and intensity" and let your playing dynamics shape the rest¹. There is no separate octave blend, tone knob, or mode switch on the standard M267: the octave is baked into the circuit, and the Fuzz knob is the main way to push it forward or pull it back.

Powering it

The pedal runs on one 9-volt battery, installed by removing the bottom plate, or on 9 volts DC through the Dunlop ECB003 adapter². MXR also lists the DC Brick, Iso-Brick, and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies as compatible, none of which are included with the pedal¹. Guitar World's review lists the current draw at 5mA⁴, low enough that it places almost no demand on a shared pedalboard supply.

Where the circuit came from

The Octavio effect dates to the 1960s. Guitar World's review traces the M267's lineage: "the lineage can be traced back to the vintage pedal used by Jimi to full effect on Purple Haze"⁴. Guitar.com identifies that vintage circuit as "the Roger Mayer Octavia (aka Octavio)" in its review of a later Dunlop version⁶. The original pedal came in a wedge-shaped housing often called the cheese wedge, and the MXR M267 marked the first time the effect joined the standard MXR line¹.

Delicious Audio framed the M267 as keeping the original's character in a modern package: "as simple and responsive as the original units of the '60s, but a lot smaller and quiet"³¹.

Part of MXR's Hendrix-inspired line

The M267 sits within a wider family of Octavio and Hendrix-related pedals from Dunlop. Delicious Audio noted the context at launch: "With its popular line of Jimi Hendrix-inspired Uni-Vibes, MXR is further tying its brand to the tone of the legendary guitarist with the release of the Octavio"³¹. Guitar World's review adds a distinction: among the various Octavio versions, "it is the only one available as a standard two-knob MXR pedal without any artist connection"⁴.

The related versions include:

• The Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '68 Shrine Series Octavio, which "crams the MXR Octavio, with its Output and Fuzz knobs, into a smaller housing"⁷. Dunlop says it "updates the circuitry of the original cheese wedge Octavio Fuzz for modern players and pedalboards," and that "both modes deliver a range touch-sensitive fuzz tones"⁸. It is also listed as a legacy product⁸.
• The Dunlop Authentic Hendrix '69 Octavio Fuzz, an octave fuzz pedal reviewed by Guitar.com⁶.
• The Dunlop Siete Santos Octavio Fuzz, whose "searing circuit is based on the Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz" according to Jim Dunlop⁹.

Guitar World has also reported that the Hendrix Series Fuzz Face, Octavio and Univibe "were designed by the MXR team"¹⁰.

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