The Tru-Fi Compact Octavia is an octave fuzz pedal, a smaller and modern take on the Tycobrahe Octavia. Tru-Fi describes it as the legendary Octavia fuzz that goes all the way back to Jimi Hendrix and "Purple Haze," rebuilt in a compact enclosure with jacks on top at two thirds the size of the original1. It sits in the wider family of fuzz pedals, and Tru-Fi also makes a full-size Tru-Fi Octavia Fuzz.
The circuit and where it came from
The Octavia is one of the oldest octave fuzz designs. The original Tycobrahe Octavia used three silicon transistors plus a transformer and a pair of clipping diodes, a topology in the PNP transistor family2. Roger Mayer, whose own Octavia predates it, has written that the Tycobrahe unit was based on a 1969 variation of the Octavia built for 24 volt operation, copied from an example the band member Keith Relf had, and he describes it as an inaccurate copy of his earlier 24 volt versions that was not designed to work optimally at 9 volts3. Some older Tycobrahe units carry the Chicago Iron logo and are named "Octavian," according to a Delicious Audio buying guide4.
"The modern clones today often copy the Tycobrahe unit that in fact was a rip off of my earlier 24 volt versions."
That history matters for players because most clones, including this one, are set up for modern 9V pedalboard power. Tru-Fi says it set the Compact Octavia up so the circuit is negative 9V as it should be, with the polarity flipped at the plug rather than in the circuit, so a stock 9V negative tip supply works1. Roger Mayer's own current Octavia range is likewise described as power supply friendly5.
Controls and what it does
The pedal has one feature that sets it apart from many Octavia takes: a switch to turn the octave off1.
- Octave off switch: turns the octave off for what Tru-Fi calls a cool 70s fuzz tone1
- Octave on: the full aggressive octave fuzz sound1
Tru-Fi describes the sound as huge, with tracking like it is supposed to, aggressive and also chiming1. The maker also states it used the right transistors and the right transformer inside, the two components that define an Octavia-style circuit1.
Size and enclosure
The Compact Octavia is built into a modern compact enclosure with the jacks mounted on top, at two thirds the size of the original Tycobrahe unit1. Tru-Fi says the paint is finished as close to powder coating as possible so it is tough and durable1. Top-mounted jacks are a practical choice on a crowded board, since patch cables drop straight down instead of sticking out the sides.
Roger Mayer has said the Tycobrahe design was a 24 volt circuit not made to work optimally at 9 volts3. The Compact Octavia is wired for modern 9V negative tip supplies, so it can share a standard pedalboard power supply1.
How it compares
For players weighing Octavia-style pedals, the field splits roughly like this:
| Pedal | What it is |
|---|---|
| Tru-Fi Compact Octavia | Tycobrahe-based octave fuzz in a compact enclosure, with an octave off switch1 |
| Tycobrahe Octavia | The 1970s original, hard to find; some units badged Chicago Iron "Octavian"4 |
| Roger Mayer Octavia / Vision Octavia | Mayer's own design; he says the current Vision Octavias are much more expressive than the old ones6 |
Roger Mayer told Premier Guitar that "The current range of, say, the Vision Octavias are much more expressive than the old ones"6. Tru-Fi's own range also includes other fuzz designs such as the Tru-Fi Zosa Fuzz and Tru-Fi Zonked Machine, but the Compact Octavia is the maker's small-footprint take on this particular circuit.
Videos
Alberto Barrero
Questions
Can you turn the octave off on the Tru-Fi Compact Octavia?
Yes. Tru-Fi fitted a switch on the pedal so you can turn the octave off entirely and get what the maker describes as just a cool 70s fuzz tone. That makes it two pedals in one box: the full octave fuzz sound when the switch is on, and a straight fuzz without the upper octave when it is off.
What is the Tycobrahe Octavia?
The Tycobrahe Octavia was a version of the Octavia octave fuzz circuit. Roger Mayer has described the Tycobrahe unit as an inaccurate copy based on a 1969 variation of his Octavia designed for 24 volt operation, and says modern clones often copy that unit rather than his own designs. The original Tycobrahe used three silicon transistors, a transformer and a pair of clipping diodes.
How big is the Tru-Fi Compact Octavia compared with the original?
Tru-Fi puts the Compact Octavia at two thirds the size of the original, in a modern compact enclosure with the jacks mounted on top. That layout suits crowded pedalboards, since patch cables can run straight down rather than out the sides.
What does the octave sound like on this pedal?
Tru-Fi describes the Compact Octavia as huge sounding, aggressive, and chiming, with tracking that works as it should. The octave fuzz sound goes back to the original Octavia and its association with Jimi Hendrix and Purple Haze, and the pedal keeps the right transistors and the right transformer inside, according to the maker.
Sources (6)
- NEW Compact Octavia Guitar Pedal in smaller and modern enclosure, tru-fi.com
- Dr. No Road Runner Fuzz Wah Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-02-19
- Guitar Effects Pedals by Roger Mayer, roger-mayer.co.uk
- The Best Octavia Fuzz Pedals In 2023: Clones And Evolutions, Delicious Audio, 2023-03-09
- Guitar Effects Pedals by Roger Mayer, Roger Mayer (roger-mayer.co.uk)
- Roger and Me: A conversation with Roger Mayer, Premier Guitar, 2008-12-16
