The ZVex Octane 3 is a hand-painted fuzz pedal from ZVex that combines heavy fuzzy gain with an octave-up effect. ZVex describes it as producing "a ton of fuzzy gain combined with a high octave, and ring-modular like tones with a mid scoop control make it sound like a visit to a NASCAR event"1. Analog Man calls it an octave-up generator with massive fuzz and a mid-cut filter, and describes it as the most pronounced OCTAVIA-style fuzz/octave effect made2. It was designed by Zachary Vex, and the original Octane was his very first pedal3.
The controls: input gain, output volume and mid scoop
The Octane 3 keeps its control set to three knobs, which Delicious Audio lists as input gain, output volume, and mid-scoop3.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| IN | Input (drive) level. Use enough for the amount of drive you want, without adding more noise than desired2 |
| OUT | Output volume3 |
| Mid scoop | Cuts the midrange; ZVex pairs this with the ring-modular like tones1 |
The mid scoop is the tonal heart of the pedal. Analog Man describes the circuit as an octave-up generator with a massive fuzz and mid-cut filter, noting that turning the tone knob to the right opens up that cut2. Unlike most octave pedals, this one can be used for some chords too, and it can also get what Analog Man calls some ear-splitting shrieks2.
"This pedal produces a ton of fuzzy gain combined with a high octave, and ring-modular like tones with a mid scoop control make it sound like a visit to a NASCAR event."
What happened to the Octane 2?
The numbering skips a generation for a practical reason. According to Analog Man, the pedal is now called the Octane 3 because Zachary Vex burned out the Octane 2 name on a quick re-release immediately after he stopped making the original Octane, roughly four years earlier2. The Octane 3 itself was later discontinued and then brought back due to popular demand2.
The original Octane has its own place in ZVex history. Guitar World reports that the first batch sold out almost immediately, but local demand was soon exhausted and the store ordered no more4. The Octane was Zachary Vex's very first pedal, predating the Fuzz Factory3.
ZVex also offers the Octane 3 E006, a variant whose parts are otherwise identical to the Octane 35.
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Questions
Can you play chords through the ZVex Octane 3?
Yes, to a point. Unlike most octave pedals, the Octane 3 can be used for some chords too, according to Analog Man's product page. Most octave-up pedals track single notes only and turn chords into mush, so the Octane 3 is more chord-friendly than the typical octave fuzz, though it is still an effect built around single-note lines.
Does the Octane 3 sound like a ring modulator?
Somewhat. Analog Man describes the pedal as having somewhat of a ring modulation sound, and ZVex's own page says it produces ring-modular like tones with a mid scoop control. It is not a true ring modulator, but the octave-up fuzz plus the mid scoop can get into that metallic, clanging territory.
What happened to the Octane 2?
The Octane 2 name was used up on a quick re-release right after the original Octane stopped being made, so when the pedal came back again it was called the Octane 3. According to Analog Man, the name was burned out on that short-lived Octane 2 run, and the Octane 3 later returned due to popular demand.
Sources (5)
- Octane 3, ZVEX Effects
- Z.Vex Effects, Analog Man (analogman.com), 2015
- 20 Of The Best Super Fuzz Clones And Evolutions In 2023, Delicious Audio, 2022-10-11
- 25 years of the Z.Vex Fuzz Factory: how the iconic fuzz pedal was conceived during a single, feverish night in the '90s, Guitar World, 2020-11-16
- Octane 3, ZVEX Effects
