Jim Dunlop – full in bloom

Jim Dunlop: What’s your favorite octave up fuzz track?

Chances are, it was recorded with an Octavio Fuzz pedal. Made famous by Jimi Hendrix, the Octavio Fuzz sound and its touch-responsive saturation continue to be employed by modern players across genres.

For the first time ever, that iconic effect has joined the MXR standard line. Explore the furthest reaches of silicon saturation in a trusted vessel. Get yourself an MXR Octavio Fuzz.

The Octavio fuzz pedal is infamous for contributing to Jimi Hendrix’s signature, incendiary lead tone. The silicon saturation and octave-up behavior of the pedal adds a wash of vibrant upper-harmonic content to the signal for a scorching, synth-like sound that’s unlike any other fuzz effect. Joining the MXR standard line for the first time, the Octavio is rehoused in an ultra-sturdy metal chassis. Its simple two-knob design belies its wide-ranging capacity for shaping tones. The power of the Octavio lies in its interaction with electronics, and, depending on your guitar and amp settings, it can become a completely different monster: warm and wooly, bright and brash, sludgy and droning and so much more.

MXR Octavio Fuzz Pedal Features:
-Unique octave-up fuzz pedal made famous by Jimi Hendrix
-Adds a wash of vibrant upper harmonics to the fuzz signal
-Simple two-knob design contains a huge range of tone-shaping possibilities
-Equipped with an On/Bypass LED indicator and AC power jack
-Housed in a rugged all-metal chassis

Jim Dunlop: James Hetfield came to Dunlop to take his pick game to the next level, and we worked closely with him to create the White Fang Custom Flow Pick. Watch the video below.

As one of the greatest riff masters of all time, James Hetfield needs gear that performs as monstrously as he does—picks included. When he came to Dunlop looking for a pick to meet his high standards, we worked closely with him to create a solution that keeps up with and even enhances his performance.

We used the Flow Standard Pick 1.0mm as our starting point. The thrash titan put it through a full battery of tests on the road and came back to us with the tweaks and adjustments he needed to make it just right. First, we incorporated the Black Fang Pick’s blended beveled edges for a super snappy attack that rings out with bright articulation, ensuring that every note and chord makes an impact through all that speed and gain. Next, we made it a bit heavier, going to 1.14mm—not normally available in the standard Flow Pick line—for the perfect balance between mass and articulation. Lastly, we enhanced the grip, creating a custom pattern so that the pick stays put when Hetfield digs in.

“The White Fang Pick has amazing grip when sweating from heavy riffing, and a smaller profile to go faster,” he says. “Plus, the white is easier to see when they get thrown into the crowd.”