
Beetronics never let us down on two fronts; its pedals always look great, and they bring something different to the table. Can they deliver with an update of a '70s-inspired fuzz pedal in the shape of the Octahive v2?
The new version looks great and we know the original was a strong and relatively simple circuit – especially compared to the company's previous Seabee pedal. The new pedal has two switchable modes with Buzzz and Octave. The former offers "ferocious high-gain fuzz for powerful chords", while Octave mode "takes you on a mind-bending psychedelic journey" that sounds very much in keeping with the Beetronics reputation.
You can switch between the two modes with a quick double tap and also customise the momentary switching speed with three footswitch profiles.
It will retail for $199 / £215. More info at Beetronics.
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Rob is the Reviews Editor for GuitarWorld.com and MusicRadar guitars, so spends most of his waking hours (and beyond) thinking about and trying the latest gear while making sure our reviews team is giving you thorough and honest tests of it. He's worked for guitar mags and sites as a writer and editor for nearly 20 years but still winces at the thought of restringing anything with a Floyd Rose.

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