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Rare and exciting!  This beast will mangle your guitar tone. Octave up sound similar to the Jimi Hendrix sound of the Purple Haze solo.  This is the most intense of the Octave-Ups that we know of.  We've added a PreGain control, so that it's possible to tone down the insanity and hear some nice Octave sounds. Check the Instructions file for details.

• General Build Instructions
• Tycobrahe Octavia Instructions
• Tycobrahe Octavia Bill of Materials
• Tycobrahe Octavia Original Schematic
• Tycobrahe Octavia Updated, Modernized Schematics
• Tycobrahe Octavia Parts Layout and Wiring Diagram
• Tycobrahe Octavia Parts Layout and Wiring Diagram with Oct/Dist foot switch
• Tycobrahe Octavia Parts Layout and Wiring Diagram with Oct/Dist toggle switch
• Tycobrahe Octavia Ready-For-Transfer Printed Circuit Board Layout  - For use only if you are a complete DIY person who wants to etch and drill your own PCB.  Otherwise, we recommend you ignore this PCB mask and buy the Ready-to-Solder Printed Circuit Board or Complete Kit from the links below.

Buy a TOCT Complete Kit. Includes all the parts and materials you need to build one, all for about the price you would pay for a PCB and parts.
 

Would you like a Ready to Solder Circuit Board for this project?  Note: If you buy the kit, the Ready-to-Solder Printed Circuit Board (RTS PCB) is included in the kit.  You do not need to purchase this Ready to Solder Circuit Printed Board if you buy the kit.

 

Sound Samples:

• Tycobrahe Octavia Sound Sample from Tobias Karlsson

Recording setup is this:

A stratocaster with standard single coils, first bridge position and when I moved up to the 12ths fret I switch in the neck pickup. Marshall Super Lead '69, SM57 close up to my 4x12" Marshall cab with old "greenbacks". Then straight into the soundcard. No editing in the computer is done.

JD's Comments:

This project was altered to be an NPN circuit which means that you can use this box on the same power supply as most other pedals. I've built both the PNP and NPN and the sound is the same. R1, R14 and C7 are optional. If C7 is not used you need to use a jumper in its place. The standard octave sounds seems to come out better if you turn the intensity down some. With the controls on full blast you get some great swells and wild sustain.

There is a discrepancy in the spelling of the now defunct company that produced the originals and the name sake. The logo of the originals is spelled "Tycobrahe", even though the Danish astronomer after which the company was named, is spelled Tycho Brahe (with a "ch" instead of a "c"). Some effects books and schematics incorrectly refer to this as Tychobrahe Octavia.  It is, of course, the Tycobrahe Octavia.