Boss OC-2, Is the tracking meant to be this bad?

thugler · #1 07-15-2010, 02:28 PM

So, I just ebayed myself an OC-2, and I had heard the tracking was a bit dodgy, but it seems pretty bad. Like it's catching the note quite a bit later than it's played, and dropping in and out. This happens even half way up my A string.

Am I missing something with the controls or something? Is this how it usually behaves or do I have a broken one?

Any tips on taming the thing? It sounds great otherwise, but when I play it into a fuzz the dropping out can make it sound a bit weird.

clmayhew · #2 07-15-2010, 02:30 PM

Where do you have it in your effects chain? I know if my whammy isn't close to the beginning it tends to get a bit wonky.

cybersnyder · #3 07-15-2010, 02:40 PM

Mine tracks well down to C or D. Keep the OCT2 at zero, play cleanly - good setup and everything. If you have a lot of fret buzz it will throw off the tracking.

Taylor Livingston · #4 07-15-2010, 02:41 PM

Analog tracking is not an ideal process, and to fit the circuit into a nice small stompbox and be affordable, the OC-2 is not the greatest design imaginable, just the best design within those parameters (small and inexpensive) that was available in the 80s. So it's not meant to be bad, but it isn't going to be perfectly solid in the lowest bass octave, by the standards of today, where we're used to digital octavers which have no tracking issues. To me, the octave jumping (controllable by playing dynamics) is one of the things that makes the OC-2 cool. When I'm looking for perfect tracking down to a low E, I look elsewhere.

The OC-2 does some input filtering, but you can make its job easier by cutting highs and compressing your signal before going to the OC-2. Playing with a pick, with the tone knob fully open, and with sharp dynamics will make the tracking much worse.

thugler · #5 07-15-2010, 02:47 PM

I originally put it right after my compression, but it seemed to sound better right at the front of my chain before the compression. Too much highs did spring to mind actually, I'll try that. Don't really have any fret buzz. Cheers for the advice all!

Funk&Disorderly · #6 07-15-2010, 02:47 PM

It'll also get confused if you feed it too much harmonic content, for example if you have really bright sounding strings (or if you play more than one string at once).

I find that mine responds best if i solo my neck pickup and roll off a little high frequency. When it works, it sounds awesome.

Double Agent · #7 07-15-2010, 02:47 PM

In addition to all the tips mentioned above, I've found that it responds MUCH better when you play higher up on the neck. So, instead of playing an E at the 7th fret of the A string, I play on the 12th fret of the E string. In fact, most of the time when my octave pedal is on, I am playing up 12th position. For some reason, it holds on to the note longer when I play up there. I only play notes in lower position on the fretboard when I don't need the note to sustain for any significant length of time (no longer than a quarter note or so). Also, I plug straight into it coming out of my tuner and I always use a power supply...no batteries. Don't know if that matters or not, but I've never had a problem with it when working within it's limitations.

markjazzbassist · #8 07-15-2010, 02:49 PM

clean technique and early in the chain are what i do to help tracking. that being said, i've played 16th note runs and it stills holds up. it kinda matters where i play on the neck (as long as it's not below A, or the first 5 frets on the G string).

cybersnyder · #9 07-15-2010, 02:52 PM

You don't happen to have an older one that wants an ACA power supply instead of today's typical PSA? I've played OC-2s that sounded like butt only to realize that the power supply should be of the ACA variety.

markjazzbassist · #10 07-15-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

You don't happen to have an older one that wants an ACA power supply instead of today's typical PSA? I've played OC-2s that sounded like butt only to realize that the power supply should be of the ACA variety.

would that matter if you're plugging into a voodoo pp2? just wondering for my sake. mine sounds great, but i never checked which power supply it takes.

JimmyM · #11 07-15-2010, 02:58 PM

i just got one 3 weeks ago, and while the tracking isn't all that impressive, i never heard one that sounds even nearly as fat or gnarly, so on my board it will stay.

Double Agent · #12 07-15-2010, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i just got one 3 weeks ago, and while the tracking isn't all that impressive, i never heard one that sounds even nearly as fat or gnarly, so on my board it will stay.

+1 !!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

would that matter if you're plugging into a voodoo pp2? just wondering for my sake. mine sounds great, but i never checked which power supply it takes.

I use a Visual Sound One-Spot and have had no issues with my OC2. I haven't checked the power supply requirements either.

thugler · #13 07-15-2010, 03:08 PM

I seem to have worked out how to tame it a bit now. Turned down my treble, which was set pretty high, big improvement. Then I noticed that If I played with a lighter touch it helped too. I hit the strings way too hard..

Definately got it to a usable level now, I might fiddle around with it's position in the chain a bit more, but it's staying on my board for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

You don't happen to have an older one that wants an ACA power supply instead of today's typical PSA? I've played OC-2s that sounded like butt only to realize that the power supply should be of the ACA variety.

It looks pretty new, how would I be able to tell if it was an ACA one?

*goes and looks*

made in taiwan,
holy ****! It does say use ACA only on the back!

That'll be it then...

Cheers!

I guess that means it's going to sound better.

takfar · #14 07-15-2010, 03:10 PM

The tracking is pretty good down to a B on the E string. Lower than that, it falters a bit, but it can still pull out a low E with some care. Mind you, I'm playing on pretty old strings, so most of the highs are dulled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i just got one 3 weeks ago, and while the tracking isn't all that impressive, i never heard one that sounds even nearly as fat or gnarly, so on my board it will stay.

That's exactly when I got mine

. I found that with solo'ed -1oct it sounds great with a mastotron on top, for a very gnarly, synthy sound, buuut... It's not *that* different from just playing the unnefected note with the mastotron on top. I mean it as in, probably not different enough that an audience would notice live. So I don't think it's going to be worth the board space or the hassle of playing one octave above normal - it's out of the board, for now. I'm still going to use it if I ever want to record with a synthy-ish tone, tho, and go with just the masto, live.

thugler · #15 07-15-2010, 03:21 PM

Now, where the hell do I find an ACA power supply, can't seem to find any. Is there another name for it?

cybersnyder · #16 07-15-2010, 03:26 PM

Here's some info that may help:

http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/.../bossadapt.htm

I guess the easiest thing to do would be to try with a fresh battery and see if it sounds any better.

thugler · #17 07-15-2010, 03:28 PM

I'll probably try with a battery tomorrow. Is an ACA supply really hard to get or something?

thugler · #18 07-15-2010, 03:52 PM

Would a regulated rather than unregulated 12v supply work?

BigOldHarry · #19 07-15-2010, 03:53 PM

I had one... tracked badly. I have a MicroPOG on order, as my bro what has one insists it tracks like no one's bidness.

cybersnyder · #20 07-15-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thugler

I'll probably try with a battery tomorrow. Is an ACA supply really hard to get or something?

They're older and not as frequently stocked. You would likely have to special order one.