Getting octave up in a non-octave fuzz?

wdinc01 · #1 03-11-2009, 07:16 PM

I did some searching, but didn't quite find the answer I'm looking for.

Basically, I have a Foxx Tonemachine that I'm looking to switch out with a team_awesome Fuzz Machine. But the thing is, I like the way the Foxx can get a kind of synthy tone when it's in octave-up mode, and I've even wrote a song that I think sounds much better with the octave up.

So basically I'm asking is if there's a separate pedal I could get that'll help me cop that octave up fuzz sound. Before anyone says MicroPog, if you could point me to sound clips of the octave up and some fuzz with it then I'll be happy.

I was thinking a ring mod might be what I'm looking for, but I don't know if they can tune automatically (I.E. play based on your note and not just one set note). Would a Dan Armstrong Green Ringer or a clone of it work?

Thanks in advance.

Jared Lash · #2 03-11-2009, 08:04 PM

Well the Foxrox Octron creates a dirty (analog) octave up via a high gain circuit, but I don't think you'd be able to play all over the neck with it. I think with just the octave up soloed you'd really need to play in the upper register.

An option on the used market is the Akai Unibass. It's a digital octave up but it has a built in distortion that I thought sounded pretty good. I remember JazzAd having a clip of it.

Edit: Found that clip. What a rarity, a few years old and the link still works!

The Unibass can also add a fourth down or an octave up for power chord sounds.

Hope that helps.

fightthepower · #3 03-11-2009, 08:19 PM

That's the first time I've heard the Unibass, it sounds pretty good... hell I think it sounds better than the xOG's too. The pollyanna does a decent octave up- Here's a clip of the pollyanna's +oct, going through various sensitivity and tone settings.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7322755

I'm pretty sure there aren't any ringmods that will automatically track what you're playing. I know that for instance you can get a moog ring mod to track your moog synth, but it's not as simple as just plugging into the input.

Jared Lash · #4 03-11-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fightthepower

I'm pretty sure there aren't any ringmods that will automatically track what you're playing. I know that for instance you can get a moog ring mod to track your moog synth, but it's not as simple as just plugging into the input.

Oh really?

Of course, that's about a ~$500 solution and a pedal that I've only heard one review on bass for - and it wasn't good.

Oh, and the Polyanna sounds better and better to me. If it tracked better I think I'd already have bought one based on your clips.

fightthepower · #5 03-11-2009, 08:40 PM

Yeah but.. he uh.. asked for a ringmod that tracks.. not a guitar synth that so happens to have a tracking ringmod in it! err..

The Pollyanna does sound great but the suboctave tracking leaves much to be desired.. though I can live with it, I just have to really focus on my technique when using it, and write basslines accordingly. Im able to play busier lines with it now that I've had it for a while, but it's taken a fair amount of adapting to do so, and filtering it covers up some of the slop. It's manageable, but it's no OC2 or BMS that's for sure. If you see one pop up I recommend it for sure, but I wouldn't be running out to buy a new one either.

The guyatone suboctave sounds similar based on the clips posted here the other day, and I may try one if I can find it cheap enough. Unfortunately, even if it had great tracking, I dont think it would replace the pollyanna because I've grown attached to the +1oct. My favorite setting uses majority -1oct, almost equal part +1oct, and add a bit of -2oct until the signal squares up a bit wider and fatter, and maybe a little clean tone. It makes for a really fat stacked octave sandwich and I really dig it.

wdinc01 · #6 03-11-2009, 08:54 PM

Thanks for the Unibass clips. I've always wanted to hear that thing.

Anyway, I know that you can't really hear the upper octave unless you're high on the fretboard, and I'm fine with that. Actually, if I could find something that'll let it be able to be heard all along the neck then that'd be great. I don't really need more distortion because, like I said, this thing is going into a fuzz pedal. Although I guess with an analog octaver, it would have to be dirty.

ryker888 · #7 03-11-2009, 10:47 PM

I'm building a GGG green ringer now, I can give you some clips of it when I get it done. I've never heard one on bass, so it should be a new experience for the both of us

fightthepower · #8 03-11-2009, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdinc01

Thanks for the Unibass clips. I've always wanted to hear that thing.

Anyway, I know that you can't really hear the upper octave unless you're high on the fretboard, and I'm fine with that. Actually, if I could find something that'll let it be able to be heard all along the neck then that'd be great. I don't really need more distortion because, like I said, this thing is going into a fuzz pedal. Although I guess with an analog octaver, it would have to be dirty.

Ah I misunderstood when you said you wanted to hear the pog clips through fuzz, but yeah the pollyanna is no good for clean octaves. I can't help you out with the pog clips, but here's a clip with the HOG through an English Muffn which should give you an idea what the microPOG would sound like. The first 3 +oct sliders were up for this clip, +5th,+1,and +1&5th, and the lowpass set low to dial out some of the inherent squawk. The HOG comes on about 30seconds into the clip.

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=7280924