Good cheap octave up?

[Threeleggedyoyo]

My apologies for being a newb if this has been discussed. I searched around a bit but didn't find an exact answer.

I want an octave up pedal to make my bass sound like a guitar. Tried the whammy on an RP80 but the results didn't sound good. It would need to cancel the original signal, also (octave up only).

What is the best/cheapest pedal to do this? Thanks!

[khabalah]

secondhand microPOG?

[f64]

Originally Posted by khabalah

secondhand microPOG?

+1

[Winnb]

Define "cheap"?

[Threeleggedyoyo]

Define "cheap"?

The cheapest that does the job without sounding like garbage or with terrible tracking.

[Swift713]

One man's garbage is another man's treasure.
I like the Octave Fuzz on the Line 6 M9. It doesn't have that goofy sped up digital octave up sound which always reminds me of Frank Zappa. It also tracks very well, all over the neck. Of course it's not cheap and I don't think it cancels out the direct signal.
The Exar Octavia may fit the bill. There's a thread (search for Exar Tourbox) with links to multiple sound clips.

[Mark Olson]

The Micro Pog probably will sound better than the whammy effect on a BP80, well ok it definitely will, and it'll track better too, but it'll still have that thin and digital quality to it, and if that's not something you want, you might not be happy with it.

Analog octave fuzzes will not cancel out your original signal, in fact, depending on which octave fuzz you use, they can really just sound like the original pitch fuzzed up to you (even if you're using just a +1 octave setting on some pedals). Most of them are difficult to get a clear octave pitch out of all over the neck. But I'm sure there's some out there worth a try.

But even with an analog octave up pedal you're not going to sound like a guitar, it's still going to sound like a synthesized analog octave, because that's what it is. It'll have the pitch of a guitar, but the timbre won't really have many similarities.

[Winnb]

Well the Boss PS-6 does one octave up. You have to turn the balance knob all the way clockwise. Turn the Shift knob to 3PM. Choose any key with the Key knob. Then once you click the pedal the octave effect (+1) will be all you can hear through your amp.

But it's $150.

[Fendr1320]

I've looked for a while for an octave up that made me happy, closest so far was the MicroPog. That had the best tracking, handled doublestops better than many of them. I also liked the Digitech Bass Synth Wah, that had really good tracking too, but there isn't much adjustability with those, and you can't get rid of the fuzz or the original tone as far as I know. Also I've had two BSWs and they both broke...not necessarily ruling out buying a third though.

MicroPog probably best bet. Unfortunately, you may come to the same conclusion that I did, which is that really nothing sounds good. Even when the pitch and tracking are solid, it sounds really reedy and nasal and brittle, very digital and synthy – no one would ever mistake it for a guitar, for example. For other people who are looking for a funkier, synthy sort of sound, then they're all set.

[SuperTbass]

Originally Posted by Fendr1320

Unfortunately, you may come to the same conclusion that I did, which is that really nothing sounds good.

+1