MXR 288 octave pedal

LouderPleeze · #1 07-25-2011, 11:30 AM

Just got my new pedal. The tracking with my Sting Ray is questionable. Staccato notes are garbled while it figures out what to do. Anyone else have experience with this pedal?

I love the girth and growl tones, but it seems limited if everything must be a long, smooth tone.

I really expected better.

TheBIsForBass · #2 07-25-2011, 11:33 AM

You should of got the ESB Octave. It kicks ass

bassman515 · #3 07-25-2011, 11:46 AM

That is odd...how do you have your bass Eq'd? Also, where is it in your chain? Mine tracks really well with my Lakland 55-02 and my Warwick FNA. (very similar pickup configs to your MM) I run mine pretty flat with the bass boosted a bit. Also, it is the second pedal in the chain right after my BEF. Hope this helps!
J

Modulator · #4 07-25-2011, 11:50 AM

I have a Stingray 5 and the MXR Bass Octave. It gets glitchy for me around C to about Eb on the G string, but it's clean everywhere else. I can play the same notes on my D string with no problem. I don't have the same issue with my passive jazz bass, it tracks great everywhere.

I usually run my 'Ray with a very slight boost in the bass EQ and slightly more in the mids, if that info helps at all. I can see where it might get more glitchy if you're running a lot of low sonic info and not a lot of mids.

**jmattbassplaya** · #5 07-25-2011, 12:13 PM

I use to have the M288 and I found it to be incredibly glitchy no matter how perfect my technique was, whether I used a pick or my fingers, or which bass I used (which was mainly a EBMM Ray).

I traded it for a Boss OC-3. It doesn't get as much love around here as other octaves, but it tracks perfectly and captures the growl tone of the M288 really well.

M Sterling · #6 07-25-2011, 12:33 PM

Mine tracked fine until I tried to play anything fast and the it was glitch central. I switched to an OC2 and it tracks fast passages awesomely. Sounds sweet, too!

Matt Dean · #7 07-25-2011, 12:52 PM

I too had a M288 and while I thought it tracked ok, I couldn't get that classic electronica tone with it, so I picked up an OC2 when a used one showed up at my local used instrument shop.

spufman · #8 07-25-2011, 01:40 PM

Mine tracks much better (really well actually) with my G&L passive basses than with my EBMM Sterlings. In general my technique for better or worse does not work well with analog octave pedals. I have to really concentrate on solid single-note attack and not ghost in the fiddly bits I'm prone to using. Consequently my BOD sits in its box.

ergbass · #9 07-25-2011, 02:27 PM

for long notes maybe fails, but for shorter funk lines / riffs tracks great in my opinion.

DeltaPhoenix · #10 07-25-2011, 04:28 PM

Mine tracks well, even with pretty fast playing, I only play fingerstyle and am used to muting a lot though.

M Sterling · #11 07-25-2011, 04:43 PM

I play fingerstyle as well, and mute the entire time I am playing. I only noticed tracking glitches when playing extremely fast and the difference was very noticeable when I A/B tested both. I wanted to believe the MXR was better because I paid a lot more for it, but the proof was in the pudding. In terms of versatility of sound however, the MXR is a clear winner of the two, based on the two voicing options and the mid boost for the clean. I do prefer the synthy sound of the OC2 personally, though.

Some people on this forum have said that they had to try up to 3 BOD pedals before finding a "good" one that tracks properly in every playing situation. I've only had one, so I can't say for sure if this is the case.

Bassmike62 · #12 07-25-2011, 05:11 PM

I had one and sold it, one of the very few pedals I have sold. I still think the Digitech BSW tracks better, IMO. The girth and growl things were nice ideas and sounded well enough, but tracking was ... inconsistent. Might have been a bad unit. I use a small board and the BSW can double as a decent filter and does triple duty counting all the other stuff on it (most of it unusable in my band's context, but fun nonetheless).

Tyler Kirschner · #13 07-25-2011, 05:15 PM

does the aguilar octamizer track better than the MXR???

DwaynieAD · #14 07-25-2011, 05:16 PM

had no trouble with my MM and my MXR, even tracked a low A, talk about sub bass... the guy i sold it to on here said he had tracking trouble with it tho.. so idk..

Bassmike62 · #15 07-25-2011, 05:47 PM

Can't seem to edit my previous comment. Jus wanted to add I had my octave at the top of the chain and still didn't find it worked out for me.

cybersnyder · #16 07-25-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyler Kirschner

does the aguilar octamizer track better than the MXR???

No.

I have an MXR and it tracks incredibly well. That said, I had one when they first came out and it tracked very poorly. Huge delays on the G string from around B up to F# or so. I wonder if there is a batch of bad BOD's floating around that has terrible tracking. The tracking on my BOD is second only to the Bass Octave on the Line 6 M series.

francoprof · #17 07-25-2011, 05:55 PM

I returned my new pedal within a week of testing and playing. The culprit ? Parasite "arpeggio" notes could be heard when the bass was silent with strings partially muted ... as if it tried to "octave" or interpret the slightest sound coming from my FBass and 2010 Fender Jazz. I tried another new pedal that did the same thing. It sounded very good apart from that (albeit normal tracking issues around the A), but the parasite sounds were intolerable. I haven't found a substitute yet.

LouderPleeze · #18 07-25-2011, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman515

That is odd...how do you have your bass Eq'd? Also, where is it in your chain? Mine tracks really well with my Lakland 55-02 and my Warwick FNA. (very similar pickup configs to your MM) I run mine pretty flat with the bass boosted a bit. Also, it is the second pedal in the chain right after my BEF. Hope this helps!
J

I have a new SR Classic. I have the treble slightly less than full. I appreciate all the comments - it is an interesting mix! I emailed Dunlop support to see if I have a faulty pedal and they said the pedal has to wade through the harmonics to find the fundamental; that is the tracking issue. I will try it with more treble rolled off and with my Jazz and PentaBuzz to see if it is any better before giving up on it. Unfortunately I could not find the pedal locally to try before I bought it.

I have it right after my BEF as well, but it is the same when isolated.

Thanks again for al the responses! I love this forum!

Mike

LouderPleeze · #19 07-25-2011, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Modulator

I have a Stingray 5 and the MXR Bass Octave. It gets glitchy for me around C to about Eb on the G string, but it's clean everywhere else. I can play the same notes on my D string with no problem. I don't have the same issue with my passive jazz bass, it tracks great everywhere.

I usually run my 'Ray with a very slight boost in the bass EQ and slightly more in the mids, if that info helps at all. I can see where it might get more glitchy if you're running a lot of low sonic info and not a lot of mids.

I noticed some trouble in that weak spot between frets 5 and 9 on the G as well.

LouderPleeze · #20 07-25-2011, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Sterling

Mine tracked fine until I tried to play anything fast and the it was glitch central. I switched to an OC2 and it tracks fast passages awesomely. Sounds sweet, too!

I have an OC2 as well. I was hoping the MXR would be better since they designed it for bass and typically I have had good luck with their stuff. I really like the tone controls, but the tracking issues may be the deal-breaker.

Mike