POG2 vs. OC2 vs. MXR octave

apdamron · #1 01-03-2013, 02:02 PM

title says it all really...looking for an octave pedal to help with some funky/synth tones. is the pog2 worth it for basS?

JBNeedsBeer · #2 01-03-2013, 02:44 PM

OC2 is generally found to be the best of the 3 for funk/synth tones.
OC2 has the best tone, but the POG2 has better tracking and a +1 octave. That being said, the tone is worse on the POG2 to my ears. I find that the MXR BOD is better suited for rock, but there are some good synth tones to be found in there.

You didn't list the Copilot Cubic, but you should really check that pedal out. You get a lot of really cool controls on it and it seems to track pretty well from what I have read.

tlvernon · #3 01-03-2013, 02:49 PM

I would recommend picking up a used 0c2 or MXR and if they aren't a good fit you can sell them and not lose very much money. These two are analog and have more of that traditional thickness a associated with an octaver. The pog2 is a unique animal which can sound like an organ in , it can do reverse swell sounds and probably has the most accurate tracking. Fortunately there's a lot of info sound clips and videos available on all 3 of these.

Basehead · #4 01-03-2013, 02:53 PM

The POG2 and the OC2/MXR are different sounding. I usually go with the OC2 for pure octave, using the POG2 for organ/other sounds.

Mattbass97 · #5 01-03-2013, 03:00 PM

Mxr is a little more versatile and has a bit more tweak ability and has very good tracking. The oc2 is more of a distinct sound very pure hard to describe haha

Jared Lash · #6 01-03-2013, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apdamron

title says it all really...looking for an octave pedal to help with some funky/synth tones. is the pog2 worth it for basS?

Two different types of octave effect here. The POG2 is a purely digital octaver while the MXR and Boss are analog. Well, the actual octave effect is digital there too, but that's a different story. Let's just separate them as digital and analog octavers.

The POG2 being digital means that it has superior tracking. Even though you may not hear the suboctave you can play down to an open E without getting the glitching that the other two have when you start getting into the low register or an open A or if you don't have clean technique to mute open strings or if you hit two notes at once.

So a digital octaver wins in terms of tracking. As far as tone, the digital octaver will definitely sound digital. It gives the octave down tone a "thinner" and more "chime-like" sound than the analog octavers. In a mix this isn't a big deal but if you solo the octave down it's quite a noticeable difference. The POG2 also offers an octave up which may or not appeal to you. Together the octave up and down (with the clean sound) gives a very passable organ tone.

This video shows the original POG on bass. It lacks many of the POG2's features, but the basic tones will be the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67Ef0-gTIjo

The analog octavers have a much funkier and "dirty" or "gritty" quality to their octave down. They can be used to create a synthier tone, especially when turning down (or off) the dry signal such as Pino Palladino's fretless lines from the 80s or today's electronica bass tones.

As for the differences between the OC-2 and the MXR, they are very similar - in fact the MXR's "growl" knob is pretty much a direct copy of the OC-2. What the MXR adds is the mid switches (to boost your mids to help the sound cut through the mix), a "girth knob" which adds a different flavor of octave down (big and flabby) and can be combined with the "Growl" knob for different tones, more gain on tap which helps and true bypass which is of debatable importance since (IMO) the OC-2 has a very good buffered bypass which I find useful at the front of my effects chain. The MXR is also slightly smaller.

The OC-2's main advantage is that it tracks better. Both pedals track low comparably but the OC- 2 reacts to quicker playing noticeably better. I posted a comparison clip long ago but my website that hosted it is long gone. Again, in a mix it's probably a negligible difference but it made the difference to me.

And personally I find the Boss much easier to dial in. With the MXR I was always fiddling with the mid switch and dialing in the "Girth" knob until I just started leaving those controls alone and using just the dry and "Growl" knobs which meant it held no advantage to the Boss for me at that point especially since the OC-2 can be found for cheaper, has the buffered bypass I want, better tracking and is easier to switch on an off in rhythm, something I do occasionally to punctuate lines or make glitchy basslines when sett 100% wet ala Tim Lefebvre.

Others may like the additional options and true bypass of the MXR. Or the fact that it's a much cooler looking pedal than the poo brown OC-2. Different strokes.

Two other analog octavers worth checking out are the EBS Octabass and the Aguilar Octamizer.

willbassyeah · #7 01-03-2013, 04:55 PM

I will added in the aguilar octamizer and copilot cubic into your list.

apdamron · #8 01-03-2013, 05:09 PM

thanks alot for the info guys, gonna hit up a guitar center tomorrow and give them a whirl. good to know these things going into it and how to make adjustments. appreciate it! will post back after i make a purchase

peasandpotatoes · #9 01-07-2013, 11:45 AM

FWIW, I've had a OC-2 for like 10 years now.. It hasn't let me down yet! Also it think how it tracks is a little bit of it's character, makes using it a little more spontaneous!

scottfeldstein · #10 01-07-2013, 03:20 PM

You know, I might pick up one of those Boss pedals one of these days. I love that OC-2 setting that guys use with the dry signal completely off.

MilkyMcMilkMilk · #11 01-07-2013, 04:22 PM

my cubic isn't doing the trick. I wouldn't mind getting another MXR or trying
an OC-2

scottfeldstein · #12 01-07-2013, 05:10 PM

If I played in a jazz fusion group or something like that I might get the MXR. I hear it tracks better and I think it has the right sound for that. But for someone who just wants to get that faux-synth octave effect, the OC-2 (and I presume -3 as well) may be the better bet.

Jared Lash · #13 01-07-2013, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

If I played in a jazz fusion group or something like that I might get the MXR. I hear it tracks better and I think it has the right sound for that.

It doesn't. The Boss actually tracks slightly better. The MXR holds together a slight bit better on sustained low notes, but you get cleaner tracking with fewer artifacts when playing runs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

But for someone who just wants to get that faux-synth octave effect, the OC-2 (and I presume -3 as well) may be the better bet.

The MXR's "Growl" octave down control creates a tone nearly identical to the OC-2.

The OC-3 is digital and while it has an "OC-2" setting, it isn't as deep or fat as the actual OC-2 or the MXR.

Tim Lefebvre demos the MXR and does the OC-2 sound starting at about 2:20 of this video and you can see what I mean.

scottfeldstein · #14 01-07-2013, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

Tim Lefebvre demos the MXR and does the OC-2 sound starting at about 2:20 of this video and you can see what I mean.

Hm, yeah that is pretty close to what I'm hearing other guys get with the OC-2.

Jared Lash · #15 01-07-2013, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

Hm, yeah that is pretty close to what I'm hearing other guys get with the OC-2.

I wish I hadn't lost my soundclips but when the MXR came out I bought one and did a direct A/B with the OC-2. The actual tonal differences (leaving out the "Girth" knob and mid switches) are close to negligible.

Bassmike62 · #16 01-07-2013, 05:30 PM

Timely thread... was just thinking that the filter tone I want is in the pedal I'm using for octave (BSW), so I might have to get an actual octave pedal and let the BSW do what it's s'posed to..

zwkoch · #17 01-07-2013, 06:45 PM

The POG2 has the best tracking, and even drops as low to A. With the ability to mix in multiple octaves at once, you can produce some really nice organ style tones with the bass. I use this setting a lot to fill the space normally occupied by a keyboard. Our church has very few musicians, so I do my best to fill out the sound. The POG2 blows away any other octaver, and I have owned 3 others. Highly recommended.

rhopper · #18 01-07-2013, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zwkoch

The POG2 has the best tracking, and even drops as low to A. With the ability to mix in multiple octaves at once, you can produce some really nice organ style tones with the bass. I use this setting a lot to fill the space normally occupied by a keyboard. Our church has very few musicians, so I do my best to fill out the sound. The POG2 blows away any other octaver, and I have owned 3 others. Highly recommended.

I agree 100% I went with the POG2 after trying just about everything. Amazing pedal but it does cost quite a bit. To me it was worth the extra cost.

scottfeldstein · #19 01-07-2013, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassmike62

Timely thread... was just thinking that the filter tone I want is in the pedal I'm using for octave (BSW), so I might have to get an actual octave pedal and let the BSW do what it's s'posed to..

If I hadn't sold mine for a quick buck I'd probably be using the BSW for the octave right now.

silasreid · #20 01-07-2013, 11:59 PM

IMO the pog ( at least the micropog ) has the best tracking but this is were its strengths give out, it sounds wimpy and thin compaired to the others ( the high octave is a neat touch ) but once you turn that off and just have purly you signal and octave it sounds like it has not got the ball that the others have. again imo