I just ordered a Boss OC-2 from ebay. Costed me $57, so I took a chance on it. How is it compared to OC-3, Digitech Synth, EBS or the mean machine Akai Deep Impact? (it probably sucks compared to the ADI, but it's just a fraction of the price)
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Bass Octave Pedal Reviews
- Thread starter Tunaman
- Start date
I have the POG and it might be one of my favorite pedals. I rackmounted mine (yes, reread if you must), so I can mess around with the sliders during a song.
It has 6 sliders:
Octave Down
Dry Sound
Ocatve Up
Ocatve Up Detuned (fourth below the octave)
2 Ocatve Up
2 Ocatve Up Detuned (fourth below 2 octaves)
With all of them on... it sounds like an organ... AMAZING!
Price is a bummer, though. But IMHO, It's worth every penny.
It has 6 sliders:
Octave Down
Dry Sound
Ocatve Up
Ocatve Up Detuned (fourth below the octave)
2 Ocatve Up
2 Ocatve Up Detuned (fourth below 2 octaves)
With all of them on... it sounds like an organ... AMAZING!
Price is a bummer, though. But IMHO, It's worth every penny.
- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,516
- 19,951
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Ozzyman said:
How well does it do an octave up? I like the fact that I can play "rhythm guitar" parts on my UniBass, but the octave up tends to sound rather synthetic.
Thanks, Tom.
Ozzyman said:
1) Wouldn't it be easier to say "up a 5th" ?
2) Any other input on this device? My trusty Boss oc-2 is crapping out (shorting). I tried cleaning the contacts, but no luck. May get it fixed - but I'm looking at options.
Another option to go octave up is the Boss PS series. I have a PS2 that does one and two octaves up very well. Sometimes 2 octaves up is too mickey mousey sounding, but other tones are great. It also does one and two octaves down. 2 octaves down is useless on bass, but the single octave tracks pretty well. It also does other intervals/harmonies and delay.
For gigging I use the digitech bass harmony machine rack unit. I've tried a lot of octavers and this is my favorite. I still need to try a POG . . .
I don't like the octave down built into the Vbass, it sounds great up high but lose tracking from A on down. Is it just that I don't know how to program it? If anyone has a Vbass octaver patch to share let me know! The octave up Vbass patches are excellent.
For gigging I use the digitech bass harmony machine rack unit. I've tried a lot of octavers and this is my favorite. I still need to try a POG . . .
I don't like the octave down built into the Vbass, it sounds great up high but lose tracking from A on down. Is it just that I don't know how to program it? If anyone has a Vbass octaver patch to share let me know! The octave up Vbass patches are excellent.
I use the Digitech Whammy IV. The best setting it has (tone-wise) is the octave down harmony function. It sounds just as good as any other octaver i've tried. I've never had tracking problems with it yet. I suggest it to anyone. It's really fun because if you move the pedal forward, you jump 2 octaves and keep the root note still.
Lazarus thread.
I have a Whammy and a BSW. Both work gud. I especially enjoy feeding the Whammy's wet out to another amp.
I have a Whammy and a BSW. Both work gud. I especially enjoy feeding the Whammy's wet out to another amp.
It doesn't track as well as any of them...you definitely have to learn to play within what it will and won't do. It has its own unique sound though different from anything else that I've tried which is why LOTS of people keep using them.
The EH Bass Synth works as an octaver with an octave up as well as down. It's monophonic though. After using a few different octave devises I'm at the point where I want something like an Eventide Pitch Factor that will do accurate polyphony.
This is all in my own opinion.
Ampeg Sub-Blaster
Controls: -1 octave down level and Clean Level.
Sound: Huge sub, could really blow your speakers if not careful, smooth and deep, not at all synthy. Tracked really well for me.
Boss OC2
Controls: -2 Oct, -1 Oct, Clean Level
Sound: Tracking is pretty good for an analog octaver (when -2 oct is not included) and the sound is synthy/keyboard-like not distorted, just kinda electronic-y.
Markbass MB Octaver
- As with the OC2, but tracking seems a little better to me.
Boss OC3
3 modes: one mode is that in the OC2, one adds Distortion to a single octave down and in Poly mode you can set a filter so that the octave effect only comes into play further up the fretboard.
MXR Bass Octave Deluxe
Smaller than the Boss and only does one octave down. Has an optional mid-boost (which funnily enough only affects the clean tone) and two octave down sounds, one quite similar to the OC2 sound and one much smoother.
EHX Octave Multiplexer
Very versatile octaver, at a great price, seriously underrated. tracking seems really good to me, some faux-synth sounds when the 'sub' switch is not in use, the sub switch switches from semi-electronic-y octave down with a slight distortion on top to a deep, fat octave down.
Modtone Deep Dive
Somewhat similar to the EHX, but much smaller -- and alot more expensive.
Guyatone Micro Octaver
Same controls as the OC2 but with an added pre-gain external trim pot and a 3-position filter switch allow you to get varing levels of distortion on top of the octave. Very small pedal, however build quality is negligable.
Aguilar Octamizer
The daves know what bass players want. One octave down: four controls - level and tone for the octave and clean signal each.
Digitech Bass Synth Wah
Alot of sounds for the money and a great octaver.
EHX Micro Pog
great 8-12-string sounds, flawless tracking - doesnt do FAT sub like their analog brethren
EHX POG2
As above but with and added -2 octave and +2 Octaves, an attack delay, low pass filter and 'detune' function that sounds like a subtle chorus. Oh, and you can store EIGHT presets
Ampeg Sub-Blaster
Controls: -1 octave down level and Clean Level.
Sound: Huge sub, could really blow your speakers if not careful, smooth and deep, not at all synthy. Tracked really well for me.
Boss OC2
Controls: -2 Oct, -1 Oct, Clean Level
Sound: Tracking is pretty good for an analog octaver (when -2 oct is not included) and the sound is synthy/keyboard-like not distorted, just kinda electronic-y.
Markbass MB Octaver
- As with the OC2, but tracking seems a little better to me.
Boss OC3
3 modes: one mode is that in the OC2, one adds Distortion to a single octave down and in Poly mode you can set a filter so that the octave effect only comes into play further up the fretboard.
MXR Bass Octave Deluxe
Smaller than the Boss and only does one octave down. Has an optional mid-boost (which funnily enough only affects the clean tone) and two octave down sounds, one quite similar to the OC2 sound and one much smoother.
EHX Octave Multiplexer
Very versatile octaver, at a great price, seriously underrated. tracking seems really good to me, some faux-synth sounds when the 'sub' switch is not in use, the sub switch switches from semi-electronic-y octave down with a slight distortion on top to a deep, fat octave down.
Modtone Deep Dive
Somewhat similar to the EHX, but much smaller -- and alot more expensive.
Guyatone Micro Octaver
Same controls as the OC2 but with an added pre-gain external trim pot and a 3-position filter switch allow you to get varing levels of distortion on top of the octave. Very small pedal, however build quality is negligable.
Aguilar Octamizer
The daves know what bass players want. One octave down: four controls - level and tone for the octave and clean signal each.
Digitech Bass Synth Wah
Alot of sounds for the money and a great octaver.
EHX Micro Pog
great 8-12-string sounds, flawless tracking - doesnt do FAT sub like their analog brethren
EHX POG2
As above but with and added -2 octave and +2 Octaves, an attack delay, low pass filter and 'detune' function that sounds like a subtle chorus. Oh, and you can store EIGHT presets
Mitchell Royce said:
I just bought an EBS and I can't get used to it...is there a learning curve or maybe octave pedals aren't my thing???
I'm not especially good at describing sound with words but I think the EBS is pretty unexciting by itself. I do like it a lot in combination with overdrive or flanging though as it doesn't totally take over. I wouldn't judge all octavers by it.
I own an MXR Bass Octave Deluxe. It's great but I have issues with it when I play my Sterling. It gets glitchy sometimes when I play C on the A string or lower. This doesn't happen when I use my Squier jazz 5.
Aside from that one issue, I love the BOD. Very growly, which is what I wanted from my octaver!
Aside from that one issue, I love the BOD. Very growly, which is what I wanted from my octaver!
Hey DosiYanarchy, nice work, organized -- even literate!
Very useful round-up; thanks for your contribution to the interested TB community.
Now what other class of gear can you summarize for us? :^>
Cheers.
Here's my comparison/review of the Aguilar Octamizer and MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe. I ended up keeping the BOD because it worked better for what I wanted. I've still gotta try an oc-2 some time.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f36/s...-octave-deluxe-590717/index3.html#post8867167
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f36/s...-octave-deluxe-590717/index3.html#post8867167
Also @ DosiYanarchy, yes, great comments. If you have the time, could you offer a take, in context, on the FoxRox Octron2? This pedal is some serious medicine in the octave arena, at least from my remote angle. The Octron2 could or does dominate most or all of the mentions so far. Problem is the price, perhaps... but they were back ordered when I got mine. still playing with the nuances... (pure boutique)
Whether or not it "dominates" is pretty subjective. Cool pedal but I personally wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole
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