Bass octave pedal

[Bill Amatneek]

I've read the posts about octave pedals, but am not sure my particular needs were discussed.

I've got an older Fender Jazz bass (passive electronics) and I'm more interested in playing the fundamental on my bass and getting an octave above to sound. I don't know if my GK MBS-III could handle the octave-below tones, and don't think that's the sound I'd be looking for in the belly dance band I play with (it's tough work but someone has to do it).

I'm looking for a natural sound (not fuzzed, saw-toothed or otherwise manipulated), as natural as the J-bass sounds, so I think I want an analog pedal not a digital one, though offhand I did not see a discussion of the sonic differences between the two.

So, J-bass, passive electronics, octave above, GK MBS-III, natural sound.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Best regards to all my bass brothers & sisters,
BA

 

[BassikLee]

Up until you said analog, I was thinking Mooer Tender Octaver.

 

[J Posega]

Digitech Bass Whammy. Gives you way more options than just a single octave pedal.

 

[blindrabbit]

You won't get a clean/natural upper octave sound. Closest you'll get is a ring mod, which will be fuzzy and glitchy.

So, you want a digital octave up. Bass whammy, or any of the POG family will do. They'll all have some degree of synthy tone, but that's the nature of the effect you are looking for. Your other option would be to play your parts up an octave, and then get a nice analog octave down, like an MXR BOD, an Agillar Octamizer, or a COG T-16.

 

[bassbrad]

Analog, clean and octave up is not going to happen. If you will accept digital there are a lot of choices, my suggestion is the Zoom MS60b - small, affordable and ez to program plus other goodies to make the belly shake.

 

[Swimming Bird]

Yeah, the analog octave up circuits are all based around half wave rectifiers which (as said above) get a sort of gnarly, ring-moddy sound. EQD Tentacle, Armstrong Green something, the up sections of the Foxrox and Mutron octavers all go this route.

 

[Pacodelivery]

I'll chime in to second @blindrabbit , playing up the octave and synthesizing the lower octave very much gets the sound you're looking for.

Though analog ups are distorted, analog octave down synths can be quite clean and "organic," very musical.

 

[Mosfed]

A POG or a Bass whammy are your best bet. As many others have said, analog and octave up, never equals clean and natural sounding.

 

[BassikLee]

I have not found the octave up on the zoom stuff to play in tune. The only pedal currently in my pile that does is the Mooer Tender. I'm sure there are others.

 

[Susqmike]

Taurus makes a great octave pedal with 'octave up"

 

[oysteivi]

I'd say that an analog octaver won't be clean and natural sounding no matter if you go up or down. At least for the ones I've heard, the octave down is more of a synth tone, while octave up is a fuzz tone. Just the limitations of what you can reasonably do with analog signal processing.

Being more productive, I didn't see the EHX Pitch Fork mentioned in the thread yet. This is also a digital effect, which means it can sound somewhat like your bass, but may be cheaper than a POG or Whammy.

 

[M Sterling]

I'd say that an analog octaver won't be clean and natural sounding no matter if you go up or down. At least for the ones I've heard, the octave down is more of a synth tone, while octave up is a fuzz tone. Just the limitations of what you can reasonably do with analog signal processing.

Being more productive, I didn't see the EHX Pitch Fork mentioned in the thread yet. This is also a digital effect, which means it can sound somewhat like your bass, but may be cheaper than a POG or Whammy.

I agree with this. Analog is gonna get you a little bit of a dirtier tone, while a good digital octaver will be a lot cleaner. POG, Whammy, PitchFork are all great suggestions for a "cleaner" octave. I used a Line 6 M5 multi effect unit for a while and the octave on that was really good too.

 

[Dave W]

Your other option would be to play your parts up an octave, and then get a nice analog octave down, like an MXR BOD, an Agillar Octamizer, or a COG T-16.

This is really the best option to do what you want IMO. I know it's the complete opposite of what you said you want to do but I think it'll get you the results you want a little better.

 

[Hallic]

 

[blindrabbit]

This is really the best option to do what you want IMO. I know it's the complete opposite of what you said you want to do but I think it'll get you the results you want a little better.

I should have clarified to the OP that about a year ago I went down the whole "upper octave" rabbit hole myself, and bought some pedals to attempt the analog upper octave thing, then digital ones, and in the end I decided that a nice analog lower octave while playing an octave up was the way to do.

 

[Bill Amatneek]

Hey guys, many thanks for your input. This really clarifies a lot for me.
Best regards to all,
BA

 

[Aquila0507]

Wow I'm surprised this got missed. OP there is an analog octave up and does only that. If you don't need the extras that other pedals provide don't waste your time. Anyway Earthquaker Devices make a pedal called Tentacle. It's the octave up feature taken from the Hoof Reaper.
Its analog and exactly what you asked for and does nothing more and nothing less

 

[Aquila0507]

Swimming bird did mention it up there. And it doesn't even have a knob!

 

[bikeplate]

3Leaf

 

[blindrabbit]

Wow I'm surprised this got missed. OP there is an analog octave up and does only that. If you don't need the extras that other pedals provide don't waste your time. Anyway Earthquaker Devices make a pedal called Tentacle. It's the octave up feature taken from the Hoof Reaper.
Its analog and exactly what you asked for and does nothing more and nothing less

Yeah, but it is still ring-moddy, dirty, and will track poorly (and only high up on the neck). It is the same thing as the Fuzzhugger Upper. These are NOT clean or natural sounding octave ups at all, nor do they work well (or at all in many cases) on bass.