I like the MXR Vintage Bass Octave myself, sounds much like the OC2 but with a better tracking.
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Best Octaver Pedal?
- Thread starter Bassiclees
- Start date
I’ve owned my fair share of octaves. The ones I’ve kept are the OC5 and the Ampeg Sub Blaster.
They do different things and have eliminated further gas pains for another octaver. That said, if Ampeg rereleased a SB I’d be hard pressed not to buy it.
They do different things and have eliminated further gas pains for another octaver. That said, if Ampeg rereleased a SB I’d be hard pressed not to buy it.
EBS OctaBass, it is, not Octamizer.
Changing a faulty switch is not that difficult, and you can order it directly from EBS:
Spare parts
Apologies. But if you can avoid paying $24 for a new switch, it's worthwhile to avoid that model.
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"Best" might be clean and analog, but Most Fun octaver right now I know of is Malekko Downer. PedalsandEffects did a video which covers the more extreme foldover distortion aspects, but it does clean also, tracks well, and the tone controls (high and low pass knobs) are mighty. On my Large Board I run one into an Aphex bass exciter (with "big bottom") and it's what I always imagined the DOD Meat Box could do, but didn't Malekko Downer?!?! Wavefolder, Saturation, Octave Filter
I STILL want a T16 (which I have STILL not had a chance to try out) but find the Queequeg really interesting as well. I found the latter to track really well when I got to try one a couple of times with different basses , in a huge music shop.
<KMA Machines > Queequeg>
One I would also really like to find, is the subblaster - which, judging by sound alone is my favourite.
<KMA Machines > Queequeg>
One I would also really like to find, is the subblaster - which, judging by sound alone is my favourite.
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Any reason in particular nobody's mentioned DOD Meatbox? Been eyeballing one myself...for now I've got a POG and honestly the thing smokes for tracking, can't shake it no matter how fast the riff...but yeah, low end doesn't quite THUMP in the manner I'm sometimes looking for.
-1 for the C4!
I own one and recommend it for a lot of things but I don't think it does the analogue octave down thing as well as the Aguilar Octamizer or the MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, and personally they are the types of octave sounds I like. If I was just after an octave pedal I'd get one of them.
However, if you prefer the digital OC2 type sound, or the POG or Sub n Up type sounds then the C4 does do them very well...still though, the C4 with additional midi pedal will cost about double so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it rather than just getting one of those dedicated octaver pedals. Obviously the big benefit of the C4 is it does lots of other things too....which is also potentially a disadvantage as the controls don't always necessarily make as much immediate sense for what parameter they control and if you use the C4 for a synth sound and then want to additionally click octave on/off and then adjust it's octave 'growl' it isn't as straight forward as just having a separate physical octave pedal.
I own one and recommend it for a lot of things but I don't think it does the analogue octave down thing as well as the Aguilar Octamizer or the MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, and personally they are the types of octave sounds I like. If I was just after an octave pedal I'd get one of them.
However, if you prefer the digital OC2 type sound, or the POG or Sub n Up type sounds then the C4 does do them very well...still though, the C4 with additional midi pedal will cost about double so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it rather than just getting one of those dedicated octaver pedals. Obviously the big benefit of the C4 is it does lots of other things too....which is also potentially a disadvantage as the controls don't always necessarily make as much immediate sense for what parameter they control and if you use the C4 for a synth sound and then want to additionally click octave on/off and then adjust it's octave 'growl' it isn't as straight forward as just having a separate physical octave pedal.
I used a C4, would love to have another, MANY things you can do. Dive deep, or even just use others presets, it can be involved and it can be simple, don't let the PC part scare you. Its digital, tracking is great, but I use all analog these days, for OC-2 sound Octabvre MK2 or MK3 are great, for a clean, super sub hz octave sound I use Broughton's Synth Voice Deluxe, they are pretty hard to come by but with a little hard work they are obtainable. I'd like to try a real OC2 some time, but right now the 3leaf does VERY well, tracks every note on my 4 string with ease
The Meatbox is cool. It's hard to articulate the sound of the pedal but IME, it's very different than say, an OC-whatever or POG. It's produces more of a feel, than a duplicated note. A rumble. I wish I had more time with mine before it went up in smoke.
I didn't get to try it through a PA but I feel like that's where it would really shine.
I didn't get to try it through a PA but I feel like that's where it would really shine.
MF had the Boss OC-5 in stock, I had credits and by using the chat function to make the purchase they applied an additional 10% discount (plus free shipping and another 10% coming back in points) so it has been ordered. Also finally pulled the trigger on the EH Bass Clone chorus I wanted. Oh yeah... the board is coming together! Thank you TB.
Guess octave is seen in many ways.
Octave up or Octave down.
Octave down as far as old school square wave trackers.
Then yes Boss is pretty famous for the OC-2 , OC-3
Really been wanting to try the New OC-5
Since it has both. Classic Octave down and Octave up.
And yes it seems both can be used at once, or you can use the classic OC-2 mode
for just down. Seems to promote polyphonic mode. So if you play chords or power chords
it seems you can do that without it going to a messy splatter.
Boss of course relatively famous for very good tracking filters.
BOSS - OC-5 | Octave
Another way to get Octave down or up without weird artifacts like square wave tracking type pedals
is just use a Pitch Shifter.
And again Boss pretty much covers that well too.
Many other effects like a Pog etc etc which are basically using
multiple pitch shifters for better tracking or polyphonic modes.
Octave up or Octave down.
Octave down as far as old school square wave trackers.
Then yes Boss is pretty famous for the OC-2 , OC-3
Really been wanting to try the New OC-5
Since it has both. Classic Octave down and Octave up.
And yes it seems both can be used at once, or you can use the classic OC-2 mode
for just down. Seems to promote polyphonic mode. So if you play chords or power chords
it seems you can do that without it going to a messy splatter.
Boss of course relatively famous for very good tracking filters.
BOSS - OC-5 | Octave
Another way to get Octave down or up without weird artifacts like square wave tracking type pedals
is just use a Pitch Shifter.
And again Boss pretty much covers that well too.
Many other effects like a Pog etc etc which are basically using
multiple pitch shifters for better tracking or polyphonic modes.
You its funny how many many years later, pedals that nobody liked become famous or expensive to get.
I had a lot of fun with that pedal back in the day.
As with any tracking type pedal, you have to work with the effect.
I think now its price. since originals and reissues go for around 200/300 bucks.
Which is funny now, because in the 90's you could buy them for 20 to 40 bucks
in the bargain piles.
I liked it, its one of those pedals were it inspires you to do something different.
But most people just get OC-3 or something used for around 60 bucks or so.
Or just use a pitch shifter
Had the EBS Octabass and was great with rounds and muddy with flats, so I traded it. Love the OC-2 and still have it, tho its downsides mentioned above are definitely there, esp the buffered bypass.
The 3Leaf Octavbre Mini bumped it off the board. Can get the OC-2 sound and the Mutron octa-divider sound as well. Can't get a sub tho, which for my set up is fine, since I have the MXR Sub Machine than can get both a sub and an octave up (and a gnarly ripping fuzz, love that pedal.) Ymmv, imo, etc.
The 3Leaf Octavbre Mini bumped it off the board. Can get the OC-2 sound and the Mutron octa-divider sound as well. Can't get a sub tho, which for my set up is fine, since I have the MXR Sub Machine than can get both a sub and an octave up (and a gnarly ripping fuzz, love that pedal.) Ymmv, imo, etc.
Smooth_bass88
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Love my EBS Octabass, early version from late 90s. Tracks very well and is simple to use.
I want one that I can set to only give me an octave down on the notes from A and up (and nothing on the first 4 frets of the E string) so it doesn't get too boomy. Is there something like that? I know I can put an EQ in front of it to get that effect, but I'm wondering if there's a single pedal that has that built into it?
I've gone through an OC-2 and a C4 and now on the Octabvre MKIII. I like the Octabvre most currently, still haven't used it a ton but I like it. C4 was just a little too much for me, and the OC-2 was a bit limited. The Octabvre has "the" sound I wanted and enough flexibility to make it stand out a bit.
While I have greatly enjoyed by MXR Bass Octave Deluxe, the C4 just may be pushing it off my board. Right now they're both hanging out, but with the amazing tracking and extreme versatility, C4 is pulling some serious weight.
Pog was a great starter octave pedal and didn’t crap out with dead spots like the other ones
I suspect a lot of the octavers are the same circuit.
I'll put it this way. I've never found an octave pedal I liked better than the EHX POG variants. It's polyphonic, tracks well, is cheap, easy to find, and built like a tank.
Side note: with any octaver, I highly recommend a High Pass Filter be used behind it. Cuts out all of the sub-tonic crap that they kick out.
I'll put it this way. I've never found an octave pedal I liked better than the EHX POG variants. It's polyphonic, tracks well, is cheap, easy to find, and built like a tank.
Side note: with any octaver, I highly recommend a High Pass Filter be used behind it. Cuts out all of the sub-tonic crap that they kick out.
