Boss OC-2 vs EBS Octabass

S

superkicky

Guest
Sep 3, 2005
479
2
#1
(and yes, I did a search...)

:help:

So I've got these two pedals sitting in front of me right now. The Octabass just came in the mail from Japan and it's supposed to be the OC-2's replacement. After noodling around with it a while, I realised some tonal differences- The EBS thickened up the bottom a lot (which is nice), whereas the OC-2 gave my bass a more aggressive bite.

I could live with either (after all, nobody can really tell in a gigging situation when everything's loud), but I'm torn between the aggro-ish tone of the OC-2 versus the impeccable tracking of the Octabass -- which will probably come up as an issue when I start recording with it.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I can only keep one, so something has to go :bawl:
 
#4
superkicky said:
(and yes, I did a search...)
The Octabass just came in the mail from Japan and it's supposed to be the OC-2's replacement.
Click to expand...

I thought the Boss OC-3 was the replacement for the OC-2 ;)

Part of true love is appreciating the good things and innate faults of your <I> par amoir </I>. This is certainly my realtinoship with my OC-2. I love the pedal despite it's idiosyncracies.

The Boss OC-3 is suppose to be a better pedal and emulate the OC-2 (for better and worse ?). I found nothing on the OC-3 in Talkbass, so I'm curious if you considered the OC-3.
 
#5
The octabass is by far more flexible. I was in the same situation, but I like the synth-ish tone of the OC-2 more. Though, if I were doing solos or something and wanted to use octave, the octabass would be the right choice.

I recently bought an OC-2 (after I sold me octabass), but I had problems with it. The tracking was good on fast runs, but when holding notes out on the G string it would break up pretty darn quickly. I returned the unit as defective, I hope I can find another OC-2 to try.
 
#6
Soma: I don't have the budget for two octave pedals on my board at the same time :(

John: Yeah, I thought so too ;)

It's relatively harder to find a used OC-3 than it is to find a used Octabass, ironically. That, and the price point on used gear for those two are about the same. Reading reports on how the tracking in OC-2 mode is the same and how the poly mode sounds sterile made me think that it wouldn't be much of an 'upgrade' in that sense.

Sean: The tracking on my G-string's fine, it's just the parts where I have songs ending on B or D on the A-string that make me worry about the tracking. I haven't experienced any problems so far, but then again I haven't taken it into a recording situation as of yet.
 
#7
johnvice said:
The Boss OC-3 is suppose to be a better pedal and emulate the OC-2 (for better and worse ?). I found nothing on the OC-3 in Talkbass, so I'm curious if you considered the OC-3.
Click to expand...

I have one, it is digital and sounds Digital, as I've said before here I feel the sample rate is too low causing a small amount of Digital distortion on top of your sound, also I have noticed that in all settings that when a note is left to sustain even a little it starts producing odd and slightly out of tune overtones, that said for odd synth tones it kills, it can really get a messed up over processed synth bass sound. I'm not selling mine but I doubt I will use it very much. I have a MXR M-88 that I like a LOT more: it tracks better, it sounds a LOT better and it looks a hell of a lot cooler:D
 
#8
My Octabass doesn't have that good tracking. It came in the mail today (secondhand bought by original owner in Januari). It tracks good down to C# playing fingerstyle, but playing picstyle the tracking becomes very instable. Sometimes good sometimes bad. A big disapointement.
 
#10
superkicky said:
Mm.. never considered the MXR before. How much did it cost?
Click to expand...

If you're really thinking about other octave pedals, may I point you to the DigiTech Bass Synth Wah? Among these forums, it's got a reputation for the best cheap octaver (I got mine new for about $80 U.S.). Sounds pretty good, you might want to try a search on it.

That being said, I've only had minimal experience with the OC-2 and none with the EBS, so I'll stay out of the argument over those...

-Dash
 
#11
The MXR was discontinued a little while ago. One went yesterday on ebay for $50 (actually was $73. Wrong item). I think they were about 90 ESD on musicians friend before they gave up on em.

If we're expanding the options of the thread, I personally prefered the mxr to the oc-2. I got slightly better tracking out of it and had little use for the second octave down. Smaller too.

Never tried the EBS, but wouldn't mind if I could find one locally to try before I order.
 
#12
Dash: I wouldn't mind giving it a shot, but the BSW is relatively expensive (compared to the OC-2) off the 2nd hand market where I am. The irony, I know...

Jucas: What about tone-wise? Is the MXR significantly different from the OC-2? I've got my 2nd octave turned off as well.
 
#15
The MXR's tone seemed more natural to me. I thought it was really deep sounding. I don't know if thats a stupid comment on an octave pedal, but that was my impression. You say you thought the EBS filled out the bottom, but liked the bosses aggresiveness, does the 3 way switch (if you have one) on the EBS make that change?

I thought the boss was a little more middy, and I wasn't a huge fan of it. It just didn't quite seem right to me. The differences weren't exactly massive, but enough that I could tell.

I think the voicing (assuming thats what it was) made the boss seem a little more noticable, maybe aggressive, but I never had a problem with the mxr not coming through.

I honestly spent more time on both of them through an ODB-3 or BMP. The boss always seemed like it was putting out those synthy glitchy nintendo style tones, wheras the MXR just seemed to add some bottom end.

All this octave talk lately is definately making my credit card a little itchy... If you have room and are considering other options, the recently discontinued ampeg has a couple good reviews on here (and several by people that have used lots of octvers)
 
#17
I just got an OC-3 to do the square-wave synth thing for my drum n bass gig. Boss recommends using a compressor, selecting the neck pickup if possible and rolling off the treble for stability, same goes for the OC-2 I'd say. Also happens to be the way you get an SYB-3 or -5 to track better.
 
#18
Yeah, sometimes compression can help, but neck pickup, playing (CLEANLY) in the middle of the fretboard, and rolling off a bit of treble are all good things when using an octave pedal.

That being said, I'm going to plug the Ampeg SCP-OCT. It rawks.
 
#19
Not quite on topic, but I've always wondered why builders don't throw a tone knob style lowpass filter in before they do what they do with the signal as it'd add maybe 2 components to the pedal.
 
#20
i use the Boss OC-3. its a good pedal, really aggessive like the OC-2 i guess. sounds really synthy and has a cool polyphonic option that i dont use, but sounds cool nonetheless. its not bad tonally, i've written songs around it, using the octaver on thru out the song and occasionally sticking some delay in. it works really well as an octaver, great bang for you buck. however, as spankypants plugged, the Ampeg SCP-OCT is just an absolute weapon. so if u got the cash, drop it on that, i know i would
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

lildrgn
Gig report! 9/6/2024 Planets in the Ocean at Darrell's Tavern
Replies
11
Views
389
Bass Humor & Gig Stories [BG]
Kirklandian
Kirklandian
tombombadil7
Help! Is a glitching Boss OC-2 a lost cause?
Replies
19
Views
560
Effects [BG]
sunbeast
sunbeast
K
NBD Stingray Special 5 HH - Review
Replies
15
Views
818
Basses [BG]
Ampslut
Ampslut
Nicholas Genaro
  • Poll
DECIDE FOR ME: Octave Pedal vs. Envelope Filter
Replies
39
Views
1K
Effects [BG]
Nunovsky
Nunovsky
jebmd
SOLD Boss OC-2 Octaver MIJ Fall of 82
Replies
1
Views
247
For Sale: Effects and Pedals
jebmd
jebmd

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back