EBS Octabass Triggering

[sargebaker]

I'm on the search for *my* octave pedal and I just picked one up, used - black with the blue print and the range switch (v2?). I got it on the recommendation of a pro bassist friend who said it tracked excellently and if I wanted to blend in a clean octave with my regular signal the EBS was the pedal to get. The triggering is totally wonky. There's lag, there's weird blips and bloops, it'll cut in and out after triggering sometimes, sometimes it doesn't even trigger.

I'm wondering if my pedal is fried or if it's me the issue. I did read some people echo poor tracking/triggering experience on the EBS. My bass has only 1 pickup, closer to the bridge - I've read that can be worse for tracking (but also read the opposite). The issue seems lesser* if I play over the fingerboard, much lesser, but anywhere past the fretboard and forget about it, it's completely unusable.

Here's a 30s clip

 

[Goatrope]

Weird. This pedal tracked perfectly for me, over 7-8 different basses, having various pup output. Maybe your pedal IS wonky.

 

[JacobSteinhoff]

Are you running any pedals in front of the EBS? I try to keep my octave towards the front of my signal chain so it's getting the fullest possible signal from my bass - the only pedals in front if it are my tuner and my compressor.
Also, is your bass active or passive? I've found that if I run an active bass with too hot of an output in front of my OC-2 in particular, it hits the front end of the pedal too hard and it takes a second for the pedal to grab on to the note well.

 

[sargebaker]

Are you running any pedals in front of the EBS? I try to keep my octave towards the front of my signal chain so it's getting the fullest possible signal from my bass - the only pedals in front if it are my tuner and my compressor.
Also, is your bass active or passive? I've found that if I run an active bass with too hot of an output in front of my OC-2 in particular, it hits the front end of the pedal too hard and it takes a second for the pedal to grab on to the note well.

Passive and I've been testing it with nothing else in the chain, just the Bass-Octabas-Amp.

 

[AlexanderB]

From your description, I have the same pedal, no true bypass, made in Sweden.
Bought mine new in the 90s, use it occasionally, and it has never acted up on me. Octave function is very reliable (better than the Boss, IME), and it sounds like an extended version of the bass, not like a synth, as the Boss.

I have to ask you... There is the original version, that has input and output reversed... Is there a chance that you have one, and now run it "backwards"?

https://ampguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/ebs-octabass-1536x1024.jpg

 

[sargebaker]

Nope, I've got the black pedal with the toggle switch on it and true bypass.

 

[Ryan L.]

That's weird. I used one for a few years (same version), with many different basses and never experienced the issues you're having.

 

[SLO Surfer]

I also had the same version EBS pedal for years and it was the best tracking octave pedal out of the 5 I've owned.

 

[Aloe]

turn the treble down. on one or two my passive basses I've experienced that having those overtones messes up with tracking on octabass, so I needed either to roll off the tone, or to play very close to the neck.

my active bass didn't have this issue at all, as fundamental tone was strong enough.

p.s. or try the compressor before the octabass, just as the manual suggests.

 

[drewphishesp]

I have this same issue, only on an open A string, and only with 1 of my basses. Otherwise it tracks great

 

[MultiScaleMale]

With octaves, avoid open strings and turn down the tone if you can. Play as cleanly as humanly possible. The EBS, if working properly, tracks as well as any analog octave pedal out there. Better than most. If you want better tracking, try a Boss OC-3 on Poly mode, Range straight up.

 

[smokinjoe]

I've been playing this pedal for years with both active and passive. Never had tracking issues like you describe.

 

[AlexanderB]

Nope, I've got the black pedal with the toggle switch on it and true bypass.

The black ones, with toggle switch come with buffer, or with true bypass. I think the buffered ones are Made in Sweden (mine is), and the true bypass Made in China.
Regardless, I have not heard about triggering issues related to country of origin.

 

[bassbrad]

Octavers, pitch shifters and most synth pedals are unforgiving to the extreme if your playing is not precise, attack and cutoff precision as well as bullet proof dampening are crucial for best results and no glitching. The EBS Octabass has always been a top performer so forgive me for saying that your technique is very likely the issue.
Learning to play with effects is a different skill, like any new process start slow and be diligent things will click into place.

FWIW tightening and cleaning up your technique will pay big dividends in your overall tone, not just when using effects.

 

[AlexanderB]

I'm on the search for *my* octave pedal and I just picked one up, used - black with the blue print and the range switch (v2?). I got it on the recommendation of a pro bassist friend who said it tracked excellently and if I wanted to blend in a clean octave with my regular signal the EBS was the pedal to get. The triggering is totally wonky. There's lag, there's weird blips and bloops, it'll cut in and out after triggering sometimes, sometimes it doesn't even trigger.

I'm wondering if my pedal is fried or if it's me the issue. I did read some people echo poor tracking/triggering experience on the EBS. My bass has only 1 pickup, closer to the bridge - I've read that can be worse for tracking (but also read the opposite). The issue seems lesser* if I play over the fingerboard, much lesser, but anywhere past the fretboard and forget about it, it's completely unusable.

Here's a 30s clip

Listened to your clip, and I think I hear two issues. One is a dead spot or two, on what seems to around D. (Tired now, so cannot verify.)
The second is expecting octave below A on the E string. Mine does it, on my best basses.
As you have noticed, bridge pickup and imperfect technique do not play well with octavers.
Try the pedal with a bass with a strong neck (fat Precision, or a fiver, plus rounds), and pickup and placement that offers lots of fundamental. Good luck.

 

[micguy]

If you had bad luck with a Boss, I'd recommend a Boss. The OC5 is (tracking wise) what the earlier Boss octavers want to be when they grow up - it's the closest thing to a "play what you want, it just adds an octave below without any weird stuff" pedal that's out there.

 

[itsloaded]

I'm on the search for *my* octave pedal and I just picked one up, used - black with the blue print and the range switch (v2?). I got it on the recommendation of a pro bassist friend who said it tracked excellently and if I wanted to blend in a clean octave with my regular signal the EBS was the pedal to get. The triggering is totally wonky. There's lag, there's weird blips and bloops, it'll cut in and out after triggering sometimes, sometimes it doesn't even trigger.

I'm wondering if my pedal is fried or if it's me the issue. I did read some people echo poor tracking/triggering experience on the EBS. My bass has only 1 pickup, closer to the bridge - I've read that can be worse for tracking (but also read the opposite). The issue seems lesser* if I play over the fingerboard, much lesser, but anywhere past the fretboard and forget about it, it's completely unusable.

Here's a 30s clip

@sargebaker - did you ever figure out what was going on with the EBS OctaBass? I just picked up a used v2, and the same thing is happening. Wondering if it's just the finicky nature of an analogue octave pedal or if the pedal is defective. Cheers!

 

[cnltb]

From your description, I have the same pedal, no true bypass, made in Sweden.
Bought mine new in the 90s, use it occasionally, and it has never acted up on me. Octave function is very reliable (better than the Boss, IME), and it sounds like an extended version of the bass, not like a synth, as the Boss.

I have to ask you... There is the original version, that has input and output reversed... Is there a chance that you have one, and now run it "backwards"?

https://ampguitars.com/wp-content/uploads/ebs-octabass-1536x1024.jpg

I'm looking for that particular version of teh octabass

Do you know what exactly they call it?
Knowing that might help my search

@OP...you have varied places where you pluck the string? - Ime closer to the neck tracks better.
Sometimes playing softer tracks better etc...?

 

[sargebaker]

@sargebaker - did you ever figure out what was going on with the EBS OctaBass? I just picked up a used v2, and the same thing is happening. Wondering if it's just the finicky nature of an analogue octave pedal or if the pedal is defective. Cheers!

I think it's just the nature of the analog octave, There was just too much harmonic content (combination pickup type, placement, bass construction etc.). I ended up settling on a Markbass octave pedal that's apparently an OC2 clone. It's not as bad as the EBS was, but I have to be pretty careful with my right hand: playing up near the neck, rolling the tone off, making sure to mute notes etc.