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good bass octave pedals?
- Thread starter craigsi
- Start date
Generally, digital octavers track the best but analogue ones sound better. But once you dial a blend into the mix you can hardly tell the difference. I have two analogue octavers and they sound great, but I mostly blend in the dry signal and they sound just like a blended digital octaver does.
I've used a lot of octave pedals, with an octave up and polyphonic tracking as my requirements.
My top 3 octave pedals:
#1: Bass Whammy (latest version). Great tracking. Great tone. Great options.
#2: MicroPOG. Great tracking. Individual volumes for down, up, and dry. Separate dry output for completely unaffected signal, very useful for mixing.
#2b: Epitome. 3-in-1 pedal that includes the MicroPOG, plus Electric Mistress and Holy Grail. Two things I didn't care for - they didn't include the dry out which I often used for recording, and I'm not a huge fan of the Electric Mistress (or flangers & choruses in general).
#3: Organizer. Amazing pedal, but a very unique sound. Intentionally made to sound like an organ, so might not be what you're looking for.
My top 3 octave pedals:
#1: Bass Whammy (latest version). Great tracking. Great tone. Great options.
#2: MicroPOG. Great tracking. Individual volumes for down, up, and dry. Separate dry output for completely unaffected signal, very useful for mixing.
#2b: Epitome. 3-in-1 pedal that includes the MicroPOG, plus Electric Mistress and Holy Grail. Two things I didn't care for - they didn't include the dry out which I often used for recording, and I'm not a huge fan of the Electric Mistress (or flangers & choruses in general).
#3: Organizer. Amazing pedal, but a very unique sound. Intentionally made to sound like an organ, so might not be what you're looking for.
I always thought the EBS Octabass was pretty neat. I've heard a lot of good things from the MXR Octave Deluxe too.
Pearl OC7 is an analog octaver with octave up. Discontinued but still pops up.
The Mad Bean Low Rider is a copy of the circuit design - you could build one or get someone on here to make one for you.
The Mad Bean Low Rider is a copy of the circuit design - you could build one or get someone on here to make one for you.
Meridian Funkulator does a great octave up, a really nice and usable tone. But not everyone is looking for an octave up sound. Most bassists are looking for a simple octave down pedal to keep their bottom end when they are playing higher up the fingerboard on a 4 string bass. Not such a problem for 5/6 stringers with their low B.
IMO, octavers are such a personal thing like OD's or fuzzes. There are a number of them and you never really know which one youll like the most till you try it. In saying that, here are a few I can think to try off the top of my head:
Boss OC2- a classic used by many, hated by a few. Its a very, IMO, organic and glitchy type of octave. Not the greatest tracking one around by any stretch. The OC3 is pretty cool too, it has the Poly option and the OC2 option (which doesnt capture the old OC2 that greatly IMO).
EHX POG2/Micro POG- What a fun octave!!! Ive owned a mini and have the 2. They track almost flawlessly and are really handy in so many ways. On my POG2 I can get a really deep n nasty sub octave going that will shake the room to its foundations
It can make your bass sound like a 12 string guitar (sort of), a sub bass or an organ. Or you can get a simple octave going. It is pretty digital sounding though. It is a digital poly octave afterall 
MXR Octave- I really liked mine when I had it. Organic, tracks better than the Boss, sounds really good and has that little button on it which helps you cut a little better. Very handy and musical sounding IMO.
Roctron Octron- I have never played or had one but I hear it simply rocks and I thought I should mention it.
EBS Octabass- This is a nice ocatve too. Its clean sounding but a little sterile to my ears. Havent used it much though.
Aguilar Octamizer- Ive heard nothing but a lot of good about this one too and always wanted to try one but still havent. Thought I should mention it too.
And of course the DigiTech BassWhammy- Talk about fun! Ive actually thought of ditching my OC2 and POG2 and just use the BWhammy. It can do a lot of octaves and other stuff. Its tracks really well and even can be used as a chorus. Win win IMO.
I have and use an OC2, BWhammy and the POG2. Im very happy with these. With them alone I can cover almost any octave you could think of. There are some really good ones out there too that are not in the "mainstream" so to speak so really shop around if youre interested and want to find "the one" for you. Its out there. And they are def not all the same. Try as many as you can!
Boss OC2- a classic used by many, hated by a few. Its a very, IMO, organic and glitchy type of octave. Not the greatest tracking one around by any stretch. The OC3 is pretty cool too, it has the Poly option and the OC2 option (which doesnt capture the old OC2 that greatly IMO).
EHX POG2/Micro POG- What a fun octave!!! Ive owned a mini and have the 2. They track almost flawlessly and are really handy in so many ways. On my POG2 I can get a really deep n nasty sub octave going that will shake the room to its foundations
It can make your bass sound like a 12 string guitar (sort of), a sub bass or an organ. Or you can get a simple octave going. It is pretty digital sounding though. It is a digital poly octave afterall MXR Octave- I really liked mine when I had it. Organic, tracks better than the Boss, sounds really good and has that little button on it which helps you cut a little better. Very handy and musical sounding IMO.
Roctron Octron- I have never played or had one but I hear it simply rocks and I thought I should mention it.
EBS Octabass- This is a nice ocatve too. Its clean sounding but a little sterile to my ears. Havent used it much though.
Aguilar Octamizer- Ive heard nothing but a lot of good about this one too and always wanted to try one but still havent. Thought I should mention it too.
And of course the DigiTech BassWhammy- Talk about fun! Ive actually thought of ditching my OC2 and POG2 and just use the BWhammy. It can do a lot of octaves and other stuff. Its tracks really well and even can be used as a chorus. Win win IMO.
I have and use an OC2, BWhammy and the POG2. Im very happy with these. With them alone I can cover almost any octave you could think of. There are some really good ones out there too that are not in the "mainstream" so to speak so really shop around if youre interested and want to find "the one" for you. Its out there. And they are def not all the same. Try as many as you can!
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,619
- 18,701
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,619
- 18,701
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
I just did a fairly buy track based around the MXR Octave pedal...
and it surprisingly tracked better to my ear then my trusty EBS.
I love it.
and it surprisingly tracked better to my ear then my trusty EBS.
I love it.
IMHO :
1) Get an OC-2 if you want the "classic" sound and can live with some glitches
2) Get and EBS Octabass and set the tone to Lo/Deep if you want a sound that's going to go deep, but not sound super synthy
3) Get an MXR BOD if you want pretty close to both of the above, but only have room on the board for one pedal
4) Get an OC-3, use the guitar input on POLY mode and set the range to straight up if you want something that's going to track well and can be used for slap. Easier to play but maybe not the absolute best tone. Maybe more for stage than recording?
1) Get an OC-2 if you want the "classic" sound and can live with some glitches
2) Get and EBS Octabass and set the tone to Lo/Deep if you want a sound that's going to go deep, but not sound super synthy
3) Get an MXR BOD if you want pretty close to both of the above, but only have room on the board for one pedal
4) Get an OC-3, use the guitar input on POLY mode and set the range to straight up if you want something that's going to track well and can be used for slap. Easier to play but maybe not the absolute best tone. Maybe more for stage than recording?
Thinking seriously about getting a BOD...love my OC-2, but just looking for something a little different to mix it up. My rule of thumb with octavers, though, is analog for down, digital for up. So I use the OC-2 for down, and Micro Pog for up.
What about that ashdown octaves.
I don't like shown but do like the layout of this pedalßAlso cog effects has just released one...the T65 and judging by the little I heard it seem rather good, as are the other pedals by cog effects.
Gojira also have an octave, as has palmer. The palmer tracks well n sounds good. It just is too big for me.
I don't like shown but do like the layout of this pedalßAlso cog effects has just released one...the T65 and judging by the little I heard it seem rather good, as are the other pedals by cog effects.
Gojira also have an octave, as has palmer. The palmer tracks well n sounds good. It just is too big for me.
