Looking for an Octaver with OC-2 sound

[fivestringgecko]

I've got both MIT and MIJ OC2s as well, and did a pretty extensive octaver deep dive when I first got a HX Effects. I agree with @Smoove-Groove that they have pretty much the same sound. I wasn't aware about @JimmyM's point that they used the same board... I haven't checked mine, but maybe that's why they sound so similar.

EDIT: I've been interested to check out an OC5 for a long time to see if the vintage mode actually compares to the OC2 as much as they say it does.

I also agree with @Jakeman about the Octabvre. I have a MkII and the extra features are what make that one a better OC2 than the OC2.

That said, I use my C4 (OC2 sound) and Stomp's Bass Octaver (for a not-OC2 sound) on my main board. I already have both on there and pedalboard real estate is at a premium, and I can use an expression pedal with both to achieve the same sub-only control that the Octabvre has. Also because the Octabvre has become an increasingly rare (and expensive!) bird. All it would take is one drunken idiot spilling a beer on it.....

5sg.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Didn’t I suggest multiple times an effects forum sticky??
« I want an OC-2 but not an OC-2. »

 

[Harper]

Yeah, the classic OC-2 is like $130 used. Why not just get that?

You may be overthinking this

 

[JimmyM]

I've got both MIT and MIJ OC2s as well, and did a pretty extensive octaver deep dive when I first got a HX Effects. I agree with @Smoove-Groove that they have pretty much the same sound. I wasn't aware about @JimmyM's point that they used the same board... I haven't checked mine, but maybe that's why they sound so similar.

5sg.

I think the Taiwanese version with the Taiwan boards sound the same as well. And it’s way more likely to get one with a Taiwan board since there weren’t a whole lot of boards left after the move. But I did get a kick about explaining it to people who asked about it. Made me feel cool, despite it being a complete fluke that I got one.

 

[deepestend]

If you can stomach a C4's tech complexity, it opens a lot of doors.

 

[DeltaPhoenix]

I have a C4,

but this is for my all-analog-synth-sound-pedal-chain project.

Just one issue with the C4 being on that board - it’s digital.

 

[DaveParker39]

I went down this rabbit hole recently. I pretty much settled on the OC-2 (Taiwan).

I own an OC-2 and an OC-5.

The only real downside with the OC-2 is if you have a really hot preamp or signal going in, it's going to clip. You can give it an active preamp, but not maxed out. Usually you can "fix" that problem with your onboard controls on your bass.
Obviously the OC-2 has it's tracking quirks but that's just learning how to play with an analog octave.

The OC-5 in "vintage" mode gets you 80% of the OC-2 tone with more headroom, but it's not exactly the same. I do keep it and use it from time to time but the OC-2 is usually on my board.

The MXR VBO clips even worse than the OC-2 with any kind of hottish signal, I'd skip it.

I don't have the patience for Source Audio gear. I have owned a variety of their devices and I prefer simplicity.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

TC Electronics Nether, OC2 clone with top jacks!

 

[Auspuff]

I used to say that till the Vintage Bass Octave came out . Better tracking, more gain, a smaller pedal…I’m there.

Oh, you suck! My pedal board is only so big, and you had to drop this onto me.

Time for a bigger board?

 

[Phaidrus]

Here's a TC Nether demo

 

[devnulljp]

Yes. I have heard people argue they don’t, but they do to me. Saw a video where a guy was demonstrating a glitch on the Taiwan version that he said wasn’t in the Japanese version, and then he plays the Japanese version and gets the same glitch. I give him credit for not editing that part out.

Ha! Well, mine has an extra "r" in the name and a slightly different shade of brown, so it clearly sounds differenter.

 

[Charlie Tuna]

I used to say that till the Vintage Bass Octave came out . Better tracking, more gain, a smaller pedal…I’m there.

The MXR VBO clips even worse than the OC-2 with any kind of hottish signal, I'd skip it.

VBO has more OUTPUT gain but less headroom? Is that what I'm reading here?

 

[Reese T Morin]

Thank you for the input.

Can anyone here sort the history of the OC-2?

As I gather it, the really expensive ones are the first Japanese models.

From the first models on, a few things changed:
-Silver/black label.
-A chip ran out of production and was replaced by another.
-The OC-2 Octaver became the OC-2 Octave.
-Production was moved to Taiwan.

I do not know the timeline and the importance of these events.

Does it do OC-2 as long as it reads OC-2 ?

Janek Gwizdala has a wonderful video about the OC-2 ( )
I was also looking for that exact sound after watching Janek's videos for a while. Obviously as everyone has stated you could just get an OC-2. You could also look into the OC-3 and they seem to be a little cheaper on the used market and they have a few more settings. If memory serves me correct they have an octave+Drive option, an OC-2 setting (sounds exactly like the OC 2 and knobs function the same), and then a polyoctave option where you can select the range of notes that the octaver affects and doesn't. This video explains it better than I ever could via typing ( ), and then of course as also stated the MXR Vintage Bass octave is an exact copy of the OC-2 (specifically serial # 8 provided by Janek). They also added a midrange bump which I have heard people really enjoy.
Anyways, I use the OC-3 on the OC-2 setting because I had purchased it years ago from a buddy used for like $40 and I just recently found out it has the OC-2 setting after wishing I could do the OC-2 thing with it for years. Whoops. Best of luck! Octave pedals are quite possibly my favorite effect and I would have a full pedalboard full of them if I could.

 

[klattman]

Janek Gwizdala has a wonderful video about the OC-2 ( )
I was also looking for that exact sound after watching Janek's videos for a while. Obviously as everyone has stated you could just get an OC-2. You could also look into the OC-3 and they seem to be a little cheaper on the used market and they have a few more settings. If memory serves me correct they have an octave+Drive option, an OC-2 setting (sounds exactly like the OC 2 and knobs function the same), and then a polyoctave option where you can select the range of notes that the octaver affects and doesn't. This video explains it better than I ever could via typing ( ), and then of course as also stated the MXR Vintage Bass octave is an exact copy of the OC-2 (specifically serial # 8 provided by Janek). They also added a midrange bump which I have heard people really enjoy.
Anyways, I use the OC-3 on the OC-2 setting because I had purchased it years ago from a buddy used for like $40 and I just recently found out it has the OC-2 setting after wishing I could do the OC-2 thing with it for years. Whoops. Best of luck! Octave pedals are quite possibly my favorite effect and I would have a full pedalboard full of them if I could.

Thanks for posting that first video. That was what I was looking for but couldn’t find it again.

sure sounds the same to me. So just get the mxr vintage 280? Anyone know of the 288 is the same base sound?

on the other hand
I’m having fun with the mxr poly blue. The mono mode is vintage enough sounding and the poly mode will even track my fretless on portamento lines all the way to the lowest notes.

 

[klattman]

Here’s the other video I was looking for



this should help you decide.

 

[Reese T Morin]

Thanks for posting that first video. That was what I was looking for but couldn’t find it again.

sure sounds the same to me. So just get the mxr vintage 280? Anyone know of the 288 is the same base sound?

on the other hand
I’m having fun with the mxr poly blue. The mojo mode is vintage enough sounding and the poly mode will even track my fretless on portamento lines all the way to the lowest notes.

The Vintage 280 absolutely nails it as well as having a "more durable" casing. I don't believe that the 288 has the same base sound but I could be wrong.
You can see it demoed here:
As well as Mr. Michael League using it in his chain:
I was intrigued by that MXR PolyBlue for a while, you may have peaked my interest enough to look into it more again.

 

[Reese T Morin]

The Vintage 280 absolutely nails it as well as having a "more durable" casing. I don't believe that the 288 has the same base sound but I could be wrong.
You can see it demoed here:
As well as Mr. Michael League using it in his chain:
I was intrigued by that MXR PolyBlue for a while, you may have peaked my interest enough to look into it more again.

I should have also said when using Michael League as an example that if he is using it, it's gotta be good. I believe he is one of the best users of Octave pedals in general and his tone fits that "vintage" style very well.

 

[klattman]

Just realized that the poly blue claims to be similar to the mxr vintage when in mono mode . Does a lot more and I also just realized the fuzz can be dialed in/out to taste by holding down the button and turning the dry knob. It seems to have a lot going on and maybe can still do exactly the basic thing. Worth checking. Or just get the mxr vintage 280 clone of the OC-2?

I also have noticed that clean octaves running into my all tube amp sound pretty great without any additional fuzz. The higher octaves get enhanced by the saturation.

 

[JimmyM]

VBO has more OUTPUT gain but less headroom? Is that what I'm reading here?

I don’t think it has less headroom than the OC2 but it’s comparable. I probably should have said more available volume instead of gain, because the knobs don’t control the input gain like an amp does. They just turn the volume up and down.

But yes, a hot bass can overload both. On the bright side, I don’t use high output basses much at all anymore.

 

[Lammchop93]

Foxrox Octron does the OC2 sound, but better. IMO of course.