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MXR M288 Bass Octave Dx Review

#82
Okay, so I just picked one up (my first octave) and here's my questions/issues.

1) I hear "great" and "excellent" on tracking from posts...overall, yes, but I seem to have some breakup between B and D on the G-string (4th-7th fret). With 100% wet, I get intermitent breakup across fretboard.
2) Understand that 100% dry is all the way clockwise, I have a significant drop off in volume between 100% dry and 100% wet with effects at noon to 100%. Is this normal?
3) Also, at 100% dry, I still get the effects in the mix.
4) Finally, volume up on bass, strings muted, other nobs at noon or better, I hear a very faint but intermitent "rumble"...like a motorcycle idling.

Anyone else have these issues?
 
#84
Ryan Mohr said:
Isn't the Growl knob (left on MXR) supposed to imitate the sound of the OCT 1 knob (right on Boss)? The Girth knob (right on MXR), which you are referring to as the smooth octave, is supposed to imitate the EBS. So you are saying the Girth knob sounds like the OCT 1 knob?

It doesn't make sense to compare the OCT 2 (left on Boss) to the one octave below knobs on the MXR. A -1 octave would clearly sound different than a -2 octave.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing reading that. The Boss has three knobs, but the "left" knob (2oct) is all but useless on bass and I never turn it on. As you can hear from the clips I posted in the other thread, the "Growl" and the "right" knob (1oct) on the OC-2 sound VERY similar, though the Boss is cleaner sounding and tracks better.

I thought the "Girth" knob would sound like an EBS (and Uriah Duffy says as much in his video) but it really doesn't. At least nowhere near as much as the Growl sounds like a Boss. It's a very deep and slightly gritty tone. Much "fatter" sounding than the EBS when mixed with the dry even though if you solo both octaves the EBS is actually smoother and more defined. I like the Girth with fretless a fair amount. Less synthy than the OC-2 and more subtle/polite sounding to my ears.
 
#85
Jaycephas said:
Okay, so I just picked one up (my first octave) and here's my questions/issues.



1) I hear "great" and "excellent" on tracking from posts...overall, yes, but I seem to have some breakup between B and D on the G-string (4th-7th fret). With 100% wet, I get intermitent breakup across fretboard.

2) Understand that 100% dry is all the way clockwise, I have a significant drop off in volume between 100% dry and 100% wet with effects at noon to 100%. Is this normal?

3) Also, at 100% dry, I still get the effects in the mix.

4) Finally, volume up on bass, strings muted, other nobs at noon or better, I hear a very faint but intermitent "rumble"...like a motorcycle idling.
Click to expand...

1. Sounds like you've got dead spots on your G string.

2. No, it's not. In fact, maxing out the dry and one of the octave knobs should give you a volume BOOST. Maxing all three should give a huge jump in volume compared to bypass.

3. Again, not normal. If the mid switch and octave knobs are off and the dry is at 100%, I notice no difference in my tone when turning the effect on or off.

4. Nope. Mine is dead quiet. You've got a defective pedal.
 
#87
I just ordered one of these. I used to have one of the OC-2 pedals and ended up selling it just because I found very little use for it. Sounded great by itself, but with the band it was often just too much. Of course it often had tracking problems, not so much for fretless which I found it much more useful for, but for fretted it had problems.

In an 80s tribute band now and although we have a keyboard player, I am often caught up playing some of the sequenced keybass parts on regular bass. I'm not expecting this new pedal I just ordered to sound like a sequenced bass, but it may add an extra zip to a few tunes. I imagine I'll now play an octave up and take advantage of the lower octave which I used to play live. A tune I am thinking this may work well in is What You Need by INXS where I am covering the keybass/bass guitar part by myself.

One thing that I have noticed here is that people often talk about how they feel about this pedal (among others) after recording a little sound clip or whatever. I have been playing live and in the studio for over 30 years and I have learned that judging a pedal, let alone a bass or amp, by itself, sitting at home, is practically useless. Unless you are a solo player and are planning on being a one man band. What matters is how it sounds with the band. Surprising how many great sounds while sitting at home playing alone sound like crap, or get lost, or just don't gel, when playing with the band. When I get my pedal I'll hook it up in my office, learn how the knobs work, see how the sound changes as I turn them and etc. But I will have no idea how it sounds until I bring it to a rehearsal or a gig with the full band. Should be a fun experiment, I hope it fits and can add a little zip here and there.
 
#88
BassDudeSA said:
One thing that I have noticed here is that people often talk about how they feel about this pedal (among others) after recording a little sound clip or whatever. I have been playing live and in the studio for over 30 years and I have learned that judging a pedal, let alone a bass or amp, by itself, sitting at home, is practically useless. Unless you are a solo player and are planning on being a one man band. What matters is how it sounds with the band. Surprising how many great sounds while sitting at home playing alone sound like crap, or get lost, or just don't gel, when playing with the band. When I get my pedal I'll hook it up in my office, learn how the knobs work, see how the sound changes as I turn them and etc. But I will have no idea how it sounds until I bring it to a rehearsal or a gig with the full band. Should be a fun experiment, I hope it fits and can add a little zip here and there.
Click to expand...

Hear hear, plus one!
 
#90
So here is my post-gig followup on the BOD.

In the gig mix it sounded great. As has been said, this pedal requires a certain touch to get the best tones. The "dead zone" tracking is still there; however, a more aggressive attack on these fretboard positions without lingering seems to work through the problem.

In the gig mix, dead quiet and tasty, so it will be hanging around. My key player loves the sound...let's him off the hook on a couple of funk songs while I hold down the funky bottom. For me, more of the Girth knob with a touch of Growl works best.

J
 
#92
fivestringgecko said:
Rev,

FWIW, I absolutely agree. I've had great luck blending my BOD into both church choir and band situations... it's warm and has good presence without being overpowering.

My .02. :)

5sg.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll be putting it to the test tmo night...cheers!



----------------
Now playing: Gallery - More Than A Kiss
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#93
I bought one and returned it today after messing around with it last night. I guess I was expecting something else after owning a Micro Pog for awhile. I didn't realize that I would not be able to play more then one note at a time and be limited to playing higher up on the fret board. I had no issues with the quality of the pedal but i realized that it just wasn't for me.

I was so happy with the Micro Pog except for its tone which was a little artificial sounding.
 
#95
i had the Micro Pog last year and it didn't really bonded with me. it sounds very artificial IMO. sold it and never use an octaver again. then i lurked in TB once again after few months hiatus and found the BOD. took the risk, read lots of threads and compared it with the Octabass. i end up buying the BOD. and it turns out that it will be one of my indispensable tool aside from my VT. the BOD together with my Octavius Squeezer, synth heaven for me. really thickened my sound for my band's disco and r n' b tunes.

lovin' it!!!
 
#96
I probably didn/t give it enough time. I just wasn't feeling the desire to make music with the octaver engaged so it probably just isn't my favorite effect. The BOD itself did have a nice organic tone compared to the Micro Pog.

Knowing me, I will probably buy one again eventually but for now, I couldn't justify $185 Canadian for something that wasn't masking me want to play.
 
#97
I had one and returned it. It did not sound good anywhere I played on the fingerboard (of several passive 4 strings).

They had been out of stock for a while at MF when I ordered, then my order was eventually filled.

I think this pedal is just too hot an item right now and they can't make them fast enough. Which can't be good for the QC department. I definitely got a lemon.

So I'm going to wait until the excitement dies down a bit, then buy one in person in a local store.
 
#98
Great thread.

I just pulled the trigger on one of these from Guitar Center.com

In my next theatre gig, the book calls for an octave divider and a chorus pedal. I have a chorus pedal that sounds nice. I had been debating how much of the octave stuff I could cover via double stops and then I decided-I want a new toy.

So-the pedal has been ordered, ideally it'll ship tomorrow and be here sometime in the early/middle part of next week. That'll give me at least 2-3 days before rehearsal to get familiar with it.

I was debating between this & the EBS. I'm hoping that I like it. I'll be using it with a StingRay5 primarily. I am a bit amused that the two pedals I'll be using are both blue...the chorus is a Dano Milkshake Chorus.
 

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