RevGroove
Commercial User
- Jul 21, 2002
- 2,411
- 173
- Disclosures
- Regional Account Services Supervisor @ Long & McQuade or ON & Atlantic Canada
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MXR M288 Bass Octave Dx Review
- Thread starter Chronicle
- Start date
RevGroove
Commercial User
- Jul 21, 2002
- 2,411
- 173
- Disclosures
- Regional Account Services Supervisor @ Long & McQuade or ON & Atlantic Canada
I had a different experience, waiting for my BOD I tried a Multiplexer...and hated it...didn't track well on bass, was great for guitar...I took it back and tried an EBS Octabass...it was better, but the BOD was the best of the three in my opinion...
D
Ok,
I've had a chance to use this pedal at home messing around as well as in 3 rehearsals so far.
Other gear used for a point of reference: StingRay5 (H) with a maple board, old but not dead regular Slinky 5s into an SWR WM12. The EQ of the WM12 is set flat. The EQ on the Ray5 is bass boosted to 3/4, treble boosted to just past flat, mids flat. I play with both a pick & my fingers. Picks are Dunlop tortex triangles .50mm & .73mm (red & yellow ones). I'm running 2 other pedals-a Danelectro Milkshake Chorus (speed min, depth max) & an EB 6166 Volume pedal. The BOD feeds the Chorus.
The settings I use on the pedal: Mid switch engaged @ I believe 800 (whichever the higher of the 2 choices is), all knobs set to 2 o'clock.
The rehearsal is for a production of "Rent". Instrumentation is piano/keyboard 1, guitar 1 (lead), guitar 2/keyboard 2, bass, drums.
This pedal is a keeper. I haven't had any tracking issues. It tracks cleanly down to at least low F. I don't use it for anything lower than that. The book uses the octave pedal to thicken up certain parts or to add a sub octave to certain long & sustained tones. I won't be posting clips of the pedal being used in the show due to copyright reasons. I WILL end up recording some clips via my field recorder before the house opens.
Using the pedal is easier than doing double stops, but the sound is very different. The pedal is much more even & consistent, when I play double stops in that low range (Eb down), I emphasize the sub note vs. the higher note. The pedal keeps them at the pedal settings.
The gear combination I'm using sounds absolutely fierce. The sound of the Ray5 played hard with a pick with the octave pedal on is huge and aggressive. When played with the fingers, it's easy to get a near synth tone.
The sustain has been great. The pedal keeps the sub octave going as long as I need it. I've yet to have the tracking get iffy towards the end of the decay.
I like how the switch has a defined click to it and i don't need to look down to be sure that I've pressed it all the way. The 2 blue lights are nice. I could live without the light for the mid-switch, but that's getting really picky. I feel like the midswitch is more of a set and forget thing vs. turning it off and on per song, IME. The white indicators on the knobs are plenty visible under low light conditions (aka the floor w/only stand lights illuminating the area).
The pedal feels like it is well constructed and that I don't need to baby it. I'm pretty careful with gear, but this is a pedal...it gets stepped on.
My overall impressions: the pedal does what I need it to and feels built to last. When I need to purchase another pedal, I will check out the MXR offerings as part of my initial research.
Really, playing the MXR makes me want to get a new chorus pedal. The Dano doesn't have the same feel. Granted, the Dano was less than $30 (i think...it's been awhile) where as the MXR was $165 w/shipping. The switch feel and general construction being the main reasons. Sound wise, the Dano is fine/good, so this will be low on my GAS list. There's an easy $6k worth of stuff that I'd like to buy before I get a new chorus pedal.
all the best.
I've had a chance to use this pedal at home messing around as well as in 3 rehearsals so far.
Other gear used for a point of reference: StingRay5 (H) with a maple board, old but not dead regular Slinky 5s into an SWR WM12. The EQ of the WM12 is set flat. The EQ on the Ray5 is bass boosted to 3/4, treble boosted to just past flat, mids flat. I play with both a pick & my fingers. Picks are Dunlop tortex triangles .50mm & .73mm (red & yellow ones). I'm running 2 other pedals-a Danelectro Milkshake Chorus (speed min, depth max) & an EB 6166 Volume pedal. The BOD feeds the Chorus.
The settings I use on the pedal: Mid switch engaged @ I believe 800 (whichever the higher of the 2 choices is), all knobs set to 2 o'clock.
The rehearsal is for a production of "Rent". Instrumentation is piano/keyboard 1, guitar 1 (lead), guitar 2/keyboard 2, bass, drums.
This pedal is a keeper. I haven't had any tracking issues. It tracks cleanly down to at least low F. I don't use it for anything lower than that. The book uses the octave pedal to thicken up certain parts or to add a sub octave to certain long & sustained tones. I won't be posting clips of the pedal being used in the show due to copyright reasons. I WILL end up recording some clips via my field recorder before the house opens.
Using the pedal is easier than doing double stops, but the sound is very different. The pedal is much more even & consistent, when I play double stops in that low range (Eb down), I emphasize the sub note vs. the higher note. The pedal keeps them at the pedal settings.
The gear combination I'm using sounds absolutely fierce. The sound of the Ray5 played hard with a pick with the octave pedal on is huge and aggressive. When played with the fingers, it's easy to get a near synth tone.
The sustain has been great. The pedal keeps the sub octave going as long as I need it. I've yet to have the tracking get iffy towards the end of the decay.
I like how the switch has a defined click to it and i don't need to look down to be sure that I've pressed it all the way. The 2 blue lights are nice. I could live without the light for the mid-switch, but that's getting really picky. I feel like the midswitch is more of a set and forget thing vs. turning it off and on per song, IME. The white indicators on the knobs are plenty visible under low light conditions (aka the floor w/only stand lights illuminating the area).
The pedal feels like it is well constructed and that I don't need to baby it. I'm pretty careful with gear, but this is a pedal...it gets stepped on.
My overall impressions: the pedal does what I need it to and feels built to last. When I need to purchase another pedal, I will check out the MXR offerings as part of my initial research.
Really, playing the MXR makes me want to get a new chorus pedal. The Dano doesn't have the same feel. Granted, the Dano was less than $30 (i think...it's been awhile) where as the MXR was $165 w/shipping. The switch feel and general construction being the main reasons. Sound wise, the Dano is fine/good, so this will be low on my GAS list. There's an easy $6k worth of stuff that I'd like to buy before I get a new chorus pedal.
all the best.
- Dec 4, 2009
- 12
- 1
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist; Overwater Basses.
Hi Guys,
I tried the MXR yesterday but have been a Boss OC-2 user for 20 years+ I did have a Yamaha one years ago which was great (as I remember, anyway) but it was stolen in 1983. It ran on batteries only which was a drag. I did have an early EBS which was good but not as good tonally as the OC-2. I did play with Paul Young and he liked it!
Well, the MXR is a step up from my OC-2, tracks better, better tone, you can mix the two settings and the mid facility is useful. I use my OC-2 a lot on TV Shows and recordings and it has always been ok but the tracking leaves something to be desired. I will report back once I have used this a bit and got to grips with it.
I tried the MXR yesterday but have been a Boss OC-2 user for 20 years+ I did have a Yamaha one years ago which was great (as I remember, anyway) but it was stolen in 1983. It ran on batteries only which was a drag. I did have an early EBS which was good but not as good tonally as the OC-2. I did play with Paul Young and he liked it!
Well, the MXR is a step up from my OC-2, tracks better, better tone, you can mix the two settings and the mid facility is useful. I use my OC-2 a lot on TV Shows and recordings and it has always been ok but the tracking leaves something to be desired. I will report back once I have used this a bit and got to grips with it.
Hi. Has anyone experienced parasite flickering notes when using the pedal when the bass is idle and strings are muted ? Care to share your advice ? Thanks.
P.S. I'm using good cables - I have no electrical issues at home - My 6 string FBass and Stingray 5 are very quiet on their own.
P.S. I'm using good cables - I have no electrical issues at home - My 6 string FBass and Stingray 5 are very quiet on their own.
Octave down galore. I got my MXR m288 Bass Octave Dx. pedal today and I must say, MXR is picking up the pace with nice sounding gear.
The tracking is quite good. It can't track my Low-E for the first hit but then it smooths out. It starts tracking flawlessly on F#(2nd fret). I hear it can track a low B but I'm going to be surprised if it does since it has trouble with the low-E.
The Mid's button and adjustable tweaks inside the pedal are a nice touch as well. A very necessary touch actually for it to be used live.
THE VERDICT IS IN
The MXR and OC-2 sound very much alike in the smooth octave(right knobs) but the left knobs sound a bit different. Let's just say I like the MXR much more because of the MIDs switch. Makes it much more usable.
This first soundclip is just me going from 850hz to 400hz on the mids button. All 3 knobs are 12oc.
MXR m288 850hz vs 400hz by Jovi
Dry: 12oc|Growl:1oc|Girth:OFF|Mids:OFF
MXR BassOctaveDx Growl by Jovi
Dry:12oc|Growl:OFF|Grith:1oc|Mids:OFF
Mxr BassOctaveDX Girth by Jovi
Dry:1oc|Growl:10oc|Girth:2oc|Mids:ON
MXR Bass OctaveDX Oh yeah. by Jovi
Tracking E to A
MXR BassOctaveDX Track by Jovi
Citizen Erase(Mic'd)
Citizen Erase(Muse) by Jovi
Citizen Erase with more Growl
Citizen Erase more Growl by Jovi
Growl ONLY
M288 Growl ONLY by Jovi
Girth ONLY
M288 GIRTH ONLY by Jovi
With...the BIT?! BONEKRUSHING!!
MXR 288 and... BIT?! by Jovi
Does this picture of the inside of the BOD show the factory preset for the mid switch? The manual says 10 db and 400 hz is the preset. In this picture it's set at 400 hz but the rotary looks a little high?
I ask because I picked mine up used and I'm curious to know what the actual factory preset is. I've read other reviews, like this one where it says the preset rotary is in the middle position:
MXR – Bass Octave Deluxe REVIEW | bass-pedals.com
Do many people change from the preset?
