Which Octaver for bass?

Kebabkid

I just wondered who here uses an Octaver and what have you found to track well and that actually sounds like an Octaver rather than a pitch shifter or something muddy-sounding?

I've tried the TC Sub n' Up, the MXR Deluxe and the Boss OC-3 and the one in my Zoom B3 isn't much cop despite it being a good multi-fx unit. The OC-3 was probably the closest to the sound I like (it was on OC-2 mode) but then that pedal, and the original is not without its' glitches and quirks. Anything similar out there that works more efficiently?

Another reference point is the in-built Sub-Harmonics in the Ashdown amps - loved that.
EBS? Aguilar? Any good or what are your recommendations?

Cheers

guitarfishbay

I like the MXR BOD, but it is analogue so I’m not sure if it’ll track well enough for you. I share your pain, I just want something with the tone of an analogue pedal but the tracking of POG. The POG tracks excellently but I strongly dislike the tone.

Kebabkid

guitarfishbay said:

I like the MXR BOD, but it is analogue so I’m not sure if it’ll track well enough for you. I share your pain, I6 just want something with the tone of an analogue pedal but the tracking of POG. The POG tracks excellently but I strongly dislike the tone.

I know. It's a pain trying to find something. I'm not playing solo stuff and just use it to embellish some lines on things like "Tears of a clown", "Mirror in the bathroom" and some ska stuff. I do love the way Guy Pratt and Pino Palladino use theres and I think on those recordings, it was an OC-2.

guitarfishbay

I haven’t tried either but the 2 I would like a go on are the COG T16 and the 3 leaf Octabvre 

https://youtu.be/Urmfd0yAzsI

https://www.cogeffects.co.uk/t-16-octave.php

https://youtu.be/tW7zvvZBg_I

http://www.3leafaudio.com/phone/octabvre.html

Legionreturns

Oddly, and this won't help one bit, I've tried a few and the one that tracks best for me is built into my line 6 Pod HD500. 

Told you that wouldn't help.

guitarfishbay

Yeah digital ones track the best. Analogue ones tend to sound the best though, to me anyway.

Kebabkid

guitarfishbay said:

Yeah digital ones track the best. Analogue ones tend to sound the best though, to me anyway.


In that case, I need an Analdigit one! I must admit, the demos of the EBS Octabass sound v.good

Roland

Moved from Basses£ to FX

Kebabkid

Roland said:

Moved from Basses£ to FX

@Roland - It wasn't clear, but I'm talking about use with just a bass so shouldn't it stay here?

Teetonetal

The only one I've liked is the whammy. The ehx stuff is too metallic and the boss isn' the best at tracking.

Winny_Pooh

Foxrox octron, end of. There was one recently for sale on here. Its like the OC3 that should have been. Have used it for bass for years now. 

Slimbert

Pog2 is brilliant in almost every respect if it's a "sound" you can live with. A lot of people can and do love it. Equally, the Hog2 gets a lot of love from owners but I've only ever heard YouTube demos and never heard a bass through one.

Digitech Bass Whammy is the best tracking I've heard from a bass through an octave pedal. It also sounds better than some might expect given it is digital. Definitely worth a lookif you can out up with the size.

Foxrox Octron is superb for guitar but I've never heard a bass plugged in to one. As mentioned above, there's an older version currently for sale in the classifieds on here. Could be worth a punt?

ICBM

Kebabkid said:

Another reference point is the in-built Sub-Harmonics in the Ashdown amps - loved that.

http://ashdownmusic.com/products/6/Pedals/14/DrGreen/59/Octa-Dose/

Or the classic Boss OC-2. Much better-sounding than the 3.

Kebabkid

ICBM said:

Kebabkid said:

Another reference point is the in-built Sub-Harmonics in the Ashdown amps - loved that.

http://ashdownmusic.com/products/6/Pedals/14/DrGreen/59/Octa-Dose/

Or the classic Boss OC-2. Much better-sounding than the 3.

Thanks @ICBM - I didn't see the Dr.Green and that seems to be based around the Ashdown and a collaboration with them.

Well, I think I have a shortlist and I'll see if I can audtion a Dr.Green Octa-Dose, EBS Octa Bass, the Aguilar Optimiser and of course, the Boss OC-2. Regarding the latter, is there really a difference between the MIJ/older and MIT ones?

ICBM

Kebabkid said:

Regarding the latter, is there really a difference between the MIJ/older and MIT ones?

No, not in my opinion. Some Boss pedals, yes - not this one.

Kebabkid

ICBM said:

Kebabkid said:

Regarding the latter, is there really a difference between the MIJ/older and MIT ones?

No, not in my opinion. Some Boss pedals, yes - not this one.

JezWynd

EHX Bass Micro Synth has some nice octave tones. The upper octave has some grit added to it (intentional I believe). If you want sub octave sounds, the Maxon AF9 sounds good if you set it so that you never trip the envelope filter (it does very good dub bass sounds). The Boss OC-2 sounds the best but tracking gets wobbly at the bottom end.

ICBM

Kebabkid said:

ICBM said:

Kebabkid said:

Regarding the latter, is there really a difference between the MIJ/older and MIT ones?

No, not in my opinion. Some Boss pedals, yes - not this one.

There is *some* truth in it, but you need to be sure which models you're talking about - many sound identical. For what it's worth, @UnclePsychosis and I have recently discovered a real difference in the OS-2 Overdrive/Distortion between early and later models - not MIJ/MIT since they're all MIT - which makes a noticeable difference to the tone. The pots are different… the tapers differ drastically and means that you can't quite get the two versions to sound the same as each other.

I've owned both MIJ and MIT OC-2s and couldn't hear any difference, although it is true that I only use one setting - Direct and Oct 1 up full, Oct 2 off - so that would not reveal any difference due to the pots, if they're different.

fxpedalrental

Ok here goes...

these are just my experiences and tracking will vary from bass/player to bass/player

Best For analogue probably the COG T16/65/70 as the filter on the sub is outstanding and the volume of the sub can be boosted more than most. the upper octave and fx loop of the bigger versions is useful also.

For digital Id go Eventide Pitchfactor as theres so much choice in there and it tracks great.

there are many OC2 clones out there as the original does a good job. most end up either in the Boss camp or the Mutron camp or try to do both. like the Octabvre and COG.

Foxrox Octron. great on bass, upper octave is best I've heard, proper jack white. sub could be louder and tracking is decent. 

MXR octave decent tracking sounded a bit sterile and unexciting to me.

emma electronics Octo Nojs is a great all round octave and fuzz pedal, both sides work great for dirty synth tones. tracking is great and the basic octave worth checking out.

KMA machines Moai Maea is a great tracker with upper and lower octaves, fx loop and a 2 octave down sub so like a beatbox if you really want massive subs, sometimes on most bass amps these just get lost though. 

to me the Whammy and EHX POGs are amazing trackers but the upper octave is just too hard and glassy. sometimes thats a good thing if your distorting it but everyones after something different. The little pigs are available, cheap and work fine, just may not be the tone youre after. 

ultimately best to try a few and see what suits YOU. 

VJIves

Mooer Tender Octaver works great for me, tracks well almost all the way down a low C.

Kebabkid

Thanks @fxpedalrental and really useful and there's a couple there I've never heard of but I have heard about the COGs. Sadly, most of the demos I've heard have been for heavier, gritty tones/music.

@VJIves - the demos I've heard of the Tender sound really good. I'm not sure if the smaller one is still available (they got up to a MKII) but there's a bigger one - the Pro - that they've released and I wonder if its superceded it.

Cheers guys