pantherairsoft Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hi folks.... I use a Boss OC2. It's a major part o my sound and I won't be chanimg it for an alternative that's for sure. I run it with the Oct-1 at full and both dry signal and Oct-2 off. Sounds amazing... But. There is a noticeable volume dip between that and my dry signal/all other pedals. When it's run with something else, the other pedal picks up the volume, but when I use just octave it's just too quiet. If I dial the dry signal back in, that goes noticeably higher than the Oct-1. Before I get a booster and a bypass loop to use this pedal long term (and I REALLY don want to do this as my boar is FULL), does anyone have any words of wisdom about getting around it/anyone else experience the same issue? Shep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I've been using one for years but I would say that using it gives an increase in volume. I run mine with the dry signal up full and the -1 octave at about 11 o'clock with the -2 octave off. Quite a bit louder on than off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 is it okay up in the higher registers? just wondering if its the cabs not handling the lows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanOwens Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Shep, it's actually a fairly well-known issue. Infact, SFX used to offer a +3db mod to the OC2 -1Oct channel. I too have the same problem - I rectify it with a chorus or LPF but I'd rather not. Infact, I'd considered getting someone to build me a small loop with a boost - something tiny but switchable. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Time for an Aguilar Octamizer I think. That thing goes LOUD. I have the Octave Level knob on about 8 oclock with the clean signal at 12 oclock and its still sooo loud. It's capable of boosting, so even without the clean signal it's easy to get the levels right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnasher1993 Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Are you using an active bass? I had an OC-2 for a while but had a problem with volume drop. It was fine with my passive basses but quite noticeable with my active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Word on the street is that there is a dirt cheap Arion clone that has more volume on tap if you can find one on ebay! Otherwise check out Aguilar or MXR, or see if sometime like Max @sfx can mod it for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted January 16, 2011 Author Share Posted January 16, 2011 Cheers for the replies guys. It's just the -1oct that drips volume and all over tue fretboard. I I roll the dry back in it's same volume if not louder... But Oct-1 seems to drop a few db. Cab handles the lows fine as I also have a MarkBass super synth and the -1oct and -2oct sound thunderous and low loss of tone or volume. The OC2 however has a special tone that I have not hear from another pedal. Deliberately synthy. Had both the mxr deluxe and the Aguilar as well as the EBS, they all spun natural and fat... Which the Mark Bass does fine... Only the OC2 sounds like an OC2 in my experience... The SFX mod sounds perfect and I'll give Max a shout... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finbar Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 FWIW I'm pretty sure Max stopped offering the OC-2 mod. I'm not sure why, but I think it may be something to do with being potentially harmful to the circuit long term or something :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Max says a boost is no problem so off to Max it goes. Cheers for the advice folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockdeluxe_mikey Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 [quote name='pantherairsoft' post='1094297' date='Jan 18 2011, 07:48 PM']Max says a boost is no problem so off to Max it goes. Cheers for the advice folks![/quote] That's a very interesting read. How do you power your OC-2 as well? If you run it with batteries or with a 12V input, it will run internally fine at 9V but if you run it with a 9V input it'll run lower than 9V as (strangely) there is a resistor that brings the voltage down by a few volts as the original Boss adaptor (ACA?) was actually 12V, so the pedal then needed to be stepped down to 9V...very strange. When I didn't realise this, I got some distortion with my OC-2 and a few other minor problems but it was completely fixed once I started putting 12V into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 [quote name='sockdeluxe_mikey' post='1098667' date='Jan 22 2011, 02:16 PM']That's a very interesting read. How do you power your OC-2 as well? If you run it with batteries or with a 12V input, it will run internally fine at 9V but if you run it with a 9V input it'll run lower than 9V as (strangely) there is a resistor that brings the voltage down by a few volts as the original Boss adaptor (ACA?) was actually 12V, so the pedal then needed to be stepped down to 9V...very strange. When I didn't realise this, I got some distortion with my OC-2 and a few other minor problems but it was completely fixed once I started putting 12V into it.[/quote] Its powered off my diago powerstation at 9v. It's with max now, but when its back i may try the 12v anyway to see how it effects it. I've certainly not heard anything I don't like about the tone etc… although it does remove a few natural sub frequencies compared to playing an Octave lower. If I play 12th fret on the low B for example with the OC2 on, the tone is perfect and synthy, but I get less Sub rumble than I do playing an open Low B. At times I wan't that sub… Shep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mep Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I have not experienced any volume drops with mine. I run it with a battery at practice and a Frontline multi supply adapter at a gig so I can run my other effects. I use both my Stingray and Aria fretless. I have oct 2 off and oct 1 and the mix around 1 o'clock. I have been getting some positive responses at gigs latey due to the ocatver giving it some! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Got this back from Max today. Perfect. The small boost has worked perfectly. Very happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.i.stein Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) [quote name='pantherairsoft' post='1105422' date='Jan 27 2011, 06:59 PM']Got this back from Max today. Perfect. The small boost has worked perfectly. Very happy [/quote] he sorted a problem for me recently, and went well beyond the call of duty, by contacting the overseas manufacturer.. sfx will go far. Edited January 27, 2011 by phil.i.stein Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 Indeed. He even moded the circuit board where the resistor sits to be a socket and included a range of other resistors... So if I'm not happy with the gain I pop in another resistor and change the gain myself. Amazing bit of work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Interesting thread, have not noticed a drop in mine if anything a boost when in. Set mine Oct2 off, direct level at 3 oclock and Oct 1 between 11and 1. I saw this setting suggested in a bass Mag and find it about right for most of my numbers. Thanks for the heads up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pantherairsoft Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 If you have some direct signal in there was no loss. I was just getting a drop of a few db's when running the setting I use - 2 Oct off, dry off, 1 Oct at 100%. the small gain boost has also given a bit more umph to the bottom end. All in all I'm very happy with the mod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj1234 Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 I know this is old but does SFX still do this resistor mod, or can you recommend someone in London? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 There is a very simple mod that involves unsold eering one side of one resistor on the - 2 circuit that adds 3db to the output. @dodge_bass can tell you more than I can 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge_bass Posted November 7, 2018 Share Posted November 7, 2018 2 hours ago, GisserD said: There is a very simple mod that involves unsold eering one side of one resistor on the - 2 circuit that adds 3db to the output. @dodge_bass can tell you more than I can Sure can. Ready and waiting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj1234 Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 great. I install my own pickups etc so it sounds like it should be DIY-able, and sounds easily reversible. If you could provide instructions or tips or a link here or in a PM that would be amazing 👍. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GisserD Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 this might help. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/boss-oc-2-volume-mod.1051293/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jj1234 Posted November 8, 2018 Share Posted November 8, 2018 sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 I wonder whether simply removing those resistors and then bridging the connection with some wire would help achieve the volume increase whilst retaining the pot function. Obviously the pot iteself is a resistor of sorts, but if they’re ‘off’, might have the same effect, difficult to know. Or just get yourself a COG T-16 instead of modding your vintage pedals :). A Wazacraft OC-2 could also solve the problem Boss (if you’re reading).....just sayin’ ;) Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.