Aguilar Octamizer

[Billy Apple]

After hearing SiBob at the SE Bass bash, I've been thinking more about effects (before the bash I didn't have any), and in particular an octave pedal. It seems like the BC holy-grail is the Boss OC-2. I don't know if it's bad luck or what, but I've had two of them, and both of them I have moved on. I found them glichey and temperamental and just not for me. I could not understand why what I had heard SiBob play could not be translated to me.

Today I went off to Stomp Box in Northwood, on West London's outskirts, [size=4]and I'm writing this to give props the the Aguilar Octamizer. I bought one new today, and have spent most of the evening fiddling with it[/size] [size=4] . [/size]

[size=4]I lined up an Ag, an EBS and an MXR. The EBS fell at the first hurdle but it was a photo-finish for the Ag and MXR. In a nutshell, the EBS was all over the place, I thought the Ag tracking [/size][size=4]steadier[/size][size=4] than the MXR, but really there was not too much in it. I want an octaver to broaden my sound, a bit like having a fat shadow, and I found the Ag to have an [/size][size=4]obese[/size][size=4] organic tone. The MXR is more synth-like in nature and has greater tonal and distortion possibilities, but [/size][size=4]possibilities[/size][size=4] I don't need. I like the Ag's simplicity and ease of use.[/size]

[size=4]I have read elsewhere on the forum that the Ag trips-up around the A but what I'm finding is that it's on shaky ground on the open A, but there are no problems with the A on the E. It does say in the instructions that you need a note with good fundamentals, and I guess the ringing open A on a P bass has too much overtone content. I'm also finding it ironic that an effects pedal is making me clean up my technique, previous to this I could hide all manner of sin with distortion. The pedal really does shine when it can [/size]concentrate[size=4] on one note at a time, and I'm wondering how much of my earlier OC-2 failure was down to my cack-handedness.[/size]

[size=4]I also read that the pedal was not a great design, but I like it because it's a bit quirky and I'm never going to have a board big enough where it might cause problems. Although If all pedals were top-loaded like this one, you could get them right next to each other and save a rake of space. Maybe it's Aguilar's hope that folk will buy the entire range and they'll sit snugly next to each other. Anyway, I like it.[/size]

[size=4]So the Aguilar won the day in the Octaver stakes, but MXR did not go away empty handed seeing as I bought a pricier M87 compressor (I tried a few comps too, in a nutshell the M87 did not affect the basses breathing)[/size]

[size=4]I would highly recommend the Aguilar Octamizer to anyone looking for a natural organic tone and [/size]simplicity[size=4] of use. I found the issues it had with tracking were less than the other pedals I tried. With this in mind I [/size]recommend[size=4] you go to a shop with your own bass and try a few out (like what I did), because I thought I was going in the buy the MXR, and was [/size]surprised[size=4] not to.[/size]





Anyway, my 'Effects Lab [size=4] [/size][size=4]' so far runs from my bass, this way.. MXR M87 Bass Compressor, Aguilar Octamizer, Maxon Phase Tone PT999, Dave Hall Amps VT1 EQ.[/size]

[size=4]The over-all [/size]signature[size=4] [/size][size=4] I'm going for is a kick in the guts with a velvet hob-nailed boot .[/size]

[Bigwan]

It'll be an envelope filter for you next, and then there really is no hope for you!

Never tried the aguilar octave but had the mxr briefly. Didn't like it at all, although it seems to work really well for some. Now have a cheap chord octave (an oc2 clone, £20 from the classifieds here) and it works fantastically for me!

[neverdil]

I certainly like the Aggy more than the MXR as well! I once had to sell the Octamizer, and later i decided to buy the MXR to try something new... Well, the day after I got it I sent it back, it just didn't have that phat tones the Ag does. Plus the Octamizer sound crazy good with a guitar, which isn't the case with the MXR.

[Billy Apple]

I've had a bit more of a play. Found the open A tracks better if slightly palm-muted

[molan]

I've tried a few octavers and found the Aggie to be the only one I'd be happy gigging with.

Definitely seemed to track better than others I've tried on lower notes.

It's certainly a lot to do with technique on some pedals of course. I've seen people playing things on an OC2 that I've never managed with mine

[hamfist]

Another vote for the Ag over the MXR box from me. I found that the clarity between the octave and the "normal" note was so much greater on the Aguilar. The MXR tended to blend them together much more to my ears.
As for tracking, I found the MXR tracked a tiny bit better, but this varies hugely from bass to bass anyway and was in much the same league between the pedals anyway.
Hmmm. must get another octaver at some point.

[mcnach]

same here, in order of preference for me:

Octamizer > OC-2 > MXR

I had briefly an OC-3 but I don't recall liking it.

[mike257]

This all makes me very happy, as I've just got one. I'm yet to try it out but I'm looking forward to it even more now!

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='mike257' timestamp='1368080959' post='2072831']
This all makes me very happy, as I've just got one. I'm yet to try it out but I'm looking forward to it even more now!
[/quote]

I spent most of last weekend messing with mine, and it does take a little while (for me anyway) to start getting the best from it. I've mentioned palm muting on the open A, but also it prefers a slighly higher action. I spent most the weekend playing with my P which is very low and slung with flat chromes and I really had to think about cleaning up my playing. By Monday evening I thought I had it nailed and I swapped to my higher action TBird with rounds, and it just sounded bang on, very steady indeed.

The low notes were shaking the crockery in the kitchen cupboards and rattling the windows . Alas it was close to bedtime and I had to turn in.

[skej21]

Got hold of an Octamizer a couple of weeks ago on here and I love it. Tone is fantastic and once you get your head 'round the lower range tracking its a dream. Sounds great in the covers band in unison sections in 'Superstition' and 'Sir Duke'... Adds a bigger sound to the band and tone to my sound.

Personally, I don't know what all the fuss is about with the OC2. I tried one and thought it was a perfect example of the mediocrity and middle-of-the-road quality of most Boss products. I'd take the Aggy any day... Those guys know how to make gear for bass!

Edited June 9, 2013 by skej21

[tayste_2000]

Mine should be arriving later this week, it's sorta going to replace my DOD Meatbox

[lee650]

I recently sold mine, wish i hadnt, great sound, does the OC2 dirty synth and clean octabass but tracks better than both, i will definately buy another as the octave on my GT6B is bloody awful

[Dave_the_bass]

+1 on going to buy an mxr and walking away with ab aggy. I did this about a month ago at Bass Gallery.

Love the tone shaping it allows. I have it set so that it brighens the clean tone when I stamp on it, that way the phat lower octave jumps out of the speakers and kicks you in the chest!

[Stuee]

A question for all you Octamizer owners: I've just bought one and I find that the octave level control is not very linear. Actually it seems almost impossible to get just a little bit of the low octave into my sound, i.e. with the low octave level control at zero there is no low octave (naturally), but turning the knob clockwise doesn't smoothly introduce the low octave to the mix; rather it suddenly jumps in over a very small amount of knob travel.

What is your experience? Is this normal or have I got a freak pedal?

If it is normal, I'll be seeking out a knob mod – a more linear pot – as it is an absolute must for me to be able to blend a tasteful amount of low octave in behind my clean/dry signal.

Many thanks in advance, Stuee

[Billy Apple]

I've not noticed this, but then again I don't have my setting that low. Mine is around 12 o'clock on the clean and 11 on the octave. I'll have a fiddle and see what happens.

[Zombywoof]

Another vote for the Aggy. I love mine.

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='Stuee' timestamp='1370434793' post='2100731']
A question for all you Octamizer owners: I've just bought one and I find that the octave level control is not very linear. Actually it seems almost impossible to get just a little bit of the low octave into my sound, i.e. with the low octave level control at zero there is no low octave (naturally), but turning the knob clockwise doesn't smoothly introduce the low octave to the mix; rather it suddenly jumps in over a very small amount of knob travel.

What is your experience? Is this normal or have I got a freak pedal?

If it is normal, I'll be seeking out a knob mod – a more linear pot – as it is an absolute must for me to be able to blend a tasteful amount of low octave in behind my clean/dry signal.

Many thanks in advance, Stuee
[/quote]

OK, I've had a fiddle, and this is my finding. With the clean level off, I set the octave and octave filter at 12. Then I rolled off the octave level 'till there was no sound. I rolled the octave level back up, and there is a point when the knob is moving, and then the signal starts slightly later, but to my ears and movement on the knob it is so slight that I thought this is how it should be. Remember it is a sampled signal, so I guess there has to be sufficient input gain in order for the sample to be generated (or something!)

Also the signal when it starts was very quiet, and rolling on the knob it gets louder in what I consider a progressive manner. And by that I mean it all behaved as I expected it to behave.. But maybe we have different expectations, but without A,B'ing our pedals it's difficult to tell.

I find the way to get a very slight octave signal is to play with the octave filter, it goes from clean-sub at minimum over to distortion at full. And a nice valve-y distortion too, not unlike my DHA VT1 EQ.

Hope this helps [size=4] [/size]

[skej21]

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1370733160' post='2105065']


OK, I've had a fiddle, and this is my finding. With the clean level off, I set the octave and octave filter at 12. Then I rolled off the octave level 'till there was no sound. I rolled the octave level back up, and there is a point when the knob is moving, and then the signal starts slightly later, but to my ears and movement on the knob it is so slight that I thought this is how it should be. Remember it is a sampled signal, so I guess there has to be sufficient input gain in order for the sample to be generated (or something!)

Also the signal when it starts was very quiet, and rolling on the knob it gets louder in what I consider a progressive manner. And by that I mean it all behaved as I expected it to behave.. But maybe we have different expectations, but without A,B'ing our pedals it's difficult to tell.

I find the way to get a very slight octave signal is to play with the octave filter, it goes from clean-sub at minimum over to distortion at full. And a nice valve-y distortion too, not unlike my DHA VT1 EQ.

Hope this helps [size=4] [/size]
[/quote]

Plus one. Controlling it with the filter controls rather than the octave level is the way to do it!

[sprocketflup]

hmmm...interesting....I think this may be a future purchase..... **scratches chin**

[Stuee]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. But I see your methods as a workaround, not a fix.

There's plenty of input gain, I'm not changing that, and I should be able to choose what tone I want from the octave generator and introduce as much or as little of it to the output mix as I want, too.

I'll email Aguilar and see what they suggest.

Thanks again

[Guest FretNoMore]

Could be a bad pot perhaps? I had a similar behavior with an OD pedal, very little happening to begin with and then a step up in gain at a certain point. I got it replaced and now there's a smooth ramp up of the gain.