John Cellario Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 I have been bought an MXR Bass Octave Deluxe pedal as a present recently. The tracking is not too bad as long as it receives a clear note but when I let a note ring on sustained, the bottom octave seems to break up after around 3/4 seconds which sounds a bit distorted. Does anyone think it may be faulty or is this par for the course? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Sounds typical of playing lower notes on the neck (typically lower than an A, but I've seen worse cases), but shouldn't be breaking up so soon higher up the neck. With Octave pedals there's a lot to consider to ensure clean tracking. Keep it as close to the beginning of your chain as possible. A clean sounding bass setup is important too. Fret rattle can play havoc with tracking, as can dead notes on the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cellario Posted January 30, 2016 Author Share Posted January 30, 2016 Hi Bigwan This is happening all over the neck, way up past the 12th fret. I don't use it below the B on the E string. It's positioned at the front of my effects chain and use a fairly clean sound with no fret buzz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 Something not right. I had one briefly and the tracking was excellent - I have heard some folk say they've had tracking issues with them though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBWT Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 (edited) It does track great but I wouldn't be surprised if the signal of your bass after those 4 seconds was not loud enough to feed the octaver properly. Edited January 31, 2016 by IBWT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 [quote name='IBWT' timestamp='1454252124' post='2967844'] It does track great but I wouldn't be surprised if the signal of your bass after those 4 seconds was not loud enough to feed the octaver properly. [/quote] This is my thoughts on it. I don't have any issues with mine breaking up unless I'm already playing a really low note and trying to replicate the octave below that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinArto Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 All octavers do this. You can improve performance by giving them a simpler signal (roll the treble off, raise the action to remove mechanical noise), maybe a louder signal, don't pick too hard, use your front pickup and pick over that rather than the bridge pickup, etc. They always track better with flats too - we recorded one tune using an OC-2 where the only bass I could actually play it on was strung with flats. Oh and avoid dead spots, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwan Posted January 31, 2016 Share Posted January 31, 2016 It's the distorted sound after 3 or 4 seconds that doesn't sound right to me. All analogue octavers will lose the note after a period of time, but lose a good note in 3 seconds? Not on any I've played. And it wouldn't distort, it'd dance around the note it'd been on previously for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 I use that MRX Deluxe Bass Octave pedal a lot. For me, tracking gets weird even at the 5th fret position. I play my bass lines in closed position at the 12th fret and above and it sounds great. I always keep the mid range button engaged. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Good performance here from my MXR BOD. It's right at the front of my chain (well, after tuner but before compressor and everything else). I've got the mid-range nailed down, Growl at 10 o'clock, Girth at 2 o'clock, blend to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elephantgrey Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 [quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1454607133' post='2971317'] Good performance here from my MXR BOD. It's right at the front of my chain (well, after tuner but before compressor and everything else). I've got the mid-range nailed down, Growl at 10 o'clock, Girth at 2 o'clock, blend to taste. [/quote] Really? Id stick an octave/synth pedal after a compressor to help with tracking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 [quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1454607133' post='2971317'] Good performance here from my MXR BOD. It's right at the front of my chain (well, after tuner but before compressor and everything else). I've got the mid-range nailed down, Growl at 10 o'clock, Girth at 2 o'clock, blend to taste. [/quote] Same position in my chain,2nd,right after my Korg Pitch Black tuner. I haven't had enough time to learn my MRX Bass distortion pedal yet. I'm not sure why I purchased it. Its not like I play in Korn. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 (edited) [quote name='elephantgrey' timestamp='1454607606' post='2971326'] Really? Id stick an octave/synth pedal after a compressor to help with tracking. [/quote] Really. I thought the same, works better up front though. YMMV of course. Edited February 6, 2016 by toneknob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted February 6, 2016 Share Posted February 6, 2016 Back when I had a compressor I always kept the octave pedal after the comp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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