MXR Bass Octave Deluxe question

[John Cellario]

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.

[Bigwan]

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.

[John Cellario]

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.

[Bigwan]

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...

[IBWT]

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

[Cameronj279]

[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.

[AustinArto]

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.

[Bigwan]

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.

[blue]

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

[toneknob]

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.

[elephantgrey]

[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.

[blue]

[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

[toneknob]

[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

[Cameronj279]

Back when I had a compressor I always kept the octave pedal after the comp.