super low octave tracking

[alhbass]

What are the very best octave pedals out there? I mean, if money were no object? Unfortunately money is a big object for me right now, but I'd be interested to know what to look out for anyway.

I'm particularly interested in finding a pedal with the best, lowest tracking. I know there are a number of good pedals out there that do well down to B/A and even G, but are there any that will reproduce the lower octave right down to the bottom of the E string?

[Mr. Foxen]

It is a bit dependent on what you are hitting it with, neck bucker with tone right down is tracked a lot better than a trebly bridge pickup, cause the fundamental is that much stronger there. And the digital octavers that track pretty well (POG variants) sound weird and glitchy on low notes as the synth that makes the low octave is bad at really low, so you get a weird effect.

Also, no cabs will make the low E octave down.

[Protium]

The pedal is only as good as the signal you feed it

[Alpha-Dave]

The Electro Harmonix HOG tracks down to the C on a B string, not sure how much of the hardware is shared by the POGs.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='852216' date='May 30 2010, 11:17 PM']The Electro Harmonix HOG tracks down to the C on a B string, not sure how much of the hardware is shared by the POGs.[/quote]

The EHX HOG/POG pedals aren't tracking anything, they're sampling/resampling your signal on the fly (hence the latency) which is why they seem to perform magic tricks with low frequencies that normal tracking pedals couldn't possibly do.

As for traditional "octave dividers" the tech is old, there are no more gains to be made, and so the tracking is basically the same on every model. Someone who's selling a vintage Japanese 'black label' Boss OC-2 will tell you it tracks better than a regular OC-2 to justify the price, similarly someone selling an EBS Octabass will tell you it tracks better than any OC-2. They're all talking bollocks - they all track fairly well and that's the best you'll get.

Tracking below the G on your E string is pretty pointless and probably not worth shooting for, it isn't a pitch you'll find much of a musical use for, or remotely portable amplification that can reproduce it.

If you still want better tracking, keep the octaver you've got and string your bass with flatwounds. Seriously. The difference will amaze you.

To me, the difference between one octaver and the next is the quality of the sound, not the quality of the tracking. Pick the one which sounds nicest and then do what you can to improve the tracking.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='852285' date='May 31 2010, 01:12 AM']As for traditional "octave dividers" the tech is old, there are no more gains to be made, and so the tracking is basically the same on every model. Someone who's selling a vintage Japanese 'black label' Boss OC-2 will tell you it tracks better than a regular OC-2 to justify the price, similarly someone selling an EBS Octabass will tell you it tracks better than any OC-2. They're all talking bollocks - they all track fairly well and that's the best you'll get.[/quote]

The octabass is very much less glitchy on diads than the OC2, and glitches in a different way, although how low they track is pretty similar, mostly down to technique and tone. I have A/Bed a fair few octavers at this point. Still hoping to get hold of the pearl octaver.

[Ghost_Bass]

I have a MXR Bass Octave Deluxe and i can get clear tracking down to my B-string as long as i dont try to play superman-fast lines on that string. It's very good. I think the Aguilar is the best octave on the market in the present though. Try them and search for some reviews on U-tube.
Cheers

Edited May 31, 2010 by Ghost_Bass

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='852292' date='May 31 2010, 01:21 AM']The octabass is very much less glitchy on diads than the OC2,[/quote]

WTF is a diad?

[billphreets]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='852298' date='May 31 2010, 01:32 AM']WTF is a diad?[/quote]
a double stop..

[thisnameistaken]

I've never heard that one before. You shouldn't be playing double stops into an analogue octaver unless you want it to go mental anyway.

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='852466' date='May 31 2010, 11:31 AM']I've never heard that one before. You shouldn't be playing double stops into an analogue octaver unless you want it to go mental anyway.[/quote]

From the EBS blurb:

[quote]The EBS OctaBass analog octave divider creates a single note one octave below the pitch of the played note, adding a new dimension to your sound.[/quote]

[quote]The pedal also recognizes two or three-note chords and trigger the lowest note. Control the level of the original tone and mix in the octave effect. Choose between High, Mid or Low Range.[/quote]

Two notes isn't a chord though. Grr. It doe do a pretty good job, not a totally tremelo spazz like an OC2, but obviously copes best with single notes.

[Dosi Y'Anarchy]

Analog with great tracking - I've had good experience with the OC2 and Bass Octave Deluxe, however for analog *beat the f!%k out of your speaker* octaving with great tracking, my Ampeg Sub-Blaster slays all.

I believe the OC3 is digital but without any of the advantages of the pog/hog series ie: 'tracks' whatever you feed it. and the POGs will track whatever you want, but sometimes it does sound a bit fake.

I'm currently rocking the POGII (8 presets, 2 octaves up and down, attack delay, chorus - I use it for alot of different sounds), Ampeg Sub Blaster (for *traditional* octaving) and an OC2 (for synth-bass sounds)

[danny-79]

I use an "Electro Harmonics, Octave multiplexer", i find that tracks pretty well up to about A on the E string, but as mentioned in here earlier, never need to go that low with it so all is good .

[ahpook]

i've got a pearl octaver and i reckon, with care, it'll track to the A on the E-string...but it starting to struggle.

it doesn't 'hunt' for the first octave at that point....it's just starting to find it hard to replicate the note and sounds slightly detuned.

Edited June 6, 2010 by ahpook

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='ahpook' post='858956' date='Jun 6 2010, 03:44 PM']i've got a pearl octaver and i reckon, with care, it'll track to the A on the E-string...but it starting to struggle.

it doesn't 'hunt' for the first octave at that point....it's just starting to find it hard to replicate the note and sounds slightly detuned.[/quote]

This is what I mean - with careful playing any quality analogue octaver will achieve this performance, so it's really about what sound you want.

If you've never had an analogue octaver before then the MXR Bass Octave Deluxe is worth trying because it has a couple of tonal options. Personally I stuck with the Boss OC-2 because I like its '80s sound and never found anything that tracked any better.

Oh and, top tracking tip: Try flatwounds. Night and day difference, no joke.