Gamble

Heyo!

I've decided to let this Status Energy 5 go as my bass gear piggy bank is running low.

I picked this bass up in a trade a while back and set it up E to C so I could tinker around with chords and tapping (nice flat fretboard and low action), but I intend on changing it back to B to G before letting it go (unless that's a deal breaker).

It's got active EMGs fitted and although I dont know when I last plugged it in, from memory it sounds great so I suggest someone snags it quick before I plug it in and go "Aw man, this sounds great - I'll keep it!"

As you can see from the pics it's got some wear and tear, I consider it mojo myself, but I'll call it relic/distressing and charge an extra hundred quid if that helps.

Collection from Norwich preferred but I'll ship within the UK at the buyer's expense - having looked at the fine print for insurance I personally think there's too many hoops to jump through to not give them a get out if something goes wrong, so I'll also be willing to jump in the car and deliver it personally for the cost of fuel within a reasonable distance. I work at Snetterton Monday to Friday which I can use as a headstart if you're in that direction.

Really I just want a cash sale, but I'll consider trades for compact and/or powerful lightweight cabs, or an EHX Pitchfork (maybe similar polyphonic harmoniser pedals).

Any questions please ask! 

Cheers, Matt 

I bought an EHX Micro POG from Ian, it arrived fast, packed well and as advertised. Good communication throughout, all in all he's a good guy to deal with.

Many thanks! 

Hi all!

Reluctant sale on this one, probably my favorite sounding Octave that I've tried but not something I really have a use for right now and something else has come up that I'd like to spend the money on.

Tracks really well, playing clean and close to the neck will get you down towards low E without glitching, plenty of tone options with the two different voices and mid boost on the clean too.

It's in good shape, there's a couple of small chips in the blue paint in the bottom left corner as you look at it (pictured) and the mid boost button is a tiny bit scratchy as you engage/disengage it but doesn't affect the sound while in use at all. 

£85 for collection in Norwich or add a fiver for postage in the UK. 

Cheers! 

Hi all!

I'm selling my DigiTech DROP pedal, I've hardly used it and it's in great condition - I got it used (still got the shop price tag on the bottom) but apart from a few spots of silver showing through the black on the knob and a little glue residue or something on the bottom it's damaged near spotless.

£60 takes it from my hand in Norwich, add a fiver for postage in the UK.

Cheers! 

Any interest in trades? 

Bump!

I'll consider 6 strings for trade options now too, but still definitely with cash my way. 

Thanks! 

I bought a Tech 21 DP-3X from Sean, it's spotless and came really well packaged with all the case candy.

Couldn't ask for more, very happy! 

Matt 

Jim answered my wanted ad and I bought a TC SpectraComp from him, I actually struggled to open the package it had been put together so well! 

Great guy to deal with, a pleasure from start to finish. 

Cheers, Matt 

Well, in looking up the OC5 I noticed it also has a feature which only applies the octave effect to the lowest note being played at any one time, which sounds quite handy. 

As had been mentioned already they're in short supply at the moment unfortunately, so I've not yet laid my hands on one. 

I have however decided to try a Nano POG and my first impression is that the tracking absolutely smashes the MXR and any other Octavers I've tried so far! I'm half convinced I must be doing something different, and in fairness I've been running it through a practice amp rather than headphones so might be playing a little softer, but I did A/B it with the MXR and that's still struggling a bit. The POG is tracking down pretty much to drop D without breaking a sweat, I'm very impressed. 

The next test will be to see if there's any phase problems running it in parallel paths, but providing there's not, it even has a dedicated dry only output so it'll even save me using and A/B/Y pedal in the chain! 

I bought an EHX POG from Brian and he posted it the same day I payed, packed it well and was all in all very pleasant to do business with. Thanks! 

I bought a TC Spectradrive from Woody, it arrived superfast and as described - no messing! 

14 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

The Boss OC-5 has a 'range' setting, that allows you to set a threshold above which the octaver doesn't cut in. I'd actually prefer it the other way around as I don't particularly need an octave down for the very low notes as these are mostly sub-audio anyway and it would at a stroke eliminate any glitching concerns. But given what you're going to be using it for, just wondering whether this feature might let you achieve what you're trying to do, without bothering with the need for a parallel path, to allow you to get the OC-5's great tracking without the risk of parallel-path comb-filtering?

 

The only issue is that OC-5s seem to be pretty much sold out everywhere right now! 

Yeah, that does seem backwards - I'd want it to cut out before it got into flubby glitch territory too. 

I've had half an eye out for and OC-5 as they've already been recommended for the tracking but I hadn't heard about that feature, I'll do a bit of research - cheers for the heads up! 

On 18/08/2021 at 15:05, krispn said:

I’ve literally just been messing with octave down stuff using my Red Witch Zeus (basically an OC2 circuit) into the parallel loop on my Basswitch and comparing it with the HX stomp running an octave down on a parallel path too. 
 

Some context…

I’ve been learning a bunch of 80’s tracks for a band I’ve been approached to join so as well

as learning the songs as regular bass parts down in the ‘bass register’ without any effects I’m also coming up with the parts with the octave down engaged but I’m not playing that many, if any notes on the E string below the 5th fret, generally keeping to the 7th fret and above. In fact I’m playing most of the parts starting at ‘D’ on the A string and above with the octave engaged to get better tracking and a bit more of the effect.
 

I’ve tried both finger style and pick I don’t see the use of octave down on an open low E to the A note for the 80’s stuff I’m learning- just lacked the attack and clarity. It sounds more pleasing played up the neck with the  octave engaged but I’d need to wait and see how sounds with the keyboard parts in an actual rehearsal room before deciding if it’s gonna be the octave effect or straight bass tones for those particular songs. 
 

As others have said you may find depending on your goals/songs your doing/effect your after that going much below A or G on the E string is not worth it due to glitches and muddy tone. 
 

 What’s the context? Are you covering songs or just want low sub octave sounds/effect. I’m only really gonna need it on a few tracks but it’s good to have the option but the proof is in the rehearsal room! 

I'm aiming for a low octave clean bass sound and a dirty sound at the pitch I'm actually playing running in parallel, kind of low tuned distorted guitar and clean bass all in one - I've had enough of guitarists taking songs I've written, pinching the best riff and binning the rest so I'm just binning guitarists! 

8 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 +1^^

 

I think the comb-filter phase effect is only really going to be discernible if you have digital effects in a parallel loop (and even then may not be particularly noticeable).

 

As Doddy states, in a standard series layout, phasing from a digital pedal shouldn't be a concern at all - loads of us are using digital pedals all the time.

But I am planning on using it in parallel, that's the issue. I'll give it a go and see what happens though, no harm in trying it! 

On 16/08/2021 at 14:54, Al Krow said:

I agree with @Doddy that glitching at the low end of the scale is a feature of many octave pedals. Apologies if this is off topic - but if you want excellent low tracking with minimal latency, great value, a pedal which totally nails the OC-2 sound as well as offering a decent octave up, then look no further than the Boss OC-5.

 

The OP mentions polyphonic mode and the tracking is particularly tight with the OC-5 set to poly mode.

I might try and get my hands on an OC-5, I was avoiding digital pedals as they could introduce phase issues caused by any signal delay when using them in parallel signal paths, but I figure if I get a used one I should be able to get the same money back if I don't get on with it. 

Thanks for the recommendation! 

Well I've had some success switching basses (gone from passive single coils to soapbars) and using the neck pickup, it's definitely doing a much better job tracking down to G on an open string (drop tuned A string) which was as low as I wanted to go. 

I'm going to have to experiment with the pickups again as I want to use 2 signal paths in parallel and that's going to affect both paths, but I'm certainly feeling more positive about the endeavour than I was! 

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, keep 'em coming if you've got more! 

1 hour ago, Manwithvan said:

I was just thinking about starting a topic like this, and lo and behold!

I too have the MXR pedal. Low A! I'm happy you get a clean D. All basses seem to produce the same response. I was wondering whether it's possible to split the signal, and use one with the MXR pedal plus a high pass filter to remove the glitches. The other half would remain unaffected.

Anyone tried this?

I have had someone else suggest putting a high pass in front to trim off the subs and give it a clearer signal to work with, I'll have to rummage through my gear and see if I've got something already that I can put in the chain to prove the point. 

Mmmmm, that 4+1 headstock is the one. 

Hi all! 

So in short, I'm wondering what I can do to improve the tracking of an octave pedal - any suggestions? 

A bit of back story;

I've had trouble getting the octave sound I wanted from my Pod X3 and the tracking hasn't done it for me on either that or my Boss GT6B, or any other multi fx I've got kicking around here.

I've got myself an MXR M288 for starters, the tone is working for me and although it mostly tracks down to A it does still glitch a bit around that mark, it won't sustain there for any time at all and ideally I'd like to be able to get down a little lower if possible - and it doesn't seem to like slapping at all. 

By the way, I'm very open to the idea that there's something I'm doing or not doing that's adding to these issues. 

I went for an analogue pedal as I'm also planning on running parallel signal paths and it's been suggested that a digital pedal could have a slight delay that might cause phase issues, but I'm wondering if although I'm trying to be careful, it might be my messy playing upsetting the tracking so perhaps I'd have more success with a polyphonic pedal. 

I bought Colin's MXR Octaver, the pedal arrived well packed and as described - no messing around, couldn't have asked for more. 

Cheers! 

I know buddy, I bought one to save me lugging my SWR 6X10 up a 16 stair set for rehearsal every week and it's a beast of a cab. I'd love to stack a pair of them but I don't think I'd even fit them both in my Golf at the same time. Maybe I should get another estate........ 

That'd give me somewhere to store it too! 

Why hasn't someone bought this yet?! 

I'm in Norwich, so somewhere around Sleaford would be about midway. 

Not sure I can justify a 2nd one of these cabs really, I'd have to find somewhere other than under the stairs to keep them for starters! 

D'oh, now I've got to start complaining that you're too far from me! 

8 hours ago, johnbiffa said:

To clarify, my listing said 8ohm but it is actually 4ohm, sorry schoolboy mistake 😮

Oof, that's a bargain - if it was a 4ohm I'd be swearing about you being too far from me!