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Thread: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

  1. #1

    Default octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    Folks,
    I play in a small mostly acoustic band (currently a duo, though we would love to add another). I play guitar, bouzouki and mandolin. Thinking of buying an Octave pedal that I could run either the guitar or zouk through, so I could essentially add another instrument without hauling another actual instrument. At this point there's no other effects I really want. But should I be considering a multi effect pedal anyway? For future use?
    Also, products you love or hate, in either the multi-effect pedal or an octave pedal? I will say I am absolutely NOT a gearhead. I hate screwing with stuff and love to just set something and forget it.

  2. #2

    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    I Have found that most pedals are designed for guitar and dont take into account the HZ of other instruments, abut saying that you can get different effects with eq and compressions etc. best bet go to a music store and try some out on a similar amp that you use.

  3. #3
    Gibson F5L Gibson A5L
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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    Gear ... there is always another interesting piece. Whether they are worth $$$ or not can only be gauged over time with use or lack there of. Enjoy the search R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

  4. #4

    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    I've used octave pedals in several gigs and they work really well with mandolins. I usually only use the octave down features as I think the octave up is a bit too much for the mandolin. I've used the EHX Nano POG and the EHX Pitch Fork. The POG allows you to blend in the three signals (up, down, dry) to your liking and tracks very well. The Pitch fork octave down sounds more "organic" to my ears and I have been using this one lately. The Pitch Fork also has many more options you may find useful. I am running my signal as follows: mandolin-preamp-compressor-octave pedal. You can also try using it without the compressor. I hope this helps.

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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    If you have a piezo pickup you probably will need to have a preamp before the peddle to get impedance matching or use your amps effects loop. If you don't like messing with things, I would steer away from multi effects pedals. Most of their sounds are geared to guitar and it can take some time tweaking to get the best sounds for other instruments.

  7. #6
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    I went the other way, and got an octave pedal to drop my e-mando down - instead of buying an octave e-mando.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  8. #7

    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    Quote Originally Posted by SRNassif View Post
    I've used the EHX Nano POG and the EHX Pitch Fork. The POG allows you to blend in the three signals (up, down, dry) to your liking and tracks very well. The Pitch fork octave down sounds more "organic" to my ears and I have been using this one lately. The Pitch Fork also has many more options you may find useful. I am running my signal as follows: mandolin-preamp-compressor-octave pedal. You can also try using it without the compressor. I hope this helps.
    Very Helpful. My plan was to use an "A/B switch" where you can plug two instruments in and use the Zouk and the guitar. I actually went to my local guitar center and ran the Zouk through a used POG. I thought it sounded great (dry, octave down). They wanted $149 for a used one, but I'm not sure if that's expensive or not for a used pedal.

  9. #8
    bass player gone mando
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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    In one of my bands I play what I'd call rock mandolin. The chain goes like this. A Sarno Black Box sits on top of my Genzler Acoustic Array and is the first stop, as an impedance buffer and for tube warming. It's not really a preamp but it's a useful device for this purpose. From there to my (small) pedal board, where the first pedal is (to your point) a POG Nano set for octave down (it also has octave up, which I use when I'm on bass guitar). You can mix with the dry signal as much as you'd like. From there, an MXR chorus pedal and an MXR Carbon Copy (delay). From there into a Fishman Platinum Pro, a very useful and versatile preamp, then back to the Genzler (add reverb), and out to the FOH from the Genzler. Sounds like a lot but it's basically a small pedal board with the Sarno going in and the Fishman coming back. I use the effects somewhat sparingly to be sure, but it's nice to have them for certain times.
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  10. #9
    Mandol'Aisne Daniel Nestlerode's Avatar
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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    I use a Mooer Pure Octave. I think it's based on the Boss circuit.
    I has octave up, octave down, and dry signal settings
    I've got the dry almost all the way up, the octave down essentially off, and the octave up set no higher than 3 (on a scale of 1-10).
    I play an Arrow G5 5 string and a J Bovier EMC-5 through this into a small Marshall solid state amp.

    Why do I use the upper and not the lower octave settings? First, I find the lower octave a bit intrusive and I don't like the tone. It's a little too '8-bit' to my ears. Then if you play a cord with it running, you get a really muddy sound; indistinct and sometimes a bit out of tune.
    Second, the reason I wanted the octave was to add back something that might fill in the missing overtone series. This works really well whith the Arrow, which is essentially an acoustic instrument with a pickup. It's a bit too obvious with the JBovier, a solidbody.

    So there you go. A touch of the upper octave adds some sparkle that we electric players often do withtout.


    Daniel

  11. #10
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: octave pedal or multi-effect pedal?

    I have a Y'ha AG it's said to be modeling various microphones & body types of guitars from an under bridge Piezo pickups ..
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