Polyphonic Octave pedals

thefullbrain · Post by **thefullbrain** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 12:57 pm

Right you lot, I'm looking to get a poly-octaver and I'm limited to about Â£150 - my only real options are the Boss OC-3 or the EHX Micro Pog (unless someone can tell me otherwise.)

I've tried the Micro Pog and I like what it does, a lot, but it's at the top end of my budget.

I've not directly played with the OC-3, but used to play with someone that had one and it was alright, but didn't seem as rich in tone as the Micro Pog. It's Â£50 cheaper.

Any pros/cons that I should be aware from any of you that have used either/both? I'll be running a bass through it, if that makes any difference (which has an active humbucker on it)

I'm pretty much sold on the Micro Pog already, but would like a few opinions if possible, before I lay out 150 boys on one.

UlricvonCatalyst · Post by **UlricvonCatalyst** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:06 pm

People have reported the Micro Pog not tracking perfectly. I've never had a problem with mine, but I tend to steer clear of the meedly-meedly. If you like showing off how fast you can play every chance you get, maybe it wouldn't pan out. Otherwise it'll probably do exactly what you want it to.

The only other advice I'd offer, as with all things, is LOOK FOR A 2nd-HAND ONE & $AVE $AVE $AVE!

Post by **Doog** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:08 pm

The Micro POG is great, it really is- flawless tracking allllll the time. I've never had a problem with it tracking any weirdo chords I throw at it, just make sure it's near the front of your effects chain.

You DO get some additional extras with the OC-3, but I'm not sure how useful the second octave down would be useful for bass, it won't be doing anything than adding huge wooly subs to the sound that could be done with some EQ tweaking. However, the octave up on the MPOG sounds brill on bass, mixing all 3 octaves together is a grrrreat sound.

I'd just sit tight for a used Micro Pog on Ebay; I picked mine up for Â£80ish.

thefullbrain · Post by **thefullbrain** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 1:11 pm

Cheers, Monsignor Doog. Thing is, I want one as soon as possible and I'm happy to pay full price - I'm a bit of a dick in that respect.

grandnoise · Post by **grandnoise** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:00 pm

EHX ring thing will do it all and more, not sure on price but fairly sure Â£150 should be able to get you one.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:24 pm

the OC-3's not bad, i've been using one of late. it'd be nice if it had a simultaneous octave up as well. i've experienced a (full size) POG on bass before and it was fucking awesome, so i'd probably steer towards that end of things if i were you.

avj · Post by **avj** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:28 pm

I had the Micro POG for a short time and now have had the POG2 for a few years. Both work remarkably well and have an improved tracking algorithm from the original POG. Reportedly, the DSP is the same in the Micro POG and POG2 but with the POG2 obviously having a few more options.

The Boss OC-3 isn't really comparable to the Micro POG/POG2 because it only does one- and two-octave down. One neat feature it does provide that the EHX devices don't is the ability to limit the shift to a certain range while in Poly mode. If you only want octave (or two) down on the two lowest strings, you can just dial it in; the other strings will then play with no effect.

thefullbrain · Post by **thefullbrain** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:30 pm

Full size POG is just a bit too far above my price range as I want one for recording asap, I'd have to wait at least another month or so to get my hands on one, and basically, there's just no room on my boat for something that big at the moment. I'm already losing pedals to make room for new stuff I've picked up in the last few months, and the decision on what to excise is getting harder and harder (hurhurhur).

Ring Thing though, eh? I might look into that as well, as another option.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:32 pm

avj wrote:One neat feature it does provide that the EHX devices don't is the ability to limit the shift to a certain range while in Poly mode. If you only want octave (or two) down on the two lowest strings, you can just dial it in; the other strings will then play with no effect.

yeah, it's handy for guitar that way. i have it set to pick up the bottom two strings.

grandnoise · Post by **grandnoise** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:38 pm

The one drawback of the ring thing is that it's limited to one harmony at a time, but apart from that there is so much craziness, great sounds and just damn cool in the pedal.

avj · Post by **avj** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:42 pm

thefullbrain wrote:Full size POG is just a bit too far above my price range as I want one for recording asap, I'd have to wait at least another month or so to get my hands on one, and basically, there's just no room on my boat for something that big at the moment. I'm already losing pedals to make room for new stuff I've picked up in the last few months, and the decision on what to excise is getting harder and harder (hurhurhur).

Ring Thing though, eh? I might look into that as well, as another option.

I know it's still a cost issue -- but with regard to physical size, the Ring Thing and POG2 are housed in identical cases.

stewart wrote:
avj wrote:One neat feature it does provide that the EHX devices don't is the ability to limit the shift to a certain range while in Poly mode. If you only want octave (or two) down on the two lowest strings, you can just dial it in; the other strings will then play with no effect.
yeah, it's handy for guitar that way. i have it set to pick up the bottom two strings.

I imagine that is a fantastic way to fill out the low end. I really wish the POG2 had something similar.

Post by **Doog** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:48 pm

stewart wrote:
avj wrote:One neat feature it does provide that the EHX devices don't is the ability to limit the shift to a certain range while in Poly mode. If you only want octave (or two) down on the two lowest strings, you can just dial it in; the other strings will then play with no effect.
yeah, it's handy for guitar that way. i have it set to pick up the bottom two strings.

Does it still octave the note if you play an E on the A string, but not if you play an E on the D string? There is a difference in tonality across each string, so I guess they coulda got around that.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Wed Jan 25, 2012 11:29 pm

yeah, unless you have the range set to pick up the D string.

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:56 am

Doog wrote:Does it still octave the note if you play an E on the A string, but not if you play an E on the D string? There is a difference in tonality across each string, so I guess they coulda got around that.

stewart wrote:yeah, unless you have the range set to pick up the D string.

Really!? Interesting, I wonder how it does that...

I'd always thought I'd go for a Micro POG if I ever got an octave pedal, but this puts the OC-3 back in the running. Not that I'm planning on buying either in the near future anyway.

avj · Post by **avj** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:08 am

I was going to attempt to find a proper demo of it, but I found this gent's demo and have been laughing with my entire body ever since. I thought Gearwire would've removed all of his videos by now and scrubbed him from history, but alas he remains for our entertainment. I'm sure he's a swell guy and all, but when I watch these I get the feeling that there's some high-art concept thing going on that's just above my head.

I'm not even going to tell you where the Poly mode talk begins because the entire video is just too fantastic. (Okay, it's 5:10)

[youtube][/youtube]

thefullbrain · Post by **thefullbrain** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 12:47 pm

So, basically, I want the ability to have three simultaneous octaves. One up, one down and one in the middle.

The Ring Thing can't do this, but I sort of want one now I've had a proper look into it. The Micro Pog CAN, but doesn't do the other fancy shizzlematizzle. Whilst I want all that shiz, it's going to detract from the actual sound I was looking to create with the Micro Pog.

I'm completely discounting the OC-3 at this point.

SO now I have two pedals to buy and not enough money. CURSE YOU ALL.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:15 pm

I would always go for a Micro POG or POG2, or POG if I was going for one of these pedals. They just seem to do it perfectly.

thefullbrain · Post by **thefullbrain** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:40 pm

Yeah, I think the MP has pretty much won here.

Thanks all, but also curse you, still.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 2:58 pm

UlricvonCatalyst wrote:People have reported the Micro Pog not tracking perfectly. I've never had a problem with mine, but I tend to steer clear of the meedly-meedly. If you like showing off how fast you can play every chance you get, maybe it wouldn't pan out. Otherwise it'll probably do exactly what you want it to.

The only other advice I'd offer, as with all things, is LOOK FOR A 2nd-HAND ONE & $AVE $AVE $AVE!

I am glad to hear that the Micro Pog is quality. I had heard about some of these "tracking" issues but sounds like people are exaggerating it a bit. I like the POG2 but it's expensive and takes up more pedalboard space.

Can you get a convincing 12 string sound from the Micro Pog?

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Thu Jan 26, 2012 3:55 pm

I think so, but I have the full size POG which allows more control over the sound, or easier at least, but it's essentially the same thing just with fewer twiddly bits.

I'd say keep an eye out for the full size POG secondhand, but the Micro POG does have the seperate outputs which, bafflingly, the POG1 and 2 don't have. I DON'T KNOW WHY and it annoys the fuck out of me.

The Ring Thing is polyphonic, but it's not quite the same as the POG. It's just a single octave, or harmony, which you can set from -1 to +1 and anywhere inbetween, and it tracks just as well as the POG. The joy of the octave effect on the Ring Thing is that you can add a hefty amount of modulation in with it, and also stick an expression pedal with it which basically turns it into a Whammy pedal. This is all on top of the other sounds it can do, ranging from dalek noises to really smooth and sweet modulation effects. AND it has nine presets so you can save a few different sounds from the various functions.