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Average Price: $129
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$301+
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Description
Unleash the depths of your creativity with the Boss OC-2 Octaver, a remarkable pedal that takes your instrument's signal and plunges it down by one or two octaves. This analog octave pedal is ideal for musicians looking to explore the lower registers or attain an analog synth sound by cranking up the Octave 1 knob. It's time to dive deep and discover what the Boss OC-2 Octaver can add to your musical palette.
Key Features:
- Analog octave pedal capable of lowering instrument's signal by one or two octaves
- Octave 1 knob can be cranked up to mimic analog synth sound
- Excellent quality and durability associated with Boss products
Product specs
| Brand | Boss |
| Model | OC-2 Octave (Black Label) |
| Finish | Brown |
| Year | 1984 - 1997 |
| Made In | Japan, Taiwan |
| Categories | Octave and Pitch-Shifting Pedals |
| Pedal Format | Standard |
FAQs
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What type of power supply does the Boss OC-2 Octaver require?
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The Boss OC-2 Octaver requires a 9V DC power supply. It can be powered by a standard Boss PSA adapter or a 9V battery.
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Can the Boss OC-2 Octaver be used with a bass guitar?
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Yes, the Boss OC-2 Octaver is popular among bass players for its ability to add depth and richness by generating lower octave tones.
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How does the Boss OC-2 Octaver track notes?
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The Boss OC-2 Octaver is known for its decent tracking capabilities, especially on single notes. However, it may struggle with complex chords or very low frequencies.
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What is the main difference between the Boss OC-2 and newer octave pedals?
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The Boss OC-2 is an analog pedal known for its warm, vintage sound, while newer octave pedals often use digital processing for more precise tracking and additional features.
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How should I position the Boss OC-2 Octaver in my pedal chain?
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For optimal performance, place the Boss OC-2 Octaver early in your signal chain, ideally right after your guitar or tuner, to ensure it receives a clean signal for better tracking.
Videos
shnobel
Vintage Boss Octave OC-2 Made in Japa
Vintage Boss Octave OC-2 Made in Japa
shnobel
BOSS OC-2 Octave Pedal Demo - Guitar
TheJRGuitars
Vintage Boss Octave OC-2 vs Digitech Whammy WH1
shnobel
Boss OC-2 vs MXR Vintage Bass Octave M280
Simon Poulton
OCT-OFF - which Octave Pedal is better?? Boss OC-2 vs TC Electronic Nether
TheSuperFunAwesomeHappyTimePedalShow
Boss Oc-2 Octave vs Oc-2 Octaver
Andy Bassist
Boss Octave Pedals Through The Years (OC-2, OC-3, OC-5)
Middle Aged Gear Junkie
2 Octaves Don't Scare Me! OC-2 on Bass
Burning Hand Sounds
Roland Boss OC2 compare Octaver Japan OC-2 VS Octave OC-2 Taiwan
Bassboi's Garage
Boss OC-2 Octave
Pedal of the Day
Reviews
PROS
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Old school analog sound that's noticeably different
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Versatile: great for fat notes, gritty dry/oct splits, and synth-like transformations
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Durable build quality and effective buffer
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Unique, charm-filled noise machine capability
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Enhances fuzz solos and lo-fi sounds effectively
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Compatible with both guitar and bass
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Excellent for both recording and live situations
CONS
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Poor tracking on bass, requires much adjustment
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Prone to distortion and tone instability
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Can produce unpleasant sounds with dry signal fully down
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Some find it finicky and quirky compared to newer models
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Design may not suit those looking for modern tracking capabilities
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Boss OC-2 Octaver.
Setup and maintenance
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Achieving optimal tracking requires using the neck pickup, rolling off tone, and playing above the 12th fret with a soft attack.
Source
Comparisons
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The Boss OC-2 is noted for its monophonic capabilities, contrasting with the EHX POG, which offers polyphonic features.
Source -
The MXR Poly Blue offers both analog and digital modes with independent controls for +1,+2,-1,-2 octaves, featuring modulation options like phaser and Leslie effects.
Source -
The FoxRox Octron provides slightly better tracking than the OC-2, but lacks the unique "mojo" that some users attribute to the OC-2's sound.
Source -
Digital pedals like the Mooer MPS1, which use algorithms for tone generation, offer better tracking for low frequencies than the analog OC-2.
Source
User experience
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Owners note better performance on bass than guitar, emphasizing the need for clean playing technique to avoid pitch wavering.
Source -
Some users find the Boss OC-5's digital latency requires adjusting playing style, contrasting with the more immediate response of analog octavers.
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Users appreciate the OC-2 for its "glitchy robot" sound when using only the Octave 1 knob, with no dry signal or Octave 2.
Source
Features and functionality
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The OC-2 is praised for its analog design, transforming the signal through a unique lowpass and flip-flop-clock process for octave generation.
Source -
The MXR Poly Blue includes a fuzz switch that can be adjusted, providing versatility in sound without overcrowding a pedalboard.
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The OC-2 struggles to track notes below A1, making it unsuitable for producing sub-octave tones lower than 21Hz.
Source
Use cases and applications
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Ideal for use with a clean signal into the OC-2 followed by distortion, and pairing with an envelope follower for enhanced sound.
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The Boss OC-5 delivers a huge sound by tracking only the root of chords, making it suitable for both guitar and bass applications.
Source -
The OC-2 is recommended for use as a synth effect, with the Direct Level knob between 9 and 6 o'clock and Octave 1 at 100%.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 11 Reviews and 104 Ratings
41029
swing low sweet chariot
the gold standard of o80soctave down pedals but that's more for the build quality and buffer then the actual circuit which is quirky and finnicky.... it makes heinous low noises in case you need that sort of thing. I'm sure its been bettered for tracking and soundquality but the old designs have charm as noise machines. not as dun as an octave multiplexer and not as good at tracking as the arion, but it has a place. Want to really frustrate it? put a synthesizer into it! Prepare for silliness. Reminds me of an mxr blue box that's not fuzzy, just synthy and velcroey....
383
THE octaver
Nothing beats this beast, put an OD or FUZZ in front of it and own the show!
111
Low End Lovers!
This is one of my favorite pedals I've ever played. Its almost like I transform into a synth with the push of a button.
1645
Favorite Pedal Ever.
Everyone uses it for a reason. I can get great sub tones as well as gritty dry/oct splits. Love it.
Classic octaver
Sounds excellent, but actually I'm using only for recording. For live situations I prefeer the OC-3.
184
Another great octaver
Still on the fence between this and the EBS Octabass, but I may run both....
265
Artist usage
Add artist
In the video titled "Tim Lefebvre On Using Effects Pedals for Bass," Tim Lefebvre discusses and demonstrates his use of the Boss OC-2 Octaver pedal.
from sonicyouth.com From Jim's 2002 pedalboard (August 2002 Murray St. show)
During an interview conducted by Doug Castro of Darkglass Electronics, Jon Stockman of Karnivool can be seen using the Boss OC-2 Octaver on his pedalboard.
He said that he uses it when was asked "With so many sounds on the GOASTT record to reproduce live, I imagine you need a well-stocked pedalboard. What do you have on it?"
"This pedal is criminally underrated. I know Boss sometimes has a bad rep with the pedal-using community, but this super-simple stompbox has been on every single 311 album since Unity in the early ’90s. I really enjoy using it on heavy, single-note guitar parts because it adds some nastiness and fattens the tone, bolstering the dry distortion sound. I kick it on for songs like “Ebb and Flow” and “The Great Divide” off Stereolithic. I prefer the Boss Octave to an octave fuzz because it only tracks one or two octaves below the original signal, and it’s simple, clean, and pure."
The 1986 The Final Countdown Tourbook goes into detail about the gear Europe used for the tour (albeit with a few typos and inconsistencies), and listed among Norum's gear is a "Boss Octaver". You can clearly hear the effect on some solos such as on "Time Has Come", both on record and live.
Norum didn't seem to have an on-stage pedalboard on their 1986 Tour, and most likely used a some kind of midi swithcing system instead.
In this snapshot of James' pedalboard, one of the pedals that can be seen is the Boss OC-2. The pedal makes another appearance in 2021 Premier Guitar interview.
In this 1987 photo, Yuri and Joanna Stingray pose for a Roland Boss advertisement, standing with their pedals alongside the Boss OC-2, which the company gave them as a gift. It is unknown whether this pedal was used in concerts or recordings.
In this photo (source), the Boss OC-2 octaver pedal is visible.
In the provided Tumblr photo, Brian Gibson is shown using a Boss OC-2 Octaver. Notably, in some images, it features a Metal Zone faceplate.
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Album Usage
The Boss OC-2 Octaver has been featured on the following albums:
Expert In A Dying Field
The Beths (2022)
Something From Nothing
Manny Charlton (2019)
8
Ufomammut (2017)
Affinity
Haken (2016)
Rumors
Paolo Spaccamonti (2015)
Stereolithic
311 (2014)
Blood in Blood Out
Exodus (2014)
Postcards From A Young Man
Manic Street Preachers (2010)
Saudades De Rock
Extreme (2008)
Antidotes
Foals (2008)
Death Magnetic
Metallica (2008)
Live at Anti Waa Festival 1989 (Live)
The Groundhogs (2007)
Untouchables
Korn (2002)
Echo
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (1999)
Rebel Yell
Billy Idol & Billy Idol (1983)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Boss OC-2 Octaver, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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