OC-5 Octave Pedal Review

Be Patient

These thoughts aren't expert…but merely a suggestion to get past what might initially sound terrible. Try it if you plugged in your OC—5 and it sounded like crsp. :) For ME… -The key to discovering this octave pedal's strength requires some restraint. I think a lot of people have come to expect the "middle" settings are a safe place to start with many things…and I'd wager… read more that those who complain of terrible results with the OC-5 are very often misunderstanding how to really start with it. So… I suggest this basic starting point…if, like me, you seek to add a bit of base or low end to your solitary guitar playing. -Clean guitar tone to start -Of course Use the Output Out from the OC-5 to feed into the rest of your setup/amp or oedal effects -Set "Direct" knob to 12 o'clock -Set all other knobs to lowest setting…(counter-clockwise til they stop turning). -Flip switch to Poly. -Turn the "-Oct Level" knob to about 10 o'clock. -Play your low E and keep plucking it….while you… -Begin sLOWLY turning the far right knob "-2OctRange"clockwise from minimum. -Listen carefully for the BASS to kick in while plucking yiur low E. -Play lightly a bit…hitting your low E occasionally. (if hard to hear, exaggerate bass volume by turning up the "-OctLevel" knob until you barely do hear it. THIS by itself will begin to sound nice…with restraint. BUT… Keep in mind that your modulation settings, chorus, and distortion could requure even lighter settings on the added bass. -Now play your second lowest string open. -*Slowly* turn "-OctRange" farther clockwise until you just begin to hear the added bass to your second lowest string. If you start light as above as your base point…ratger than cranking things early—which WILL sound like poo…you will begin to see the potential here. A light enhancement can be truly rich…especially if you play alone…and maybe some chords or etc only use your higher strings snd feel thin. By lightly adjusting upward to include only what you want to add a wee bit of bass to, this unit is pretty dang sweet. Again… No expert here. Just a guy who initially though "YUCK!!"…until I did the above. YMMV. -Mark

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Versatile and strong built quality

I tried OC2 BEFORE BUT THIS GUY SOUNDS EVEN BETTER.

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If your into ambient swells keep the pog for everything else this is a game changer

I just received this today and I can't put my guitars down. It just opens up endless possibilities. I have to admit the pog sounds better on swells but …. That's not the only thing I play. Stick a rotary pedal and this sounds like an old raspy Hammond.The thing that blew my mind was the lowest note mode. This is a game changer. It only tracks the lowest note that you play. So… read more basically my oc5 is my bassist. This is a must for acoustic players. Well done boss.

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Oh yeah!

Just got my new Roland OC-5, and I am impressed! While the tracking is iffy in the vintage mode, it is stellar in the poly setting - plus I like how the -2 octave pot controls the bandwidth of the -1 octave. Super cool to get just the sound you're looking for. I was fooling around, and the +1 and -1 octaves turned up with no dry signal is a super cool sound - ran through my… read more Rotosphere, it almost turns into a spaceship. I had the original OC-2 years ago, and there is no comparison - having the +1 octave allows for an excellent Octavia sound when paired with the right overdrive. Since I also play bass, it is especially cool that the guitar/bass switch allows for dual functionality. A gas on fretless! Gonna have a lot of fun making noises with this thing. A shout out to Cody for his always excellent product advice and service.

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Boss OC5

It's peachy keen!

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