Boss OC-2 Octave

I gave this a seven because, although it only has three knobs, dialing in a useable tone is not easy.

I must admit that I read all the reviews for this pedal before purchasing, but decided to buy anyway. Most of the reviews warn about this pedal not being able to octave chords. I thought I would be fine because I wanted this pedal for one song using single notes. It turns out that this pedal is even awful at deciphering these. I also followed other suggestions of boosting signal and increasing pick attack for this problem to no avail. This pedal was simply released before it was finished. It searches for singal note octaves with a confused robotic warble sound (maybe some will love that).
It should be mentioned that I am only talking about octave 1. The elusive octave 2 just comes up as sonic muck when its dial is turned.
For poops ands giggles, I A/B'd this beside my old Zoom 505. For a cheap plastic multi-effects unit, the Zoom's octave effect kicked the OC-2's ass! It was warmer, smoother, and get this, it found octaves! Not only that, but it could even do it for chords.

You can't relie on this to always play octaves like it is supposed to, but since it is a boss, it's original crappy sound probably won't quit. Therefore, OC-2 gets a 5.

whew! Good thing I only paid $50 for this. This pedal is so incredibly bad at doing what it says, but it looks pretty sweet with 70's Camarro brown sparkle paint.
This pedal reminds me of one of those pug dogs; it's so stupid that you feel this weird affection for it.

The power of the octave gets a bit confusing, but should only pose a problem for a minute or wo.

Nice sound...if you're into all of those Smashing Pumpkins octaved solos, this is the pedal for you. But for God's sake don't try to play power chords on them. Some muddled "oorghhh" sound will come out, and it sounds terrible.

Extremely...it's a boss, and boss are as tough as they come. Could definitely kill something if dropped from a helicopter.

N/A

Overall, nice sounds come from this hippy octave box. Lend your style to the Pumpkins by buying one of these for your solos. But no Blink 182 style power chord will make you feel better about buying this pedal.

Easy to use (Three knobs, dry signal, 1-octave below and 2-octave below), but hard to use WELL. You do have to have a fiddle.

I originally went looking for this pedal thinking it did octaves UP (ie. harmonic generator) not octaves down...but when I tried it out and found out what it did, I thought it was MUCH cooler. It does sound synthetic, but there's nothing wrong with that if it's the sound you're looking for, and the basic dry signal is still there. You need a very pure-toned guitar to get the most out of it. It sounds very dodgy on my Strat-copy with heaps of fret buzz, but on my hollow-body Gretch it's smooth as silk, and tracks very well. Yeah, don't bother trying to play chords, although simple two-note 4ths and 5th can sometimes work. Sounds great through distortion (AFTER the Octaver).

It's a brick, 'nuff said. haven't had a problem.

Never needed it.

A lot of people are dissing this pedal, but I think that's maybe because their playing style doesn't suit it. If you're playing funky chords, or deep power-chords (thinking it's gonna make you sound like some dodgy nu-metal band with 7 string guitars), it doesn't work. If you want something to add depth and psychadelia to solos, want a weird-ass noise generator, want to phatten single-note riffing, or just like to fiddle around with "weird" sounds, it rocks. It also works great with other instruments...try plugging a tinny little Casio keyboard into it and a Crybaby Wah for some phat acid-techno sounds...true!

It's a guitar stomp box. Few things in life are so simple.

My favorite use for this is with cheap toy keyboards (e.g. the Kawasaki "Key Boom", circuit-bent and modified with a 1/4" output jack) run through this before the Akai Headrush or other delay/sample boxes. There are some beautiful sounds to be had in this way. Sometimes the octaving tracks really well, sometimes it's a little confused. This is part of the beautiful sound.

It's a boss pedal. It's reliable.

They have support.

Of all the stomp boxes I have (which are numerous) this one gets used more than any others. This is in the context of studio recording and experimental electric/acoustic mathcore fusion jazz. All y'all rock and roll types might need a fuzzbox first.

Only three knobs - direct signal, one octave down, and two octaves down. Very easy to use.

At first I was disappointed with the sound and thought it sounded very digital, like video game sounds. Then I found a way to use it that sounds really great - I turn the 2nd octave most of the way down, turn the direct all the way up, and the 1st octave at about 2/3 or 3/4. I can play Homebrew and Livin' & Rockin' and Jackolantern's Weather and other songs by 311. Tim Mahoney is my favorite guitarist, which is why I bought this pedal - because he uses it. I can tell a difference in my tone with this pedal in line, versus just plugging straight into the amp (I use a Gibson Les Paul Studio and a Rivera Knucklhead 55 watt amp into a Peavey 5150 speaker cab). I would like it better if it was true bypass, but it's a very cool pedal so I'm not complaining.

I don't think this thing should have any problems.

I don't know anything about their customer support.

Cool pedal.
My only complaint is the slight change in tone when the effect is in line and bypassed versus if the effect is not present in the chain.
I will be keeping this one.

This box is a paradox. It's easy to adjust, but hard to learn how to tweak and set up until you unlock it's secrets.

Use it with a Peavey Triple XXX. A 5150 II. Guitars are a Wolfgang and a 1983 Kramer Floyd Rose Signature. I give this a hands down 10. I am going to open up the secret for you. Use it in the loop. Set both knobs to 9:00 o'clock. Set the volume knob to 3:00 o'clock. It give a real good low end boost without aftertones. With the knobs set under 9...it sounds like a chorus..with the knobs greater then 9 you get a bass overtone. Past 12 and the box is basically usless. Now here is the scoop. Put it first in the loop. It will replace all the lost signal and then some. I put it before a MXR flanger and it makes the sound real thick. This is why all the big guys use or used this pedal. Check it out..Steve Vai. Eddie Van Halen, George Lynch and many more.

The one I have I bought used. It is all beat and scratched up but works great..These Boss pedals are built like a tank.

Heavy Metal...But is sounds great with Rock and Jazz too.

Super Easy

This pedal is a Tone Killer. It turns a vicous analog signal to a very synthetic organ type sound. Only tracks single notes. Does not track the lower notes on a guitar very well. Signal needs to be juiced via distortion pedal before getting to the OC-2.

Its a boss. You can put it in your will to your grandchildren...

Not tested

I play rock. This pedal will get little use.

very easty to use u can get thick guitar sounds its amazing u can sound like 311 or get a bagpipes sound

awesome one word to describe this pedal iam glad i got this pedal i even use it for vocals sometimes the effect is not weak at all im using it with a line 6 spyder amp i also use it wit a fender m-80 sounds great this thing is instant 311 in a box

it a boss nuff said

never dealt wit them about anything broke

i play 311 meets soundgarden meets ratm and i need this pEDAL to meet the diverse sounds i want to get its great clean sounding octave pedal it goes two octaves up or down the dod octoplus only goes one

like riding a trike

yamaha sbg 500-Buddha wah-Rat-OC2-Orange graphic 120/Orange 4/12 with75 watt Celestions (used in this order).I play massive riff blues rock loud enough to actually blow the fabric of my clothing around like a flag or an impropperly tied down tarp going down the highway.I am connected to this OC2 pedal and have no reason to try a different brand. I figured out how to run the thing smooth enough to have it active almost allways. in conjunction with the Rat, the thing is like a nitrous powered freight train made out of crushed velvet with alittle cocaine sprinkled on top . what to do is put it after the Rat and match the output levels with each other, put the effect nobs at 25% and run the shit into a loud and clean amp.I play any chords with absolutely no loss of articulation or mud problems or signal noise. it also makes my feedback sound like a cavern full of moaning japanese monsters. got turned onto the OC2 from a dave Navarro video. why,thank you dave!

a total non pain in the ass chunk of metal and wire.

support shall be left to brassiers and jockstraps OK ?

Ya dig big,slow, knuckle dragging riff rock? go on out and snag one of these and stick it at the end of your gizmo chain. you can probably get one for nothing because , from what I have read, everyone hates them.

Very funny story about this pedal:

I bought this a few months ago. It tracks very badly and will only work if you play hard and give it a strong signal. I use a lot of subtle harmonics and volume swells and play very softly a lot of the time. This is my playing style. In chorus's when I play harder I play chords. This pedal is incapable of tracking chords.
So I have no way of using this pedal without changing my playing style, and why should I change it for a crap pedal that doesn't sound that good anyway?

I sold it to my friend after a week. The thing is that it had a scratch on the top of the pedal in the shape of an "R" so it was quite distinctive.
A week later I saw this exact same pedal in the second hand section of the local music shop. I asked my mate and he said he hated it and sold it.
I went into town a few days later and the pedal had gone, but I stopped into a backstreet pawn shop on the way home and lo and behold there was this octave pedal with a "R" scratched on it.
Not much happened for a few weeks but I was looking in another completely different guitar shop sometime later and saw this exact same ocatve pedal with an "R" scratched on it in the second hand section! It was definately the same one.
This means that in the space of a month at least four people in the same town have bought this pedal realised it SUCKS and sold it.

I look foward to seeing it again soon.

Make sure you save yourself the hasstle of having to sell it yourself by not buying it in the first place. It sucks.