Danelectro DJ-12 Chilidog Octave

Almost too easy.

First and foremost, I'm using this for my bass, because I was curious. It's kind of awful. Oh well, I took a gamble. Also I didn't feel like shelling out $150 for the MXR octave pedal. Whatever.

Made of plastic, but I'd use it without a backup. It's sturdy and I doubt it's going to fall apart unless I try to break it.

Not for me but I think it would be okay for its intended use.

OK, I've had this for 4 years and was running it on battery power, recently changed over to a Rocktron PSU for the entire pedalboard. This pedal only does one thing but it does it so well. It never tracked 100% perfect on battery power but using the PSU is a whole different ball game. Put before your dirt pedals in the chain and really beef up one note riffs and make solos shred. Seems to track all the way up and down with no issues except on long sustains but, hey, that breakup on sustains is part of the charm.
Rig:-
Strat -> Chili Dog -> Boss OS2 OD/Dist -> Big Muff -> EH Small Stone -> Dano Cool Cat Chorus -> Hotwire Audio Mig*Boost -> Ampeg VT22 (no master volume)

The 'user interface' part of it, i.e. the knobs and footswitch are a bit flimsy and you have to check the status LED every time you click it on or off as there is no 'click' to the footswitch.
Not great but I use it all the time without backup. It would be nice if you could see the knob positions without having to crouch over it and also to have a more robust and tactile switch..

I didn't have much time for this pedal before I started using it with a PSU, but now it's an integral part of my setup. Combine with dirt and phasing/chorus for a proper grinding overdriven tone with synth-like overtones. As stated above, I wish it had a more robust front panel but for the money paid for it, it's ok bang for the buck. It is completely transparent when bypassed and I'm really starting to find my own sound with this pedal in my rig. I would definitely replace it if lost or stolen.

Well, it's pretty easy to use. It's got three knobs, controlling the volume of the orginal signal, the volume of the 1 octave down tone, and the volume of the 2 octave down tone. The footswitch is tricky, you have to make sure you push it down far enough, and it comes with velcro on the bottom. That makes it rock under your foot and makes it hard to switch it on and off.

I mostly play a Squier Strat (with hot rails, a two-point trem, and a load of other features; it's a lot better than most Fenders) into:
Morley wah > ChiliDog > tuner > Behringer fuzz (bigmuff clone) > Digitech Hot Head distortion > Digitech Grunge fuzz distortion into whatever amp's around. It doesn't work after the distortion... supercompresses the signal.
On single-note lines on the middle range of the guitar it works fine. On the low end it's flabby, fluttery and weird; it has weird, unpredictable pitch shifts after you hit the note. On the very high notes, way up past the 16th fret on the E string and whatnot, it does nothing at all. It can't register the tones or something. On chords...urgh. It kind of hurts. Basically, if you play fast th flabbiness is okay, and if you play single notes it produces a nice bass sound from a guitar. If you play slow, or play chords, or go too high or too low, it just sucks.
If, like me, you play a very noisy variation on grunge...it's fun.

It doesn't look reliable. It's made of plastic, the switch is plastic, it's held together by a plastic bolt (the most idiotic thing since chocolate riot shields), and it's purple. Seriously. Purple. But I've been using this pedal for almost a year and it hasn't given me a problem.

Never dealt with 'em.

I play a grunge thing...a Nirvana/Mudhoney/Dinosaur Jr./Sonic Youth thing. I realize they're not all grunge. For that, I don't actually need an octave pedal. That makes everything easy. I mainly use it in combination with a couple screeching distortions and wah in fast, J Mascis-style solos. I didn't compare it to anything. It was an impulsive ebay buy. Basically, if you wanted a bassist in a box, this wouldn't do it. If you wanted more sonic presence for solos or something, this would do it. That's more or less it.

Manual has suggested settings - Octave 2 at 9 'o'clock, Octave 1 on full and your guitar signal on full. I've followed this setting to the letter and I'm totally happy with the sound it produces and this is how I usually st my knobs. Easy to use and get going on.

This is a great analogue octaver. It farts out on some notes like below the 5th on the low E and above the 15th on the high but most octave down pedals do this; except the EHX POG. The glitchiness is part of the charm of octave down units.

This pedal tracks double stops pretty well if you pick softly - you can get some hot, raunchy noises.

The ultimate test for any octave down pedal is to play it with fuzz, reverb and play along with Neil Young's "Hey, Hey, My, My" intro. This pedal nails that sound (note that passage has some full chords in it - like F maj 7 and A Minor).

Nice pedal for the cash spent and it's actually better than the DOD Octoplus I used to own. I use the Chilli mainly for greasy pentatonic licks/riffs and unusual solo passages. Good for classical sound arpeggios too.

I'm loving all my Dano gear. This thing comes with a stomp protector to stop you knocking the knobs off. Other than that just be nice to it and it will last.

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I play blues, rockabilly, country, jazz, rock and fusion. I consider octave down pedals to be an essential, albeit occasional, sound for my playing styles. The Chilli Dog is way cool. You can even get an MXR Blue Box sound by dialing out octave 1 and diming your original guitar signal and octave 2. Play this with fuzz and your in the same sonic territory as the Blue Box: fuzz plus 2 octaves down and lots of sonic glitches. Cool!!!

The "manual" it has is really just a piece of paper with settings that danelectro thought sounded good. but thats about it, it's super simple to use, three knobs, obviously labeled, simple.

when i plugged this in i was expecting it to sound cheesy, but this pedal is awesome!, it sounds thick and real, the only time when it dies out is about the 3rd fret on the low e, but i think just about any octave pedal would. it also sounds really cool with vocals, just dont try to sing johnny chash with it lol.

this thing seems pretty solid, the knobs are kinda tiny, easily smashable, but they have a nice little plastic cover that keeps big feet from crushing them. When you pick it up it's not super light and plasticy (even though it is plastic), its got a good feel. The only chinsey thing is the switch, when you press it, it doesn't seem to press.

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I say for the money, its awesome.

This review is focused to bass players. I play funk.

This is pretty darn easy to use. I took it out of the box, and it was set to the directions recommended setting. I plugged it in and got a very good sound out of my bass.
The only thing that makes it not easy to use is the footswitch protective cover. It slides over the knobs so you can see them, but they are almost impossible to turn when it's on. It's a good thing in the long run, but if you're at a gig and need to make a quick adjustment it would make it hard.
I played it through my American Jazz Bass and into a Trace Elliot SM7 EQ head. I ran it through the effects loop.

This tracks very well for the bass. I tried the Boss OC-3, both new and old versions, and there was obvious tracking, plus distortion.

I didn't want an octave pedal that added distortion. I like my pedals to do their job. If I want fuzz or distortion with it, I'll hit that pedal, too.

The octave tone is very tight, with little tracking. It's only noticable on the lower notes, but I turned back the second octave and it sounds very good now. It might struggle with very powerful active electronics or the B string on a 5 string bass.

Up high, the sound is really nice and funky.

I haven't gigged with it yet, but I'm going to. I have it in a powered pedal board.

The case is typical plastic Danelectro, but it's a pretty hardy little pedal. I don't forsee any problems. But at $30 new, it's easy enough to replace.

Haven't dealt with them.

Really, really good pedal for the price. It wrecks pedals three times its cost.

If you are looking for a clean sounding, basic octave pedal, this could be a good choice for you.

Three volumeknobs, one on/off button.

The direct sound is transparent. i was amazed.
Octave 2 is two octaves below fundamental.
Octave 1 is one octave below fundamental.
No noticeable noise from this unit. sweet.
This is not a polyphonic device. That's okay, i wasn't expecting it to be. Maybe down the line i will spend 500$ and get an EH H.O.G.
This thing is fun and it sounds great. I tried it both before and after distortion, which sounded very different..
It tracks really well on both, although you can hear it breathing harder trying to keep up with a distorted input.
Of note: it really doesn't matter which pickup you use (neck or bridge) it tracks fine either way.
I have tried all the expensive fuzz octaves and i find its easier to get an octave sound by putting the chili dog first in the chain, and then the fuzz.

I tried this with a od808 and a RAT Deucetone and the sound was freakin awesome. like a one man band. (i do wish you could play chords through this, the sound would be huge)
It has a distorted synth character to it, which is understandable since its generated harmonic synthisis based on the fundamental of the note you play. it sounds like the even order harmonics are used, so the sound is pleasant and never farty. The sound is a unified whole compared to when you put the octave after the fuzz in the chain.

With the octave recieving a distorted input there are some artifacts here and there as it tracks (which it does admirably). The sound is more like the distortion effect in character, and choice of pickup makes more of a difference is the tone (but not the tracking). For instance, i liked the od808 in the neck position, with overdrive at 2:00. I dialed in the octaves as desired (no shortage of bass!). i tend to use more direct volume and octave 1 full up, with octave 2 fairly low in this set up. Really full sounding lead sounds depending how you do it.

I would be careful using this unit by itself the first time on a loud amp. There is so much bass from the octaves that i was stressing the speaker (which were designed for guitar and not bass). i have no doubt it is possible to destroy speakers at loud volumes they way it would sound if you tried to play bass through a guitar cab at loud volumes. There's no dual out for high and low frequencies, but i can see recording songs at low volumes through guitar speakers and this being a non issue.

For me this is more of a toy than anything else. its use is limited as the mix would turn to mud if you try to compete with a bass player and would probably piss him/her off. i will use it recording random songs and when a bass player isn't necessary. Try imagining a bassplayer who wants to match every nuance of a guitar solo.

Hey, BTW if you are the bass player then you are in luck because this is the ticket for detuned sounds. Get a detuned (without the floppy out-of-tune string) E sound on a 4 string, (but turn it off at the 12 fret because it will generate enough bass on octave 2 to sound like the 1st.) Put it before some fuzz or overdrive and you are manna from hardcore heaven.

This is the weak link in the chain. The components are good enough where they sound good. Modern circuit board saves construction costs. i don't mind the plastic body so much. The circuit board means if any components burn out they would be hard to replace, and it probably wouldn't be worth it.

I now appreciate the merits of point to point construction. If a component wears out, just pull it out and sub a new one, too easy, not to mention modifyable.

The input jack sleeves are plastic, meaning if they break they could be a hassle. The knobs are plastic, and aren't really attatched even. Pull on one and it will come off (it goes on easy too, but if you lose it in transit then you will be adjusting your tone with a philips head screwdriver) The weakest part is the foot switch. it gets the most wear, and the switching mechanism is plastic as well. Eventually it will wear out and i will have a new paperweight. The really sad thing is that this is more reliable than the older generation of metal bodied danelectro pedals that cost $100 or more. If and when this pedal fails, a will likely have gotten my thirty dollars worth, and so far this is more of a fun addition than a necessary part of my guitar sound.

i don't expect anything from them, but thats based on word of mouth and not personal experience.

disposable, affordable, and great sounding. if it breaks will i spend more than 20X the cost on something more features and better costruction? probably.

3 knobs; Original Signal, 1 octave down and 2 octaves down.
The button to activate the effect isn't the greatest, which can be a problem sometimes when you're trying to turn it on and off at certain exact times during a song.

Ibanez GAX30 or Epi Les Paul Classic Plus - Dano Octave - Distort - Delay - Kustom KGA65

Definately not perfect. Works pretty well on single notes. Forget about doing chords.

The 2 octave down setting is pretty worthless in my opinion. But I also own a Boss PS5 super shifter, and a Digitech whammy, and 2 octaves down tends to go to crap in most cases. Could be my amp, but I doubt it.
I generally set the original signal all the way up, the 1 octave set to about the 11 o'clock, and the 2 octave set all the way down.
It sounds better than my boss PS5's Harmonizer.

This effect works best if set before distortion. It's not the greatest on clean but it works.

It's plastic, and the knobs are weak. 2 of the three knobs on mine have broken off. Fortunately I can still manipulate them.

Pretty wimpy. But I've had it for about 5 years now and it still works.

Never dealt with them. I think it had a 1 year warranty though

I've used this for gigging a few times, especially to thicken up my sound back when my band was a 2 piece. I still use it now that we have a bassist, but not as much. If you want to use it to get a good bass sound, you might want to look somewhere else.

If this thing crapped out on me or got lost, I'd probably buy a Boss OC-2.

Ok, this is pretty easy to use, the knobs control the volumes of the 1 octave down, 2 octaves down and the guitar signal. Very very simple to use.

This works best with single notes. On the low E string the tracking can skip around a bit, but that is to be expected from most octave effects. I bought this thinking I could put my clean guitar signal to an EQ, cut the highs, feed it through this, and pump it into a bass amp. I guess if I wanted a pulsing bass noise I could do that, but that is not really where this shines.

This shines in experimental music. It is cool hearing the tracking bounce around when playing chords, and using it with other pitch changing effects confuses them in turn and creates more interesting sounds.

You could technically turn your guitar into a 70's synthy sounding bass with this.

If you use it with some modulation and some reverb, you can get a creepy old organ playing single notes sound with it too.

It is not the ultimate in octave effects, but for 15 bucks, I don't really care.

Also, if you are into the 70's sort of rock, it really fattens up solos.

It is plastic, but I don't use it often enough to destroy it.

I don't expect to deal with them.

It is pretty good, I play shoegazer/gothic/post-punk/post-hardcore. This effect is best for noisier ventures.

If it were lost, I wouldn't worry too much about replacing it.

It is helpful for making music sometimes.

Super easy. One on/off footswich. Three knobs. 'nuff said.

I'm able to get a lot of cool sounds out of it. The blending knob is a nice feature, where you can dial in more or less of the unaffected guitar sound.

I'm using the pedal on a cleaner type setting of a low wattage tube amp. Sounds great with clean guitar lines. Almost like a bass is in the background. I didn't get it to "play bass lines" though, as some people seem to do when getting octave pedals. I don't think octave pedals are meant for replacing a bass - they are just fun to play with.

The two different octaves enable a multitude of great options.

The Danelectro mini pedals are very "cute." They're small, made of plastic, and look cool. They are fairly well built, but they aren't tanks like some stompboxes, the battery compartment is a little awkward, and the top of the screw to it strips easily, so be careful.

I wouldn't really gig heavily with it, but it could likely be used for light gigging. Definitely cool with the home studio type set up. I've built pedals, and for the money, the mini pedals a good value for what they can do, especially if you get one used.

I don't usually call up the president of guitar effect companies like most gear heads and chew them out when their pedals don't make me sound like Eddie Van Halen.

I play a type of bluesy jazz that's like Slayer on sedatives. Going on 15 years now. I'd grab another if it were lost.

It'd be cool if it had a switch that engaged a fuzz or overdrive with the octave, but I guess they have that in their other octave/fuzz pedal.

Again, the size is cool. It's just not all that tough. Eight for not being made entirely of metal.