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Pedal Question

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 Mike
(@mike)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 2892
Topic starter  

What will an Octave pedal do to my sound? Is an Octave pedal the same as a Sustain pedal?

For those who don't know I have a Fender HotRod Deluxe amp. I don't want to change the sound of it to much I just want to be able to have more of a feel with it. Like having the notes ring out longer. Don't get me wrong it has a great feel to it already but, I can't always crank it up to get to the "break-up/saturation" point.

The reason I'm asking is because I just bought my third guitar Squire Strat made by Fender (1996) which sounds great after a few pick-up adjustments and I can't put it down. So what pedal can do what I want?

I think Hendrix used an Octave pedal with his Strat and I like how he makes his long slides sound.

Thanks.


   
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(@davec)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 56
 

An octave pedal will usually give you once octave up from what your playing, usually distorted to get it to sound though well enough, mixed in with your normal signal. Shouldn't effect your sustain at all.

"And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down here on earth." - Eric Idle, The Galaxy Song.


   
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(@greybeard)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

I don't have one, but I always thought that it was one or two octaves LOWER than the note you're playing.

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(@davec)
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Well you can get octave down pedals as well, Hendrix used an octavia though which is an octave up.
I have a BOSS OC-2 which gives an octave or 2 down.

"And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down here on earth." - Eric Idle, The Galaxy Song.


   
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(@slothrob)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 472
 

I think you're looking for a Compressor pedal, if you are trying to increase sustain. Simplified, they make quiet sounds louder and loud sounds quieter to make a note sound more even for longer. Often used to add sustain to leads or to smooth out rhythm. (Also required to get Sting's voice to sound like he did with the Police.)


   
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(@ignar-hillstrom)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

Modern octave pedals give you a choice of either one or two (sometimes even three, but that seems pointless to me...) octaves either up or down. You chose.


   
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(@bstguitarist)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 353
 

Holy S*it! Tracker you got the same guitar as me lol! I didn't think I would meet anyone with my guitar. Don't you think the '96 squire strats are so much better than the newr strats. Personally I think they lost something after ward and their production just went down in quality. well this is really cool.

Hey see picks of mine at http://bstguitarist.dmusic.com Its the black strat.


No matter what anyone says, these four men were the Innovators! of modern Rock & Roll!

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 Mike
(@mike)
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Topic starter  

bstguitarist,

Yup, we got the same axe (same color too), I have the same sticker on the back of my headstock (50th / '46'-'96') Purdy ain't she. The funny thing is, I wanted another guitar (a VERY LOOOOOONG story short) this kid bought it BRAND NEW, went to eight lessons and NEVER touched it after that. SCORE for me at a killer price.


   
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(@wes-inman)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

You might try a good Chorus pedal. This will add a fullness to your sound. Probably the most common effect used, especially with delay.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@forrok_star)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2337
 

Here's a little something I did for a Guitarist over the weekend. He was amazed at the sound and tone I get at lower volumes. I explained and showed him the equipment I was using. I told him I was using Attenuators on the amp. He had never heard of such a thing. Well his fender twin had the speakers hard wired and only one extra speaker out. During the break I got my carry it all electrical case out, cut the speaker wires, added/soldered connectors to allow for disconnecting and connecting the mains. From the new power amp out jack I add an attenuator and then plugged the speakers back in.

Plugged my guitar in dialed and tweaked a sound and tone that would make most cry. Here's a couple attenuators that won't break the pocket book. 1. Tom Sholz Power soak 2. Altair model PW 5. You'll have to do some E-bay watching. The power soak will run about $75.00 to $100.00..The Altair attenuators are from the 1970's and well worth their weight in gold, they'll run about $75.00.

The use of Attenuators, you don't need to run your amp full out to get that saturated output. Find your sweet spot and back the dB's down a few and adjust to taste. You'll be Rockin...

On this part your on your own. The attenuators have two speaker outs for running two 4x12 cabinets. Being I use stereo tube power amps. I run two attenuators. from side A set with a lot attenuation then run to a speaker cabinet, then I run side B set with hardly no attenuation out to another speaker, now from the extra speaker outs from both attenuators I run into an Equalizer (Art 341) then into a Roland digital delay then back into another Marshall power amp. From the line outs on the attenuators I run into another EQ (yes..Art 341) into either the console/mixer or more power amps or guitar amps.

"WARNING"..Using the extra speaker out from the attenuators to run into other equipment can blow the other equipment. Please be careful.. You need to watch the dB's coming out of it. "WARNING"

I don't want folks all mad at me for suggesting setups that can ruin equipment, I've been experimenting for many years. learn the values of the inputs and outputs of all your equipment, the companies give you this information for a reason. Sure Playing with an amp real loud is fun from time to time but it's just not practical all the time.

Most of all have fun..Did I just give away another 1970's secret..lol

Joe


   
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(@hobsonator)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 48
 

Jimi Hendrix used a Roger Mayer Octavia which does an octave up. But most octave boxes are an octave or two down. I really like my MXR Blue Box. The Blue Box is an octave fuzz that does fuzz an octave down.


   
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