Bass Player Bass Octave Review May 09

Originally printed in May 2009 issue of Bass Player. Reprinted with the permission of the Publishers of Bass Player. Copyright 2008 NewBay Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Bass Player is a Music Player Network publication, 1111 Bayhill Dr., St. 125, San Bruno, CA 94066. T. 650.238.0300. Subscribe at www.musicplayer.com

CLICK

TO

B A S S P L AY E R .C O M

SOUNDROOM MXR

M-288 Bass Octave Deluxe BY JONATHAN HERRERA OCTAVE-DIVIDER EFFECTS ARE SUPER

cool. In essence, they allow a player to blend a direct signal with a synthetically produced signal an octave below. Not only do they thicken-up high-register passages, but their inherently synth-y sound adds a significant color to our sonic palette. To generate an octave-down signal, there are digital devices (the Electro-Harmonix POG and Boss OC-3, for example) and there are analog pedals, like the classic Boss OC-2, the EBS OctaBass, and now, the MXR M-288 Bass Octave Deluxe. Analog octave dividers don’t offer polyphony, but they do have a warm immediacy that’s impossible to duplicate digitally. With the M-288, MXR nailed the most important aspects of the octave effect, and included a clever midrange boost that expands the sound even further.

MXR M-288 Street $150 Pros Excellent tracking with two distinct octave voices. Cons None

Contact www.jimdunlop.com (707) 745-2722

DRY controls the M-288’s unaffected level, while GROWL and GIRTH offer volume control over two different octave-down signals. The GROWL signal was edgier and brighter, with a more obviously synthed-out square-wave sound. GIRTH, on the other hand, was deeper and darker—its less colorful sound was better suited to subtler passages where overall low-end beefiness is desired, not tone-morphing tweakage. For more variety, the two sounds are blendable, and I’m happy to report that the MXR nails that drum & bass-worthy pure-octave tone that players like Tim Lefebvre and Steve Jenkins use to great effect. The MID+ button engages a boost that’s internally adjustable

between 400–850Hz and variable from 4–14dB. It proved to be an excellent way to preserve presence and punch with the effect engaged, so I left it on mostly. Regardless of setting, the M-288 tracked very well. MXR contributes this solid performance to its “CHT” technology, which uses a voltage doubler circuit to increase operational voltage to 18 volts. The MXR’s construction was solid, and its small footprint made squeezing it into my overcrowded pedalboard a cinch. On a dark gig, I dug the glow-in-the-dark lines and button. Overall, there’s nothing to fault with the MXR, and much to celBP ebrate.

For more on octave divider effects, plus way more, check out BASS

52

PLAYER’s December ’06

I used the M-288 on a crazy folk-fusion gig and absolutely loved it—the GROWL

stompbox cover story.

and MID controls were especially hip. — B R I A N F OX

B A S S P L AY E R . C O M

|

M AY 2 0 0 9