Octave Down Sound - Whammy or OC2

Started by afountas, September 29, 2016, 07:44:49 AM

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afountas

We've heard a ton of octave down usage during guitar solos in the last few tours.  It sounds like the whammy on the whammy octave down (completely wet signal).  But I noticed that he has a boss oc2 in the rig, so was wondering if he might be using this.

I noticed on my whammy 5 there's a large volume drop on the Oct down whammy side. And before Trey has the OC2 in his rig I don't remember much use of that effect, the drop octave stuff in prior years sounded more like the harmony side of a whammy pedal, which has a dry signal and no volume loss.

Thoughts?
Guitars: Equator Mini, Fender Strat Deluxe, Tacoma Custom Build Koa (acoustic), Taylor NS74CE (acoustic)> Martin D16GT (acoustic)>

Effects:
Dunlop Crybaby From Hell >  OD9 Silver > OD9 Silver > Analogman BiComp >
Loop Master 5 Loop (w/tuner out): 1. (Korg Pitchblack Tuner) 2. Whammy 5 w/ Midi  3. Black Cat Vibe 4. Line 6 M13 5.(empty) 6. Boomerang III

Amp: 1990 Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue w/ Weber Blue Dog 50 watt Paper Cone Light Dope

Heady Jam Fan

Quote from: afountas on September 29, 2016, 07:44:49 AM
We've heard a ton of octave down usage during guitar solos in the last few tours.  It sounds like the whammy on the whammy octave down (completely wet signal).  But I noticed that he has a boss oc2 in the rig, so was wondering if he might be using this.

I noticed on my whammy 5 there's a large volume drop on the Oct down whammy side. And before Trey has the OC2 in his rig I don't remember much use of that effect, the drop octave stuff in prior years sounded more like the harmony side of a whammy pedal, which has a dry signal and no volume loss.

Thoughts?

I've been using the Whammy 5 on the harmony side, but I assumed he was using his OC2 in recent years. I had a Mooer Tender Octaver, which was great (better than the Whammy), but I sold it because it was redundant with the Whammy, which covers more ground. There is some volume drop / tonal change with the Whammy, but it doesn't bother me too much. Between running through a TS9 and compressor, I don't notice the volume change so much as maybe a slight drop in drive. Tonally, I don't think the Whammy 5 has enough bite in octave down (sub-octave alone, without the harmony), so I only use the harmony setting for octave-down effects.
Headless Hollowbody > Mesa Boogie MK III > TRM Trucker 212 w/ V30's
Whammy 5 > Mini Wah > 74 Script Phase 90 > CP9Pro+ > 82 TS9 > 83 TS9 > Ross Compressor > Turbo-Tuner > 83 AD9

afountas

I was investigating this a little more and I think he has to be using the Whammy for the octave down.  The OC2 is reportedly gone during the 16 summer tour and I'm hearing the same tone. 

Where is the whammy 5 in your signal path?  I love that pedal overall and I don't get any volume drops with the exception of the Oct and 2-Oct down settings.  If it was a small volume drop I would just deal with it but it's probably 50%+ lower.

I reached out to Digitech and they said:  "It depends on the amp, some guitar amps don't respond to that low of a signal, and so it seems to have less volume.  Try turning up the bass EQ on the amp"

... that didn't work.  Now I am trying to figure out another solution. I could add a boost or volume pedal into the chain but really don't want to go that route.
Guitars: Equator Mini, Fender Strat Deluxe, Tacoma Custom Build Koa (acoustic), Taylor NS74CE (acoustic)> Martin D16GT (acoustic)>

Effects:
Dunlop Crybaby From Hell >  OD9 Silver > OD9 Silver > Analogman BiComp >
Loop Master 5 Loop (w/tuner out): 1. (Korg Pitchblack Tuner) 2. Whammy 5 w/ Midi  3. Black Cat Vibe 4. Line 6 M13 5.(empty) 6. Boomerang III

Amp: 1990 Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue w/ Weber Blue Dog 50 watt Paper Cone Light Dope

afountas

Heady... just noticed your signal path is posted, so you run it first?

Whammy 5 > Mini Wah > 74 Script Phase 90 > CP9Pro+ > 82 TS9 > 83 TS9 > Ross Compressor > Turbo-Tuner > 83 AD9
Guitars: Equator Mini, Fender Strat Deluxe, Tacoma Custom Build Koa (acoustic), Taylor NS74CE (acoustic)> Martin D16GT (acoustic)>

Effects:
Dunlop Crybaby From Hell >  OD9 Silver > OD9 Silver > Analogman BiComp >
Loop Master 5 Loop (w/tuner out): 1. (Korg Pitchblack Tuner) 2. Whammy 5 w/ Midi  3. Black Cat Vibe 4. Line 6 M13 5.(empty) 6. Boomerang III

Amp: 1990 Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue w/ Weber Blue Dog 50 watt Paper Cone Light Dope

Heady Jam Fan

Quote from: afountas on September 29, 2016, 09:24:40 AM
Heady... just noticed your signal path is posted, so you run it first?

Whammy 5 > Mini Wah > 74 Script Phase 90 > CP9Pro+ > 82 TS9 > 83 TS9 > Ross Compressor > Turbo-Tuner > 83 AD9

Yeah, I have mine first, and each pedal is in a loop of a true bypass loop switcher (so when a pedal is off, it is completely out of the signal path). Maybe that (ie., compressors) fixes the volume issue, or if it has to do with the amp, maybe it doesn't affect my Mark III...
Headless Hollowbody > Mesa Boogie MK III > TRM Trucker 212 w/ V30's
Whammy 5 > Mini Wah > 74 Script Phase 90 > CP9Pro+ > 82 TS9 > 83 TS9 > Ross Compressor > Turbo-Tuner > 83 AD9