|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 27, 2006 0:05:51 GMT -7
A while ago I bought an old Roger Mayer Octavia, one of the ones in the silver ship box. What I really wanted was the Chicago Iron Octavian, but this was 1/3 the price so I went for it. I tried to get along with it, and never did. So it sat around for a while...I pulled it out yesterday and starting messing with it again out of curiousity, and I found I can get a good octave sound with the fuzz box after it in the chain.
The problem was that it sounded really thin, a tad brittle (understandably), but most of all VERY VERY bright. I had the neck pickup on my Zion selected with the tone rolled off, and the fuzz face running after it, but it still was raining hell on my inner ear. It still hurts.
So I backchecked the RM website and looked at the Vision Octavia which had an added tone control. Just what I was looking for. But I don't want to pay for another one. What I want to do is add a tone circuit to the one I have.
So first question, does anyone have the Vision Octavia? If so, could I see pictures of the circuit board? Maybe a circuit diagram?
Second, is there a better place I could ask this question? Maybe The Gear Page? Analogman? BYOC? Has anyone reverse engineered this pedal?
Thanks for taking the time to read this!
|
|
|
Post by John on Dec 27, 2006 5:52:15 GMT -7
Is the old Iron Chicago unit a blue square (w/ slanted front)?
I have one from the late 70's. What do they go for now?
|
|
|
Post by Lefty on Dec 27, 2006 7:24:21 GMT -7
A while ago I bought an old Roger Mayer Octavia, one of the ones in the silver ship box. What I really wanted was the Chicago Iron Octavian, but this was 1/3 the price so I went for it. I tried to get along with it, and never did. So it sat around for a while...I pulled it out yesterday and starting messing with it again out of curiousity, and I found I can get a good octave sound with the fuzz box after it in the chain. The problem was that it sounded really thin, a tad brittle (understandably), but most of all VERY VERY bright. I had the neck pickup on my Zion selected with the tone rolled off, and the fuzz face running after it, but it still was raining hell on my inner ear. It still hurts. So I backchecked the RM website and looked at the Vision Octavia which had an added tone control. Just what I was looking for. But I don't want to pay for another one. What I want to do is add a tone circuit to the one I have. So first question, does anyone have the Vision Octavia? If so, could I see pictures of the circuit board? Maybe a circuit diagram? Second, is there a better place I could ask this question? Maybe The Gear Page? Analogman? BYOC? Has anyone reverse engineered this pedal? Thanks for taking the time to read this! You'd be better off selling the one you have and getting another. RM's circuits are never that simple. I recommend checking out the Retro-Man Octavious, cheaper than most and sounds killer!
|
|
|
Post by (8^D) on Dec 27, 2006 8:29:37 GMT -7
The Fulltone Octavia is nice too. Plus, on the newer ones you can just select the Fuzz if you'd like.
|
|
|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 27, 2006 15:45:46 GMT -7
Well, there might be a simple fix. I signed onto the forum on the Free Information Society website, which happens to have tons of guitar gear schematics. One guy said I could just add one resistor to ground at the end of the circuit to bleed off some treble. If not, maybe add the tone control circuit from a Big Muff (which I have the schematic for). I do have a BM lying around, so I may just steal it from there if it comes down to that.
|
|
|
Post by steveinnashville on Dec 28, 2006 22:27:07 GMT -7
No tone control, but I love the KR Doubler octavia. $160 new, too.
|
|
|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 28, 2006 23:04:41 GMT -7
Well there maybe be an even simpler fix! I ran my Frantone Peachfuzz after it, and using that tone control took out the ear piercing highs. Dunno if I'll ever use the Octavia in a live situation though. Gives me a reason to keep my Peachfuzz!
|
|
|
Post by steveinnashville on Dec 29, 2006 1:29:24 GMT -7
I run the fuzz (actually all other dirt) after the octavia and you can effectively control the sound without adding a tone control (I like the octavia by itself just fine, too, though)...
|
|
|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 29, 2006 10:14:42 GMT -7
Has anyone tried playing slide with an octavia? I want to but I keep forgettin'.
|
|
|
Post by steveinnashville on Dec 29, 2006 15:57:06 GMT -7
It's pretty cool sounding. I share the same "where the hell is my slide" disorder often, though...
|
|
|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 29, 2006 17:01:33 GMT -7
Yeah I definately suffer from that, but also because I use my strat with the Octavia and I don't play slide on that guitar because it has low action (for me!) and it's very bright. I use a brass slide since all my glass ones are broken. I prefer the weight of metal to begin with though.
|
|
|
Post by steveinnashville on Dec 29, 2006 18:00:30 GMT -7
Luckily, when I do find my slide, I often have onsets of "Man, I can't believe the slide didn't break when I dropped it again for the 3,754th time!"-itis... Those coricidian bottle slides work for me, I'm still on my first one. And I do it "wrong," I play with it on my pinky... oh, well.
|
|
|
Post by skydog958 on Dec 29, 2006 18:47:43 GMT -7
whatever works for you is how you should do it! I started with my pinky but somehow I changed to my ring finger. I just have a lot more control and accuracy that way, but it does sacrifice the ability to chord or play with fingers.
|
|