The Markbass MB Octaver is an analog octave pedal, announced in March 2011 and built to add extra bottom end to a player's sound1. It sits in the octave and pitch family: it generates notes one and two octaves below what you play, and its three level controls let you blend those sub-octaves with your dry signal in any mix. Markbass now lists it among its discontinued products2.
Controls and blending
The MB Octaver's front panel is three level controls: Dry, Oct 1 and Oct 21. Each sets how loud its voice sits in the mix, so you can run the dry signal alone with a touch of one octave down, stack both sub-octaves for a synth-like low end, or back the dry off entirely. No Treble's announcement of the pedal described the intent directly:
"It features separate level controls for each octave as well as your dry signal for you to mix your played pitch with one" and/or two octaves down.
The same announcement listed an Analog Tone among the pedal's features1.
Power and connections
The pedal's published power requirements are a DC input of +9/+12VDC or a 9V battery, so it works from either a supply or a battery1. Connections are a single 1/4" input and a mono 1/4" output jack1. Other published specifications:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 500 Kohm / 2 Vpp1 |
| Output impedance | 100 ohm / 6Vpp1 |
| Weight | .77 lbs / 350g1 |
| Bypass | True bypass1 |
The MB Octaver is discontinued: Markbass lists it under discontinued products on its effects pedal index2. Used units are the only route to one.
Where it sits on a board
As a dedicated octave-down pedal with a dry blend, the MB Octaver was aimed at bass players and guitarists looking to thicken their low end, and it pairs naturally with the kinds of pedals covered on the bass pedals page. Its true bypass switching keeps the dry path clean when the effect is off1.
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Questions
Is the Markbass MB Octaver analog?
Yes. When Markbass announced the pedal in 2011, it was described as an analog octave pedal, and the company's published specifications listed an Analog Tone among its features. It is a stompbox-format octave effect built to add extra bottom end to a sound, with level controls for the dry signal and the octave voices.
Is the Markbass MB Octaver true bypass?
Yes. The specifications published at the pedal's 2011 announcement list True Bypass, so when the effect is off the input passes straight to the output without a buffer in the way.
Does the Markbass MB Octaver run on a battery?
Yes. The stated power requirements are a DC input of +9/+12VDC or a 9V battery, so it can run either way. No current draw figure was published with the pedal.
Is the Markbass MB Octaver discontinued?
Yes. Markbass lists the MB Octaver among its discontinued products on its own effects pedal index, as of October 2026.
Can I blend both octaves with my dry tone?
Yes. The pedal has separate level controls for the dry signal, Oct 1 and Oct 2, so you can mix your played pitch with one and/or two octaves down in any combination. That three-way blend is the pedal's main control layout.
Sources (2)
- Markbass Announces MB Octaver, No Treble, 2011-03-10
- Effect Pedals, Markbass