The MXR M-228 Bass Octave Deluxe is a bass octave pedal: it sits on your board, tracks the notes you play and adds octave voices above or below your clean tone. MusicRadar's review team called it "One of the best bass effects available gets better as this offers two independent voices for maximum variation, blending"1. It comes in pedal form, and the same review described it as "a small-sized pedal that can have a huge impact on your sound"1.
What it does
The M-228 carries two independent octave voices, which the reviewer summed up as "two independent voices for maximum variation, blending and delivery"1. That means you can shape and blend two separate octave sounds rather than working with a single processed tone, and the Dry control handles "the direct blending of the two"1.
Tracking matters on any octave pedal, and MusicRadar's verdict on this front was direct: "With fast tracking and accuracy this has to be octaving at the top level"1.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Growl | Varies the growl to shape the octave sound1 |
| Girth | Varies the girth to shape the octave sound1 |
| Mid switch | Allows straight notes to dominate over the effected one1 |
| Dry | The direct blending of the two voices1 |
The Growl and Girth controls are the heart of the pedal's voicing. As the reviewer put it: "By varying the growl and girth it offers some of the most effective bass octave sounds we've ever heard."1
Where it sits in MXR's bass line
MXR builds a broad range of bass-oriented pedals, and the M-228's octave role has company. If you want a different flavor of low-end generation, the MXR Sub Octave Bass Fuzz pairs sub-octave tones with fuzz, while the MXR M288 Bass Octave Deluxe and the original MXR Bass Octave Deluxe are the pedal's closest relatives. Elsewhere in the line you will find the MXR M85 Bass Distortion, the MXR Bass Compressor, the MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe and the MXR Bass Synth. For the wider picture, see the site's pages on Bass Pedals and Octave & Pitch Pedals.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's overall verdict was warm: "This offers some classy sounds that can be used to positively inspire some new ideas."1
Questions
What does the MXR M-228 Bass Octave Deluxe do?
It is a bass octave pedal that generates octave effects alongside your clean signal. It carries two independent octave voices that can be varied, blended and delivered separately, with Growl and Girth controls to shape the octave sound, a Mid switch that lets straight notes dominate over the effected one, and a Dry control for blending the two voices directly.
How does the M-228 compare to other MXR bass pedals?
MXR's bass line covers a wide range, including the M288 Bass Octave Deluxe, the Sub Octave Bass Fuzz, the M85 Bass Distortion and the Bass Synth. The M-228 sits in that line as the octave specialist, and MusicRadar's reviewer described it as octaving at the top level, with fast tracking and accuracy.
Sources (1)
- MXR M-228 Bass Octave Deluxe review, MusicRadar, 2010-04-12
Tim Lefebvre
MonoNeon
