The Rocktron Black Rose Octaver is an octave pedal in the octave and pitch family: it grabs the incoming guitar signal, drops it down an octave, and blends it back with the original signal. It is a digital pedal, and one of 12 pedals in Rocktron's new Boutique Series of stompboxes. Premier Guitar reviewed it at a street price of $119 USD.1
The controls
The Black Rose keeps its panel small, with two knobs and a switch that shape the octave signal1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Fragrance knob | Controls the wet signal's tone, essentially a mid-frequency boost adjustable between low-mid (minimum) and high-mid (maximum) emphasis1 |
| Thorn knob | Adjusts the intensity of the wet signal1 |
| Roots switch | Toggles between a crunchier or smoother signal; selects Thin or Thick settings providing EQ shaping to the octave signal alone, boosting the low-mid register (Thin) or the ultra-low sub register (Thick)1 |
| Merge knob | Mixes wet and dry signals for single-amp users, routed to the Wet output1 |
The Roots switch is worth a second look, because its EQ shaping applies to the octave signal alone rather than the whole sound. That means a player can leave the dry guitar untouched and fatten only the sub-octave voice underneath it1.
Wet and dry outputs and power
The first thing Premier Guitar's reviewer noticed about the Black Rose is that it has both Wet and Dry outputs. The Dry output carries a true-bypass signal that can be routed to a second amp, which opens up options for multi-amp rigs. Players running a single amp use the Merge knob to mix wet and dry signals, which are routed via a true-bypass circuit to the Wet output.1
The true-bypass Black Rose runs on a 9V battery or an optional negative-tip DC power supply.1
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar's reviewer plugged a go-to Gibson SG into a Budda V-40 for testing and was immediately able to create a nice, standard octave sound. The overall verdict: with its excellent tracking capability and a versatile tone-shaping circuit, the Black Rose is the kind of octave pedal that works in small, subtle doses or as an over-the-top sonic warp machine, and its separate outputs open up options for multi-amp users.1
"With its excellent tracking capability and a versatile tone-shaping circuit, the Black Rose is the kind of octave pedal..."
The review's buy recommendation was aimed at players looking for an octave pedal with tone-shaping options and independent wet/dry outputs.1
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Questions
Is the Rocktron Black Rose Octaver analog or digital?
It is a digital pedal. Premier Guitar's review describes it as one of 12 pedals in Rocktron's new Boutique Series of stompboxes and calls it digital. It grabs the incoming guitar signal, drops it down an octave, and blends it back with the original signal.
Is the Black Rose Octaver true bypass?
Yes. Premier Guitar describes the Black Rose as a true-bypass pedal, and notes that the wet and dry signals are routed via a true-bypass circuit to the Wet output. The Dry output carries a true-bypass signal that can be sent to a second amp.
What does the Roots switch do on the Black Rose Octaver?
The Roots switch toggles between a crunchier or smoother signal. It selects Thin or Thick settings that shape the EQ of the octave signal alone: Thin boosts the low-mid register, while Thick boosts the ultra-low sub register.
What is the Rocktron Boutique Series?
The Boutique Series is a range of 12 stompboxes from Rocktron, and the Black Rose Octaver is one of them. Each pedal in the series features a rugged, brushed aluminum case with laser-etched graphics, logos, and control labels.
Sources (1)
- Rocktron Black Rose Octaver Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2010-10-20