Octaver

Mix of original signal and octave
Octaver pedals mix the original sound of your (bass) guitar with an octave above or below. The octave effect is derived from the original signal by halving it (octave lower than the original). Or doubling it (octave higher). This creates a full sound that can be used for many purposes.

Some bass players use it for soloing others make different sounds. For example, listen to Tony Levin in the song Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.

One of the most famous guitar players to use an Octaver was Jimi Hendrix. He used an Octavia made by Roger Mayer. Listen to Hendrix’s solo in Purple Haze and you’ll get an idea. The pedal Hendrix used was an octave-fuzz pedal. If you are looking for such an effect, take a look at the Octavix pedal from Electro Harmonix. This one is based on the original Octavia.

POG pedals from Electro Harmonix are known for their accurate tracking. These pedals are also polyphonic, so you can also play chords. When choosing an Octaver pedal make sure you choose a pedal with the right features. Some pedals only have one octave and are monophonic. Other pedals have multiple octaves, are polyphonic, and sometimes have tone controls.

Today many brands have one or more octave pedals in their line-up. Most pedals are excellent and more accurate than the ones from the 60s and 70s.