One Pedal, Every Octave You Need
If you've ever stared down the octave pedal aisle and thought, "Do I want classic OC-2 thump or modern polyphonic tracking?" — the Boss OC-5 just made that a trick question. It does both, and it does them well. Flip to Vintage mode and you're back in 1982, adding that iconic sub-bass weight to single-note lines and riffs. Flip to Poly mode and suddenly your chords have a depth that fills a room on their own. Add a touch of the Octave-Up control and you've got shimmer, 12-string textures, or a screaming upper-octave lead all in the same box.
Boss has been building octave pedals since the OC-2 launched in 1982, and the OC-5 is the culmination of that lineage — a compact stompbox that covers the full range from two octaves below to one octave above your dry signal. Guitar players and bass players both get dedicated tracking optimization via a side-mounted Guitar/Bass switch, so you're not fighting the pedal to get a clean, responsive signal.
Whether you're a bassist looking to thicken your low end, a guitarist running solo gigs who needs to cover some bass territory, or someone who just wants to experiment with layered textures, the OC-5 is a practical, versatile tool that earns its spot on your board.
Vintage Mode: The OC-2 Lives On
The original Boss OC-2 is one of the most beloved octave pedals ever made — players have chased that specific monophonic, analog-feeling sub-bass sound for decades. Vintage mode on the OC-5 faithfully recreates that classic tone, bringing the -1 and -2 octave controls that made the OC-2 so iconic to a modern platform with vastly improved tracking performance.
In Vintage mode, the -2OCT/RANGE knob blends in the two-octaves-below signal, and you can stack the Octave-Up (+1 OCT) control on top — something the original OC-2 never offered. The result is that classic sub-bass character with even more tonal flexibility than the pedal that inspired it.
Poly Mode: Octaves for Full Chords
Polyphonic octave tracking used to be the stuff of expensive rack gear or large multi-effect units. The OC-5's Poly mode brings smooth, accurate chord tracking into a standard Boss compact enclosure. You can strum open chords and the -1 octave effect follows cleanly — no glitching, no dropped notes, no guessing which note it decided to track.
The -2OCT/RANGE knob takes on a different role in Poly mode, functioning as a range control that determines how much of the chord receives the sub-octave effect. Set it low and only the lowest note gets the treatment — handy for adding bass-guitar-style accompaniment under strummed chords. Dial it up and the sub-octave spreads across the full chord for a massive, floor-shaking texture. Blend all three octave voices together and you'll find some surprisingly organ-like and synth-adjacent sounds in there too.
Tracking, I/O, and Power
The OC-5's tracking engine is built on Boss's latest pitch-detection technology, delivering low-latency response whether you're in Vintage or Poly mode. The dedicated Guitar/Bass switch on the side of the pedal optimizes the engine for each instrument, so guitarists and bassists both get the best the pedal can offer.
On the I/O side, you get a standard output jack plus a Direct Out that sends your dry signal in parallel — useful for wet/dry amp setups or sending a clean signal to front of house while your effects-processed signal goes to a stage amp. The OC-5 runs on a standard 9V DC center-negative power supply (sold separately) or a single 9V battery, with a 55mA current draw. Bypass is buffered, which is worth noting if your signal chain includes impedance-sensitive germanium fuzz pedals — place those accordingly.
Product Features:
- Octave Type: Polyphonic and monophonic (Vintage/Poly switch)
- Vintage Mode: Recreates the classic monophonic OC-2 sub-bass sound
- Poly Mode: Smooth polyphonic tracking for full chords with Range control
- Octave Range: -2 OCT, -1 OCT, and +1 OCT controls for a three-octave span
- Guitar/Bass Switch: Side-mounted switch optimizes tracking engine for each instrument
- Direct Out: Parallel dry output jack for wet/dry rigs or front-of-house routing
- Bypass: Buffered bypass
- Power: 9V DC (center-negative) or 9V battery; 55mA current draw
- Controls: Direct Level, +1 OCT, -1 OCT, -2 OCT/Range knobs plus Vintage/Poly and Guitar/Bass switches
Brand: Boss
Model: OC-5
SKU: OC-5
Condition: New
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