Acoustic Guitarists Need This Pedal | BOSS OC-5

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Hi I'm Mike Dawes, solo fingerstyle guitarist, session musician with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues and more. I have done some things and have some awards that you can Google but as a Brit this all sounds a bit self congratulatory doesn't it? I've spent the past 8 years touring the planet and I'm excited to share some gear insights now that I have time off the road!

DISCLAIMER: I will only promote the use of a product I actually use. This is on my pedalboard.

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Tik Tok is the worst.

[yh-bsju]

I am a Japanese speaker, and, in Japanese, the number 4 is sometimes avoided when it is pronounced as "shi", the same pronunciation as the Japanese word for death.

However, in 1991, BOSS began to sell a parametric equalizer called PQ-4, which is now discontinued.

The number 9 is also sometimes avoided when it is pronounced as "ku", the same pronunciation as the Japanese word for pain.

But I don’t know if there is any version 9.0 for any BOSS effect pedal at all.

I don't know if those cultural factors are the reason why BOSS rarely produces pedals with number 4 and 9, either.

Many people may use so-called "9V" batteries for BOSS pedals, though. 😁

I wonder if BOSS office in Japan will give any answer to such questions, if you dare to ask them.

[noggin]

Thanks. I've been using the OC5 for 9 months with acoustic guitar and checked the switch on the back. It was in bass mode :)

[jasonv]

Funny thing about any pedals is that you never really need it until you know what it does.
I was a happy fingerstyle player yesterday, but today my sound is incomplete without this damn pedal!

[Roosville]

Guy who says NICE, Michael Rosen poet, broadcaster and children’s author he contracted Covid-19 a year ago and spent 48 days in intensive care, near death, now recovering. Nice pedal too.

[p_mouse]

I know this video is now over a year old, but I would like to share another option that really made another big difference for me.
What I did, is to split the piezo pickup in two. Or in other words, I got two piezo pickups placed underneath the saddle.
One that is used for the lower two strings (string 5 and 6, or E and A in standard tuning), the other pickup for the rest of the strings.
This gives a much better and cleaner control/sound when being used with the octave pedal as well as other effects.
For example, it gives the possibility to play bass notes when being high up on the neck, something that the BOSS pedal can't do because of the range (low pass) setting. It also gives the option to disable the doubling of just the bass notes. In some arrangements that really gives the impression of two different instruments. In my case I even run the bass signal though an IR pedal.
I am still a little in doubt to split the strings to 3 x 3, but I very rarely play bass notes on the 4th string.

Anyway, those were just some ideas. Always love your playing as well as your videos! :)

[sirnatanielson]

Crazy. I bought an OC-3 many years ago. Never really knew what to do with it or how to utilize it. Just dabbled with it. Never thought about using it with acoustic. I play live, mostly acoustic, albeit as rhythm not so much fingerstyle. I think I'm gonna try utilizing it and learn how to program it like you have with different strings. I play a lot of hammer on notes with chords and I'm curious what that could do now. Glad i stumbled across this!

[marctestarossa]

1:36 the absolute perfect timing, when you say "percussion" is brilliant, planned or not <3

[EltonGoslettGuitar]

Boss always skips the number four on their pedals, and yes, it's considered an unlucky number (like 13 in the west). In Japanese the number four is a homonym for the word death.

[thomasmartinscott]

It looks like they are headed toward creating my dream pedal:
While I'm playing on any of the 6 strings, it fixes lunch.

[freddylopez]

Your playing is over the top thank you for sharing all your wisdom and talent.

[SONGSTICKS]

You could sell just about any pedal with the quality of your playing!
That demo has most certainly inspired me and of course... Now I want an OC-5 !

[charlarge]

Love your playing! It was wonderful to meet you two years ago at Bergen Performing Arts Center in New Jersey.🙏🏻

[johnlagreca]

Nice, thank you for the video. Love the little "Greeney" sounding riff at 6:25. Cool pedal, I like it, I am sold.

[MrHeliosoul]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom sir! Genuinely appreciate your thorough explanation of why you like this pedal and how you use it on your own pedalboard. Like you Mike, I am am acoustic guitarist at heart and I'm always on the lookout for for new inspiring sounds and tones that I can add to my sonic palette. Happy New Year by the way! Cheers!

[SgtMle]

The OC-5 sounds closer to the OC-2 sound than the OC-3 did. I'm definitely getting one for if my OC-2 ever gives up

[patrickryanjams]

Dude, I just wanna say thanks for kicking this video off with what the pedal actually sounds like instead of some rambling monologue 💪

[jamesriameigmp]

Thanks a ton Mike 💎.. earlier i usually use only the super chorus and the acoustic preamp .. after watching this i felt i have to get one for myself soon

[stephenlennartz]

You are correct, Mike. Traditionally, the number 4 IS unlucky in Japan because it is sometimes pronounced 'shi, ' which is the word for death. Sometimes levels or rooms with 4 don't exist in hospitals or hotels... much like the number 13 in the U.S. Too much info.? 😂 Thank you for your awesome-as-always demo!!! 😎🎸👍

[GreenhamGuitar]

Wow... first pedal I ever bought was an OC3. Its limitations shaped the way I played, and I've become such a different musician because of it! Hopefully the OC5 will allow me to go above and beyond (when it arrives on South African shores). Thank you so much for this video!

[geobozz]

Hi Mike. Your OC5 demo is excellent! It was both informative and practical. Would you consider doing a demo for the Mel9 pedal? Thank you!