Electro-Harmonix has launched the third generation of its POG Polyphonic Octave Generator, the POG3, which brings a wealth of new features to the format.
EHX appears to have put usability at the forefront of the new release, with a new triple-footswitch chassis offering instant access to preset switching, paired with a neat 128x32 graphic OLED display, plus illuminated side pots and buttons.
The trademark POG sliders return here, but a new +5TH voice has been added, alongside the existing -2 OCT, -1 OCT, +5TH, +1 OCT, +2OCT.
In a nod to guitarists and bassists who use the POG to split their signal and mimic an instrument outside their regular range – cough, Royal Blood, cough – there are now three 1/4" outputs onboard (left, right, direct out), plus pan controls to split different octave voices between the stereo outs.
The pedal can also be used for drop tuning via the Warp mode, which allows players to drop or raise their pitch to any note over a two-octave span, while there’s even a freeze mode for soloing over a pad.
Features from EHX’s all-powerful HOG also make an appearance, including a Gliss mode for synthy transitions between chords.
Other additions include control for Input Gain, a Master Volume, a Focus control for +1 OCT and +2 OCT, plus a Multimode Filter with Q and Envelope sweep.
All controls can be saved to any of 100 onboard presets and tweaked via an expression pedal or MIDI (so, yes, you can mimic a Whammy pedal), while a USB-C port allows you to interface with the company’s new EHXport app for preset management and editing.
Launched in 2005, the original POG was one of the very first polyphonic octave pedals ever – ie, it could track more than one note at one time, allowing guitarists to play full chords without the pedal glitching out like rival pitch-shifting pedals of the time.
At the time of its launch, Joe Satriani and Jack White were so inspired by the new box, they raced to become the first to use it on record, with the White Stripes’ Blue Orchid just pipping Satch’s Super Colossal to the post.
The POG3 is perhaps the most premium EHX pedal we’ve yet seen, and could mark a brave new premium future for one of guitar effects’ most storied companies.
Plus, with features cribbed from the HOG, Freeze and Pitch Fork, the POG3 is something of a greatest hits for the firm.
Accordingly, it’s got a serious price tag: $645, including 9V power supply. By our reckoning, that makes it the most expensive pitch-shifter on the market, and one of EHX’s priciest launches ever – but it’s also one of the most versatile.
With that in mind, we can’t help but wonder if some of these features will trickle down to new Micro and Nano POGs in the not-too-distant future…
For now, you can get more information on the POG3 over at EHX.
