# Wah troubleshooting



## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I have a Clyde Standard wah.
It stopped working last night. The signal still will travel through the pedal (I guess due to being TB) but the wah will never engage.

It is not a switch adjustment issue because even if I trip the switch with my thumb, nothing happens.

I don't think it is a power issue either. I use a 1spot but the wah will not engage with either that or a fresh 9V Battery.

Do you have any thoughts that come immediately to mind on what the problem could be?
Do the Switches fail ever and need to be completely replaced?
All the wire connections look to be pretty solid and unhindered.
IS this a case of a dead transistor or cap?
What are the most common causes of this sort of thing happening?


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## gtrguy (Jul 6, 2006)

When you switch the wah on there is no sound? Or is it just the regular guitar sound with the switch on or off?

It's probably the switch either way...

gtrguy


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

In both cases, it is just the regular guitar sound.
You think it is the switch? Does this seem to happen a lot?


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

bcmatt said:


> In both cases, it is just the regular guitar sound.
> You think it is the switch? Does this seem to happen a lot?


Does the volume change as you rock the pedal back and forth?

If that is the case, it's the electrolytic cap.


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

Scottone said:


> Does the volume change as you rock the pedal back and forth?
> 
> If that is the case, it's the electrolytic cap.


Nope, nothing happens when rocking the pedal. It's like the wah never engaged.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

If you open it and turn the pot by hand does it do anything? Have you checked those solder joints?
Has it been dropped? I have a crybaby that did what you describe because the inductor wasn't connecting properly. Bit of solder and all was well. 

But I'd lay you odds the switch needs replacing.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

As another thread so indignantly decalres, wahs generally do not come with indicator LEDs, so typically the most they require for switching purposes is a double-pole switch ("DPDT", with two sets of contacts that alternate when you step on the switch).

I get the feeling, though, that not all wahs are created equal when it comes to the manner in which the plunger is actuated. I've been whining for years that, when it comes to stomp-switches, their location and actuation mechanism need to depress it at 90 degrees to the switch chassis. Hitting it at an angle with your foot, or using a treadle that forces it to slant even just a little when moving, stresses the internal mnechanism, and in due time it fails.

It also seems to be the case that people apply too much heat when soldering stompswitches themselves. If you ever take a stompswitch apart, you'll see that inside there are two "see-saw"-like rocker contacts (or 3 if it is a 3PDT switch) that float freely, resting on a central pivot point. During assembly, a small dab of grease is put in there to hold those free-floating pieces in place so they don't pop loose. That grease also damps vibration so that the switch doesn't have any jitter (what some might call mechanical debouncing). Unfortunately, when individuals try to install one and apply too much heat, that heat is conducted through the contact to the grease, and the grease liquifies and flows over the entire surface of the rocker contact, impeding its connection. I've repaired several switches of this type by prying the tabs up, getting the rocker contacts out, cleaning them off completely, re-inserting them, and tightening the tabs. After that, they work like new. 

Manufacturers get their switches brand spanking new, use pre-tinned wire to connect to them and use the appropriate heat so that they get quick solder flow and get in and out before the grease starts to liquify. Amateurs and hobbyists are not always so lucky and it is they, not manufacturers, that experience "switch failure".

However, all of that may well be moot. It is common for many wahs to use a *single-pole* switch, and simply select between the output of the circuit board or a direct connection to the input jack (leaving the circuit board electronically connected to the input jack, and by extension, the output jack). Whether the wah uses a SPDT or DPDT type switch, when the wah is in bypass mode, you should not hear *anything* if there is an issue with the switching mechanism and corresponding contact.

It is quite conceivable that the actual power connection internally has broken off the board. That would yield the same sound whether you use battery or external supply. It would also result in sound being available but unresponsive to movement of the foot treadle and connecting pot.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

My Clyde did the same thing. I have never tried to get it fixed but I assume it is just the switch. Mine is actually for sale in the emporium as a fixer upper. I may have some DPDT switches around here somewhere. If I can find them I'll send you one if you want to try that first. 

Why does Fuller use a 3PDT in a wah anyways?

Pete



bcmatt said:


> I have a Clyde Standard wah.
> It stopped working last night. The signal still will travel through the pedal (I guess due to being TB) but the wah will never engage.
> 
> It is not a switch adjustment issue because even if I trip the switch with my thumb, nothing happens.
> ...


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

bcmatt said:


> Nope, nothing happens when rocking the pedal. It's like the wah never engaged.


Your switch must be the culprit then.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Sneaky said:


> Why does Fuller use a 3PDT in a wah anyways


Because if you order 5000 3PDT switches from the manufacturer, you probably get a better price on those than if you ordered 2000 DPDT and 3000 3PDT.

Bear in mind that a 3PDT switch will be essentially "universal" in that it can be configured as SPDT, DPDT, or 3PDT. Moreover, unlike a number of other form factors, like the old Carling switches or even the cheapo "X-wing" types, the footprint of the switch is not different with fewer or greater numbers of contacts, and the location of the solder pads on the board will not change.

Think of it like the all-weather radial of the switch world.


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## bleedingfingers (Sep 25, 2007)

Sounds like the switch or the inductor if it was a power problem when you 
stomp it to the on position you'd get no sound .
Have you sent an email to fulltone to see what they say?
Maybe you can get some warranty action out of them.

cheers B.


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

I have emailed Fulltone and still received no reply. The fact that inside the wah it says it was made in '97 perhaps puts me at the bottom of the list when it comes to trying to satisfy customers. (I am not the original owner)

The switch in there right now looks to be the Carling type of DPDT. (Only a total of 6 solder connections.)

I think I will try swapping in the DPDT that is currently in my poorly-working souped-up cry-baby.

I think the crybaby suffered from too many of my mods. Instead of buying yet another crybaby PCB to fix that one, I may try cloning the layout and components in this fulltone Clyde (Now that I see how basic it is). The fulltone looks tougher. I could make it into something like that but keep the pot and fasel I currently have in the cry-baby.

I notice that the fulltone has a stereo input but mono output, is that merely so it will receive stereo inputs, or is something else going on? 
I notice cry-babies have stereo in and out.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

bcmatt said:


> I have emailed Fulltone and still received no reply. The fact that inside the wah it says it was made in '97 perhaps puts me at the bottom of the list when it comes to trying to satisfy customers. (I am not the original owner)


Sent you a PM with some info...


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

So, I switched the Switch, and that was the problem. 
I never realized that switches could just go like that. Oh well, now it is fixed.

Well, at least now I am inspired to clone the clyde circuit in my crybaby. I think I can make it more rugged by doing away with the pcb.

Thanks guys! Problem solved!


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