# Need advice on a Wah pedal...



## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

One of my friends is looking for a wah pedal and I don't have enough personal experience to advise him.

He's a dyed in the wool bluesman, with a dash of jazz. The rockiest he ever gets is SRV.

He wants a wah with a vintage sound that is rugged as hell. He went to a local store and they showed him something with cheap plastic fittings and lots of chrome knobs so he can "DIAL IN ANY TONE YOU WANT! IT'LL DO ANYTHING! REALLY!"

Anybody got any experience I can pass along to him?


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

I've got the crybaby, It's really rugged and there's no plasticy parts to it i think. I've dropped it a bunch and it seems to still work.


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## JaySimon (May 22, 2006)

I've also got a crybaby, i like it alot. if youopen up the bottom you can adjust the trim pot and make the 'wah' happen earlier or later, should you feel the need to change it.


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

*He's fussy...*



JaySimon said:


> I've also got a crybaby, i like it alot. if youopen up the bottom you can adjust the trim pot and make the 'wah' happen earlier or later, should you feel the need to change it.


He looked at a crybaby but there was something he didn't like. I'll talk to him again and see if I can post more specific into.

Thanks, guys!


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I have one of the Crybaby's from when Jim Dunlop first took it on.

I've had it for a long time. I've heard other people say they are prone to breakdowns but I've never had any trouble with it and it sounds great.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Wild Bill said:


> He looked at a crybaby but there was something he didn't like. I'll talk to him again and see if I can post more specific into.
> 
> Thanks, guys!


theres also different models of the crybaby, I dunno what the difference is, but one cost like $100 more than another:confused-smiley-010


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Try a Vox 847, it's a nice pedal and easy to modify for true bypass and such. Dunlops boards require more to TB and I like the sound of the vox over a crybaby anyway unless it's an older thomas organ crybaby.


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## Daeveed (Apr 21, 2006)

I have a Trinity, made by Jaques Stompboxes (check it), the Wah is very vocal and responsive, it's more expensive than a crybaby though.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Actually the wah(s) I'm using these days are models in the Vox Tonelab SE.

My Crybaby is in a box in the van.


The models in the Vox are perfect for me.


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## jaymeister (Feb 2, 2006)

Teese picture wah. Very vintage sounding. High quality boutique build. I use one. True bypass and 9V external power or battery.


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

PaulS said:


> Try a Vox 847, it's a nice pedal and easy to modify for true bypass and such. Dunlops boards require more to TB and I like the sound of the vox over a crybaby anyway unless it's an older thomas organ crybaby.


I second the Vox. As close to vintage tone as your gonna get without big $$$. Do the switch mod for $20 bucks, and go play some Hendrix.

CT.


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## fret15 (Feb 17, 2006)

I have a new Crybaby 535Q and it has the Fasel Inductor and it is True Bypass (according to the take-the-battery-out-and-check-if-it-works test). You can get a lot of different sounds out of it, and it does seem highly durable. That big knob changes the effect the wah has on your sound, and you can go from "barely noticeable" to "strictly wah"...

I guess it all depends on his preferences evilGuitar: 

Take care guys


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Or instead of getting the Vox 847 and doing the true bypass mod, get the Vox Clyde V848 which already has the true bypass.


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

Taking the battery out is not a test of true bypass. This may only work with buffered pedals like Boss (or lookalikes ) which we already know are not true bypass. The original crybabies have a SPDT footswitch with the input jack connected both to wah's input (on the PCB) and the switch. The switch then selects between the input or the output of the pcb. You won't need a PHD in electrical engineering to spot this. Fulltone's site has the proper true bypass schematic for free download. What happens is that when "bypassed", the input to the PCB is still connected and it is a load on the signal....like leaving a window open when the air conditioner is going.....


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## Dirty_Frank (Feb 13, 2006)

I've heard nothing but good about Teese wahs.

I've had one on order for quite a while now.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Why don't you build him one? You can get a generic wah board off of General Guitar Gadgets for about $15 and it has the capability of all the mods, the 535 selectable sweep cap and even dual inductors. I tried one, played with it for a while changing resistor and cap values until finally I got something I really like. I have a vox and an older thomas organ crybaby but this one is quite likeable. Just a thought.... By the way from your previous threads I believe you would be quite capable of the project ...:food-smiley-004:


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## sysexguy (Mar 5, 2006)

You can also get a shell from smallbearelectronics for $39.95


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Yea, Steve at small bear has all the parts if you need, his prices are good and so is his service. The 3pdt blue switches are cheaper at general guitar gadgets 6.50 versus 10.00 .


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

I like the BUDDA WHA. But the Vox reissues (Clyde and the 847) are good too.
Didn't like the Teese.


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## Duke of Metal (Feb 3, 2006)

Not too long ago I picked up a Dunlop Crybaby from Hell DB-01 (Dime wah). Dont let the name fool you.. this wah is pretty versatile when it comes to tweeking things.

I mean yes it looks more of a type of wah thats used for heavier type of music, but for how versatile and tweekable it is, it can be used for any style of music.


Cheers


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