# Wah pedals - still searching



## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Still searching for the perfect wah pedal.
I've had two Vox V847s -- sold the first one before I knew anything about modding, the current one has been modded for TB, added a Whipple, added a FoxRox buffer, vocalmod.
Crybaby GCB95. Bleh. Ripped out the guts and replaced with an Area51 vintage kit. It's better now.
But neither is really grabbing me.
How about the RMC Teese wahs? Soundclips for the WheelsofFire and the Picture wah sound good. Any idea whereto get them in Canada? Boutique tone is out of stock.
Any opinions? What are you folks using?


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

I had the cheapest Dunlop one for a while - the GCB95. For one reason or another (probably from reading too many guitar forums!), I convinced myself that I needed something better. I sold the Dunlop and bought a Fulltone Clyde. Hmmmm ... gotta admit that I dont really notice much difference. Maybe if I was more of "Hendrix wah" kinda guy (wah and fuzz into an old Marshall etc) I might notice more difference, but I kinda wish I had saved my cash and stuck with the Dunlop.


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## Clit Torres (Dec 14, 2007)

*Budda Budwah*

Budda Budwah, works for me :rockon2:

Peace,
Clit


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Geez, the Dunlop Crybaby GCB-95 actually makes me wah-happy. Had a George Dennis for a while but went back to Dunlopland. The Digitech wah sounded like a seagull choking on a McDonalds french fry. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## Clit Torres (Dec 14, 2007)

Mooh said:


> The Digitech wah sounded like a seagull choking on a McDonalds french fry.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


That's a great analogy.:smile:


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

Check out the Arteffect Bonnie wah . Scott at Axe and you shall receive carries them .


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

I likes my Dunlop Wylde Wah, raw with some balls... perfect for what I play. The Crybaby from Hell is also good though.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Modded crybaby all the way.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

I have a Fulltone Wah. Sounds a little better than my V847 but the most impressive wah I've tried was the Digitech Jimi Hendrix modeler. I sounds awesome and has a great sweep. Makes me want to try the Digitech Expression factory. 

Seriously, it's worth a try. You'll be surprised. I certainly was


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

modded gcb95 here too, just needs a bit of tweaking, and its the best ive heard. original crybaby


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

Used Fulltone Clyde Deluxe for a long time. Switched to RMC Teese Wheels Of Fire.

WOF is the perfect Wah (for me) ... I was never into the 70's porn wah sound ... I always wanted more vocal growl to it rather then the waka-chaka-bow-wau ...

The RMC WOF really has this pronaunced vocal growl quality to it and works great clean or with high gain, LOVE IT!

The only issue with it is that it does not like to be physically placed near a power source, so keep all wal-warts away from it. I run it from a 9V regulated power supply and it's not any noiser then with a battery, so it's not a matter of battery vs. power supply but just physical proximity to one.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

iggs said:


> Used Fulltone Clyde Deluxe for a long time. Switched to RMC Teese Wheels Of Fire.
> WOF is the perfect Wah (for me) ... I was never into the 70's porn wah sound ... I always wanted more vocal growl to it rather then the waka-chaka-bow-wau ...
> The RMC WOF really has this pronaunced vocal growl quality to it and works great clean or with high gain, LOVE IT!
> The only issue with it is that it does not like to be physically placed near a power source, so keep all wal-warts away from it. I run it from a 9V regulated power supply and it's not any noiser then with a battery, so it's not a matter of battery vs. power supply but just physical proximity to one.


OK now you're talking!
I tried a Fulltone and I thought it was kinda tame...and didn't make me want to ditch the Vox / Crybaby frankenwahs I have. I've heard some people get fantastic sounds out of Vox and crybaby and Area51, so maybe it's me that's broken ?

Have you tried the Teese Picture? I'm leaning toward a Teese but am kinda undecided btwn the WoF and the Picture...
I've got a PP2 on my board and a couple of pedals with built in power supplies...wonder if that would be a problem.

I like the Hendrix/Cream kinda thing--not so much the New Avengers/Shaft/70s porn wakawaka or Iron Maiden howl--but I'm not really getting it with what I have...
How does it like being in line with fuzzes?

But that Arteffect Bonnie sounds pretty awesome too...


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Ripper said:


> Modded crybaby all the way.


Interesting - which mods did you do? Pot/inductor/resistors/something else?
I had a look around, and I've modded the Vox a bit, but the crybaby I just ripped out the innards.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

devnulljp said:


> Interesting - which mods did you do? Pot/inductor/resistors/something else?
> I had a look around, and I've modded the Vox a bit, but the crybaby I just ripped out the innards.


I make them true bypass, change the resistors to add some mids and bass and up the gain a little, and change the resistor to give it a more vocal quality. I also remove the buffer on mine. I changed the inductor on one but honestly didn't hear much of a difference. I removed the rubber bumpers under the foot treadle and replaced them with little pieces of felt to keep it from clanking, that improved the sweep. I haven't changed out the pots on them yet, as the ones I have came with the hotpotz 100k. I have thought about trying other ones. I also added LED's to mine.

The other wah I've got here that is really great is an old Ibanez WH-10. It's a very sweet wah too, but the plastic housing is a little delicate.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

All wah users owe it to themselves to go over to www.geofex.com and read the paper on The Technology of the Wah (link is in upper left hand corner). RG Keen explains the function of every component and what a little more of this one and a little less of that one does.

I made my own wah, based on a Cry Baby I think. I picked up a nice inductor here in Ottawa for a buck, that apparently measures about 750-800mh at the tap I'm using. With a nice ferrite core it exhibits some sweet properties, though I have to experiment with placing magnets on it a bit. Overall, it's a nice throaty sounding wah. As much as I like 70's-style Wah-Wah Watson/Melvin Ragin funk, this one sounds a lot like the wah I hear on Jeff Beck recordings, which suits me fine.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Thank you Mr. Hammer.

I must have half an inch of tree here to keep me company tonight!


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

That's an interesting site - thanks.
next question - anyone know whre to get a Fulltone ICAR wah pot in Canada? How about caps?
Think I might (a) get a Teese RMC and (b) keep hacking at the Vox to see if I can get a sound I like out of it. 
What do you folks think of this little project: http://www003.upp.so-net.ne.jp/kazuhee/ewahmod1R.htm


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

Here's the Arteffect Bonnie Wah on You Tube , there is also a distorted demo as well....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m_D6J4YkZ8&feature=related


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

devnulljp said:


> OK now you're talking!
> I tried a Fulltone and I thought it was kinda tame...and didn't make me want to ditch the Vox / Crybaby frankenwahs I have. I've heard some people get fantastic sounds out of Vox and crybaby and Area51, so maybe it's me that's broken ?
> 
> Have you tried the Teese Picture? I'm leaning toward a Teese but am kinda undecided btwn the WoF and the Picture...
> ...


I've not tried any other Teese Wahs, I ordered WOF unheard based on the description on his website and it was dead-on. (thank God)

All new Teese wahs are "fuzz friendly" ... I believe he installs the Foxrox wah retrofit kit in them so they play nice with vintage style fuzzes.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

iggs said:


> I've not tried any other Teese Wahs, I ordered WOF unheard based on the description on his website and it was dead-on. (thank God)
> 
> All new Teese wahs are "fuzz friendly" ... I believe he installs the Foxrox wah retrofit kit in them so they play nice with vintage style fuzzes.


It looks like he's actually integrated it into the board rather than as a separate component. I've got a goof lead on a Picture and a WoF...I'm leaning toward the WoF though. Definitely too many wahs in my house for the couple of times a year I play Voodoo Child!
What style do you play that makes the WoF the one? I'm interested more in that Clapton wah on the WoF album rather than Shaft. WoF is a Colorsound clone, while the Picture is a McCoy clone I think. They both sound nice in the clips I've heard.


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

I know it may sound strange but I would recommend the Digitech Expression Factory. Im a huge supporter of analog effects but every wah pedal I tried just didn't cut it for me. The Vox didn't have enough bass, the Crybaby had too much mids, The Fulltone was noisy as hell, but I picked up the Digitech and it blew me away how good it sounds. Full, rich deep sound. Its amazing


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

sproul07 said:


> I know it may sound strange but I would recommend the Digitech Expression Factory. Im a huge supporter of analog effects but every wah pedal I tried just didn't cut it for me. The Vox didn't have enough bass, the Crybaby had too much mids, The Fulltone was noisy as hell, but I picked up the Digitech and it blew me away how good it sounds. Full, rich deep sound. Its amazing


You're about the fourth person that's mentioned that one - sounds like it's worth a look...stil la bit suspicious of modellers though. That and the pilot's licence it look slike you'd need to fly the thing.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> That's an interesting site - thanks.
> next question - anyone know whre to get a Fulltone ICAR wah pot in Canada?


Why not direct from the maker? Or is this clever advertising?

http://www.fulltone.com/wah_pot.asp


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

keeperofthegood said:


> Why not direct from the maker? Or is this clever advertising?
> http://www.fulltone.com/wah_pot.asp


I didn't think he dealt directly for anything but the TTE, and then not outside the US? I'll contact a couple of those dealers in Canada though - thanks.

Hey, can someone that's modded their Vox wah for TB with a 3PDT switch post a pic of the switch wiring? Most of the pics I found online were for DPDT switches. Ialso wasn't exactly sure of the orientation of the switch -- which lug is #1, #2, #3, ....? Mine has a little number '8' on one corner...

I ended up fudging though using this pic:


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## Evilmusician (Apr 13, 2007)

I've got a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe I really like ,and a 70's Jen Crybaby that nails the Cream tone ! Still thinking I'd like to try Teese though :rockon:


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

I've got the common Crybaby one, and I noticed that the throw on it (sorry if there's a more appropriate term), the amount that the sound changes in relation to how much you move your foot, is really short. The sound changes very sharply at the mid-point.

Is there something you can change on these to give it a more gradual slope to the way the sound changes?

Hope that makes sense... 

:rockon:


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

I have a brand new Pro Analog Supa Quack I am going to sell. I ordered it about 6 months ago and just received it, but have picked up a couple other wahs I'm happy with in the meantime (an Area 51 and a custom made no name one), so I think I'll cut it loose.

$420 shipped if you are interested. (same as I paid, and avoid the 6 month wait) 

:food-smiley-004:


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## iggs (Apr 6, 2006)

devnulljp said:


> What style do you play that makes the WoF the one?


Check the sig for clips and songs ... not much Wah work there but I use it live a lot more then I did on the record. Mostly for high-gain lead breaks.


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

DeleriumTrigger said:


> I've got the common Crybaby one, and I noticed that the throw on it (sorry if there's a more appropriate term), the amount that the sound changes in relation to how much you move your foot, is really short. The sound changes very sharply at the mid-point.
> Is there something you can change on these to give it a more gradual slope to the way the sound changes?
> Hope that makes sense...
> :rockon:


Here's a couple of good pages for crybaby mods: 
http://www.stinkfoot.se/andreas/diy/mods/dunlop.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/s.castledine/greenfuz/wah.html


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## Daeveed (Apr 21, 2006)

Jacques Trinity does it for me, and I've tried from a GCB95 to a Teese Picture Wah. 


Not for everyone of course.


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## Guest (May 5, 2008)

devnulljp said:


> Most of the pics I found online were for DPDT switches. Ialso wasn't exactly sure of the orientation of the switch -- which lug is #1, #2, #3, ....? Mine has a little number '8' on one corner...


If you hold your switch so the lugs go left to right instead of up and down (see this picture), across the top it'll be 1, 4, 7 from your diagram, middle row corresponds to 2, 5, 8. Bottom row: 3, 6, 9.

As a rule of thumb I always work with switches like this, with the lugs aligned like this.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Someone mentioned RMC Teese Wah pedals - so I looked them up. At least 8 different varieties, one with 9 dip switches,... ... oh, my head.......


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Paul said:


> Am I the only one here that still uses a big 'ol chrome AC powered Morley Power Wah???? No boost, no fuzz, no volume control, just a "wah-n trick pony", as it were.:smile:


Well, I'm close! I have a PowerFuzzWah that I use pretty well just for the fuzz.

My formative years were from '65 to '70...:smile:

:food-smiley-004:


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

Can;t go wrong with a good ol' cry-baby !!!sdsresdsre


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## devnulljp (Mar 18, 2008)

Guys, the Teese WoF has landed and it's awesome - exactly what I had in my head the whole time. Have to spend some time tweaking but it's a great sounding wah...thing weighs a ton too. 
Anyone else feel the rocker is kinda gritty though? (Mine's used so...)


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

I have gone through dozens of wah pedals. My fav 2 are the Slash wah and the Crybaby classic.

I tried the Fulltone and HBE wah's. Fulltone was a lot like the Crybaby and the HBE was just nasty as hell.


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