Wah pedals

ThePrettyDamned

Okay, so I've decided I really need one for recording.  I can't bring myself to sell my Qtron though, so I'm either going budget or saving up.

Previous wahs I've liked - Dunlop 535Q (18V version.  Absolutely killer).  Ibanez Weeping Demon (my fave).  

I liked the instant on/off of the weeping demon, so that's a preferable but not necessary feature (a la Morley).

I've found a few interesting alternatives though.  Snarling Dogs ones, which look amazing (I quite fancy the blues bawls) or the Boss FW-3 (no decent demos, but seems to sound good).  George Dennis ones seem to be cropping up, too.

Main bugbear really is going to be noise - I don't want too much.  I didn't like the Morley Power Wah I tried in store, which seemed to do very little to the sound...

Do I save up and wait for a weeping demon, or are there other decent alternatives?  Perhaps AMT wahs? The Boss FW-3?  *gulp* The fulltone? (I doubt I'll like that if it's too traditional sounding, I like modern).  I liked the CAE wah, but it didn't do the same modern kind of sound the weeping demon did.

ICBM

Try the Dunlop *Bass* Cry Baby - the white one. It has a Q control, volume boost and auto-on.

For me the original Cry Baby 535 (no Q) is the wah to end all wahs though. It just sounds better than anything else I've tried… not even sure why. It's just perfect for me. But they don't make it any more.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

Try the Dunlop *Bass* Cry Baby - the white one. It has a Q control, volume boost and auto-on.

For me the original Cry Baby 535 (no Q) is the wah to end all wahs though. It just sounds better than anything else I've tried… not even sure why. It's just perfect for me. But they don't make it any more.

I'll give it a go.  Does the 'bass' thing not mean a great deal?

My old 535 had a q control, and took a while for me to set-and-forget, but once I nailed it, it was excellent.  I tried a newer one and it was not so sweet - not bad sounding, but not so great.  I've never tried the original 535 though.  

ICBM

ThePrettyDamned said:

Does the 'bass' thing not mean a great deal?

The sweep range is lower, but it works fine for guitar too. I actually prefer the 'bassier' settings on my 535 anyway.

ThePrettyDamned

Cool.  

I'll see if I can find one to try, I can't afford to drop that kinda cash.  If a used Weeping Demon comes up for not much money, I'll get it (I know I like it) but a bass wah might be cheaper if it does crop up.  

ThePrettyDamned

Has anyone used a Boss FW-3? I'm kinda interested in these, Boss stuff is usually bullet proof...

Kebabkid

I can't find a wah I like. My dilemma is I can't find one that sounds good on both clean and overdrive sounds - I'm aiming for quacky, funky cleans, even Shaft-like, and Thin Lizzy vocal wahs, even Slash ones on overdrive. The Fulltone Clyde Deluxe stayed on my board the longest, but even then, I didn't like it. I like a big sweep and no top end harshness too. I thought the CAE MC404 was gonna be the one, but, alas, no.

I must say, at a Gearfest, Fastboy had a Dunlop wah, possibly with a Q control that you didn't have to click on, it came back to its' position like the Morley or Weeping Demon one. That sounded rather nice.

I've been told I should check out the old Jen Wah. Anyone found a wah that works equally well on both sounds and before anyone says it, as someone did on MR,  I do know how to operate them and they are for me.

1nten5e

I've tried a few and ended up with what to me is perfect, The Wilson Ten Spot II

ICBM

Kebabkid said:

My dilemma is I can't find one that sounds good on both clean and overdrive sounds

Anyone found a wah that works equally well on both sounds

Dunlop 535 (no Q).

Really.

Actually, having done a bit of checking it appears that the BB-535 *might* be the same thing but with two extra settings at the bass end.

stickyfiddle

BYOC Wah. I have mine with all the trimpots internal but you can build it to give you any of Q, Mids, Gain and iirc Bass all on the outside. It can do pretty much all the possible wah sounds you can think of, but you have to build it yourself, obviously.

Travisthedog

ThePrettyDamned;158204" said:

Has anyone used a Boss FW-3? I'm kinda interested in these, Boss stuff is usually bullet proof...

Bloody awful

Just got a MXR CAE wah

My search is over - and with a built in 401 line driver - I'll never have that "disappearing wah solo" problem again

You really should try one

ThePrettyDamned

@travisthedog, I already have but it didn't have a big enough, modern sounding sweep compared to the Weeping Demon.  

I'm nit picking, but so far, wahs have let me down except for the weeping demon (the 535q 18v was nice but a pain for power supplies and didn't have auto on/off), but they don't seem to appear as often as they once did.  

So maybe I'll wind up waiting for a WD again.  They're a bit massive, though.

57Deluxe

Take a Look at this page...

http://www.realmccoycustom.com/WHICH%20WAH.htm

and here:

http://www.analogman.com/mccoy.htm

Oh and DO NOT go near the BOSS !! awful awful awful....

Travisthedog

ThePrettyDamned;158420" said:

@travisthedog, I already have but it didn't have a big enough, modern sounding sweep compared to the Weeping Demon.  

Really!!? Wow - I like it because of its huge sweep. Especially on the red fasel.

Gig fx frampton mega wah has a big sweep - but no bigger than the cae if I'm honest

ThePrettyDamned

Travisthedog said:

ThePrettyDamned;158420" said:

@travisthedog, I already have but it didn't have a big enough, modern sounding sweep compared to the Weeping Demon.  

Really!!? Wow - I like it because of its huge sweep. Especially on the red fasel.

Gig fx frampton mega wah has a big sweep - but no bigger than the cae if I'm honest

Maybe I need to give it another go then... It was a fair while ago now, so poor memory can easily cloud judgement

Does it have auto on/off?  That's really a must-have.

mike_l

@ThePrettyDamned

I have a Crybaby I could part with if you're interested.

monquixote

Get the Demon Jr it's a bit smaller. 

I have a CAE wah and the Demon Jr is the only other one I'd consider owning (and only if I was playing metal)

ThePrettyDamned

@mike_l thanks for the kind offer, but I don't get on well with le crybaby.  They sound great, but it's the switching more than anything.  

@monquixote, what's the junior like?  Does it sound as good as the original? It's a very reasonable price if it does... And seems to have the main features I want.  

I wonder if my local GAS emporium has any in for me to demo...

viz

I still love my Morley bad horsie - it's built like a horse, and it's got a really agressive wah - because it's got a deep oooo and a high aaaah, it sweeps through the vowels at a really fast pace - it's right quacky on clean sound, and distorted it's awsome.

monquixote

I've never tried one (I had the big one), but from what I understand it's the same circuit without the manual mode, bass mode and adjustable Q none of which I ever used. 

The bass mode is shit as well as the demon doesn't have enough headroom for an active bass so it horribly clips. 

ThePrettyDamned

Cool, maybe the junior is a contender.  

I've just found *the* perfect sounding wah, super sweet clean, but brilliantly cutting and vocal for lead.

The Ibanez WH10.  

Not got the auto switching though... But the sound... Hmm.