Vox 847 Wah Pedal Make it sound good

guitartango

I brought a Vox Wah many years ago and could never get a decent sound with it. Any one used one before and how did you improve the tone... (run over it with a large lorry?). To me it just sounds so shrill and weak.

My chain
Guitar>Wah>OD>DIST>Delay>Marshall Amp

239

FelineGuitars

It could be thatyou have the treadle too far rotated round so you are getting mainly the treble end of the sweep.

This can be adjusted if you go inside and move the rack and pinion to a different part of the rotation of the pot that governs where in the sweep you are - check a video onYoutube first to see if this is the case - try this one for starters...

However the Vox is already a much brighter sounding wah than the Dunlop and it may simply be that you'd get on better with a Dunlop wah 

guitartango

Thanks Feline,

As I have got nothing to loose, i might as well try this, if not it's a nice £80 paperweight.

316

mike_l

What OD/Distortions are you using, as I find my 847 works better with a more old school sound.

For a higher gain tone the Kirk Hammett and EVH Crybaby's and Ibanez Weeping Demon are better.

frankus

Moving the treadle was the first thing I did with a jen wah in '90.. easy and reversible - get in there!

Castledines DIY mods I've done on several wah pedals since, they're good

dogload

I use one of those Vox wahs too, and had 'serious problems' (of the First World variety, you understand) when it suddenly started sounding thin and pathetic after a board re-organisation. I ended up having to re-re-organise and put my fuzz in front and disto/ overdrives after it (as @guitartango has). It now sounds very nice and I therefore deduce that placement is the key... mine also has been true-bypass modded and has a replacement pot which meant I set the treadle position when I installed it.

I much prefer my ancient JEN, but use the Vox because the JEN doesn't have a DC input. I suppose it's an easy mod, but I'm too lazy/ stupid to do it!

guitartango

Cheers all

Here is my set up

Guitar>Wah>Rothwell Booster>BD2-OD3>DS1>OKKO DIABLO>Nova Reaper>Marshall 1974x

When playing clean the Wah sounds really brittle, sounds better with some OD or DS1 turned on. Maybe i need a little OD before the Wah or remove it from my board.

thermionic

The Castlediine mods  improved my V487, but I'd advise doing them one at a time so you can hear the effect of each, not do them all in go like I did...

Best mod was true bypass.