Wah-Wah pedal?

**Woody Sound** · 01-30-2017, 10:43 AM

I need to get a wah pedal for a pit job. Would really like to go on the cheap, because I'd never use one otherwise. Essentially, it'll be cutting into my paycheck. In looking at a few, I was surprised that they need to be powered. I always assumed they would be passive. No?

**mr. beaumont** · 01-30-2017, 11:08 AM

No, I don't think I've ever seen a passive "wah."

Good ol Crybaby will git'r done. I had a vox for years that was great, lent it to someone, never saw it again...oh well.

I was always intrigued by the morley model you just step on and go, no switch to "click." But I guess that's no good for "half cocked" sounds...

**blille** · 01-30-2017, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I need to get a wah pedal for a pit job. Would really like to go on the cheap, because I'd never use one otherwise. Essentially, it'll be cutting into my paycheck. In looking at a few, I was surprised that they need to be powered. I always assumed they would be passive. No?

Nope. They need power. It's not just a tone control like on the guitar. It's a filter and you move the resonant peak with your foot.

If you want to go cheap, second hand Morleys or Cry Baby GCB95 might be your best bet. If it's for rhythm you may be fine with an auto wah / envelope filter like the doctor Q or micro Q from from EHX (and a billion others).

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**Little Jay** · 01-30-2017, 11:14 AM

One of the cheapest you can get is the Electro Harmonix Wailer Wah ($63 at Amazon).

I just bought one two weeks ago and I like it! It sounds just as good as my beloved old Vox V847 wah, but since it's made of plastic (very sturdy and durable plastic) it weighs around 1/3 of the Vox (and since I cycle and walk a lot with my small-café-gear that was worth a lot to me).

My only complaint is that the locking-washer ring was fitted the wrong way and the pot came loose, so I had to open the wah, placed an extra washer ring and put the locking washer ring in the right spot and it was fixed. Could be exemplaric though.

**TOMMO** · 01-30-2017, 11:46 AM

I had been looking for one myself about two years ago - not so much for wah effects but as a tone shaper and the Morley has been recommended to me. The good thing is that the on/off switch is not part of the foot pad itself so you can set your pedal at whatever setting you prefer and turn it on and off with a switch at the side. Also there is an extra volume control to either boost or attenuate your volume. Inexpensive, too.

**Gitfiddler** · 01-30-2017, 12:33 PM

If you want a low price/low risk Wah-Wah purchase, go to Guitar Center "Used". They'll likely have all brands; the online search takes you all around the country; will ship for free to your local GC; and have a great return policy.

**lammie200** · 01-30-2017, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I need to get a wah pedal for a pit job. Would really like to go on the cheap, because I'd never use one otherwise. Essentially, it'll be cutting into my paycheck. In looking at a few, I was surprised that they need to be powered. I always assumed they would be passive. No?

I used to have an original Dunlop and you could put a 9 volt battery inside. Don't know if some still work that way.

**Woody Sound** · 01-30-2017, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by blille

If it's for rhythm you may be fine with an auto wah / envelope filter like the doctor Q or micro Q from from EHX (and a billion others).

Ah yes! I have one of those buried in a box somewhere. Don't know if it will work for the part. It's sort of a seventies rhythmic thing, where you're scratching 16th note chords, wah in the up position for beats 1-2, then down wah for 3-4. But it's worth a try. Maybe I can set the filter's threshold to respond to a stronger strum for 3-4.

**Thumpalumpacus** · 01-30-2017, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I need to get a wah pedal for a pit job. Would really like to go on the cheap, because I'd never use one otherwise. Essentially, it'll be cutting into my paycheck. In looking at a few, I was surprised that they need to be powered. I always assumed they would be passive. No?

They cannot be passive, because the effect is based on amplifying a sliver of the tone being put into it, and that will always require power.

If you don't want to spend much, get a Dunlop at a pawn shop for about $50. Make sure you test it before you leave the shop, and get ready for some tone-suck, because they're not buffered; you may have to turn your amp up a tad.

**viccortes285** · 01-30-2017, 01:13 PM

I use Dunlap's mini Wah on my petal board

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**TOMMO** · 01-30-2017, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Thumpalumpacus

They cannot be passive, because the effect is based on amplifying a sliver of the tone being put into it, and that will always require power.

If you don't want to spend much, get a Dunlop at a pawn shop for about $50. Make sure you test it before you leave the shop, and get ready for some tone-suck, because they're not buffered; you may have to turn your amp up a tad.

That's where the volume control on the Morley comes in handy!

**GNAPPI** · 01-30-2017, 01:52 PM

Just a thought, maybe you could borrow one? You don't have a location shown, but I'm in So Fla and you're welcome to use my Cry Baby if you're nearby.

**FuseHead** · 01-30-2017, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Ah yes! I have one of those buried in a box somewhere. Don't know if it will work for the part. It's sort of a seventies rhythmic thing, where you're scratching 16th note chords, wah in the up position for beats 1-2, then down wah for 3-4. But it's worth a try. Maybe I can set the filter's threshold to respond to a stronger strum for 3-4.

I'd bet it will work just fine. I had two different pedals and the auto wah and almost never used the pedal and as a biker bar cover band at that time, I was using wah way more than I ever expected.

**Woody Sound** · 01-30-2017, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

Ah yes! I have one of those buried in a box somewhere. Don't know if it will work for the part. It's sort of a seventies rhythmic thing, where you're scratching 16th note chords, wah in the up position for beats 1-2, then down wah for 3-4. But it's worth a try. Maybe I can set the filter's threshold to respond to a stronger strum for 3-4.

ps - In the style of the theme from "Shaft."

**Woody Sound** · 01-30-2017, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Just a thought, maybe you could borrow one? You don't have a location shown, but I'm in So Fla and you're welcome to use my Cry Baby if you're nearby.

New York State, but thanks very much for the kind offer.

**Woody Sound** · 01-30-2017, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by FuseHead

I'd bet it will work just fine. I had two different pedals and the auto wah and almost never used the pedal and as a biker bar cover band at that time, I was using wah way more than I ever expected.

Now that I think about it, I think I sold it

**feral guitar** · 01-30-2017, 03:38 PM

i had the crybaby fazel and it was too extreme. there is a large volume hump somewhere in the middle that is tough to use.

**339 in june** · 01-30-2017, 04:26 PM

Dunlop CryBaby GCB95. Simple, robust, cheap, basic and convenient.
Put a 9V battery in it, it will last two or three lifetime ...
If you buy used (even cheaper !) just make sure it works fine (On/Off switch, ....)

**jim777** · 01-30-2017, 05:57 PM

If you buy a used one off of Reverb, you should be able to flip it for very little if any $ loss once you're done with it.

**999369** · 01-30-2017, 05:58 PM

I use this set , can have many ~ many pre-set

but not cheap ! But can do a lot ~~~~

Wah-Wah pedal?-image-jpg

**Northenlights** · 01-31-2017, 10:16 AM

I'd steer clear of the Crybaby. To me, they sound very harsh, thin and spikey. This is what has made them so popular for rock players, allowing them to cut through the mix when dishing out those screaming lead lines, but for softer stuff they sound like pure shite in my ears. They are also major tone suckers when not engaged, so you'd have to do a tb-mod. If you want a cheap wah, I'd suggest buying a Vox 846 or 845. Haven't really tried them out myself, but you can't go wrong with a Vox.
For ultimate tonal wah nirvana, I'd track down a vintage Colorsound. They've got a real low, deep growly sound and a HUGE sweep, more of a "whoa" than "wha". Perfect funk machines they are, but tend to be quite pricey unfortunately.

**Longways to Go** · 01-31-2017, 11:19 PM

I recently bought a wah, but I went for "the best" as opposed to the cheapest.
I got a Real McCoy RMC handwired "picture" wah, and I must say I am impressed with it in every way.
Quiet, well built & toneful.

My only previous experience with a wah was with a VOX in the 90's. I hated it.
Scratchy sounding pot, and it never really worked right. I gave up on it -- and the wah pedal in general.

I guess that bad experience was why I went for the best I could find this time around

**Little Jay** · 02-01-2017, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by Longways to Go

I recently bought a wah, but I went for "the best" as opposed to the cheapest.
I got a Real McCoy RMC handwired "picture" wah, and I must say I am impressed with it in every way.
Quiet, well built & toneful.

My only previous experience with a wah was with a VOX in the 90's. I hated it.
Scratchy sounding pot, and it never really worked right. I gave up on it -- and the wah pedal in general.

I guess that bad experience was why I went for the best I could find this time around

Not trying to discourage you or badmouth your McCoy, but just wait until the pot of your McCoy goes scratchy.... it's a mechanical component, so inevitably it will go bad and need replacement. Same goes for the switch.

That's just the thing with this wah-design (with pot and switch), they need maintenance and parts replaced at some point in their life. You'll be surprised how much the McCoy is exactly the same inside as a Vox or a Crybaby (all exactly the same design, just some different values of a few components).

**mambosun** · 02-01-2017, 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by Little Jay

Not trying to discourage you or badmouth your McCoy, but just wait until the pot of your McCoy goes scratchy.... it's a mechanical component, so inevitably it will go bad and need replacement. Same goes for the switch.

That's just the thing with this wah-design (with pot and switch), they need maintenance and parts replaced at some point in their life. You'll be surprised how much the McCoy is exactly the same inside as a Vox or a Crybaby (all exactly the same design, just some different values of a few components).

As I'm not a techician myself I can't comment when you say RMC are of similar design as mainstream Dunlop and Vox wah, but all I can say after extensive tests and comparisons, to my ears they don't absolutely sound the same. Not to mention they don't "behave" the same when put in front of overdrive or distortion pedals. I use to have a vintage Jen Crybaby which was crap and unreliable. My RMC 6 is in my pedalboard since 10 years now of gigs and rehearsal whithout any problem. Geoffrey Teese are hand made and not the cheapest wah pedal in the market, but I use to say your tone deserve it.

**Ray175** · 02-01-2017, 12:30 PM

+1 for the Coloursound if you can find one
It was my very first wah pedal in 1975 and had the widest sweep I've come across. took some getting used to but it was wonderful
It died (crushed) some years back, and I'm now using a Morley Volume/Wah - very smooth and the volume level setting for wah is a great plus..... but I would appreciate the range of sweep that the Coloursound had. One day I'll be brave and take it to pieces and reshape the plastic part that progressively cuts off the laser, but not today......