Distortion & Wah: What order?
- Thread starter Artie
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PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
For me, always wah first. It needs to be a wah with a good sweep and cut (I prefer the Crybabies, Teese or Morley to the reissue Vox) so it doesn’t disappear completely, but after is just too dramatic for me. Also, if I’m using fuzz pedals it needs to be both true bypass and have a fuzz friendly buffer. That way it’ll drive the fuzz (not get lost), won’t squeal and still allows volume cleanup on the fuzz when the wah is engaged.
I use the Teese with fuzz, but an old early 90’s crybaby does just fine without for me.
Of course, some players love it after distortion.... gotta try it both ways!
For me, always wah first. It needs to be a wah with a good sweep and cut (I prefer the Crybabies, Teese or Morley to the reissue Vox) so it doesn’t disappear completely, but after is just too dramatic for me. Also, if I’m using fuzz pedals it needs to be both true bypass and have a fuzz friendly buffer. That way it’ll drive the fuzz (not get lost), won’t squeal and still allows volume cleanup on the fuzz when the wah is engaged.
I use the Teese with fuzz, but an old early 90’s crybaby does just fine without for me.
Of course, some players love it after distortion.... gotta try it both ways!
BlueSnMettle
Michaelewski
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Same for me, wah first.
Same for me, wah first.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
I'll have to "google" this . . . since I don't know what you're talking about.
I'll have to "google" this . . . since I don't know what you're talking about.
Metalman_666
New member
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
I like my wah after any added dirt, and then into the amp distortion. So if I'm using a drive pedal, it goes guitar - OD - wah - amp
The wah is juicier and can really sing by slamming its input. And to my ears it still plays well with amp overdrive.
Although that's what I normally do, I did try it the other way with good results: I've recorded a solo with wah going into a Route66 and then into amp distortion (Mesa Mark IV lead channel).
I noticed putting the drive after the wah smooths out any harshness from the sweep, but to quote James Hetfield, it put a sh***y coating over the sound. Ok maybe it wasn't that bad! But not my favourite order. The drive pedal can enhance some of the weird harmonics that pop out in the wah sweep.
Let's not even talk about wah in the loop of the amp. That's crazy!
Sent from my SM-N975W using Tapatalk
I like my wah after any added dirt, and then into the amp distortion. So if I'm using a drive pedal, it goes guitar - OD - wah - amp
The wah is juicier and can really sing by slamming its input. And to my ears it still plays well with amp overdrive.
Although that's what I normally do, I did try it the other way with good results: I've recorded a solo with wah going into a Route66 and then into amp distortion (Mesa Mark IV lead channel).
I noticed putting the drive after the wah smooths out any harshness from the sweep, but to quote James Hetfield, it put a sh***y coating over the sound. Ok maybe it wasn't that bad! But not my favourite order. The drive pedal can enhance some of the weird harmonics that pop out in the wah sweep.
Let's not even talk about wah in the loop of the amp. That's crazy!
Sent from my SM-N975W using Tapatalk
LLL
New member
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Normally the wah goes first.
But why???
Because of the crappy input impedance on your typical wah... although this is needed for the interaction w/ the guitar.
However...
If you get a wah like the Fulltone WahFul (with its super high impedance input), you ain't gotta worry.
It's all about impedance... impedance... impedance...
Normally the wah goes first.
But why???
Because of the crappy input impedance on your typical wah... although this is needed for the interaction w/ the guitar.
However...
If you get a wah like the Fulltone WahFul (with its super high impedance input), you ain't gotta worry.
It's all about impedance... impedance... impedance...
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
As a huge Adrian Belew fan, he doesn't use a wah at all, and never has.
BTW, I think before the distortion sounds and 'feels' better to me.
I'll have to "google" this . . . since I don't know what you're talking about.
As a huge Adrian Belew fan, he doesn't use a wah at all, and never has.
BTW, I think before the distortion sounds and 'feels' better to me.
ICTGoober
Well-known member
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
My point is that Adrian has done tons of experimentation with the order of toys and their resultant sounds. He would know it's important to try all the combinations. Having the distortion first adds more harmonics for any other effect to work with.... Might be "too much", but it pays to dance on those pedals. He treats guitar synths as just another pedal in the chain... His solo work in the 80's and with King Crimson was groundbreaking stuff. Adrian is a god in my book.
My point is that Adrian has done tons of experimentation with the order of toys and their resultant sounds. He would know it's important to try all the combinations. Having the distortion first adds more harmonics for any other effect to work with.... Might be "too much", but it pays to dance on those pedals. He treats guitar synths as just another pedal in the chain... His solo work in the 80's and with King Crimson was groundbreaking stuff. Adrian is a god in my book.
devastone
Well-known member
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Wah into clean is nice and funky, but wah and distortion, that's peanut butter and chocolate right there.
Cool. You are reinforcing what I'm playing with. Wah before distortion. But I'll take it one step further. I really don't think they play well together. You do "wah", or you do distortion. And never the twain shall meet.
Wah's like clean.
Wah into clean is nice and funky, but wah and distortion, that's peanut butter and chocolate right there.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Listen to “Pets” by Porno for Pyros to hear a great example of wah after distortion.
Listen to “Pets” by Porno for Pyros to hear a great example of wah after distortion.
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Indeed. Funny thing about him is that you don't have anyone copying him, as people literally have no idea how he gets the sounds he does.
Indeed. Funny thing about him is that you don't have anyone copying him, as people literally have no idea how he gets the sounds he does.
NegativeEase
New member
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
Foe me it goes Distortion into the rest of the chain and the Wah gets connected to the trash can.
I kid I kid.
I'm not a big fan of Wah,. I feel like players too often substitute expressive playing styles for more Wah.
Just don't let take over your playing IMO..... in the past I've preferred Wah before distortion,.
Foe me it goes Distortion into the rest of the chain and the Wah gets connected to the trash can.
I kid I kid.
I'm not a big fan of Wah,. I feel like players too often substitute expressive playing styles for more Wah.
Just don't let take over your playing IMO..... in the past I've preferred Wah before distortion,.
GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Distortion & Wah: What order?
I have a 535Q so can adjust the wah quite a bit. For ages my opinion was pretty much the same as yours . . . I'd set the wah for a wide sweep, fairly narrow resonant peak and get some awesome whakka-whakka clean sounds, but it didn't work with gain. In the last couple years I've been experimenting with a much narrower sweep and wider resonant peak. This sounds pretty meh when clean, but plays really well with distortion.
You do "wah", or you do distortion. And never the twain shall meet.
Wah's like clean.
I have a 535Q so can adjust the wah quite a bit. For ages my opinion was pretty much the same as yours . . . I'd set the wah for a wide sweep, fairly narrow resonant peak and get some awesome whakka-whakka clean sounds, but it didn't work with gain. In the last couple years I've been experimenting with a much narrower sweep and wider resonant peak. This sounds pretty meh when clean, but plays really well with distortion.
