Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

[Securb]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

Hello,
What is the big deal with "inductors" like "Halo" or "Fasel". I bought a CryBaby true bypass in 2001, it had one of those so-called famous inductors, can't remember which. The most vocal I ever heard was Hendrix on "Rainy Day....Dream away" reprise. I keep seeing "Cry Baby" as the real one, but every time I see a picture of Hendrix, especially on Electric Ladyland, where that song is found, I see Vox wah all over the place with Hendrix. When I was a kid I tried a Vox but the tone and volume suck was unbelievable. So I know I ain't no Jimi, but even with true bypass and a Italian* inductor, it just sounded, as some one here says: Meh. I am sure curious about these things. Glad there is a Forum!!
SJB

In simple terms it is a coil or resistor. Different conductors have different values hence different tones. The most popular are the red and yellow Fasel which both deliver very different distinct tones. None are "better" or worse they are just different and come down to personal preference. If you are handy with an iron they are cheap and easy to swap out, most inductors are under $20.

"Rainy Day....Dream away" is one of Jimi's greatest wah solos. Keep in mind that is 99.9% Jimi Hendrix and 0.01% the inductor. A red or yellow resistor didn't have much to do with the outcome of that recording.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

Hello,
What is the big deal with "inductors" like "Halo" or "Fasel". I bought a CryBaby true bypass in 2001, it had one of those so-called famous inductors, can't remember which. The most vocal I ever heard was Hendrix on "Rainy Day....Dream away" reprise. I keep seeing "Cry Baby" as the real one, but every time I see a picture of Hendrix, especially on Electric Ladyland, where that song is found, I see Vox wah all over the place with Hendrix. When I was a kid I tried a Vox but the tone and volume suck was unbelievable. So I know I ain't no Jimi, but even with true bypass and a Italian* inductor, it just sounded, as some one here says: Meh. I am sure curious about these things. Glad there is a Forum!!
SJB

Different inductors work the pedal in different ways. The best way to show this is the Dunlop CAE wah, which has a Red Fasel inductor and a Yellow Fasel inductor and a switch to pick one. I read a piece where someone tested the difference between the standard Crybaby inductor and a red Vintage Fasel, and the difference came down to how the inductors reacted with sine waves. He said that the only way it could have done that is if the Fasel had a magnetic offset, which was caused by Vox using cheap materials, rather than good materials.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

To Securb and J.T.Kid-
I REALLY get the all in the fingers thing, believe me. But even though the Vox I tried that was a major tone suck, it still was more vocal than my 2000 cry baby classic. So for the sake of .01%, which type of inductor would have been in a Vox around the time of E. Ladyland? Johnny, you are over my head with big words like "sine waves". I went to college for Optical, not Electrical.
I will take a listen to that vid you posted, but I am just too sick right this minute, bad flu, headache, fever, hammer between my eyes, haven't slept for almost 36 hours.
thank you guys,
sjb ..edit, couldn't get off the couch, watched vid, second choice sounded really good, thanks again. ok, off the couch 1,2,3 over/out

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

I use a Clyde. The pedal case is constructed so you get to use the full sweep of the pot, and it uses either NOS military inductors and pots from the period (1960's), or actual pots and inductors out of original VOX equipment.

 

[Hank-]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

Didn't Dunlop patent the 'Crybaby' name first, although Vox were the first to come up with a wah pedal?

I have the C.A.E 404 wah, wish the Q adjustments were external pots rather than internal trimmers. Its got quite a nice sweep, try it out if you get a chance.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

Didn't Dunlop patent the 'Crybaby' name first, although Vox were the first to come up with a wah pedal?

Cant patent a name... you can trademark it but you cant patent it.

And no dunlop didnt he bought the rights to it, Vox made the first crybabies. They were identical back in the day. The different names were used so that music dealers who had agreements to sell lines other than vox could also sell wah wah pedals.

This also answers the earlier did question of did jimi use a vox or a crybaby... he used both as they were identically the same made by the same people.

addendum to the hendrix thing, Famously roger mayer modded and massaged a ton of effects for hendrix there is no way to tell what exactly was inside his wah cases. But unless you are hendrix it doesnt matter without his fingers you are tilting at windmills anyways

 

[dystrust]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

To Securb and J.T.Kid-
I REALLY get the all in the fingers thing, believe me. But even though the Vox I tried that was a major tone suck, it still was more vocal than my 2000 cry baby classic. So for the sake of .01%, which type of inductor would have been in a Vox around the time of E. Ladyland? Johnny, you are over my head with big words like "sine waves". I went to college for Optical, not Electrical.
I will take a listen to that vid you posted, but I am just too sick right this minute, bad flu, headache, fever, hammer between my eyes, haven't slept for almost 36 hours.
thank you guys,
sjb ..edit, couldn't get off the couch, watched vid, second choice sounded really good, thanks again. ok, off the couch 1,2,3 over/out

If you're after the Vox Clyde sound, here are a few (quality) suggestions that'll cost a lot less than a vintage Vox:

Fulltone Clyde - No tweakability, but sounds good for a modest price. The Clyde Deluxe offers two additional sound options that I never used.
Teese RMC4 Picture Wah - Same as above, but smoother tone that cuts a bit better without being so bright.
Teese RMC3 - Same basic tone as the picture, but fully tweakable like a 535Q.
Wilson Signature - The same basic idea as an RMC3, but sounds even better IMO. My current wah of choice.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

To everyone,
Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me. My Crybaby Classic does not sound nearly as good as the CAE on the "yellow switch". Although I use it rarely, it can be fun to have a vocal, throaty wah every now and then.
Forgot about all that Roger Meyer modding.
But without being Jimi H. the CAE yellow is the closest I've heard yet.
dystrust- several there I have never even heard of. Guess it's YouTube time, I have been hearing a few new ones that are actually quite good, for a change. The CAE vid was very well done and fair. I hope your examples are true by-pass. It's a must for me, even though many don't like it, and love the buffered variety.
Thanks MOST (Men of Sound and Tone) or POST (People of Sound and Tone)
Which ever is more P.C., which is tiring changing my words after 62 years of saying them. Especially when whatever I say that sounds un-P.C. is never ever meant to be offensive, just grew up in a very different world.
Steven John B.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

To everyone,
Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me. My Crybaby Classic does not sound nearly as good as the CAE on the "yellow switch". Although I use it rarely, it can be fun to have a vocal, throaty wah every now and then.
Forgot about all that Roger Meyer modding.
But without being Jimi H. the CAE yellow is the closest I've heard yet.
dystrust- several there I have never even heard of. Guess it's YouTube time, I have been hearing a few new ones that are actually quite good, for a change. The CAE vid was very well done and fair. I hope your examples are true by-pass. It's a must for me, even though many don't like it, and love the buffered variety.

I'm not sure about Fulltone, but Wilson and Teese are both buffered to play nice in front of a fuzz pedal.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

You need to clarify that statement, with the Teese at least, the output buffer is only active with the wah on. (Allows the wah to cut through a fuzz) it is "true bypass" when off, so as not to mess with the input impedance of a fuzz.

Long story short for me and my Wahs:
Vox - not a strong "wah"
Crybaby - stronger "wah", works with distortion but not very well with fuzz
Teese RMC3 - strength of "wah" is tunable, cuts through both distortion and fuzz
Morley - Strong "wah", cuts through distortion, never used it with fuzz

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

I've had them all.

The Cantrell is amazing.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

If you're after the Vox Clyde sound, here are a few (quality) suggestions that'll cost a lot less than a vintage Vox:

Fulltone Clyde - No tweakability, but sounds good for a modest price. The Clyde Deluxe offers two additional sound options that I never used.
Teese RMC4 Picture Wah - Same as above, but smoother tone that cuts a bit better without being so bright.
Teese RMC3 - Same basic tone as the picture, but fully tweakable like a 535Q.
Wilson Signature - The same basic idea as an RMC3, but sounds even better IMO. My current wah of choice.

Dunlop is making a Clyde McCoy wah pedal, which I've been told is a complete copy of the original, besides the halo inductor, which Dunlop updated to lower the microphonics of the pedal. http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/clyde-mccoy-cry-baby

 

[Hank-]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

Dunlop is making a Clyde McCoy wah pedal, which I've been told is a complete copy of the original, besides the halo inductor, which Dunlop updated to lower the microphonics of the pedal. http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/clyde-mccoy-cry-baby

Its about $200 new at sweetwater though. The demo didnt sound all that special either. At that price one of the Wilson wahs should be available too with same features or more. I like the Wilson 12 position Rippah wah plenty adjustable i think, wish i had known about them when i picked the cae wah

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Help me pick a "vocal" like wah pedal

I've by no means gone through all the wahs available to me, but I feel I've got the expressive potential I always wanted in the Morley Bad Horsie 2. It's got a wide sweep with plenty of room to work the pedal and get what you want out of it. It's buffered, optical, and auto on/off, which may run counter to what you see with some other great wahs.