How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

[Jazzfiend101]

Straightforward question guys. He's got his own wah. He's got an old signature 100watt JCM 800 he uses with an old 100watt JCM 800 that he uses with a new signature 100watt JCM 800. He's got EMGs. What's the secret?

I've got none of that stuff, but I'm curious why my Pearly Gates bridge gets a perfect wah sound, but my Alnico Pro 2 neck or my 59 neck gets nothing but mud when the wah goes on.

Discuss!!!!

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

Straightforward question guys. He's got his own wah. He's got an old signature 100watt JCM 800 he uses with an old 100watt JCM 800 that he uses with a new signature 100watt JCM 800. He's got EMGs. What's the secret?

I've got none of that stuff, but I'm curious why my Pearly Gates bridge gets a perfect wah sound, but my Alnico Pro 2 neck or my 59 neck gets nothing but mud when the wah goes on.

Discuss!!!!

The PG is very bright, the 59N and A2Pro are darker/smoother. There are a few things I would try before ditching either of them.

1. Turn the neck pickup 180 degrees. Sensing the string closer to the bridge tightens up the sound of the neck position.
2. Radius the polepieces to match the curvature of the fretboard. This improves note definition considerably.
3. Try a A3 or A4 magnet in either pickup. A3's are bright and sweet. A4's are balanced and clear.
4. Cut the fillister polepieces flush with the bottom of the baseplate. This tightens up response considerably.
5. Try short hex polepieces instead. Hex poles dip out the midrange, sharpens the treble and tightens the bass.
6. Try wiring the neck position for series/parallel. Parallel wiring really cleans up a muddy neck bucker and sounds cool clean.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

Lots of guys use a wah on the neck pickup...

What wah do you have?

What else is in the signal path and what is the amp in question?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

"My rig is almost nothing like this guy's. Why do we sound so different?"

 

[Bfeeney]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

"My rig is almost nothing like this guy's. Why do we sound so different?"

HA!

 

[astrozombie]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

"My rig is almost nothing like this guy's. Why do we sound so different?"

sorry man, but this applies greatly..

 

[Jazzfiend101]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

It's cool I bought a JB/Jazz kit like a month later... solved that problem. And I didn't need any EMGs to do it... so...

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[Demanic]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

I've got a wah with an adjustable Q, shape and volume. No problem here.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

How does one use a wah anyway? I've tried an original crybaby and with the toe down, I get this unbearable screech. If I only go about halfway with it, it's ok, but I'm not getting anything useable beyond that. How did Hendrix, SRV, and even Hammet keep from getting such a harsh, brittle screech? Just don't go all the way with it? I did put a Q knob on one of mine some years ago (before I broke it), and that helped, but then the lower end was enhanced, which wasn't good either, so I could go toe-down but not heel-down.

Even using the wah models in my M13 with an expression pedal, I get the same horrendous screech. At least with that you can set the depth, but the GCB-95 leaves me scratching.

 

[dystrust]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

How does one use a wah anyway? I've tried an original crybaby and with the toe down, I get this unbearable screech. If I only go about halfway with it, it's ok, but I'm not getting anything useable beyond that. How did Hendrix, SRV, and even Hammet keep from getting such a harsh, brittle screech? Just don't go all the way with it? I did put a Q knob on one of mine some years ago (before I broke it), and that helped, but then the lower end was enhanced, which wasn't good either, so I could go toe-down but not heel-down.

Even using the wah models in my M13 with an expression pedal, I get the same horrendous screech. At least with that you can set the depth, but the GCB-95 leaves me scratching.

The 'Original' crybaby sounds like poo IMO. Hendrix and SRV used Vox Clyde McCoy wahs which are smoother and fatter sounding. I'm not sure what Kirk used from '83-'87, but starting around '88 or '89 he switched to an EMB remote wah. After EMB disappeared he switched to a rackmount crybaby which is like an even more tweakable 535Q. I'm a big fan of the Wilson Signature wah which is a tweakable Clyde clone.

One you thing you can do with an original crybaby (or any mechanical wah for that matter) is to move the tooth mechanism attached to the treadle to another part of the pot's sweep. There isn't a huge range of adjustment, but backing off a few teeth can tame the extreme treble in the toe down position.

 

[Snoogles]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

The PG is very bright, the 59N and A2Pro are darker/smoother. There are a few things I would try before ditching either of them.

1. Turn the neck pickup 180 degrees. Sensing the string closer to the bridge tightens up the sound of the neck position.

4. Cut the fillister polepieces flush with the bottom of the baseplate. This tightens up response considerably.
.

sorry to hijack the thread but...

1. ??? how does turning the neck pickup around put it closer to the bridge?

4. this really works? cutting down the pole pieces like that? I'm gonna try it

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

Zombie thread!!! Not so much a hijacking as it is a resurrection. At least your questions are relevant though.

 

[Jazzfiend101]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

How does one use a wah anyway? I've tried an original crybaby and with the toe down, I get this unbearable screech. If I only go about halfway with it, it's ok, but I'm not getting anything useable beyond that. How did Hendrix, SRV, and even Hammet keep from getting such a harsh, brittle screech? Just don't go all the way with it? I did put a Q knob on one of mine some years ago (before I broke it), and that helped, but then the lower end was enhanced, which wasn't good either, so I could go toe-down but not heel-down.

Even using the wah models in my M13 with an expression pedal, I get the same horrendous screech. At least with that you can set the depth, but the GCB-95 leaves me scratching.

So I understand correctly are you asking how to actually physically use a wah, or how do you use a wah musically?

Well, I think using it physically is sort of a craft because you could say the wah is its own instrument, or rather an extension of your guitar. You rock it back and forth to get different sounds. If you want a good lesson in live action wah wah check out any Hendrix or SRV live cut of Voodoo Child. That's textbook Wah 101.

As far as how to use it musically, generally people put it in front of their pedal chain, but Hendrix did it second after his Fuzz Face distortion, which isn't as common. But I guess Hendrix wasn't as common player lol.

There's lots of videos on how to use it. I'd YouTube Zakk Wylde Guitar Tricks, and there's a segment where he uses the Wah where he mentions good ways on how to make it sound cool without sounding silly on it.

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[DrNewcenstein]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

The 'Original' crybaby sounds like poo IMO. Hendrix and SRV used Vox Clyde McCoy wahs which are smoother and fatter sounding. I'm not sure what Kirk used from '83-'87, but starting around '88 or '89 he switched to an EMB remote wah. After EMB disappeared he switched to a rackmount crybaby which is like an even more tweakable 535Q. I'm a big fan of the Wilson Signature wah which is a tweakable Clyde clone.

One you thing you can do with an original crybaby (or any mechanical wah for that matter) is to move the tooth mechanism attached to the treadle to another part of the pot's sweep. There isn't a huge range of adjustment, but backing off a few teeth can tame the extreme treble in the toe down position.

What about replacing the inductor? I know there's a red Fasel that gets mad props, and a Duncan JB wasn't bad :lol:

That's when I broke it

sorry to hijack the thread but...

1. ??? how does turning the neck pickup around put it closer to the bridge?

Only if the magnet in the PG is under one coil?

So I understand correctly are you asking how to actually physically use a wah, or how do you use a wah musically?

Well, I think using it physically is sort of a craft because you could say the wah is its own instrument, or rather an extension of your guitar. You rock it back and forth to get different sounds. If you want a good lesson in live action wah wah check out any Hendrix or SRV live cut of Voodoo Child. That's textbook Wah 101.

As far as how to use it musically, generally people put it in front of their pedal chain, but Hendrix did it second after his Fuzz Face distortion, which isn't as common. But I guess Hendrix wasn't as common player lol.

There's lots of videos on how to use it. I'd YouTube Zakk Wylde Guitar Tricks, and there's a segment where he uses the Wah where he mentions good ways on how to make it sound cool without sounding silly on it.

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Yeah, I kinda had the mechanical operation figured out before I actually got one, but thanks anyway

I meant how to use it without getting the toe-down screech. Surely the thing doesn't have such a deep travel path and only half of it's useful. Iommi, SRV, etc are my wah gurus, and I even like Kirk when he's not just pogo-sticking on it.
Maybe I just need to look into re-doing the Q knob mod.

If you've ever used an older Jackson with the mid-sweep circuit, that's about ideal for me. Just gotta get my pedal to do that.

 

[Jazzfiend101]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

I'd say just get a 535q Wah. It's the the most advanced wah on the market (or maybe it isn't and something else out there beats a 5 voicing package with up to 20db boost and a full Q dial). I've had one for almost 4 years and it answers whatever I need from choppy Hendrix clips, to screeching Kirk Hammett leads, to deep Jerry Cantrell and Zakk Wylde swells. It's pretty transparent when affecting tone. I mean if you are like hella tweaking i'd go and sink money into a professional rack mount. But with the 535q you should be able to do just about anything.

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[EDX]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

there's a more advanced version of the 535q, is the crybaby from hell (it has an extra fine tune knob, the lights are on the back so you can see before wahing if the wah or bost are on, dual input/output (you can have the thing to be wired normally plus a dry ouput for your tuner, or you can go in and out of the wah on the left side), grip tape surface and a cool cheezy camo finish, you can think that those features would bump the price up a lot, but they don't, the thing is similar price to the 535q, actually i got mine cheaper than the 535q, the 535q was clearer, but the extra knob on the db01 brings added texture, also dunno if placebo effect but with the fine tune at noon and everything else exactly like the 535q the db01 had an added raunchyness to it

whatever, if you want a wah that can literally go from wooly smooth to fuzzing sharp get you a DB01 or a 535Q

last tip, of you run your wah onto a dist, eq or od, it will sound smoother, but if you run you noisebox into the wah it will become more present (some distortions or overdrives can turn your wah into a fuzz tone knob)

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

I've tried it in front and behind the dirt. It made no noticeable difference to me. I tried it straight into the front of the amp and in the loop. No difference.

This was before I went poking around in it.

Maybe it's like jokes - some people can tell 'em, and some people can't.

 

[dystrust]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

I'd say just get a 535q Wah. It's the the most advanced wah on the market (or maybe it isn't and something else out there beats a 5 voicing package with up to 20db boost and a full Q dial). I've had one for almost 4 years and it answers whatever I need from choppy Hendrix clips, to screeching Kirk Hammett leads, to deep Jerry Cantrell and Zakk Wylde swells. It's pretty transparent when affecting tone. I mean if you are like hella tweaking i'd go and sink money into a professional rack mount. But with the 535q you should be able to do just about anything.

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Another option would be to forget about Dunlop and step up to a boutique maker like Wilson or Teese. I had a 535Q for years and was just never all that crazy about it. Then one day I realized that having a wah with 1000 tones was kind of pointless if the vast majority of them sucked. My eyes were opened the first time I played a Fulltone Clyde, and the first time I played a Teese I was just blown away. These days I've got a Vox Union Jack shell with a Wilson Signature board in it.

 

[Jazzfiend101]

Re: How does Zakk Wylde use a Wah on the neck pickup?

So like we're saying, you've got options. I've been perfectly fine with my wah pedal. It does its job. And then you have other things out there to expand further. But I'd always start basic. A Dunlop GB-95 or a Vox Wah are great places to start.

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