Thinking about adding a wah

[Matt42]

I'm debating adding a wah to my rig. In my current band I wouldn't use it much at all, but after I move in a few months, I could end up in a situation that calls for one. Plus, pedal steel and wah is a great combo.

I'm leaning towards just getting a 535Q, it seems to be generally highly recommended, and a fair amount of pedal steel players use it.

Suggestions for something else to consider? Other input?

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

535Q is a great choice and used ones go for under $100, sometimes well under. They're true bypass and have 3 external knobs/trim pots for gain, Q value, and 6 position sweep range. Within a few seconds you can have a very different sounding wah, which is a nice option when you're on stage and need different sounds for different songs.

Dunlop also has another adjustable true bypass wah, the MC404, which is another great choice. It has both red and yellow fasel inductors.

 

[Shooter.556]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

535s are awesome! Many of the signature ways are based on a 535q..

 

[Hank-]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

The new petrucci wah is highly tweakable, haven't checked the prices but probably not cheap being a sig wah. Then there are the Wilson wahs, AMT WH1, mxr stuff, RmC.

The 535q is a good cheap option to cover many sounds, not sure if they changed it to true bypass recently but earlier/older models used their hardwire bypass, its a resistor mod away to change it to true bypass i think.

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I've got to throw in my 2-cents on the AMT Japanese Girl Wah. (Goofy name, great pedal.) It's got two things that really set it apart from the others:

1. Three position "Q" switch. This allows you to customize the rollover point of the frequency band. This really comes in handy for matching the wah to different guitars.
2. It uses an optical sensor, rather than a mechanically driven pot. The overall feel is silky smooth. My 535Q has been collecting dust since I've gotten this.

Great pedal. I use it almost constantly now.

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I've got to throw in my 2-cents on the AMT Japanese Girl Wah. (Goofy name, great pedal.) It's got two things that really set it apart from the others:

1. Three position "Q" switch. This allows you to customize the rollover point of the frequency band. This really comes in handy for matching the wah to different guitars.
2. It uses an optical sensor, rather than a mechanically driven pot. The overall feel is silky smooth. My 535Q has been collecting dust since I've gotten this.

Great pedal. I use it almost constantly now.

I was going to suggest the Japanese Girl Wah as well! Artie bought it from me–best wah I've ever used BUT I've never once used a Wah live or in the studio, so I sold it.

As Artie mentioned, the feel is super smooth. But the best part about it is the 3 different positions–really helps to dial in your Wah tone.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

Just to play devils advocate, the 535Q has a knob for Q and a multi-position selector for sweep cap. I understand that the tone of a Crybaby and the tone of the AMT are probably fundamentally different.

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

My bad. Mine isn't the 535. It's the GCB-95 CryBaby.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

My bad. Mine isn't the 535. It's the GCB-95 CryBaby.

Ah ha! Apology accepted. GCB-95 and 845/847 are the basic models and aren't true bypass so they have the tone suck issue.


Anyone seen the OP lately?

 

[Matt42]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I'm still here. I'm still waffling on whether or not I actually want to add one onto my board right now.

If I do, the 535Q seems to be the way to go.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I'm still here. I'm still waffling on whether or not I actually want to add one onto my board right now.

If I do, the 535Q seems to be the way to go.

I thought we lost you.

I waffled a little too, but when you listen to how many great songs have wahs on them, that's kind of convincing. Great thing about a wah with external adjustments is that you can make fast changes to the tone, so you're not limited to one wah sound all night on stage.

 

[Matt42]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I thought we lost you.

I waffled a little too, but when you listen to how many great songs have wahs on them, that's kind of convincing. Great thing about a wah with external adjustments is that you can make fast changes to the tone, so you're not limited to one wah sound all night on stage.

I play in a country band at the moment, so I'd only be likely to kick it on for one, maybe two songs a night. After I move to Portland in a month or so, I have no idea what kind of band I'll end up in, so that's where I'm thinking it would be nice to have a wah.

 

[chadd]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

Dunlop also has another adjustable true bypass wah, the MC404, which is another great choice. It has both red and yellow fasel inductors.

I'm a huge fan of the MC404, the only wah I've actually kept for any length of time.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

I'm a huge fan of the MC404, the only wah I've actually kept for any length of time.

That's another versatile one that you can't go wrong with. It's got two fasels, so with the kick switch you can instantly go between two very different-sounding wahs (like for solos and rhythm).

 

[DinoTrousers]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

535q would be great for pedal steel. You're probably going to want something fairly adjustable to tweak it to your steel. I would also recommend the often overlooked Ibanez Weeping Demon. It looks like it's made for metal heads (and it probably is), but it's super versatile and adjustable. And you can pick up a used one on the 'bay for next to nothing to give it a shot.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

535q would be great for pedal steel. You're probably going to want something fairly adjustable to tweak it to your steel. I would also recommend the often overlooked Ibanez Weeping Demon. It looks like it's made for metal heads (and it probably is), but it's super versatile and adjustable. And you can pick up a used one on the 'bay for next to nothing to give it a shot.

All true, but a Weeping Demon playing country on a pedal steel guitar? Pretty bizarre convergence.

 

[Matt42]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

All true, but a Weeping Demon playing country on a pedal steel guitar? Pretty bizarre convergence.

I had considered a Weeping Demon as well. If I recall, you can set it to auto wah as well, which would be great because I do like auto wah in certain situations.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

All true, but a Weeping Demon playing country on a pedal steel guitar? Pretty bizarre convergence.

It would be ironic yet very effective. I picked one up about 9 years ago and it is my go to wah. You can even switch it to use it on a bass. Anesthisia anyone?

 

[Gainstage]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

Seems like a wah is that pedal when you do not have one, you have to get one, but when it is on the board seems you never remember to step on it.
I've had a million of them over the centuries. Right now I have a 3 Leaf Audio Proton filter which is a really musical sounding Mutron type circuit.
If I were to get another wah, of which the urge comes on me at least once a month. I like the Xotic, the Mission, and nice optical trigger like one of the custom Morleys.
I actually had a fullsize Weeping Demon Wah a couple years ago and really one of the lowest priced best sounding wahs I recall using. The Mission and Xotic have a boat load of adjustable tweaks.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Thinking about adding a wah

If I remember correctly, WD7's are buffered not true bypass.