Thinking about adding a wah
- Thread starter Matt42
- Start date
Gainstage
New member
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
Personally the aspect of buffers and bypass on wahs could not be more confusing for me. I knew from ancient times that Hendrix used the Vox because the buffer in the Crybaby hated the fuzz.
So I was a "never put a buffer in front of a fuzz" player for ages.
New designers like Wampler make fuzz to work after buffers or anywhere.
Along comes Mike Fuller (Fulltone) who puts a special output buffer on his deluxe wah "so it will work with fuzz or anything".
Buffers are not bad things, in fact one or two is rather essential. Too many buffered designed pedals is a worse problem than a lot of bypass pedal loading. But all buffers are not created equal. Some things do not work well without a buffer based platform, like a real Klon.
Wahs are basically the simplest circuit pedal but trying to find the one that fits with your rig chemistry and playing can be frustrating. i do not have one at the moment and want another one, but I know once I have it on the board I will more often than not forget it is there.
Personally the aspect of buffers and bypass on wahs could not be more confusing for me. I knew from ancient times that Hendrix used the Vox because the buffer in the Crybaby hated the fuzz.
So I was a "never put a buffer in front of a fuzz" player for ages.
New designers like Wampler make fuzz to work after buffers or anywhere.
Along comes Mike Fuller (Fulltone) who puts a special output buffer on his deluxe wah "so it will work with fuzz or anything".
Buffers are not bad things, in fact one or two is rather essential. Too many buffered designed pedals is a worse problem than a lot of bypass pedal loading. But all buffers are not created equal. Some things do not work well without a buffer based platform, like a real Klon.
Wahs are basically the simplest circuit pedal but trying to find the one that fits with your rig chemistry and playing can be frustrating. i do not have one at the moment and want another one, but I know once I have it on the board I will more often than not forget it is there.
Last edited:
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
The wah circuit design is one of the worst offenders for tone suck of any pedal. Playing a Strat, Hendrix didn't mind losing some high end, besides, wahs were an essential part of his playing. Then too, he had some great vintage amps to play thru to offset some of that.
Leaving aside the fuzz issue, why wouldn't you want true bypass in a wah today?
The wah circuit design is one of the worst offenders for tone suck of any pedal. Playing a Strat, Hendrix didn't mind losing some high end, besides, wahs were an essential part of his playing. Then too, he had some great vintage amps to play thru to offset some of that.
Leaving aside the fuzz issue, why wouldn't you want true bypass in a wah today?
Myaccount876
Amira-Maker
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
Because some wahs have really good buffers on board, and some people can really benefit from having a buffer at the very front of their chain. Two birds with one stone.
Because some wahs have really good buffers on board, and some people can really benefit from having a buffer at the very front of their chain. Two birds with one stone.
MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
and not only that..wait, what were you saying?...
and not only that..wait, what were you saying?...
Gainstage
New member
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
True.
A buffer up front is usually desirable. Some pedals the manner of their design work better with a buffer, like the Klon for example.
True bypass is desirable in most pedals as too many buffers is a problem much harder to deal with than none at all. True bypass loads down the signal but one good buffer in front of them lifts the loading from all. A good buffer near the front of chain is ideal followed by true bypass, one at the end of the chain if you have to run longer cables back to the amp line.
Problem is not all effects function well with low impedance signal a buffer does.
You're right about Hendrix he wanted his high end cap loss as his Strat's were high ended and tinny, not to mention noisy as hell. He used that long curly cable to further roll off his high end.
Another trick he used to was have the fuzz face on but roll down the guitar volume for his clean tones, one twist and he had his fuzz back. Quite possibly the first attempts at an overdrive or clean boost.
Equipment was very limited in his time and he did the best with what he had with the help of Roger Mayer, that was also an age of hardly any two things being consistent in quality and alike. Everyone treasures anything of that era, like Univibes even though no two of them really sounded the same.
True manufacturing quality control and consistency came later.
I give Jimi props for spawning the guitar pedal era and changing the sound of the guitar to where we are now. He was an inventive genius with the help of some great engineers.
One of those original cats that comes along once in a lifetime.
The chap that got me to pick up a guitar and spawned my love of effects and pedals was Robin Trower.
True.
A buffer up front is usually desirable. Some pedals the manner of their design work better with a buffer, like the Klon for example.
True bypass is desirable in most pedals as too many buffers is a problem much harder to deal with than none at all. True bypass loads down the signal but one good buffer in front of them lifts the loading from all. A good buffer near the front of chain is ideal followed by true bypass, one at the end of the chain if you have to run longer cables back to the amp line.
Problem is not all effects function well with low impedance signal a buffer does.
You're right about Hendrix he wanted his high end cap loss as his Strat's were high ended and tinny, not to mention noisy as hell. He used that long curly cable to further roll off his high end.
Another trick he used to was have the fuzz face on but roll down the guitar volume for his clean tones, one twist and he had his fuzz back. Quite possibly the first attempts at an overdrive or clean boost.
Equipment was very limited in his time and he did the best with what he had with the help of Roger Mayer, that was also an age of hardly any two things being consistent in quality and alike. Everyone treasures anything of that era, like Univibes even though no two of them really sounded the same.
True manufacturing quality control and consistency came later.
I give Jimi props for spawning the guitar pedal era and changing the sound of the guitar to where we are now. He was an inventive genius with the help of some great engineers.
One of those original cats that comes along once in a lifetime.
The chap that got me to pick up a guitar and spawned my love of effects and pedals was Robin Trower.
Last edited:
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
Some pedals I'd just say skip the classic and go with:
Wah - 535Q
TS9 - TS9DX
Phaser - EVH Phase 90
You would probably be more than happy with a standard issue Crybaby - I see them for $40 all the time. But if you have a little extra cash - just get the 535Q
Some pedals I'd just say skip the classic and go with:
Wah - 535Q
TS9 - TS9DX
Phaser - EVH Phase 90
You would probably be more than happy with a standard issue Crybaby - I see them for $40 all the time. But if you have a little extra cash - just get the 535Q
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
johnthomas
New member
Re: Thinking about adding a wah
Ibanez Weeping Demon has all the sounds+...To get a Dunlop style wah I simply turn the Level knob down approx -5 and the Q knob straight up noon and the Lo knob to -15 out of 20....Plus it beefs up very well if you need more output(level) Want more wah (Q) or a more powerful tone (Lo) by boosting the bass. This thing is built like a tank.
Especially if you want a wah that deals with pedal steel you owe it to yourself to try an Ibanez.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Ibanez Weeping Demon has all the sounds+...To get a Dunlop style wah I simply turn the Level knob down approx -5 and the Q knob straight up noon and the Lo knob to -15 out of 20....Plus it beefs up very well if you need more output(level) Want more wah (Q) or a more powerful tone (Lo) by boosting the bass. This thing is built like a tank.
Especially if you want a wah that deals with pedal steel you owe it to yourself to try an Ibanez.
Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
