What's the "best" wah pedal?

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

There is no 50's wah wah...I don't think the wah was invented until after the mid 60's. I bought one of the first Vox Clyde McCoy wahs to make it to the USA and that would have been about 1967 or 68. The Clyde is the model Hendrix used.

When that wore out I bought a Vox Crybaby about 1971 or so. Still have it.

I think the newer Vox 847 I have is a better sounding pedal than the old Crybaby and it's even better now that John has modded it for me.

But the Fulltone Clyde Deluxe I picked up a year or so is the best vintage sounding wah of all.

1966.....And Clapton is one of the first famous people to use one...Before Hendrix from my readings..

 

[Curly]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

AFAIK, Clapton got his wah during, or shortly before, the "Disraeli Gears" sessions.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

AFAIK, Clapton got his wah during, or shortly before, the "Disraeli Gears" sessions.

Curly....What's the scoop on the wah board I sent you? Got it? Tried it yet?

John

 

[Bludave]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

I have a Thomas Organ Co. Wah from the 60's. It was sitting on the shelf for years. It was not really very good. THe range was very restricted, it lacked the vocal quality that Lew and John are speaking about. I was using a Vox CLyde McCoy RI instead. I sent the Crybaby to John, along with a Tubescreamer. When I got the Crybaby back it has not come off my board since. It simply sounds better than anything I have used before! I have a Vox 847 that I will be sending John sometime in the futre as well! Trust me on this his Mods are incredible!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

I have a Thomas Organ Co. Wah from the 60's. It was sitting on the shelf for years. It was not really very good. THe range was very restricted, it lacked the vocal quality that Lew and John are speaking about. I was using a Vox CLyde McCoy RI instead. I sent the Crybaby to John, along with a Tubescreamer. When I got the Crybaby back it has not come off my board since. It simply sounds better than anything I have used before! I have a Vox 847 that I will be sending John sometime in the futre as well! Trust me on this his Mods are incredible!

I sent John both my new Vox 847 and my old Crybaby from about 1970.

John didn't want to do the whole custom thing to the Crybaby since it's a vintage piece...but he did improve it a bunch.

Still, the Vox 847, which he added a volume control/boost to, true bypass switching, and a battery eliminator plug in, made my Crybaby sound really "blah" by comparism.

I'll bet if I had nothing else to compare it to that I'd feel the same way about my Crybaby as you feel about yours though.

Lew

 

[crazytooguy]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

Wow! Lots of good stuff here. I'll have to consider the options. I like the modded pedal idea - that sounds like the character I'm after, vocal and vowel-like. Thanks!

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

Wow! Lots of good stuff here. I'll have to consider the options. I like the modded pedal idea - that sounds like the character I'm after, vocal and vowel-like. Thanks!

Thanks Dave and Lew for the reviews...
let me say this....These mods are pricey because the parts are bought and ordered at retail prices...An inductor,pot,and switch will set you back about $65 before any mods are done...

You will have a wah that is very vocal,has more overall vowel range and rivals the original Vox Clyde wah,except your wah would have more lows,and modern features like true bypass,power supply,and an external volume pot...Better to listen to what the guys that have had their wahs modded say though..

John

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: What's the "best" wah pedal?

i use an early 80s Dunlop wah (which is different than current ones) that has the best sound of any wah I have tried, boutique or not.

Dave...Nothing at all different about your CB,other than it lacks the right pot and inductor...Your wah is more than likely good at best,but it wouldn't compare to the early wahs because it just lacks the overall correct components overall to bring it to a higher level...Your circuit doesn't have anything added or special unless your wah was also tweaked? :burnout: