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Wah Pedal (revisited)

brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
in Musicians and Gearheads
Hey folks, I know there have been previous requests here for Wah Pedal recommendations but it's been a while and things change, so...

Back in 1969, I bought a brand new Cry Baby and had a lot of fun with that pedal. After I'd had it for about a year a guy "borrowed" it from me and I never saw him or the pedal again. That pedal cost me what amounted to about one months rent money. The fucker! Anyway, after all these years I'm thinking about getting a new wah pedal. My ears are old and trashed so I don't crank it up. I just want something kind of fun and cool sounding to mess around with at home and... and I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on one of those custom jobs, cool though they may be. What 'cha all liking out there that way these days?
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













Comments

  • BHealyBHealy Posts: 466
    That sucks your's got stolen!!
    I just use the original Cry Baby. I think its only around $60-70 (the cheapest Dunlop version). I'm not real experienced, but its good enough for me.
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,302
    I use the Dunlop Cry Baby. Had it since 1997. A great pedal. Certainly not vintage like yours OP, but here's what it sounds like on a little dinky home recording I made awhile back with my buddy Matt.

    http://www.reverbnation.com/presentlyfalling/song/8713031-12611-shut-yo-mouth-jam
    www.cluthelee.com
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
    2-feign-reluctance said:

    I use the Dunlop Cry Baby. Had it since 1997. A great pedal. Certainly not vintage like yours OP, but here's what it sounds like on a little dinky home recording I made awhile back with my buddy Matt.

    http://www.reverbnation.com/presentlyfalling/song/8713031-12611-shut-yo-mouth-jam

    Hey, thanks. Yeah, that's a nice sounding wah. Dunlop makes a whole line of Cry Baby wah's. Is your the basic Cry Baby?

    Thanks for the reply.

    Thanks also, BHealy!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Like everyone else said, I'd go with that crybaby. I got my first one (ebay special) and it turned out to be from the 80s. Great pedal. Got a newer one passed on to me so I've got two (always good to have a backup---saved me many times). Cheers!
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
    xtremehardy388 said:

    Like everyone else said, I'd go with that crybaby. I got my first one (ebay special) and it turned out to be from the 80s. Great pedal. Got a newer one passed on to me so I've got two (always good to have a backup---saved me many times). Cheers!

    Thanks, xtremehardy. Yeah, I remember liking mine quite a bit back in the day. I think I paid $50 for that original one when I bought it '69 (when a loaf of bread was 25 cents!) so at today's price of around $70 it's quite a bargain!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,429
    Hard to go wrong with a good crybaby. The 535q is a pretty good option and has some more options or dialing it in.

    I also owned an MXR CAE wah. I feel like its a step up in quality from the Dunlops. Real solid and has 2 voicings and a switchable boost. I find the voicings are sorta set and forget. Its simple to go from one to the other, but different settings with your other gear seem to take one setting or the other better. It's what's on McCready's board if that interests you at all.

    My go to now is a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe, which is really awesome. Has 3 very useable voicings. Just amazingly solid. The first time I plugged it in, that classic Hendrix wah sound jumped right out. They cost more, but it's absolutely worth it, for the the build and sound quality. They also have the standard Clyde that has just the one setting, but if you want basic, it's a great sound.
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
    DewieCox said:

    Hard to go wrong with a good crybaby. The 535q is a pretty good option and has some more options or dialing it in.

    I also owned an MXR CAE wah. I feel like its a step up in quality from the Dunlops. Real solid and has 2 voicings and a switchable boost. I find the voicings are sorta set and forget. Its simple to go from one to the other, but different settings with your other gear seem to take one setting or the other better. It's what's on McCready's board if that interests you at all.

    My go to now is a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe, which is really awesome. Has 3 very useable voicings. Just amazingly solid. The first time I plugged it in, that classic Hendrix wah sound jumped right out. They cost more, but it's absolutely worth it, for the the build and sound quality. They also have the standard Clyde that has just the one setting, but if you want basic, it's a great sound.

    Thanks, Dewie, I'll look into those as well.

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    i am in the minority, as i have never been a fan of the cry baby. i got one in the early 90s and i always found it too "squaky", and too much treble, to the point where it hurts my ears. i use a budwah by budda. to me it just sounds more even and does not have that harsh treble squak.

    i tried to trade that cry baby in a couple of months ago for some store credit to go toward a different pedal, and the store would not take it off my hands. no lie...
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
    gimmesometruth27 said:

    i am in the minority, as i have never been a fan of the cry baby. i got one in the early 90s and i always found it too "squaky", and too much treble, to the point where it hurts my ears. i use a budwah by budda. to me it just sounds more even and does not have that harsh treble squak.

    i tried to trade that cry baby in a couple of months ago for some store credit to go toward a different pedal, and the store would not take it off my hands. no lie...

    Hey my friend, glad you chimed in here, especially regarding your comment about the cry baby having too much treble. Part of my hearing trouble has to do with high pitch sensitivity, so that might be an issue. I'll look into the Budwah- I'm not familiar with it but will check it out for sure. Thanks, man!

    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    here is a "shootout video between the two. the best thing to do is just try to find one and play it. crybabies are readily available and are less expensive than the budwah. i think it just comes down to preference. maybe mine seems to have more high end because i play marshalls, which are notorious for their high treble. the guy in the video is playing through a fender. to each their own i think.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnZi3b7ID8
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • brianluxbrianlux Posts: 42,017
    ^^^ Cool, thanks gimme!
    “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
    Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.













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