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Whats the best wah-wah pedal?

Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
edited April 2007 in Musicians and Gearheads
Don't got any pedals or anything, so help me out. Whats the best brand at the best price?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    depends on who you ask.

    do you know what wah tone you are after?

    Crybaby and Vox are classics. In the cost effective mode Crybaby is probably the cheapest, I tend to prefer the Vox and the 535Q but I've owned a Morley Bad Horsie for oh 8 or 9 years now. Currently I'm torn between an RMC Picture Wah and the Fulltone Clyde. If money were no object the Proanalog Supa Quack ($550) is what I would go for but I can't bring myself to pay 550 bucks for a wah.

    If you want switchless with no pot to become scratchy the Morley Contour Wah (Bad Horsie 2) should be up your alley

    If you love Pearl Jam, I would think the Vox 846 or the Crybaby 535Q would be your first choice, also from Jim Dunlop the Jimi Hendrix wah series are nice, and the Mr. Crybaby is very cool with a volume boost and passive volume pedal function included.

    The Cheapest (decent wah) is the standard Crybaby at around 70 bucks.


    generally the price level is between 70 and 120 bucks for most common wahs.

    I forgot to include the newer Crybaby Classic, which includes the more vocal sounding more "vintage correct" fasel inductor. There are a few other changes that make dividends in wah tone, but the inductor is a major part, so if you are looking for a more vocal sounding vintage style wah for 100 bucks its not bad.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    Well, of course I want to get that Pearl Jam - Stone and Mike sound. What other distortion pedals would you recommend?
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Dogman3 wrote:
    Well, of course I want to get that Pearl Jam - Stone and Mike sound. What other distortion pedals would you recommend?


    The 535Q is mikes Wah of choice I believe, but you can get his sound from pretty much all the Jim Dunlop built wahs, Q control changes the frequency of the wah sweep, In my experience it's set it and forget it.

    what type of amp and guitar are you using?
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    I like Vox the best, but Colorsound has a mighty sweep. It's as ugly as sin, but it sounds good to me. Colorsound also did fuzz wahs and wah swell pedals, which I'm guessing you can still get as reissues, if you look about a bit.


    http://filters.muziq.be/files/thumbs/colorsound_wahwah_002.jpg
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Crybaby(original or 535q)
    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
  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    Dunlop CryBaby 535Q - Mike McCready currently uses this one - you can get it with a fasel inductor and a +16db boost.
    Vox V847 wah-wah - Both Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan used Vox (Mike is heavily influenced by both).
    Fulltone Clyde (based on the Vox Clyde McCoy Wah-Wah) - lots of people love this pedal - yeah sound real good.
    BUDDA BudWah - I like this Wah a lot (not as much top-end harshness as the vintage wah's, and it's got a hard-wired bypass).

    Anyhow - take a listen to each and see what you prefer.

    Cheers . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom Saal
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  • MichaelMcKevinMichaelMcKevin Posts: 1,161
    http://www.musiciansfriend.com offers sound clips for all of them except the fulltone. Fulltone's website offers the fulltone clip, naturally.
    Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,303
    [quote="ianvomsaal
    [b"]BUDDA BudWah[/b] - I like this Wah a lot (not as much top-end harshness as the vintage wah's, and it's got a hard-wired bypass).

    [/quote]

    this is exactly what i was going to say. i have had my bud-wah for a couple of years now and it is nowhere near as sqwacky as my crybaby. its a much better pedal imo.
    "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."
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    I got a Fender Strat and a Frontman 25R amp
  • JofZJofZ Posts: 1,276
    ProAnalog Supa Quack once you try Scotty's Wah you will see what you have been missing (literally).

    If you can't wait for his try a Picture Wah by Teese.
    If you can't find one of those, try and get a vintage Colorsound all the early 60's in the funky cases sound killer. You can find them with phasers, etc but the quack is much better then anything Dunlop or Mike Fuller can make.

    Something tells me Mike is using a heavily modded wah. A stock Dunlop sounds like ass ;)
    WHAT IS THAT NOISE?
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  • quapquap Posts: 27
    i think mike uses the crybaby but i can tell you that early tour in 92
    mike used the vox if you have the pink pop festival 92 video you can see
    the vox wah on the floor i believe in alivebut cant remember

    but its the vox for sure i have one and the tone is identical and i can see it in the video
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    He has a 535q now
    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
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    I got myself a Crybaby 535Q since there was no Vox.

    Any tips? Whats your favorite setting? What other pedals or distortion should I get next?
  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    Dogman3 wrote:
    I got myself a Crybaby 535Q since there was no Vox.

    Any tips? Whats your favorite setting? What other pedals or distortion should I get next?
    congrats on the wah! i bought a 535q about a mont ago, upgrading from a v847 (vox). my favorite settings are usually in this range:
    Q at 2-3
    vol. at 3/4 fully turned
    tone at 1/2 turned
    that can really nail the mccready tones
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    Thanks man!

    I'm a dumb newb though. I'm having fun with it, but having never owned any pedals of any sort...do I always have to move the pedal up and down to get the "wah" effect or can I leave it in place for other effects?
  • MichaelMcKevinMichaelMcKevin Posts: 1,161
    Dogman3 wrote:
    Thanks man!

    I'm a dumb newb though. I'm having fun with it, but having never owned any pedals of any sort...do I always have to move the pedal up and down to get the "wah" effect or can I leave it in place for other effects?

    Then you and I are both dumb newbs. I just bought a Boss DD-3 Delay. Also my first pedal.
    Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    But how do I get the best "Wah". Do I keep it pressed down? Do I constantly move the pedal up and down?
  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    Dogman3 wrote:
    But how do I get the best "Wah". Do I keep it pressed down? Do I constantly move the pedal up and down?
    if you leave it pressed down, you will just get some icescraping over trebbly tones. if you wANT the wah sound, your gonna have to move it. a wah basicly adjusts your tone controls like you would with the tone pot on your guitar. rock the wah in order to get your wah to rock!
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • Dogman3Dogman3 Posts: 330
    I get the hang of it, but its alot harder than I thought :)

    I want to get the "waah" Voodoo Child wah sound. Do I have to rock back and forth with each note?
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    Dogman3 wrote:
    I get the hang of it, but its alot harder than I thought :)

    I want to get the "waah" Voodoo Child wah sound. Do I have to rock back and forth with each note?

    sort of, you kind of have to feel it, it's expressive. Play around with it and you'll get it.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • ianvomsaalianvomsaal Posts: 1,224
    Dogman3 wrote:
    I get the hang of it, but its alot harder than I thought :)
    I want to get the "waah" Voodoo Child wah sound. Do I have to rock back and forth with each note?

    You actually just rock the pedal forward for each phrase/note.
    Cheers . . .

    - Ian C.T. vom saal
    ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
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