2006/01/05 23:20:56
DarrylCoy
I need a wah pedal. Which is the best? Thank you, Darryl
2006/01/06 02:32:23
yep
I think the Dunlop crybaby is perfect for fat, thick tone. The classic wah pedal, and you can usually pick one up used for pretty cheap. The vox ones are similar but not as good , I think-- a little fizzier and thinner-sounding to my ears.

The DOD ones are also cool in a different way, sort of cleaner and clearer-sounding-- less whiny and more sort of plinky and warbly-- more like a wow-wow than a wah-wah, if that makes any sense. Good for clean-tone funk rythm stuff, like a porno soundtrack.

The morley ones are very extreme-- very nasally and weak-sounding at extreme settings. If your footwork with the pedal is skillful and controlled, you can get an awesome range of tones out of it, but it takes practice. They are harder and less intuitive to use than the cry babys, I think, but a skillful operator can probably get a massive range of sound variations.

But of course the best way to pick one is to take your guitar down to your local music store and try a few of them and see which one does the best job of getting you where you need to go.

A word to the wise-- most of the "Artist signature" models are things that basically charge an extra $30 to have a rock star's name attached to a variant pedal, when the rock star in question actually got famous using the original base model. Like Johnny Rocker records a hit record using a dunlop crybaby, and dunlop comes up with a "Johnny Rocker" model after the fact that has some special feature or paint job, and charges extra for it. I'm not saying the Johnny Rocker is bad, just that chances are you can get the same sound he got on whatever record made him famous enough to warrant a special model by using the stock wah pedal.

Cheers.
2006/01/06 02:50:12
Lay In Wait
I think the Dunlop crybaby is perfect for fat, thick tone


I agree!!! Thats the first 1 I would go for! I would also like to try the Dimebag Darrell wah pedal, im sure its decent!
2006/01/06 03:31:55
PieterVW
I'm going to order myself a Morley Bad Horsie 2 when my exams are finished, seems like an excellent hi-gain wah, and with the contour setting you have 2 wahs in one. Might be slightly less good for bluesy stuff, but it's excellent for heavy rock.

You might want to check out Real McCoy Customs (RMC), according to many they make the best wahs on the planet.
2006/01/06 03:32:41
Monkey

ORIGINAL: yep

I think the Dunlop crybaby is perfect for fat, thick tone. The classic wah pedal, and you can usually pick one up used for pretty cheapmassive range of sound variations.


I agree. The classic is a good place to start at a cheap price. I do remember them breaking rather easily though. An even better wah is the Dunlop 535Q. Basically it's the classic with an adjustable Q and and an adjustable wah range. It's also got a volume boost selector which I can't figure out when I would really use it but I guess it's cool too.
2006/01/06 12:18:19
j boy
Fulltone Clyde
Buddha Bud-wah
Vox Clyde McCoy

in that order
2006/01/06 17:05:21
GPM
I'd go for whatever Jim Hendrix used on Rainy Day Dream Away and Vodoo Child or ...... I think Jeff Beck uses a Cry Baby. I've been using one of those and I like it. "I ain't superstitious...Wha - Wow!"
2006/01/07 01:06:41
OffAnAirplane
I use a Vox V847. It's got a nice sound.
You definitely need to try some out before deciding. Guitar Center is a good place to play around with many different models.
2006/01/07 06:00:58
Mully
Yeah the Dunlop is the gas if you're after tone. The old Vox pedals were king before the specific ferous material became unavailable, since then the Dunlop is the closest I've heard BUT, I did stop looking once I settled on the Dunlop.

Consider too how the pedal you end up choosing bypasses. Some will suck tone if the design is crud but this is pretty rare now with the decent pedals around. Also consider external power adapter options. Can it take a wall wart AND... how is the noise/hum in conjunction with the wall wart you plan to use (if ever, of course).

Happy shopping and cheers!
2006/01/09 18:32:35
GPM
I added a wah part to a recent song post of mine. It's called "Red Light Blue Night" and it's in the Songs forum. I used a Cry Baby. During the first part of the song I'm running it direct into the mixer. It has a typical clean wah wah sound. As the song fades out you can hear how the wah sounds in conjunction with my Tech 21 XXl distortion pedal. Paired with that pedal, it really squawks! That should give you some idea of what the Cry Baby sounds like.
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