finished wah 1st project.

[tclixx]

Here is a picture of the wah I modified with the help of a few people here on the forum. First project I ever did and this forum really helped a lot. I didn't know anything about anything when I started and I know a lot more than I did, which still isn't a lot but I'm learning. Well I thought I would share the fruits of my labor with everyone.

Mods.
1. Bypass switch
2. Led light - put on front left so I can see the light when my right foot is on the pedal.
3. 9V adapter with the electrolite cap & resistors so no power surge or noise - put on front right.
4. Changed inductor to fulltone
5. Vocal mod 90k resistor
6. Bass & gain mod 330 ohm resistor
7. Mid mod 2k resistor
8. Volume mod 53k.
9. 2 Tropical Fish .22uf Caps
10. 1 Xicon polystyrene .01uf caps
11. Sweep mod - 1 polystyrene .01uf & 1 .0033uf wired in parallel
12. 2 BC109B transistors

To me what made the biggest difference is the vocal, inductor & transistor mod. But the combination of everything else really made it sound exceptional. I was really surprized at the difference the transistors made. The pedal had a little distortion of it's own before the transistor mod and they really smoothed the tone out to. Nice & throaghty sound now. Decided against any trim pots. What's the need to ajust stuff when it sound like you want it to. Thanks again for the help.

Picture url:
http://members.tripod.com/~igson/wah.html

[Pedal love]

Enjoy your pedal!

pl

[LoudGreg]

It was adding the bypass switch to my crybaby that got me started as well.


Everything you've listed here is something I want to try soon. (I'll be calling you when I'm ready  :lol: )

[ethrbunny]

I did several of these mods to my gcb-95 but didn't get much payoff from them. Sounds like your results have been much better. Ill have to revisit this.

[ninoman123]

Yeah my Vox wah is sounding like....crap...maybe Ill try some of your mods. I did add a pot to change the Q value and I dont hear much change at all. Its a linear 100k pot in there, eventually I'll try a log pot but I dont use my wah much anyways.

[trjones1]

I just finished a complete rebuild of my wah (after destroying it years ago trying to install true bypass as my 1st project) and I was amazed at how much difference different transistors made.  I tried bc108b's, bc109c's and mpsa18.  The other two were alright, but the 108b's really made the wah sound great.  I'd recommend socketing the transistors and trying out a bunch of different ones.  Next order from small bear I'm going to get some 109b's and maybe 109a's just to try them out.

[Ed G.]

I've got bc109c's right now. What is the biggest tonal diff. you find with the bc108b's?

[trjones1]

Well, I'm at work now, so I'll have to do this from memory, but the bc108b's gave a little more depth to the wah effect, basically making each "wah-wicca" stand out more.  Also added some sponginess to the sound.  Sorry, I don't know any more precise way of putting it.  I felt the other transistors made the effect a little too subtle (relatively speaking).  The 108b's make it better suited for some farther out type sounds.  Of course it's probably all a matter of personal taste.  The transistors are only about $.70 each, so I figured there's no reason not to experiment.  

By the way Ed, I just built a BSIAB II.  What a fantastic circuit.  It's become my main distortion sound.  Thanks.