Transistors for wah's

[shawsofhell]

1. What are some good transistors for wah pedals? (I heard that BC109C are good but my local store no longer stocks them)

2. Is there any need for an output buffer if I am running my wah true bypass? (In other words will it effect the tone?)

Thanks

[Paul Marossy]

BC109s really are the best ones that I have tried. You can get them off eebay fairly inexpensively. I have tried a bunch of various med gain NPN transistors, and I have liked the BC109s the best so far.

Assuming that you don't have an input buffer on your wah, on the true bypass, I usually have to change the 68K input resistor to 47K to compensate for the volume drop with the effect engaged. Then I end up having to mess with the pot rotation a little bit to get it sounding the best. On my 70s Italian made Vox wah, I had to do true bypass as it totally whacked the sound on bypass mode.  I personally haven't felt that the output buffer is necessary.