wah buffering

[eleanor296]

hey guys,
i know this might seem like a "re-post", but it's actually a new question... at least for me. 
I still have this 80's wah lying around, and wanted to convert it to "non-sucking bypass".
I think I'll go with an input buffer on this one, since all my other pedals are true bypass (except the echo base build that's coming up, and that one will go at the end of the chain).
Now the question is though:  Should I add an output buffer or not?  A.k.a. would having 2 buffers be too much "buffing", and I'll lose some of the tone?
Thanks!

~Andy

[Dave Simpson]

You might want to build a stand alone buffer so you can place it where ever it sounds best in your signal chain. At the end of my pedals seems to work best for me, but it may sound better for you in the beginning of the chain or after the wah. Always worth a try.

[petemoore]

  Won't having a buffer before the wah change the wah tone ?
  Depending on what the impedance of the following circuit is, buffered output is a good to reasonable option.
  I put a bypassable buffer on my wah, then converted it to hardwired because it wahed just about the same as without except it was possible to wah a Fuzz Face..or anything else.
  I go through way too many cables and jacks [BTW I just spent some hours in the past 2 weeks sorting out the only 6' patch cables GC sells [total and utter stinking, rotting garbage...a waste of money and huge waste of tone, junk 'em before you buy 'em. if you got 'em cut 'em. Clunky-chrome angle ends [bolt-head shaped], thick black weave cord...they're in a bucket, don't get any on you.
  So anyways a buffer after my wah [1rst in longchain after a compressor], made sense....seein' how' the Wah/buffer/Fuzz Face is the ticket I use most for FuzzedWah tones, and doesn't work without it.

[eleanor296]

Thanks for the info.
So this is basically leading us to the arrangement of:
-building a stand-alone buffer
-true-bypassing the wah
-integrating an output buffer into the wah

hmmm... I thought I could get by without true-bypassing the wah, but that's no problem either.  Switches just cost money 

[eleanor296]

follow-up question:
The output buffer would "only" be useful while "wahing" a fuzz, right?  Meaning I should "true bypass" the output buffer as well, not putting it after the wah?
Hmmmm... I wish there was more info on this around.
Been searching for a couple days now, but I guess wah buffers aren't that big of a topic?

Anyways, thanks for the help so far, guys!   

~Andy

[Dave Simpson]

With the stand alone buffer you can put it before or after the fuzz, wherever it does the least damage.

I don't think you need a buffer after the wah. All mine are true bypassed and they work fine. You might have to play with the input resistor or the bias resistor on Q1 if you get a huge volume drop when the wah effect is on after you do the true bypass mod. But that's pretty simple. There isn't a whole lot going on in a wah circuit so it's pretty easy to fine tune it to how it works best for your setup.

[eleanor296]

hmmm... true that, Dave.
Yeah, I'll just true bypass it first, and then go from there.  I'll have to replace Q1 anyway, since it's apparently gone noisy.
Will report back!
~Andy