Switchable Wah Pedal

[soothsayer]

Hi all,

Has anyone made/modified a wah pedal so that they can switch to different wah sounds?

I am looking for something that will cover the sound of the following artists: Trey Anastasio (Phish), Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy, Slash, John Mayer, Omar Rodriguez (Mars Volta), Warren Haynes, David Gilmour along with a stock Dunlop GB95 and Vox v847 sound

I've never build/modded a pedal before, but I'm assuming that all wah's are based on either the Vox or Dunlop circuit? (from what I've read they're almost identical)

My initial thought was an additional box with the board in it connected to a rotary dial. The board would have the different circuits on it (a big board I know) and the rotary dial would determine which one was active. Surely it is only a matter of a component here and a component there that make the artists wah sound different from each other, for example Jimmy Page's wah is more trebly than others.

Is there a better way to get one wah casing to cover a number of sounds? Does Dunlop's rack wah offer these sort of sounds - am I basically asking for a rack to be squeezed into a stomp box?!?

Any advise would be appreciated as I don't want to buy a load of bits etc. if it's a lost cause.



Ben

[jacobyjd]

All those artists' wah sounds are not simply a result of the particular wah they're using...if 10 people use a crybaby, it'll sound 10 different ways, depending on where it's placed in the effects chain, what kind of amp is being used, etc.

[Talon5051]

You could try this GGG board http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=26. It allows you to switch capacitors and if you can mount the pots externally this would help to dial in some different sounds.  I am not sure if you would get the tones that you are looking for.  I agree with jocobyjd when he says

if 10 people use a crybaby, it'll sound 10 different ways, depending on where it's placed in the effects chain, what kind of amp is being used, etc.

But it may get you close or it give you a sound that you are happy with. 

[guitarman89]

I notice the wha pedal it is the most influenced pedal of the chain by itself. For some of their rig, try guitargeek.com!
In my chain the wha it's the first pedal and with my distortion pedals (metal zone and ds-2) it goes very very right. With the lead channel of my little peavey it doesn't sound at the same way, but with a marshall pre will be your mojo.

[soothsayer]

Thanks.

I've found this website http://www.wah-wah.co.uk/

On the 'Products and Mods'/'Gallery' section there is a board with a 10-way DIP sweep switch, is that the same as an external pot (the Cap Selector Switch in this diagram http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/wah_mod_lo_rotary.gif )?


Ben

[meffcio]

You could try this GGG board http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=26. It allows you to switch capacitors and if you can mount the pots externally this would help to dial in some different sounds.

Yea, switching caps makes difference in the sound. Also switching inductors does the thing.

[Gus]

IIRC At the first? web schematic collection site there was a schematic of a EH wha with switchable sweep caps.

Ben
Search this site for wha threads myself and others have posted things to tune in whas get ready for hours of reading.  I built a adjustable wha in the later part of the 90's switchable sweep caps adjustable Q etc.

http://www.realmccoycustom.com/
http://diyguitarist.com/

[aziltz]

The BYOC Wah Kit has a Boat Load of mods to give you every variation I can think of.  Also, it has a nice output buffer.

If you're capable of drilling, you can get some extra parts and put most of the controls on the outside.

[Paul Marossy]

All those artists' wah sounds are not simply a result of the particular wah they're using...if 10 people use a crybaby, it'll sound 10 different ways, depending on where it's placed in the effects chain, what kind of amp is being used, etc.

I agree. Not to mention what pickups you use, what guitar you use and how you actually play your guitar. And also the amp and how you set the controls and so on and so forth.

You can't replicate a player's technique by having the same exact stuff that they use. But this seems to be a very common trap that people fall into. You can have all the same exact things Jimi Hendrix used, for example, but that won't make you sound like him, because a lot of that sound was "in his fingers".