My Crash Wah build report -pics!

[loki]

Hi guys
so, after many posts in which i asked for hints i finally can share a building experience with you.

Well... it all started when i built my Crash Sync a couple of months ago... i really liked that effect, and i heard a sound clip on John Hollis site that was recorded with the effect mounted in a wah case with the wah pot controlling the sweep pot (a trimmer in the original circuit).

Basically that gave me the idea of building the same thing for me... I got this GCB-95 wah wah off of ebay for 20$.... it was so cheap 'cause the seller thought it didn't work.
But it actually worked good when i got it! so i thought about having the two effects in the same case...
Later i realized a volume pedal would be cool too, so i decided to have all the three things together.

First of all i replaced the original SPDT switch with a 3PDT switch (with only two poles working) for true bypass. it's not a pole-waste lol, it's just that the 3rd pole doesn't work  

The 100k Hot-Potz works ok for the crash sync sweep, since it uses only a small portion of it.

Then, i modified the wah circuit adding a booster after it (it is REV C. board, it doesn't have the output buffer), because the signal was so weak with the effect on (i haven't mentioned it before, but i play bass). So that was achieved by means of an AMZ mosfet booster. i placed the 5k gain pot on the case side. after that i added the red fasel inductor along with the original one, controlled by a DPDT switch (I have been playing for some days and as of now the original inductor sounds better to me though lol). the 2 inductors' Q is controlled by a 1k pot i've added on the case side. Lastly i added the 2P6T range switch using .01, .033, .068, .1, .15, .33 caps.

For the volume pedal i didn't use the volume mod i found in some schematics, 'cause i couldn't be hassled with PCB traces cutting, etc... so i just got the pot controlling signals from input and output jacks. at first it didn't work well 'cause the volume wasn't completely turned off in heel down position. so i just cut away the single rubber feet under the wah heel, thus extending the pedal range and making it go down more. now it works fine.

The big part was coming out with an idea on how to switch all these things.
I needed two 5-poles switches if i wanted to commute input, output, and the 3 pot poles. and didn't want levers.
so luckily i found these very old (i guess, they were yellow where it was supposed to be white) push-button 4PDT switches, which i mounted on the back of the case and can activate them with the tip of my shoe. they work in pairs (i still have to connect them though... i'm thinking about a plate glued on them). the first pair on the right switches between the volume and the crash sync.... the second pair switches between the volume and the wah. since in every pair of them i used all the 4 poles on the first switch and just one on the second, i had three poles left, so i just thought i could snap in a pair of LEDs (the wah one is blue and the crash sync one is purple).

I think that's all, it all works properly, the wah sounds even better on distorsion than my 105Q crybaby!
the only thing that i don't like is a little bit of hiss when the wah is on (but i suppose it's because of the booster, maybe some of you can give me some hints on how to reduce it)
anyway it would be nice to read your comments  :wink:
here are the pics:

[filterazonatie]

Very impressive. You're a real mad scientist!

I have a project floating in my head with a similar issue, i.e. using one exp pedal as a common controller for multiple effects. I was imagining up to four pedals' pots being controlled from one exp pedal. Your 4pdt switches certainly get the job done.

I was considering the idea of having one exp pedal pot control voltage to an led that in turn controls multiple ldr's (not unlike a uni-vibe). Trouble is you need two ldr's per effect to get both sides of the pot's resistors...and that ain't cheap! :cry:  :wink:

Nice work though!

[Mark Hammer]

I like your thinking.  Your wiring is another thing altogether :lol: , but your thinking is worthy of respect.

The whole thing kind of reminds me of those old Jax/Companion/Apollo monstrosities that would have wah, fuzz, siren, and surf noises all in the same chassis.  This one is a little more "au courant".

[Paul Marossy]

I like your thinking. Your wiring is another thing altogether

Hey, a lot of the time the messiest wiring job works just fine. At least half of my builds have messy wiring similar to the pic above, and I have had no problems. Sometimes I think the neater you try to make it by running wires neatly in parallel with eachother, the more it can actually cause problems...  :wink:

[radio]

geisha like(from Jacques) and versatile too

I have two wah-shells left one should be available for such an

experiment. Do you use it live??

Greetings and Respect from JMErnzer

[loki]

I like your thinking.  Your wiring is another thing altogether :lol: , but your thinking is worthy of respect.

thank you.... :wink: well yes i realize the wiring is a bit messy, but i didn't really know how to fit all them things inside of it....
you should know how i mounted the 4PDT switched, 'cause one can't see it in the pic... that's the real laugh!  

Do you use it live??

I haven't had the chance yet, 'cause i'm just finishing to put together my pedalboard.... (is there a place on the net where i can find some velcro for that?) but i certainly will.

thanks, filterazonatie... but i'm no mad scientist    a lot of people here are, but not me! i just put together things other people have conceived...

bye!

[blacksnake]

Hi loki

That is called counterfeit   :lol:  (see my website)

Congratulation for this custom wah

[Wild Zebra]

wow thats intense

[troubledtom]

great job brother :twisted:
        peace,
              - tom

[soggybag]

Bravo! great work.

[moosapotamus]

Wicked cool!
~ Charlie

[LoudGreg]

:shock:

For a newbie like myself this is very humbling.

But I'm going to use your idea of a DPDT switch for two inductors & a 1K pot to control the Q.  on my modded wah. (or the one I'm going to mod when the parts arrive)  

But your pedal looks great to me  !!!

Cheers

[loki]

thanks to you all guys for your comments...

blacksnake: i didn't know your site, it looks cool! too bad i don't know a single french word