Wah Inductors can be tuned

[Paul Marossy]

How interesting! It seems like the operation of that would be kind of clunky compared to the traditional wah pedal rack & pinion system. 

[johngreene]

Looks like there is some ferrite material on the washer. This would have the opposite effect of inserting a screw in the center, meaning the inductance would actually increase. Does the wah get more bassy when the 'washer' is flush on the inductor or more trebly?

--john

[Sir H C]

More trebly IIRC.  I have to play with them again.  They were so "meh" sounding that I haven't used them much.

I needed the Kay to get the Kay collection (Fuzz, Trem, wah, missing bass boost).

[johngreene]

More trebly IIRC.  I have to play with them again.  They were so "meh" sounding that I haven't used them much.

I needed the Kay to get the Kay collection (Fuzz, Trem, wah, missing bass boost).

You could probably increase the range (if that is a problem) of a 'through-center plunger' kind of design by making the plunger half ferrite and half aluminum. Take an aluminum standoff and a ferrite bead of the same diameter and length and hold them together with a nylon screw. The aluminum would reduce the inductance and the ferrite would increase the inductance over what the inductor has with nothing at all. The transistion from metal to ferrite can probably be optimized using nylon washer/standoff between them to spread them out a little.

heh, then you could attach the plunger to a spring and mount it to the guitar and you would have a wah effect that responds to how vigorously you shake your guitar!

--john

[Sir H C]

Okay, I guess I should have looked at my pictures closer.  You are right, the "washer" is pushed away from the inductor when you go toe down on the wah.  The circuit in the Kay wah is up at the toe end.