Advice on a proper Wah Enclosure

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

hey everyone..

Looking to build a Wah pedal.. Trying to find a heavy duty quality enclosure. Would LOVE to get it powder coated... And would love to do a custom colored tread.

Any advice on kits, adhesives, etc and where to source would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!! 

-D

[Mustachio]

Based on what you said you want

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/4SWah-Enclosure-p/500-1008.htm

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

I saw that and i was wondering does anyone here have any feedback on that enclosure? At this point I am tempted to buy an older beat up wah, resurface it and then have it powder coated...

Probably a heavier casing no?

[italianguy63]

Regardless.. I would bet they are better than a hole-punch.   

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

The heavier the better... as long as it isnt flimsy

[R.G.]

A local machine shop could probably weld you one up from 3/8" steel plate. A little drilling, a little filing, some sandpaper and TLC and you'd have a wah enclosure that could double as a wheel chock for an 18-wheeler.   

[digi2t]

The heavier the better... as long as it isnt flimsy

Yup... like these little tanks (compared to a Crybaby shell);



Just swing that sucker around your head, like a lasso, and convert you favorite space into an "open concept" in no time flat.

[Mustachio]

Haha RG has the right idea!

I've never personally used the enclosure from mammoth but I'm pretty sure its from 4site

http://www.4siteelectronics.com/Wah_Enclosure_p/500-1008.htm

They only sell in quantities of 10.

Looks to be as robust as most enclosures. It's aluminum so its lighter and not as strong as steel. That being said it should still be very strong. But I wouldn't try to stop a semi with it hahahaha

Given your name I'd say go with RG's suggestion!

The main reason I suggested the mammoth one was cause it met all your needs.

Smallbear has a wah shell as well , I've never used it but I doubt Smallbear would sell a weak wah enclosure.

http://www.smallbearelec.com/servlet/Categories?category=Wah+%26+Swell+Pedal+Parts%3APedal+Shells

Side note As soon as its warm enough to go out in my garage and weld I'm planning on making a DIY wah shell

I've drilled a crybaby enclosure a few times and it was steel and pretty heavy duty. What exactly are you people doing to your wahs that your worried they wont hold up ?

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

I'm a clutz, and heavy footed(?).. so the sturdier the better..

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

Yup... like these little tanks (compared to a Crybaby shell);

What in the HECK is that EXR thing?!?! Holy Crap. Looks like something Bruce Wayne made in the cave.

[smallbearelec]

To some extent, you get what you pay for. The shell that I offer

http://www.smallbearelec.com/servlet/Detail?no=548

is made by Eleca. It is expensive, partly because it's 3 1/2 pounds of zinc alloy and built like a tank. Also, they make it for me in a relatively small lot, so I don't get the same economy of scale that comes when you buy thousands. However, you can have it in basic black or unassembled and unpainted. If you want it powder-coated, pedalpartsplus.com will do it for you.

I also have pretty much all of the other pieces you'd need; choose from a wide range of pots and inductors (or make your own!), NOS tank caps and transistors, etc. Ready-to-solder PCBs for hot-rodded Crybaby builds are available from GeneralGuitarGadgets, Tonepad and others.

If you need to stick to a smaller budget, dead Crybaby pedals are commonly offered at auction, and often a good buy.

[digi2t]

What in the HECK is that EXR thing?!?! Holy Crap. Looks like something Bruce Wayne made in the cave.

It was made during the 80's. It was an "Psychoacoustic Aural Exciter" of sorts. The thing weighs a ton, trust me. I bought two of them a couple of years ago, using one to house my clone of the Foxx Guitar Synth. The other one is still untouched, and funny enough, I haven't bothered to plug it in to see what exactly it does. Reading reviews though, describes it as a "sonic maximizer" in a pedal. It's solid cast aluminium.

Did I mention that it's heavy?

Here's a bottom shot. I stripped the original board, using it only for the switching, and slider pot. You can see how thick the walls are. Wouldn't want to get clocked in the head with it.

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

^^^^ WOW.  That thing looks like a leftover chunk of Tony Stark's armor!! That is what I am talking about. Thank you all so much for sharing. this forum is the best!!

[digi2t]

^^^^ WOW.  That thing looks like a leftover chunk of Tony Stark's armor!! That is what I am talking about. Thank you all so much for sharing. this forum is the best!!

[tubegeek]

Unobtanium sulfide, heat-tempered and drop-forged with Thor's hammer.

[ScrewitIllDoitMyself]

Unobtanium sulfide, heat-tempered and drop-forged with Thor's hammer.

LOLOLOLOL Nice one.

[col]

Speak to your nice guitar playing friends and see who's got a broken cry baby, rip the gusts out, sell the board on e-bay and add your own.  Done this a few times. Then work out how you can use the pot to crate a variable tremelo, variable fuzz/distortion, variable tone... oh sorry that's what it was designed for. Let your imagination go wild. How about..... a variable tone generator based on a 555, foot controlled theremin effect.
Seriously, got a couple of cheap wah pedals at a guitar show and not yet got bored of the options of mods. The pot can control whatever you want it to. I think EH did a pedal like this years ago that had a flexible drive that could attach to any pot on your effects and change it with your foot control.

Have fun, that's true DIY

[Mustachio]

Not sure if you noticed shortly after this thread started Joe posted in the for sale section.

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=106401.0

If you don't know Joe He is the King of wahs!