Is my Cry Baby broken?

[DeusM]

Hi guys. I have a question. My cry baby (gcb95) has not much sound in my opinion in the lows. I modded it to have more bass and added a pot for the Q control. When I use it with distortion the effect is more noticeable. Also, if I place it before distortion there is a specific point where the sound changes from muddy to more open and clear but the difference is not progressive, is almost instantaneous. I watched many videos and I don't see that happening to other people. What is wrong with it?

[GibsonGM]

Hmm.  Barring the need to adjust your treadle/gear to move the range lower, maybe there is some kind of error in the "Q mod" you did?   Did the mod involve any tapering resistors being added to the wah pot?

[Kevin Mitchell]

Ehh something similar has happened to me after opening up my pedal. As GibsonGM said the treadle/gear had slipped and the high/low ends of the sweep were different. Keep in mind the foot pedal does not cover the whole rotation of the pot. You have to adjust the position for your preference just make sure you don't overshoot it otherwise you'll strip the gears if it hits a rotation end too soon.

I hope the problem is as simple as this! Let us know.

[DeusM]

Thanks for your responses guys. The Q mod is not the issue. Even before I had done it the problem was still there. The first thing I did was to remove the buffer. Maybe that's is the problem. I made the pedal TBP. I also change a couple of resistors. One to increase the mids and smooth the transition, and another to increase gain/bass because removing the buffer lowers the volume. All the people say good thing after they removed the buffer, and the other changes I did was to improve the sound. I even reversed them and nothing happened. Maybe if I put the buffer again? I don't know. I'm pretty sure it had the same issue before I even opened it. Can it be that the inductor is bad?

[DeusM]

I also changed the 0.01 uf rsonance filter por a 0.47 uf wich seemed to improved the sound but nothing big.

[Kevin Mitchell]

So the gear and treadle theory gets no attention?

[Kevin Mitchell]

Also, if you removed the buffers I'd encourage you to swap the input and output cables 

But really do it. If its a passive design like the old wahs you'll have hours of fun. Or I'm just easily amused.

[DeusM]

So the gear and treadle theory gets no attention?

I just read the messeages so I'll try it now but to my ear that doesn't seem to be the problem.

[DeusM]

Nothing changed. I notice that the transition is abrupt even without the distortion.

[Rob Strand]

I just read the messeages so I'll try it now but to my ear that doesn't seem to be the problem.

The ultimate test would be to pull the treadle off and twist the pot with your fingers.

Can it be that the inductor is bad?

It's possible.  You should be able to measure the DC resistance of the inductance in-circuit.

That wont be able to detect if the core is broken or the two halves of the core have separated.
You need to measure the inductance.

Another possibility is a low gain transistor.

I'd also be checking the DC voltages on the transistors.

[DeusM]

Can it be that the inductor is bad?

It's possible.  You should be able to measure the DC resistance of the inductance in-circuit.

That wont be able to detect if the core is broken or the two halves of the core have separated.
You need to measure the inductance.

Another possibility is a low gain transistor.

I'd also be checking the DC voltages on the transistors.
[/quote]

I'm not sure what should I be measuring and how.

[pinkjimiphoton]

i'd look at the value of the mid/smoothing mod ya did
make sure the resistor values ya used are right. too big a resistor can make it more of a yawn than a wah

[DeusM]

i'd look at the value of the mid/smoothing mod ya did
make sure the resistor values ya used are right. too big a resistor can make it more of a yawn than a wah

Nope. I put a lower value back like ya suggested and its not that

So. I read R.G.'s page "the technology of the cry baby" and there's is a transistor that no other page talks about and according to his page it gives more bass thru, so I changed the value and also from a resistor for more volume and now the effect improved. But still if I place the wah before distortion the transition is too abrupt. Maybe is the impedance? I don't know.

[thermionix]

I also changed the 0.01 uf rsonance filter por a 0.47 uf wich seemed to improved the sound but nothing big.

.01 to .47 is a pretty big difference.  Do you mean .047?  If you're talking about the "sweep" cap, I only tried up to .012 on mine, that was a very audible change from .01.

[DeusM]

.01 to .47 is a pretty big difference.  Do you mean .047?  If you're talking about the "sweep" cap, I only tried up to .012 on mine, that was a very audible change from .01.
[/quote]

That's what I said. .047uf. But actualy I put a .02uf. I also change another cap at the input and now it "roars" a litle more but still... I notice that the sound changes too much. Maybe I'm not used to wahs. It's my first one but still, I hear other people using it and mine just "eats" the sound in the lows.

[DeusM]

Ok. So now he Q control doesn't work because there is a short where the resistor should be. What the hell? I don't know nothing anymore.

[Myampgoesto12]

Every inductor wah I've used has a sharper point of transition between heel and toe tones, especially when placed before an OD pedal, except for a wah patch on a DigiTech multiFX pedal. The Weaping Demon I used for a while wasn't quite as pronounced, but it still had it,  but it didn't have an inductor.

I've read on here somewhere before about this and I tend to agree that its just something to get used to, ya kind of have to "learn" your individual wah. I adjusted my pot so that the "kink" in my Crybaby's taper is halfway through the treadle movement, and just got used to it.

Good luck, I hate the little things that bug me too.

[DeusM]

Every inductor wah I've used has a sharper point of transition between heel and toe tones, especially when placed before an OD pedal, except for a wah patch on a DigiTech multiFX pedal. The Weaping Demon I used for a while wasn't quite as pronounced, but it still had it,  but it didn't have an inductor.

I've read on here somewhere before about this and I tend to agree that its just something to get used to, ya kind of have to "learn" your individual wah. I adjusted my pot so that the "kink" in my Crybaby's taper is halfway through the treadle movement, and just got used to it.

Great anwer! I changed the q pot and now it seems to work a litle better. Placed the wah before distortion and I prefer it there now. I saw other player like Guthrie Govan place it at the end so thats what I was aiming. I like how it sounds thogh. It blend better when the overall sound.

Good luck, I hate the little things that bug me too.

Yeah man! You know exactlt hoy I feel.