Wah'ing around - need help

[aron]

No, they are weird plastic looking types.

I'm going to get a number of the yellow in and make them available. Yes, they will be less than Antique Electronics.

As for the emitter, that's based on the 1K trim pot, I can make his or mine identical.

[Fret Wire]

I'm going to get a number of the yellow in and make them available. Yes, they will be less than Antique Electronics.

Aron, that would be great! And you can beat their already low prices? Any chance of the Fulltone pot also?

Santa Claus ain't got nothing on you!

It's really starting to look like the inductor, huh? Sounds like you've eliminated every thing else. The caps sound like some sort of tant. In any regard, the stripe must mean they are polarized.

[aron]

Yes there is the Fulltone pot. Fulltone's parts don't usually discount that much though. I will try.

Here's the type of cap:

[Fret Wire]

It's got radial leads. Hmm..? With an older pedal like this, did you check the trace side of the board?

[aron]

Yes I did. It looks ok. The only reason I ask about the stripe is that particular cap is oriented backwards from all the rest. I don't think it's an electrolytic though.

[Fret Wire]

My upside down isn't so good...what's it say on the cap. Does it have a value code? You don't have a capacitance meter do you? That's one sure way to find out it it's polarized. Maybe tomorrow morning, someone will recognize what it is.

[aron]

Yes I do have a capacitance meter and I don't remember anything different about one of the caps I removed.

Hehehe you can see the value in my pic. It's a .22uF cap. I suppose it _could_ be tantalum... I guess.... I doubt it though.

[aron]

You know all these years, I've loved the sound of wahs, but I've never been picky - you know. I use it and I've always had Crybabys and the've always worked for me. I just step on em and use em.

I've always kind of ignored the wah circuit because after reading R.G.'s article, it looked so easy and well, after modding my wah it WAS easy!

Only after working with these "bad" wahs do I realize this simple circuit is sneaky!  :shock:

[Geoffrey Teese]

Hi Everybody,

Those funky looking silver caps were made by ITW.  Simple mylar wrap and fill.  Non-polarized.  They look funky but there is nothing wrong with them.  Unless they are way out of tolerance, there is no need wasting your precious time changing them out.  Folks who get a buck saying the caps are inherently bad and should be changed are just selling snake oil.

I can't offer any specifics about the wah in question as I rely on my ears to tell me what is "wrong" with any wah that comes in for service.  I don't have a stock set of fixes - it all depends on what is going on with the individual piece.

If you'd like specific help, please email me directly so we can sort of carry on a conversation and work through a host of possibilities.  I don't check in on sites as a general rule so I might miss a question you'd ask here.

Peace, Love, and Wah,
Geoffrey
www.realmccoycustom.com

[aron]

Yes, the caps that I measured were within spec. I'm thinking it's the inductor at this point. I will find out soon.

My "stack of dimes" wah I have - has a wicked sound. If I can get close to that sound with the other wah, I know I will have come a lot closer to understanding this circuit.

[Boofhead]

After ruling out the transistors I think RobB suggestion of swapping the inductors is a good thing to try.  If the sound swaps you can be pretty sure it's due to the inductors.

(PS: the DC test doesn't quite rule out the gain of the second transistor, not that I would expect it to be a big factor)

[aron]

OK, I ordered some yellow inductors and a few Fulltone pots. We will see how the inductor affects this wah.

[Fret Wire]

You'll like em' both. Actually, the Fulltone pot is cheap enough to use as a standard replacement.

It's funny.... in their ads, Dunlop says the Yellow inductor has the Clapton/Hendrix/Page sound (ok, I'll give em that), and the Red (clean) has the Frampton sound. Frampton? I think of funk players when I think of a clean wah sound.

[Lonestarjohnny]

http://www.cedist.com/
That's It,
Johnny

[Fret Wire]

Thanks JD, they look a lot alike, are they the same owner or outfit? Even the page with wah stuff looks the same. You just enter "wah" in the search field.

http://www.tubesandmore.com/

[Lonestarjohnny]

I don't think so, but who know's for sure anymore, they may all be owned by McDonald's, LOL, and I do have to disagree with cap's going bad, they can shape the sound of any circuit from good to bad, no more than it cost to replace the old one's, i can't see the Whodo, if you had to pay some snake charmer boofoo dollar's to do it, yes then it would be a pain, but this is a DIY site, I can do it myself, not be'in onery, just staten the fact's, have fun,      
Johnny

[Fret Wire]

:?:  :?: I think Aron's past caps, and has it narrowed down to the inductor. Is that what you meant?  And Santa...I mean Aron-Claus :twisted:  is going to be carrying Yellow Fasel inductors soon Thanks for putting in a good word for the Yellows.