Wah Wah Wah-ie can't I get one?

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:38 pm

Right, so. I have never joined or posted on a forum before. Anywhere. Ever. The thought is rather daunting. However, this seemed to be the place to come for an answer to my question.

...

*ahem*

Why is McCartney still recording?

*tumbleweed* I jest.

My REAL question is this: I want a wah pedal. A specific one. Ideally my brother's Colorsound 90s reissue wah pedal in red which I fell in love with many moons ago. Unfortunately I cannot find one for love nor money and I refuse to pay the frankly exorbitant fee of whatever the hell eBay wants to charge for the vintage ones, the reissues never seem to come up. (Before I get moderated I am not selling stuff please don't delete me, I am honestly after help). I am currently borrowing a dunlop crybaby. I do not care for it. It does the job as t'were but I have been spoiled by said other pedal. I have heard the Keeley Modded Crybaby (which is amazing) but again, that's a lotta meatballs. The Satriani VOX is also pretty nice but not quite what I'm after.
In short little else will do for me but that/those damn Colorsounds. The reasons being They A) have a warmer tone (to my ears) B) a wider sweep and C) A wider footpad for my ungainly, pigeon-toed, club feet. Now, I am aware you can buy these 'off-the-shelf' but again I'm looking at Â£150 or so. So my actual question is does anyone on here know anyone who builds clones of Wahs or knows good Wahs that sound similar/are a similar size to these? I don't think it is entirely unreasonable to expect a good wah for under a hundred pounds, is it? Or am I being foolish and woefully naive? Feel free to put me in my place.

Again, I admit, I am a noob to posting/forums/guitar nerdiness so feel free to laugh me out of court. I have enquired of the exemplary Made by Mike but he doesn't do Wahs, more's the pity, so followed my nose here. I joined this forum solely to ask this question because it is all that is missing from my 'Rig' and with the Dunlop it is almost there but not quite. If you are kind enough to give me alternatives I'd like something that sounds pre-early 70s. I am a 60s head. I play blues. Electrically. Hope that helps.

Err... Thanks? What's the etiquette here? I'm scared. Can I use the toilet?

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:45 pm

Are you after one of the wider op-amp wah's?

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:55 pm

Ummmmm... Habla espanol?

What is an op-amp wah?

(Like I said, Me = Dunce.)

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:18 am

Hmmm well I'm not a powerful wizard in the intricate world of wah BUT I've always liked the Morley Bad Horsie for it's fairly deep sweep, it's optional filter settings and the fact that it's spring loaded meaning that it will physically go back to bypassed, if you take your foot off of it. Obviously, that removes the option to play it half-cocked and I know a lot of people like being able to do that but it's an absolute blessing if you don't. ever. want to play on the half cocked cruise control.

As with most Morley pedals, the actual paddle is fairly wide, too. Not sure about warmth, though.

For your consideration.

Also, welcome aboard!

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:29 am

I KNOW THAT PEDAL! Yes! Score one for me. Not a total dunce after all. If it's the pedal I'm thinking of with the triangle footplate you may have something there, never thought of that. Although I've never heard one in all honesty. A friend mentioned Schaller as being a good sound-a-like but again, I've never heard one and by the looks of it are also exorbitantly expensive in the second hand market. Again, all information gratefully received.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:38 am

i got two recomendations....

A) take a wah case and have someone build the ColorSound into it, its actually a very simple wah

B) have your CryBaby modded.... with a few part changes these can sound amazing

On this sight under Guitar FX there are tones of articles about modding wahs.... he will even build wahs for u as well

before I started modding and building pedals myself I had Paul work on some of me gear and he is a stand up dude

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:50 am

The Crybaby is not mine, it is on short term loan from a pal hence why I am after my own. As far as building goes, getting the shell and getting the interior made seems to be the way to go. I wouldn't know the first thing about building/modding myself. I tried to change a fuse once, you probably heard about it, I was staying in the Brighton Grand Hotel in 1984?

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:23 am

Sorry I meant inductorless - always just assumed they used an op-amp like the Ibanez WH10.

However I know the pedal you're talking about and have used one myself. Is it like this one:

I personally use a Morley Power wah now, I've tweaked the inductor and the led a little to make it a bit more throaty but it sounds good now.

However here's the schematic I found for the wah:

► Show Spoiler

louis · Post by **louis** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:27 am

thecookman wrote: I tried to change a fuse once, you probably heard about it, I was staying in the Brighton Grand Hotel in 1984?

I like this guy!

Bill Oakley · Post by **Bill Oakley** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:01 am

The Snarling Dog wahs have tons of treadle travel and you can pick of some of them really cheap. Get one of these and have someone gut and build the CS wah in it and you would be set. I'd do it for you but I'm in the States so shipping would probably kill it. Once in a while I come across empty CS wah enclosures and that would be ideal obviously.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:01 pm

Welcome aboard first time poster - you might want to try a DOD FX17 wah; think they have a similar (internal) design. The bad news (for your big clumsy feet) is that they're quite a small-format wah.

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 12:03 pm

That is the exact pedal Gabriel, if I could get one like that I'd be happy but they never come up on Shebay and if they do are way overpriced. I'll def. check out those Snarling Dogs ones, thanks Bill. How much would a techie charge to build the guts then if I got the case/shell?

Bill Oakley · Post by **Bill Oakley** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:40 pm

I would charge for $50 - 60 if it was the inductorless one. A little more for the inductor one. It's about 3 hours of work to etch a board, populate it and wire it all up.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:56 pm

Bill Oakley wrote:I would charge for $50 - 60 if it was the inductorless one. A little more for the inductor one. It's about 3 hours of work to etch a board, populate it and wire it all up.

if u have one built I can attest this man is pure class

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:25 pm

See? Now, I'd take you up on that but as you say, shipping and getting the case would probably even it back up to the price of an off-the-shelf one. Even with current exchange rates. Arse. And where the hell do you get a gutted wah case anyway? I'm so shit at this. Sorry people who know what they are doing.

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:37 pm

thecookman wrote:And where the hell do you get a gutted wah case anyway?

Ten a penny on eBay.

Bill Oakley · Post by **Bill Oakley** » Sat Feb 18, 2012 11:53 pm

SGJarrod wrote:
Bill Oakley wrote:I would charge for $50 - 60 if it was the inductorless one. A little more for the inductor one. It's about 3 hours of work to etch a board, populate it and wire it all up.
if u have one built I can attest this man is pure class

Thank you!!

Well, if you really want me to do one for you PM me and we can work out the details. Maybe I can make you the guts of one and you can get an empty enclosure over their and you can just pop it in.

thecookman · Post by **thecookman** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 12:26 am

I may just take up that offer! I knew coming here was a good idea. Now to find the right shell...

Ben79 · Post by **Ben79** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:23 pm

Massive chrome 70s Morley power wah?

I have a few...

Wah-Fuzz
Wah-boost
Wah-volume...though they all work as volume pedals when bypassed.

Inbuilt power supply, bombproof construction. Wide rich sweep, less quack and more whaow.

All for sale, if you're interested PM me.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 4:21 pm

thecookman wrote: ...Why is McCartney still recording?

I'm still waiting for someone to give a rational answer to this... anyone?

Wah Wah Wah-ie can't I get one?

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