# Let's talk about wah pedals



## Robert (Aug 16, 2021)

If you were going to build a wah pedal that has a secondary function/footswitch (like the old Shin-Ei Fuzz Wah, for example) but using a standard Crybaby style enclosure how would you prefer to handle the secondary footswitch?

Here's a few ideas so far...

*Kick switch on the side or back of the pedal*
This would be a momentary footswitch or arcade style switch mounted into the side of the enclosure housing that could be kicked with the side of your foot to toggle the secondary effect.   The drawback here is that there could be issues on a tight/crowded pedalboard.

*Footswitch jack for connecting an separate external footswitch* 
This would allow you to connect an external footswitch or other type of effect controllers to toggle the secondary effect.    The secondary effect could default to "ON" when no footswitch is connected.

*Multi-Function primary footswitch*
This would use the standard wah "toe-down" footswitch to control the secondary effect so extra switches/jacks would be required.   From bypass click once for wah, click again for wah + secondary effect, click again to return to bypass. (or similar functionality)


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## Big Monk (Aug 16, 2021)

I think the external single button footswitch would be the best.


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## Harry Klippton (Aug 16, 2021)

Probably footswitch Jack for separate footswitch


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## fig (Aug 16, 2021)

How about bottom-side toe kick?

Too hasty of a response maybe.


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## Paradox916 (Aug 16, 2021)

What if you were to use the switch in the base for the secondary effect(toe down).. and a momentary on the treadle for the wah. You would only need the wah on when your foot was on the treadle  anyway right? Seems like an interesting possibility or am I just a little crazy?


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## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 16, 2021)

I’ve always done the secondary remote footswitch jack method.


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## Feral Feline (Aug 16, 2021)

Paradox916, you mean like the Dunlop 105Q Bass wah, or the Morley Bad Horsie where the wah instantly engages when you put your foot on it, right? I really like your idea.

Different ways to implement that:
 — proximity copper-conductivity thingy, like those vexing probes...
 — LDR that when completely dark flips a relay-switch, 
 — pressure-sensitive foil (how I imagine the Dunlop 105Q works
...and of course a regular 3PDT or 2PDT & Relay for the toe-down.

LDR would probably be the easiest to source parts for and implement (not so great for cowboy boots or other footwear with a heel, as that'd potentially let light in when you're trying to stomp down. Pressure sensors aren't as easy to source (unless you want to pay through the nose for SparkFun).



From the OP:
*Kick switch on the side or back of the pedal 🉑
Footswitch jack for connecting an separate external footswitch* ✅
*Multi-Function primary footswitch 🚫🈲*

Re External Footswitch: I'd want the secondary effect default switchable between "ON" or "OFF" when no footswitch is connected, though of course it makes most sense to have it default to "ON".


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## Paradox916 (Aug 16, 2021)

I was just brainstorming,I didn’t know there were pedals like that already!... that’s kind of cool.


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## fig (Aug 16, 2021)

I've thought it over, and I'm going with voice-activation....just say wha?


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## Coda (Aug 16, 2021)

fig said:


> I've thought it over, and I'm going with voice-activation....just say wha?


Thought activation...


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## fig (Aug 16, 2021)




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## fig (Aug 16, 2021)

External foot-switch.


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## Barry (Aug 16, 2021)

Coda said:


> Thought activation...


kinetic energy might not work on a loud stage, I guess you could think louder


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## bhcarpenter (Aug 17, 2021)

My vote is for external foot switch as well. 

But maybe more of an issue is where in the world are you going to find an enclosure? I’ve been looking for a while so I could build a wah, but no dice. Best I’ve found is $40ish for a used (probably broken, but nbd) Crybaby on Ebay.


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## Big Monk (Aug 18, 2021)

bhcarpenter said:


> My vote is for external foot switch as well.
> 
> But maybe more of an issue is where in the world are you going to find an enclosure? I’ve been looking for a while so I could build a wah, but no dice. Best I’ve found is $40ish for a used (probably broken, but nbd) Crybaby on Ebay.











						17.0US $ |1PCS GEP 2 Wah Wah Guitar Effects Pedal Enclosure|Guitar Parts & Accessories|   - AliExpress
					

Smarter Shopping, Better Living!  Aliexpress.com




					www.aliexpress.com


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## NickC (Aug 18, 2021)

*Footswitch jack for connecting an separate external footswitch*


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## uranium_jones (Aug 18, 2021)

Big Monk said:


> 17.0US $ |1PCS GEP 2 Wah Wah Guitar Effects Pedal Enclosure|Guitar Parts & Accessories|   - AliExpress
> 
> 
> Smarter Shopping, Better Living!  Aliexpress.com
> ...


I've heard from multiple places that those don't have tapped holes. So buyer beware. (I don't have any taps and I've never done it before.)


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## Big Monk (Aug 18, 2021)

quality_jones said:


> I've heard from multiple places that those don't have tapped holes. So buyer beware. (I don't have any taps and I've never done it before.)



Tapped holes for what? Mounting? Feet?


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## uranium_jones (Aug 18, 2021)

Big Monk said:


> Tapped holes for what? Mounting? Feet?


No idea. I've never owned a wah pedal so I don't know how they're assembled.


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## Robert (Aug 18, 2021)

I believe they're referring to the PCB mounting holes inside the enclosure.   

I built one of these a couple years ago, mine came from Smallbear but I believe it was the same part.   The included screws weren't the correct size, so that was a bit of a struggle, but otherwise it went together without any issues.

Salvaging a used Crybaby enclosure would probably be the easiest way to go but these are completely usable and a direct fit for the wah PCBs here.


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## Big Monk (Aug 18, 2021)

Robert said:


> I believe they're referring to the PCB mounting holes inside the enclosure.
> 
> I built one of these a couple years ago, mine came from Smallbear but I believe it was the same part.   The included screws weren't the correct size, so that was a bit of a struggle, but otherwise it went together without any issues.
> 
> Salvaging a used Crybaby enclosure would probably be the easiest way to go but these are completely usable and a direct fit for the wah PCBs here.



I'm sure a Tap-Starter Self Tapping screw would work fine.


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## Feral Feline (Aug 18, 2021)

That's what shipped with mine, self-tappers.


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## finebyfine (Aug 18, 2021)

I got a used busted up standard crybaby in the mail the other day - I bought it just to rip everything out and just use the enclosure for a build. It's been _years _since I've handled a full size wah and I was pretty taken aback by how big and empty they are. Feels like so much wasted real estate. I personally like the the multifunction switch idea best - just sounds easiest with respect to enclosure modifications.


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## herliplex (Aug 18, 2021)

Separate external footswitch


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 19, 2021)

I have an old, gutted Foxx Fuzz-Wah and it has one stomp switch under the treadle and another on the case out in front of the treadle.  Too bad no one makes a Wah chassis like that anymore.  

I vote for separate stomp switch.


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## Grubb (Aug 19, 2021)

Having recently scoured the internet for an appropriate wah case for a specific application (I failed and am going to just make do with what's available) there is definitely a market out there for a wah layout that combines normal wah operation with the Morley rectangular layout and extra control surface options you get there.

Any recommendations for 3PDT switches in the toe position?


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 19, 2021)

BLMS has a nice feather touch switch.

https://lovemyswitches.com/pro-3pdt-latched-foot-switch-solder-lugs-feather-soft-click/


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## Grubb (Aug 19, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> BLMS has a nice feather touch switch.
> 
> https://lovemyswitches.com/pro-3pdt-latched-foot-switch-solder-lugs-feather-soft-click/


Awesome, that's the exact one I was looking at but wasn't sure of the suitability for the application.


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 19, 2021)

The only downside to a light-touch switch is it can be actuated accidentally when the toe is all the way down.  Dunlop installs a pretty stiff switch on the Crybaby.


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## NickC (Aug 19, 2021)

I got an idea, and what if you designed a pedal version of the Custom Shop Dunlop Cry Baby Rack that you can connect to our wha? (which inside there is only the main potentiometer? ) just for you understand, a normal hammond box with various switches and potentiometers that connects to a normal wha (obviously modifying it) we can put a dual fasel switch a multi switch pot for more capacitors voices , boost etc...., the normal on/off switch on pedalbox and a momentary switch on the wha enclosure (see my modded pedal)  maybe...


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## Chuck D. Bones (Aug 19, 2021)

Wow!  What all is inside your modd'ed wah?  Can you share a schematic?


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## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 19, 2021)

NickC said:


> I got an idea, and what if you designed a pedal version of the Custom Shop Dunlop Cry Baby Rack that you can connect to our wha? (which inside there is only the main potentiometer? ) just for you understand, a normal hammond box with various switches and potentiometers that connects to a normal wha (obviously modifying it) we can put a dual fasel switch a multi switch pot for more capacitors voices , boost etc...., the normal on/off switch on pedalbox and a momentary switch on the wha enclosure (see my modded pedal)  maybe...


That’s what I’m doing with one of the two Park And Rides that I’m building. The expression pedal will have a footswitch build in to swap between a fixed potentiometer and the treadle pot, so you can tune a cocked Wah sound with a side pot, and then swap to a regular Wah mode with a click of the Wah treadle


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## Bricksnbeatles (Aug 19, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> I have an old, gutted Foxx Fuzz-Wah and it has one stomp switch under the treadle and another on the case out in front of the treadle.  Too bad no one makes a Wah chassis like that anymore.
> 
> I vote for separate stomp switch.


The fulltone Dejavibe 3 enclosure could be used to do that. Too bad fulltone is the only one who makes those 😂


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## rectifier (Aug 21, 2021)

What about some wah effects that would use the Bespeco VM18L pedal as a base that could be connected with an expression jack. I believe Lovetone recommended it for all their effects. It’s super durable and cheap. The only problem is that is has a 20k pot. I believe wah pedals have 500k pots. I’m not an electronic specialist but wonder if you can adapt a wah circuit for a 20k pot. Other effects with expression out could be based on it too


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## Feral Feline (Aug 22, 2021)

Never heard of "Bespeco", let alone the "VM18L".








Looks like a clone of the cheaper Roland-Boss expression pedals:







In fact, seems it's been rebranded many times over.






Top jacks!
Works for me!


I'm not keen on the big Morley wahs, but the compact ones and Minis could be cool with TOP JACKS, IMO.


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## Dali (Aug 22, 2021)

I own that thing  but will not carnivalize it...


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## Robert (Aug 22, 2021)

The goal here is to come up with a solution using common parts.   

Gutting a vintage wah is cheating.   🤡


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## rectifier (Aug 25, 2021)

Feral Feline said:


> Never heard of "Bespeco", let alone the "VM18L".
> 
> 
> 
> ...



seems like they’ve been building them since the 90s, search for “lovetone vm18l” and you find some references where


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## NickC (Aug 26, 2021)

Chuck D. Bones said:


> Wow!  What all is inside your modd'ed wah?  Can you share a schematic?


I have vol pot, treble boost pot, bass/gain pot, Q pot, 12 position different capacitor value pot and a momentary switch. Its like the tearjacker pcb here on pedalpcb, i have red fasel ( i have tried the yellow one and I dont like it) the on/on switch is used to select between normal mode activation wha switch (the standard dunlop) and the momentary. I have removed the bufferd section also. 

Tip for gibson les Paul user, the cap value for switch pot, i really get great result with 0,0089uf 0,01uf(standard dunlop) 0,012uf(Jerry centrell) 0,015uf. The 0,022uf (hendrix wha) it's too dark, maybe a good option for strato user.


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