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Topic: Best Wah-wah Pedal For Steel & Guitar???? |
Tom Bradshaw
From:
Walnut Creek, California, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2018 11:19 am |
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| I've been asked what the best wah-wah pedal is for the steel AND for a regular guitarist (he doubles on these instruments). What recommendations can you give me (and others here on the Forum)? ...Tom (or tell me at tommybradshaw@gmail.com. |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 21 Aug 2018 1:31 pm
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Great question, Tom. Someone chime in!
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 21 Aug 2018 3:18 pm
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This is such a big question, and a lot depends on what you want of the wah - by this I mean, how much vocal sweep do you want, where do you want the center frequency (low, middle, high), and so on.
I personally like the Fulltone Clyde Wah, and he has a version called the Deluxe that has three distinct switchable voicings. In fact, there's one in the Amps/Accessories For Sale section right now. I have the standard Clyde - it's very vocal like an old Vox Clyde McCoy and I like it on guitar and steel.
Another excellent one is the Geoffrey Teese Real McCoy - in fact, I have one on its way from Mike Goldring as we speak. Teese has a few different models, I've played a few of the 'classic' versions, they were all excellent, very old-school and vocal, but I've never owned one until now.
Older wahs are highly variable. I grew up (late 60s, early 70s) with an old Italian-made Vox Wah with a Fasel inductor - but I only played guitar back then. But it was a very vocal Jimi Hendrix style wah, sounded good on both clean and distorted guitar. There is a distinction between "Vox" and "Cry Baby", and there are a plethora of different incarnations. I find that they vary quite a lot, and I have to pick through several to find one I like. I also got my current old Cry Baby from Mike, it has the "stack-of-dimes" inductor and sounds very good - this is the same type I used after my Vox died.
Some of the modern (80s and onward) Dunlop wahs are pretty good and reasonably priced (especially used), I've had several over the years. But like the older wahs, I have to pick through some to find one I like.
I also have a Budda Bud-Wah. It's not quite as vocal, and I find it a bit weak with clean guitar and steel. But very good with a distorted signal.
I've had others over the years - a couple of Morleys that I tried to like but were a totally different bag - not very vocal to my ears. I had a really small Ibanez (late 80s grey and green) that I could tuck into a guitar gig bag, didn't sound bad.
The "Shaft" film score wah (guitarist Charles Pitts) was a Maestro Boomerang. Very distinct tone - I believe the Clyde Deluxe has a setting for that. Very good for clean guitar, and originals can be had without breaking the bank. IMO not as versatile as the classic Vox/Cry Baby sound, but YMMV. Pitts was also known to use an old Clyde McCoy sometimes.
My take is that if it sounds good with a clean guitar, it's gonna sound good with clean steel. Another top requirement for me is that a wah must be true bypass. The Clyde and Teese are definitely true bypass, most of the older ones aren't stock, but it's not hard to replace the standard switch with a double-pole, double-throw switch and make it true-bypass.
Guitarists who are serious about wahs have studied them extensively, almost to the point of obsessively. These articles ought to fill you in on a lot of details if you care to wade through them:
http://www.analogman.com/kraft.htm
http://www.geofex.com/article_folders/wahpedl/wahped.htm |
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Ken Boi
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 4:08 am
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I haven't tried my wah on the steel, only 6-string. I can't see a wah being particular though to either instrument type.
My previous wah was a VOX Clyde McCoy-V848. Then a few months back I was able to pickup a used Joe Bonamassa CryBaby for a cheap price. I like this one better than the VOX. Really nice sound. Also requires a much lighter footstomp to activate. Just thought I would add another unit to Dave's list for consideration. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 5:56 am
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For pedal steel I prefer the stomp box wahs to the treadle pedal wahs. Most any of the common BOSS, MXR, or fill-in-the-blank auto-wah pedals will do the trick.
One reason I favor a stomp box is the ability to hook it up directly to the instrument's output jack via a Switchcraft adaptor:
Makes it easy to connect and disconnect at will, just by backing off the volume pedal. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 6:51 am
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| Jack Hanson wrote: |
For pedal steel I prefer the stomp box wahs to the treadle pedal wahs. Most any of the common BOSS, MXR, or fill-in-the-blank auto-wah pedals will do the trick.
One reason I favor a stomp box is the ability to hook it up directly to the instrument's output jack via a Switchcraft adaptor:
Makes it easy to connect and disconnect at will, just by backing off the volume pedal. |
That's what I did in the 70's/80's. I used an MXR Envelope Filter, MXR Distortion +, and an MXR compressor. I would use that adapter to swap the pedals into the signal change at will. I wish I still had that Envelope filter.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 55 years and still counting. |
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Ken Byng
From:
Southampton, England
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 6:55 am
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+1 for the MXR envelope filter.
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Show Pro D10 - amber (8+6), MSA D10 Legend XL Signature - redburst (9+6), Sho-Bud Pro 111 Custom (8+6), Emmons black Push-Pull D10 (8+5), Zum D10 (8x8), Hudson pedal resonator. Telonics TCA-500, Webb 614-E, |
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Cameron Kerby
From:
Rutledge, TN
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 7:14 am
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I have had good luck out of my old Thomas Organ Crybaby. It has a very vintage raw wah sound which handles the steel well.
_________________
Sho Bud Steel Guitars
Vintage Peavey Amplification |
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Godfrey Arthur
From:
3rd Rock
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Posted 22 Aug 2018 9:42 am
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If you really want to experiment with a Wah try the Whammy Wah from Digitech.
Since a psg is a lot more complex than a 6 string guitar you may find uses for the expanded features of such a wah over the traditional Hendrix Clapton style use.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hStE3ZleX7g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybMlo6lDOLc
Needs a power supply.
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YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7 |
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Steve Pawlak
From:
Arizona, USA
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Pete Burak
From:
Portland, OR USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2018 6:54 am
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Jim Dunlop has a new Cry Baby "Mini" pedal, that I saw in person yesterday at Centuar Guitar in Portland (they have a bunch) . It is very small and cute!... and beefy, too. It has three Voicing settings to choose from.
I did not try it (I have a regular Cry Baby) but because of it's size I thought it would be good for a Steel playing situation, maybe put it to the right of your Volume pedal.
Link with more pics and info and Manual.pdf:
https://www.jimdunlop.com/product/cbm95-7-10137-08134-5.do
I have a vintage MXR Envelope Filter, too. Great pedal! |
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David Gertschen
From:
Phoenix, Arizona
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Posted 23 Aug 2018 9:07 am
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Agree with Pete; I use one of these Cry Baby Minis because the small case makes it easier to position under the guitar.
I can't say if it sounds as good as one of the "boutique" wah pedals, but I only use it on one or two songs anyways... |
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Jeremy Reeves
From:
Springfield, IL, USA
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Posted 23 Aug 2018 9:34 am
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| Dave Mudgett wrote: |
The "Shaft" film score wah (guitarist Charles Pitts) was a Maestro Boomerang. Very distinct tone - I believe the Clyde Deluxe has a setting for that. Very good for clean guitar, and originals can be had without breaking the bank. IMO not as versatile as the classic Vox/Cry Baby sound, but YMMV. Pitts was also known to use an old Clyde McCoy sometimes.
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maestro boomerang might be especially cool for pedal steel because it's actually a volume/wah pedal. It acts as a volume pedal when not a wah.
the mister cry baby does this also iirc |
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