Trouble Posted May 24, 2013 Posted May 24, 2013 Not an amp. Liking this it looks clean, first printed board I've ever used. Waiting on a rotary switch and some caps to come in.
Trouble Posted May 25, 2013 Author Posted May 25, 2013 Wah mod? Looks like a pair of Fasel inductors? I was looking for some parts and found this circuit board at General Guitar Gadgets, dual inductors, 5 different ranges from switching capacitors, and the Q, peak and gain are adjustable, so should make for a really adjustable wah. I had most of the parts and the two inductors just sitting in a bin, just need a rotary switch so thought I would give it a try. I doubt if it will sound better than the Wilson Wah though.
Trouble Posted May 26, 2013 Author Posted May 26, 2013 Still waiting on a rotary switch and a couple of capacitors to finish the build, but so far all the leads are run (except for the rotary switch), relocated the LED to the side, hole for switch is drilled. Because of the standing inductors I can't mount the board on stand offs, not enough clearance, so probably will just velcro it to the housing, lowbuck but works, once the rotary switch is in place I'll use cable ties to tidy everything up. After this build I'm thinking I'll trace the Wilson wah and then design a board from that with a couple of mods, I like the Wilson but the external knobs are really easy to move when setting up and tearing down, I think I'm going to base a circuit on it, but use resistors of the value of my favorite settings, and make that my gig wah. Wah's are more fun to build than overdrives but more expensive. Buying a new case alone is almost $50.
Trouble Posted May 26, 2013 Author Posted May 26, 2013 Should probably run down the specs for anyone interested. Standard wah circuit as used in the old vox wah's, but in palce of the key resitors trimpots are used to make the Q, peak, "honk", and gain adjustable. Multiple range caps to switch the freq. range of the sweep selectable by rotary switch, dual switchable inductors (i choose to use red and yellow Fasel inductors since I allready had them). There is also a mod to use the two inductors in series but I choose not to go that route, it adds a lot of gain and wouldn't be practicle for me in a gigging situation.
DetroitBlues Posted May 30, 2013 Posted May 30, 2013 I've thought about upgraded my own wah too, but I have no idea what I want in a wah, so I'm leaving it alone. Hopefully, you'll get this one all ready to go and let us know what you think... Where did you get the housing for it?
smurph1 Posted May 30, 2013 Posted May 30, 2013 I admire people who have that kind of skill!! Good job!!
Trouble Posted May 30, 2013 Author Posted May 30, 2013 I've thought about upgraded my own wah too, but I have no idea what I want in a wah, so I'm leaving it alone. Hopefully, you'll get this one all ready to go and let us know what you think... Where did you get the housing for it? It was my old crybaby that had crashed on me, I had already built a circuit on vero and got it up and running again but when I saw this board I decided to give it a try. I think it's going to be a great sounding wah. There were a couple of capacitor values I didn't have to finish the build and I ordered some of the silk box type caps, not because I really believe they sound better but because they would look cool, and then once it's done no one will ever see them, duh! I also had to replace the wah pot because the threads were trashed on the old one and it wouldn't stay in place anymore, I ordered an Icar taper wah pot because that's what is in the Wilson and I like it. The only thing I'm waiting on is the rotary switch, I'll let everyone know when I get it finished and what it sounds like.
Trouble Posted May 31, 2013 Author Posted May 31, 2013 Here's a little update guys. I'm still waiting on the rotary switch and 2 different capacitors. The 2 caps I'm waiting on are such a small value I've never needed them before, and I really don't think I'll need them now because they are the 2 caps that make the wah's range higher, and I typically like a deeper setting. I also didn't have the right transistors so had to order those, and I didn't realize I was out so I just ordered them. But, I really wanted to get an idea what it was going to sound like so I put in a couple of generic transistors I had on hand, they are lower gain and lower fidelity so the right trannies can only sound better. I jumpered the cap that is in the middle (stock) of the range and started playing with it. With all the trimpots set to stock settings it sounded much like a stock crybaby but a little more defined. I tweaked the trimpots for awhile, and found some sounds that are really cool. Adjusting the peak trimpot can send the wah into self oscillation when the rocker is all the way back in the bass part of the sweep, and then rocking forward sends it back into wah, maybe not practical but cool, then by adjusting the trimpot just a little higher it removes the self oscilation and leaves you with a long usable sweep. I think for me I'll keep it on one of the lower range caps for a deeper sound, and it really needs the better transistors to make the most of the components, especially the inductors, they seem to be below their sweet spot, but From the tinkering today I get the feeling it's going to be a very worthwhile project, it's every bit as good as a stock wah now. I'll take some new pics when I get it finished and maybe try to get some sound clips, but my sound clips usually make everything sound the same.
Trouble Posted June 7, 2013 Author Posted June 7, 2013 Couple more updates. I got the rotary switch and new transistors in, still waiting on a couple of the smaller caps but for the most part it's wired up. I still have to tidy up the wiring a bit, and I still want to play with the trimpots a little but this thing sounds really good. I think the Wilson is a little smoother edged, more mellow and balanced, but this one seems to have more of a cutting sound, not harsh but seems like it would cut through the mix a little better. I think I'm going to switch out one of the inductors with something else, the two Fasel's sound so simialar there's no point in having a switch, but other than that I'm really happy with this, would be glad to gig with it and once I get it completely finished I probably will. I have a busy weekend coming but as soon as I can I'm going to try to get some sound clips and more pics, might try to do a side by side with it and the Wilson.
Trouble Posted June 13, 2013 Author Posted June 13, 2013 Fully pimped. The inside is a little messy but I can live with it. I used much heavier guage wire than you'll find in anything on the market, not sure if it helps but can't hurt right? Speed knob for range selector switch for a little added mojo. I'm gigging it Sat. night this thing sounds amazing and is dead quite, all you hear is your sound plus wah no static or feed back. It goes from nasal "Shaft" sounds to dark, heavy wah like in more modern rock, and it's very smooth. I'm going to try and get some clips of this one when I get a chance.
Trouble Posted June 13, 2013 Author Posted June 13, 2013 looks cool!! how does it compare to the Wilson? I'm not sure exactly how to explain it, it is different, but sounds really good, and at this point I'm not sure which one I like better. I'm hoping a gig will help me decide. The old Crybaby case had a lot of wear on it, the Wilson is pretty new and has adjustable tension so I like the feel of the Wilson better. I don't like how easy it easy is to move the knobs on the Wilson out of adjustment, but that's probably being picky. The tone available in both is amazing. clips, or it never happened:) I'm gonna try. My recording usually doesn't work very well.
Trouble Posted July 14, 2013 Author Posted July 14, 2013 Update. I finally got a chance to gig the newly built wah, the last couple gigs I just forgot about it, but last night I played it at the bar we play at the most, and noticed a couple things. I had sent some time tuning the different trimmers and got it to sound like I want it to sound during at home practices by myself, and had used it during practices with the band so I thought I knew what to expect from it but there were a couple surprises. First, ( I know this is a little cliche when talking about wah pedals) It sounds a little more vocal than the Wilson, I remember before the original Crybaby gave up on me I had replaced the inductor with a Fasel and it had sounded more vocal than stock, so this may just be a characteristic of the Fasel inductor. The Wilson uses a reproduction Halo inductor, and I think I'm going to replace one of the Fasels with a Halo to have two more separate sounds, as the two different Fasels are so similar there really isn't a point in having them both. Second, this wah is much more effected by the guitar signal it gets, in a somewhat negative way, and I think I know why after doing some thinking. Both wah's are true mechanical bypass, so none of the circuit is in the chain when they are switched off, or bypassed, but the Wilson has an input buffer that comes on when the effect is switched on. This is mostly for use behind a fuzz, most fuzzes don't play nice with wah pedals. When the volume on the guitar is maxed, the new wah sounds amazing, actually seems to sit in the mix a little better than the Wilson, but when I back the volume down even just a little, it starts to thin out noticeably and lose the low end presence. I can live with it, I usually keep my volume maxed anyway, but I'll probaly see if I can rig up a simple input buffer on a separate daughter board just to see if I can. I really like how it's turned out, and I think when I get through I'm going to give this one to my oldest son as a present, it will be better by far than the first 5 or 6 wah pedals I had so he should like it.
DetroitBlues Posted July 25, 2013 Posted July 25, 2013 Sounds like you have some interesting results... Can't say that I've ever found one wah better than the other. Its always been about adjust the sweep pot so its high and lows are effecting the tone the way I like.
Guest HRB853370 Posted July 25, 2013 Posted July 25, 2013 Sounds like you have some interesting results... Can't say that I've ever found one wah better than the other. Its always been about adjust the sweep pot so its high and lows are effecting the tone the way I like. Wah cry about it?
koula901 Posted July 25, 2013 Posted July 25, 2013 It was my old crybaby that had crashed on me, I had already built a circuit on vero and got it up and running again but when I saw this board I decided to give it a try. I think it's going to be a great sounding wah. There were a couple of capacitor values I didn't have to finish the build and I ordered some of the silk box type caps, not because I really believe they sound better but because they would look cool, and then once it's done no one will ever see them, duh! I also had to replace the wah pot because the threads were trashed on the old one and it wouldn't stay in place anymore, I ordered an Icar taper wah pot because that's what is in the Wilson and I like it. The only thing I'm waiting on is the rotary switch, I'll let everyone know when I get it finished and what it sounds like. how do you guys learn how to do these things???
Trouble Posted July 27, 2013 Author Posted July 27, 2013 how do you guys learn how to do these things??? Just like anything else, mostly just internet research for me, but lots of study time. I've done wiring on cars, residential electrical stuff, but that's a lot different than electronics. I will say for the most part it's easier to just buy stuff from good builders, and worth the money too unless you plan on building several pedals. Sourcing all the parts to just build one pedal isn't practical. I have quite a lot electrical components that I will probably never use, and I've built a lot of pedals, some of it will get used on guitars and amps maybe. For me it was more of a learning thing than anything else.
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