partytrain Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 So far for me, the hd500 has been 99% perfect. But that last 1% has been the wah models. I'm just not getting the sound I'm looking for. During my gigs, i'm not using it a ton, but it's in there occasionally for either some 70s clean stuff, or a solo here and there (beverly hills-weezer). The last few gigs I've brought out my Budwah and placed it in front of the hd500 just so I wouldn't have to deal with the models. It seems to me that one of my issues is almost that the expression pedal on the hd500 has too big of a sweep. When I bring it all the way down, it seems like the volume completely dies. I've tried adjusting the parameters to some of the wah models, but I'm not there yet. So for those of you that have a good wah sound, I'm wondering if you will share your tips. Which model are you using? Where are you putting it in the chain? Are you adjusting any of the parameters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rewolf48 Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 They are over the top without some tweaking, but this gives you a lot of flexibility; you just need to reduce the range to suit the Wah you are after. Wah is inevitably placed at the front of the chain with perhaps only noise gate before it (I don't use a noise gate as my JTV is quiet) Reduce the range of the expression pedal sweep - can't remember the exact values but try so that min is 10% and max is 90% (on the Exp 1 Controller assignment) and reduce the Mix to about 90%. Then tweak again until happy And avoid too much distortion as that kills the Wah effect. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilmikehoo Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 At first, I didn't like the wahs from the 500 and I had a favorite pedal before I got the 500 - a Dunlop Zakk Wylde. By recommendations from this forum (I've learned soooo much from here!) I placed the Dunlop in the fx loop and placed it right after the noise gate. I experimented with other placements and configurations, but this seemed to sound the best. Not only did it sound great, but it shows up in HD Edit as well. I kept playing around with the HD's wahs and settings, learning more about them, and finally got almost as good a sound and pedal travel (?) as the Dunlop. Now, I only use the Dunlop if I want to create a 3 pedal patch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheater5 Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 I 100% agree with @Rewolf48. Inside a real wah pedal is a potentiometer (pot) that translates a turning motion into information the electronics can use (there's a technical explanation, but someone else can do that better than me). This is one of the most hacked electronics in all guitar-dom. You can fool the pedal into thinking that the expression pedal has more range than it actually does. Hendrix supposedly turned his so that physically "toe up" was not quite all the way up on the pot - giving him a more bass-y sound. Jazz players are known to do the opposite - "heel down" is not all the way down. The Pod emulates this by having the pedal normally swing from one extreme of the pot to the other - giving you a wah that has more range than physically possible on a real wah. You should limit the pedal sweep as Rewolf suggested - this is merely an elaboration as to WHY. Except about "too much distortion." No such thing. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissiah Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Unfortunately nobody talked about chrome vs weeper vs fassel... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scheater5 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 @Melissiah That mostly comes down to personal taste. But for what it's worth, I use the fassel model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorealex Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Fassel here!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratchamp Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Vetta Wah, 60% mix, beginning of the chain. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akeron Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I prefer the Weeper model (I own an original dunlop CryBaby). I use Mix set to 30% with the guitar tone (bridge) on 10 or to 50% with the guitar tone on 4 1\2, to have a less harsh high end. My second choice is Fassel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilmikehoo Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 My go-to is fassel, but the choice (for me) and settings are dependent on what amp(s), cab(s), fx, etc. and overall sound & tone I'm going for. Sometimes fassel isn't the absolute best choice and my settings for one tone aren't always gonna be the same for the next.. The 500's selection of wahs is diverse and gives you a great number of possible tones and set-ups. I would recommend starting with one that you are most familiar and comfortable with, experiment with it, and then try another - especially if the sound you're going for is another animal when compared to what you may have previously created and experimented with. Besides, it's the only way you can experience and learn about the other models. Have fun with them. Who knows? You may even discover a new favorite!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyo78 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 I have found very helpful in setting the Wah to sound 'real'. ;)I pretty much use the parameters per his video and 97.4% of the time use the "Throaty" model for my Wah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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