DIY Wah pedals, need some suggestions.....

[MichaelW]

Hey gang,

So I've been wanting to build a DIY wah pedal for the collection. As I've been doing some cursory research it seems like the hardest thing seems to be finding a good quality shell.

I had a killer coupon from Melody Music and snagged a new plain Jane Dunlop CryBaby. (Haven't even opened the box yet).

What projects would fit into this enclosure?

 

[DeadAirMD]

GuitarPCB has a sale on their Mowah board, think it's under $3. Got the shell and board a couple weeks ago, but have been doing the pile of PPCB projects I have and haven't put that together yet.

(*clearance*) MoWah - Boutique Moddable Wah Circuit - GuitarPCB

This is a modified circuit we believe enhances capabilities beyond that of the usual suspects. There are many mods that can be added as you see fit (pick and choose), however we believe just the basic circuit itself is still a vast improvement. This board will accept most any Fasel. Build your...

guitarpcb.com

 

[MichaelW]

I know zilch about Wah pedals. My only frame of reference is the original Crybaby. I was looking at the TearJerker Wah and see it fits in a Dunlop enclosure. Anyone built this?

 

[Harry Klippton]

Sham wah! sham wah! sham wah!

 

[Diynot]

Not a wah, but I have a MBP harbinger 2 board coming that goes in a wah shell.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Sham wah! sham wah! sham wah!

This ! Will has an original and his recommendation lead me to build mine. I've had different cry babies, vox, and boutique wahs over the past 30 years and this is my favorite. All killer, no filler. No endless knob turning, just kick it on and play. Dead simple and just works, one of @Robert best projects. This is from TWS profile so it's not here anymore. I built the foxrox buffer but later took it out since I no longer use fuzz.

 

[MichaelW]

This ! Will has an original and his recommendation lead me to build mine. I've had different cry babies, vox, and boutique wahs over the past 30 years and this is my favorite. All killer, no filler. No endless knob turning, just kick it on and play. Dead simple and just works, one of @Robert best projects. This is from TWS profile so it's not here anymore. I built the foxrox buffer but later took it out since I no longer use fuzz.
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Is that a Crybaby enclosure? Only downside is that it’s a Vertex. Analogous with the term “douchebag” heh.

 

[Harry Klippton]

If it's good enough for vertex to pawn off as some high dollar cork sniffery bullshit, it's good enough for you to build

 

[Harry Klippton]

Is that a Crybaby enclosure? Only downside is that it’s a Vertex. Analogous with the term “douchebag” heh.

It's actually NOT a vertex... It's a BBE!

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Is that a Crybaby enclosure? Only downside is that it’s a Vertex. Analogous with the term “douchebag” heh.

It is a used crybaby shell I snagged at my local GC for 45 dollars. I did use an area51 icar pot and a halo inductor. I also made the trimmer external like on the original.

It's actually NOT a vertex... It's a BBE!

Yep, he just bought BBE wahs and gooped/rebadged them like the asshat he is. It's an amazing wah and Mike NEEDS to build this.

 

[MichaelW]

DONE, Ordered. Ok now, what special mojo inductor and pot do I need?

 

[MichaelW]

Will this work?

Eleca Halo Inductor

Guitar pedals, pedal parts and electronics.

smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com

 

[MichaelW]

Also, is 100k the preferred pot for this pedal? So many choices at Smallbear.....!

 

[Guardians of the analog]

Will this work?

Eleca Halo Inductor

Guitar pedals, pedal parts and electronics.

smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com

Any halo should work, that one is just fine, or you can pay more.
This is the pot I got but any comparable one should be fine

Replacement Wah Pedal Pot - Area 51

 

[MichaelW]

ok I got that inductor and this pot.

Stoked!!! Thanks @Harry Klippton and @Guardians of the analog!

 

[Guardians of the analog]

ok I got that inductor and this pot.

Stoked!!! Thanks @Harry Klippton and @Guardians of the analog!

You're gonna like it Mike, and I highly recommend making the trimmer external to adjust the voice of the wah. Here is the sound clip I made when I built it.

 

[MichaelW]

You're gonna like it Mike, and I highly recommend making the trimmer external to adjust the voice of the wah. Here is the sound clip I made when I built it.

That knob on the side is the exposed trimmer?

 

[Big Monk]

Listen to everything these guys have said and i'll also add a few points:

1.) Having owned a Tearjerker, it's option overkill.

2.) I prefer making the "Mids" control variable instead of the Q control. Seems to actually affect the Q better.

3.) The Q resistor seems to sound best between 47-68k. any lower or higher and the sweep starts to get muted.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

That knob on the side is the exposed trimmer?

Yep, I just wired the pot to the trimmer pads.

 

[GizzWizzKing]

Thanks for this thread. I've had the thought in my head for a while to go for it and start getting the bits together. But then I saw elder play and his mini crybaby sounded plenty good for my needs and the size is a big plus. I will mark this thread for future use when I get around to it but if I just need a wah I will go the mini route for now.