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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: Govmnt_Lacky on July 10, 2011, 05:29:04 PM

Title: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Govmnt_Lacky on July 10, 2011, 05:29:04 PM
Just went to the Dunlop website and noticed that on top of their 5+ standard wah pedals, they have no less than 8 individual "signature series" wah pedals.

Guy, Dimebag, EVH, Cantrell, Jimi, Hammett, Slash, and Wylde...  :icon_eek:

I know there are only minor differences however, does anyone know of a good link to ALL of these signature schematics? Would look interesting to try to cram as many as possible into 1 shell with the appropriate switches/rotaries to switch between them.  ;D
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Joe Hart on July 10, 2011, 07:40:26 PM
I think a lot of this is marketing. I mean, the wahs sound different, but a cap change here or there and that's that (mostly). Also, wahs will sound different with different amps, guitars, and other things in the signal chain. But an interesting idea nonetheless. Maybe make a wah with as much control as possible? Q control, taper control, volume control, mids control, etc.?
-Joe Hart
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Govmnt_Lacky on July 10, 2011, 07:47:45 PM
Quote from: Joe Hart on July 10, 2011, 07:40:26 PM
...a cap change here or there and that's that (mostly).
This is what I figured. I am sure there is a bit more complexity with some models though...

Quote
But an interesting idea nonetheless. Maybe make a wah with as much control as possible? Q control, taper control, volume control, mids control, etc.?

This is why I was looking for the schemos. I found a few but, the majority of them are eluding me.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Brymus on July 10, 2011, 07:54:22 PM
Quote from: Joe Hart on July 10, 2011, 07:40:26 PM
I think a lot of this is marketing. I mean, the wahs sound different, but a cap change here or there and that's that (mostly). Also, wahs will sound different with different amps, guitars, and other things in the signal chain. But an interesting idea nonetheless. Maybe make a wah with as much control as possible? Q control, taper control, volume control, mids control, etc.?
-Joe Hart
Did that to my Boss FW3
And really I only change the sweep cap,and peak control.(when I do)
The mids,bias,Q they all stay the same and are probably better as trimmers inside.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Joe Hart on July 10, 2011, 08:54:40 PM
Quote from: Brymus on July 10, 2011, 07:54:22 PM
Quote from: Joe Hart on July 10, 2011, 07:40:26 PM
I think a lot of this is marketing. I mean, the wahs sound different, but a cap change here or there and that's that (mostly). Also, wahs will sound different with different amps, guitars, and other things in the signal chain. But an interesting idea nonetheless. Maybe make a wah with as much control as possible? Q control, taper control, volume control, mids control, etc.?
-Joe Hart
Did that to my Boss FW3
And really I only change the sweep cap,and peak control.(when I do)
The mids,bias,Q they all stay the same and are probably better as trimmers inside.

I would agree. I think a wah is so expressive "as is" that I find a sound or two that I like and just stay there. But the original post was about cramming a bunch of different sounds into one wah.
-Joe Hart
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: bside2234 on July 11, 2011, 12:41:04 AM
If you open all these up you will find that some are similar and some look completely different.

I believe they all are the basic Crybaby circuit with different "mods" applied. From what I've seen of these, the Dimebag one pretty much has all the mods applied and the other ones only have some. I'm sure there are a few cap and/or resistor changes in some of them.

You'll find the Cantrell, Jimi, and Wilde all use the GCB-95 board. The Dimebag, Hammet, Guy and Slash are a mess of surface mount components if I remember correctly.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: newfish on July 11, 2011, 09:36:50 AM
We just need another excellent 'Beavis 'x' Lab' build.

Muff Lab, Fuzz Lab... Wah Lab.

Might be more user-friendly to have a 'standard' enclosure with the pots / switches mounted in the conventional way, and an expression jack to plug a 'gutted' Wah shell into.

I can't imagine trying to drill all those extra holes in a cast Crybaby shell...  :icon_cry:

If you're that desperate to have an 8:1 Wah set-up.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Govmnt_Lacky on July 11, 2011, 09:47:40 AM
Quote from: newfish on July 11, 2011, 09:36:50 AM
If you're that desperate to have an 8:1 Wah set-up.

Not desperate.... just inquisitive  ;D

I am more interested in the theory than the results. I would like to know what was done differently to make the GCB-95 into the Kirk Hammett model. Or, the differences between the Hendrix and Cantrell models and so on.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Electron Tornado on July 11, 2011, 10:01:04 AM
You can add any of the stuff on the Dimebag wah to any stock Cry Baby without any trouble, and I doubt any of the signature pedals are too terribly different from each other.  There are a few places on the net that show how to do wah mods, and they will have just about everything that those signature wahs have.

Here's a good place to start:  http://www.geofex.com/ (http://www.geofex.com/)
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: bside2234 on July 11, 2011, 10:30:21 AM
Here's the Dimebag wah: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/WAH-ARCHIVE_/WAH-SCHEMATICS/Dunlop_Dimebag_wah.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 (http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/WAH-ARCHIVE_/WAH-SCHEMATICS/Dunlop_Dimebag_wah.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1)
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Govmnt_Lacky on July 11, 2011, 10:39:38 AM
Thanks Bill  ;)

The Dimebag was one that I found earlier. I also found the Jimi Hendrix and the Buddy Guy models. I am still looking for the others.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Paul Marossy on July 11, 2011, 12:31:46 PM
Quote from: bside2234 on July 11, 2011, 10:30:21 AM
Here's the Dimebag wah: http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/WAH-ARCHIVE_/WAH-SCHEMATICS/Dunlop_Dimebag_wah.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1 (http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/WAH-ARCHIVE_/WAH-SCHEMATICS/Dunlop_Dimebag_wah.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1)

Man, I wish I would have found that a few years ago when I was trying to fix one. Anyway, I was going to say that this model is not your standard CryBaby with a cap or something tweaked. But I see that's already been covered...
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: zombiwoof on July 14, 2011, 04:45:50 PM
One thing I know is that the Cantrell wah is based on the older Hendrix wah, the one with the 470k HotPotz pot and the component changes that give it a lower tonal range.  That was disclosed in the early info about the pedal.  Of course, it has the fancy graphics to make it look different.

Al
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Brymus on July 15, 2011, 08:57:17 PM
So the Dimebag model is just a 535 multi wah with a 5K "fine tune" pot in series to ground with the wah pot.
Oh yeah and different graphics.
I played a Buddy Guy wah last month.
I didnt care for it,the switch you hit with the side of your foot to change the sweep cap is pretty cool option though.

So basically a DB/535 wah with the "Buddy Guy" sweep cap switch, pretty much covers it all if you add the external controls for Q,mids,bias,ect.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Joe Hart on July 15, 2011, 09:26:00 PM
Quote from: Brymus on July 15, 2011, 08:57:17 PM
So the Dimebag model is just a 535 multi wah with a 5K "fine tune" pot in series to ground with the wah pot.

I've never played the Dime Wah. What does the "fine tune" knob do?
-Joe Hart
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: joegagan on July 15, 2011, 09:33:56 PM
never heard one in person, but the youtube video demo of the cantrell wah sounded damn nice to me.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: bside2234 on July 15, 2011, 09:39:58 PM
I have one. It works really well with other pedals and I think it has a sweet sound.

Fine Tune
Rotating this knob clockwise
extends the high end of the sweep range, making the toe down
position brighter as opposed to a darker sound when rotated
counterclockwise.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Joe Hart on July 15, 2011, 09:54:05 PM
Does the "fine tune" knob change the sweep at all? Like does it move the "midrange hump" to a different place in the sweep? You said it makes it "brighter" and "darker," but does it actually change the tone of the pedal or just limit the range of the wah pedal? Like a standard tone control on a guitar doesn't add bass, but seems to by cutting the treble (if that makes sense).
-Joe Hart
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: bside2234 on July 15, 2011, 10:14:56 PM
Honestly, I don't really mess with it too much. It really doesn't do too much from one extreme to the other. It's very subtle. It seems to make it a little brighter but it's not that noticeable. I just set it midway and forget about it. All the other controls are more responsive.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Joe Hart on July 16, 2011, 08:33:42 AM
Thank you for the "fine tune" info! So it doesn't seem worth the time/effort. Thanks!
-Joe Hart
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: flintstoned on July 16, 2011, 09:39:00 AM
The fine tune doesn't affect the hump, its more like when you open up the wah and move the gear a couple of notches to make the sweep a lil more towards the high or low end.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: bside2234 on July 16, 2011, 11:05:05 AM
Quote from: flintstoned on July 16, 2011, 09:39:00 AM
The fine tune doesn't affect the hump, its more like when you open up the wah and move the gear a couple of notches to make the sweep a lil more towards the high or low end.

^This. It's like moving it one tooth on the gear in either direction. Not really worth it in my opinion.
Title: Re: Signature Wah stew...
Post by: Johan on July 16, 2011, 01:21:30 PM
hmm... if two different artists approach (or are being approached by)Dunlop about a "signature"-wha, and they both end up with the exact same mod's, would Dunlop then market them as two different wha's?... :-\
..I not saying that would ever happen, only asking... ;D