What are the main Wah families?

[tekbow]

As in that are deemed to have their own sound or are the progenitors from all else current sprang? In amp analogies, think Fender, Marshall, Vox.

I can think of Vox/CB, Colorsound, Maestro. Maybe Morley and Ibanez WH get their own branches too?

 

[dronerstone]

Morleys are definitely their own thing.

 

[joezlo]

... I apologize in advance ...

The Wah You Doins'

The Wah Womp Trombones

&

The Wah You Talkin Bouts?

 

[tekbow]

... I apologize in advance ...

The Wah You Doins'

The Wah Womp Trombones

&

The Wah You Talkin Bouts?

Accepted, but only cos funny.

 

[jay mitchell]

... I apologize in advance ...

The Wah You Doins'

The Wah Womp Trombones

&

The Wah You Talkin Bouts?

The (Wah Wah) Wah Tusi:

I'll show myself out....

 

[AutomationBias]

It's those, their clones and oddballs like the Mutron C-200 and Tycobrahe Parapedal. I have a C-200 and it's cool. Never played a Parapedal.

 

[tekbow]

I forgot about the para pedal. Wasn't there a reissue or clone of that at one point?

Will have to look up the Mutron

 

[AutomationBias]

Yeah, Wilson Effects made one: https://www.wilsoneffects.com/freaker-wah-v3

 

[tekbow]

Yeah, Wilson Effects made one: https://www.wilsoneffects.com/freaker-wah-v3

Ah nice, not the one I was thinking of, somebody did a full on recreation of the case and everything.

At least they can still be had

 

[EOengineer]

I basically break wah into:
- Crybabies
- Vox
- Morley

There are plenty others out there but I feel like they’re usually chasing one of those. The vintage Vox 847 was a darker throatier thing where the crybaby is more nasal, sharper. I’m not up to speed on the reissues.

 

[Chocol8]

I tend to think of them as traditional wahs, auto wahs, and envelope filters, and not so much by tonal variations. I feel like there is plenty of variation in the Vox wahs and the Cry baby Wahs and all the clones and inspired by wahs that they have a lot of overlap. The Color Sound inductorless wahs are a little different, but I always viewed that as just being cheap, right or wrong.

 

[tekbow]

I tend to think of them as traditional wahs, auto wahs, and envelope filters, and not so much by tonal variations. I feel like there is plenty of variation in the Vox wahs and the Cry baby Wahs and all the clones and inspired by wahs that they have a lot of overlap. The Color Sound inductorless wahs are a little different, but I always viewed that as just being cheap, right or wrong.

They were, it was a cost cutting measure, however they also made inductor wahs of which ive 2 70s examples, and they have zero in common with vox/Crybaby, other than a rockable pedal, inductor and pot.

 

[Dave Lewis]

These are jp there

 

[tekbow]

These are jp there
View attachment 51917

Yep, WH series, the "Johnny Kick a Hole in the Sky" wah.

V funky.

 

[Chocol8]

however they also made inductor wahs of which ive 2 70s examples, and they have zero in common with vox/Crybaby, other than a rockable pedal, inductor and pot.

True, I knew Garcia used one early on, but I have never seen or played one of those.

 

[Dave Lewis]

I’ve got a orange version.

 

[tekbow]

True, I knew Garcia used one early on, but I have never seen or played one of those.

The best way to describe them is whumpachuck.

Also, vaguely synthy, evelope filtery. If you remember Digital Love by Daft Punk, it can do slightly similar sounds to the "guitar solo" in it when playing around in the transition area.

The top left and centre are the ones in question, both late 70s.

The top left (wah fuzz) is particularly interesting as it appears to have a full supa or jumbo tone bender circuit in it rather than the usual one knob fuzz type component.