Talk to me about Fuzz + Wah!

[BobbyRay]

I have just recently fallen in love with the sound of fuzz thanks to a Soul-Bender and '69.

I really enjoy using a wah pedal for lots of my playing, but I've seen a couple of posts that suggest this may not work so well with Fuzz. If this turns out to be the case are there any solutions I can look into? I have a new wah on the way, a Clyde, as my Vox has been through the wringer and I was interested to try a slightly different wah that wouldn't color my original tone as much.

Will the clyde work in front of the '69 or the Soul-Bender? Or will I need to use a plain OD/Dist box when I want to use wah with dirt?

Thanks guys!

As you can tell I was never much of a pedal user for most of my playing days. I used to always be pretty much guitar-->wah-->amp. really enjoying the different shades available with pedals, and realizing that with it comes a whole new set of questions. The fun never ends.

[StompBoxBlues]

I've tried some solutions. Dave Fox (www.foxroxelectronics.com I think it is) sells a "Fox Wah retrofit" which is a circuit board you install to make the wah play better with a fuzz after it. I installed one on my picture wah, and it made it so the wah was as "wah" like as it is clean. The only thing, with SOME fuzzes I tend to get "quakier". The nice thing, the retrofit does allow you to adjust level when the wah is engaged, I may have it set too high, but played with adjusting it the other night and got it much nicer.

I recorded a couple of fuzzes (didn't have my '69 at the time though) like the Sunface, Fuzz Factory, and BYOC fuzz clone. Of these three they all had minimal "wah" sound before the retrofit install, but the FF was the worst...no wah at all. After the install, it sounded great. I "think" I detect a slight difference in the wah response though, but not bad, just different.

Other solutions, try the fuz in front of the wah. Some people use it this way and it is worth a try and may solve the problem.

Otherwise, I don't know of any other really good solutions, so I will check here as well and see.

[boldaslove1977]

my 69 only wants to work right if it's the very first thing in the chain. when i put it after the wah it all becomes a noisy mess.

the best combo i have come up with so far is...

69 -> vox wah (w/TB) -> comp -> keeley bd2 -> keeley ts808

try the 69 first... it should make a difference.

[nashvillesteve]

I recently got a RMC Wheels Of Fire wah that has the foxrox "fuzz friendly circuitry" preinstalled. Sounds great.

[Laroosco!]

I told you about the Fox buffer on the phone the other day but I guess you don't want to listen to me!!

Seriously though, the wah bufffer is inexpensive and super easy to install. You should try one for sure.

[BobbyRay]

Originally Posted by Laroosco!

I told you about the Fox buffer on the phone the other day but I guess you don't want to listen to me!!

Seriously though, the wah bufffer is inexpensive and super easy to install. You should try one for sure.

Save your nonsense for other newbs you pedler of false information!

Just so no one else gets burnt...WHATEVER LAROOSCO SAYS IS A LIE!




Just kidding. Now that you mention it again I do remember you mentioning that. You really think I pay attention to you don't you? I don't be listenin' to you!

[BobbyRay]

Originally Posted by StompBoxBlues

I've tried some solutions. Dave Fox (www.foxroxelectronics.com I think it is) sells a "Fox Wah retrofit" which is a circuit board you install to make the wah play better with a fuzz after it. I installed one on my picture wah, and it made it so the wah was as "wah" like as it is clean. The only thing, with SOME fuzzes I tend to get "quakier". The nice thing, the retrofit does allow you to adjust level when the wah is engaged, I may have it set too high, but played with adjusting it the other night and got it much nicer.

I recorded a couple of fuzzes (didn't have my '69 at the time though) like the Sunface, Fuzz Factory, and BYOC fuzz clone. Of these three they all had minimal "wah" sound before the retrofit install, but the FF was the worst...no wah at all. After the install, it sounded great. I "think" I detect a slight difference in the wah response though, but not bad, just different.

Other solutions, try the fuz in front of the wah. Some people use it this way and it is worth a try and may solve the problem.

Otherwise, I don't know of any other really good solutions, so I will check here as well and see.

Thanks for the link! Apparently your not the first to tell me this. LOL! I'll have to get that retro fit jobber.

Looks easy enough that I should only ruin one or two pedals before getting it right.

[BobbyRay]

Revival from the dead..thread..er...


UPDATE!

The Foxrox Retrofit is super easy to install and works like a freakin' charm. If you've not tried one and like wah + fuzz you owe it to yourself to try one out. LOVE IT!

[Relicaster]

Originally Posted by boldaslove1977

my 69 only wants to work right if it's the very first thing in the chain. when i put it after the wah it all becomes a noisy mess.

the best combo i have come up with so far is...

69 -> vox wah (w/TB) -> comp -> keeley bd2 -> keeley ts808

try the 69 first... it should make a difference.

Same here...wah HAS to go first or it makes this (kinda cool) static/siren tone that I have actually on heard Live at Winterland J...makes me think Jimi used one before and after.

old vox wah
very nasty 9VNirvana fuzzface
75ish foxx tone machine
orig 808
new roland dd5 (or dan echo)
amp !

turn it up until golden brown.........

[americananalog]

Just thought I'd mention: Your wah buffer circuit (Foxrox, Area51, home-made, etc.) can be fitted into its own dedicated stompbox. This way, you can use it with ANY of your wah pedals, you can switch it on and off, change the order, or leave it on all the time regardless of your wah.

[Shiny McShine]

Originally Posted by BobbyRay

I have just recently fallen in love with the sound of fuzz thanks to a Soul-Bender and '69.

I really enjoy using a wah pedal for lots of my playing, but I've seen a couple of posts that suggest this may not work so well with Fuzz. If this turns out to be the case are there any solutions I can look into? I have a new wah on the way, a Clyde, as my Vox has been through the wringer and I was interested to try a slightly different wah that wouldn't color my original tone as much.

Will the clyde work in front of the '69 or the Soul-Bender? Or will I need to use a plain OD/Dist box when I want to use wah with dirt?

Thanks guys!

As you can tell I was never much of a pedal user for most of my playing days. I used to always be pretty much guitar-->wah-->amp. really enjoying the different shades available with pedals, and realizing that with it comes a whole new set of questions. The fun never ends.

You're going to love the Clyde, it's very vocal sounding and it works with the Germanium Sunface very well. Your '69 is a similar design. Put it first in the chain. In fact, it has to be directly connected to the guitar to interact with the pickups.

[puls]

I remember hearing something about Mr. Teese offering a retro-fit buffer (?) or some such device for his RMC wahs. Is this similar to the fox circuit? Will it perform the same function?

thnax in advance.

jwp

[charmboy]

Originally Posted by puls

I remember hearing something about Mr. Teese offering a retro-fit buffer (?) or some such device for his RMC wahs. Is this similar to the fox circuit? Will it perform the same function?

thnax in advance.

jwp

Teese incorporates this in all of his Wah's now. I think you have to go to Foxrox to get the seperate buffer if you want to install it in your own wah.

[puls]

I seem to remember that Mr. Teese would retro-fit the circuit into older versions of his pedals if you sent them to him.

And is the foxrox circuit just a buffer like the teese curcuit, or is there more to it?

thanx

jwp

[charmboy]

I'm not absolutely sure about this, but I think that Teese is using the Foxrox buffer, or at least the same circuit. Also, from what I hear about Teese's customer service, it wouldn't surprise me if he's doing retro-fits on older pedals. I've got a newer Picture Wah with the circuit built in and it's great before both of my fuzz faces (germanium and silicon).