Wilson wah + MJM London Fuzz / London Fuzz 2

[Alex Law]

Just received a couple of MJM fuzzes - I'm impressed! Just the tones I was looking for.

Now, here's the thing: they don't play well with my current wah (not a Wilson). I've tried putting a clean boost between the wah and the fuzzes, and I've also tried putting a Boss pedal there just to utilize the buffer, but the result is the same: the fuzz output is greatly increased, and the fuzz sound suffers badly.

I know that wah->fuzz issues are well documented, but specifically: has anyone tried a Wilson wah into an MJM London Fuzz / London Fuzz 2 and had it behave "properly"? I just ordered a vintage spec Signature, so I'll find out in two or three weeks, but it'd be nice to hear a success story.

Still don't know how Hendrix made wah->fuzz work, unless RM added some electronics...

[Alex Law]

Nobody? Really?

[rummy]

I can't speak for Wilson, but my RMC Picture Wah works great before London I.

[marvelboy_04]

well, i use a rmc wah and a london 1 and it sounds good

[Alex Law]

That bodes well. I believe they use a similar (or the same?) output buffer. Thanks!

[bandofthieves™]

Originally Posted by alex_law

That bodes well. I believe they use a similar (or the same?) output buffer. Thanks!

If it is the same he needs to send Dave Fox a check..

[Neon Soul]

Wilson Wahs all come standard with an output buffer.

[Alex Law]

Originally Posted by Neon Soul

Wilson Wahs all come standard with an output buffer.

Check. I'm just curious whether someone has specifically tried the Wilson with a London Fuzz or London Fuzz 2. Thanks!

[cubistguitar]

wilson is the best, quietest, most fuzz friendly wah

[Alex Law]

Thanks for the input, folks.

[bettset]

[Randingo]

A fuzz buffer is not the same thing as a buffer in a Boss or other pedal. To oversimplify, which is the only way I understand this, a buffered bypass or the buffered output of an active pedal reduces the impedance, which allows the signal to pass relatively unchanged through a length of cable. Fuzzes, OTOH, were typically designed to expect a very high impedance input coming from the guitar. In order to allow fuzzes to work as intended after a wah, which many/most prefer, the fuzz buffer was created. In essence when engaged, it changes the output impedance back to something approximating the very high impedance coming from your pickups in order to allow the fuzz circuit to perform as it was designed.

So, by putting a clean boost or buffered bypass pedal after your wah and before the fuzz, you've probably further reduced the impedance that the fuzz sees, making it even less likely that the fuzz will sound like you want.

Will the Wilson work with your London Fuzz? I don't know, but that's what it was designed to do, and nothing you've done so far even remotely approximates how it will act. Until you own a buffered wah, you'll get much better results with the fuzz before the wah.

[Alex Law]

Gotcha. Thanks so much for the explanation!

Interestingly, my '78 Touch Wah works pretty well with these MJM fuzzes.

[Alex Law]

Followup: the Wilson vintage-spec sig wah works great with the MJM fuzzes.