Best pot replacement for GCB95 Crybaby and switching inductor

[Toppalini]

you'll get better at soldering. keep doing it.
the vocal mod R is the resistor parallel the inductor. normally 33k. study stinkfoot and other wah mod sites.

I got a really old crybaby gcb95 that has a stack of dimes inductor in it. Probably 81 or 82? Looks inside similar to a Thomas organ. Unfortunately no power jack. The inductor looks to be original.

Wondering how much you know about crybaby’s and if you could tell me anything about that!

 

[Toppalini]

I just listened to the demos and read that entire thread. Thanks for posting the link.

I'm currently looking for a new pot for my early '90s Crybaby since my pot is a bit scratchy now. I picked 2 & 4 as my favorites as well.

Non icar pots can sound cool too. I put one in and only got to use it a bit. But I liked the overall sweep more and seemed much more smooth and suited to funk.

 

[Dirty Strings]

Non icar pots can sound cool too. I put one in and only got to use it a bit. But I liked the overall sweep more and seemed much more smooth and suited to funk.

I ended up ordering a McCon-O-Wah pot last night which I guess is a more smooth icar based type thing. He's having a sale on them right now and it should be different from the original HotPotz 1 that came in my Crybaby. I have so little experience with different wahs that it's time to experiment a bit.

I feel wah demos are the most difficult to do and also most difficult to judge sound by because everyone uses their wah differently. It's not like other pedals that you just turn on and play. Everyone has a different feel with wah playing. In any case I'm excited to try something different and see how I like it.

 

[qwerty]

There's a vid on Youtube by a guy called the Riff with his mate JD Simo and they talk about a nuts-on ICAR replacement pot they stick in their vintage wahs, I think it was like 20 bucks from Chase, something like that.

IMO good enough to impress JD Simo, good enough for me.

 

[Dirty Strings]

There's a vid on Youtube by a guy called the Riff with his mate JD Simo and they talk about a nuts-on ICAR replacement pot they stick in their vintage wahs, I think it was like 20 bucks from Chase, something like that.

IMO good enough to impress JD Simo, good enough for me.

The Chase Tone Tru Talk pot? I looked at that one too. Unfortunately for me there's a notice on his ebay shop that he's "away" until June 25th so I ordered the McCon-o-wah instead. The McCon is actually cheaper than the Tru Talk so that's also a plus.

 

[qwerty]

The Chase Tone Tru Talk pot? I looked at that one too. Unfortunately for me there's a notice on his ebay shop that he's "away" until June 25th so I ordered the McCon-o-wah instead. The McCon is actually cheaper than the Tru Talk so that's also a plus.

I think so, not positive to be honest, I'm going from memory, I'll try find the vid.

But hey, enjoy the McCon pot

 

[KissTone]

I’ve got both the McConno and Chase pots-—both produce fine results. But the Chase’s construction is the modern sealed pot type which should, in theory, last longer.

 

[joegagan]

I got a really old crybaby gcb95 that has a stack of dimes inductor in it. Probably 81 or 82? Looks inside similar to a Thomas organ. Unfortunately no power jack. The inductor looks to be original.

Wondering how much you know about crybaby’s and if you could tell me anything about that!

Yes. It's explained in an article I wrote:

A pick maker finds a wah (part 1) – stinkfoot.se

stinkfoot.se

 

[Toppalini]

Yes. It's explained in an article I wrote:

A pick maker finds a wah (part 1) – stinkfoot.se

stinkfoot.se

interesting! looks like mine is not quite as old as the one you show there, but close, has the 03 inductor. I've been wondering whether there are advantages over the real Thomas ones and modern wahs. Looks like there are some advantages with Thomas so I might consider getting one, they're only a little more expensive (if you find a cheap listing).

The old crybaby looks to be better quality to me with the metal jacks and such. It looks just like a thomas organ almost identical, and looks like a USA VOX wah too.

 

[Toppalini]

Yes. It's explained in an article I wrote:

A pick maker finds a wah (part 1) – stinkfoot.se

stinkfoot.se

So my 82-83 crybaby (forgot to look at serial number, but has 03 inductor and most of the same parts) amazingly still has the original (I think) pot in it that's still working. Just tried it today. The only problem I've heard is that when I go toe down, it causes a good bit of buzzing, and not sure what's doing that, the pot, something in the circuit, the battery...

I don't think this wah sounds special or good at all. It's different than the crybabys of later years but definitely not any better. My early 90s one with red PCB board sounds much better with the 'vocal mod' done replacing the 33k resistor we talked about with a 100k one, and there's no issue with noise and I can use a power supply. Someone also modded it and added a nicer power jack and a weird extra jack for some weird thing that doesn't quite work.

Anyway I will try to figure out what's causing the buzz, maybe it's just a feature of the older wah, I assume it's fixable. I might try changing the pot, but I'd prefer to keep the original pot in for now if it's still working after 40 years. But definitely going to avoid actual vintage wahs after this experience, the 90s stuff seems great to me honestly, we'll see how my USA VOX does! Basically the same shell and components, layout and design, but modern... I think it'll do me much better, and I'll mod that instead, this thing will be a collector's piece I think.

 

[Toppalini]

Yes. It's explained in an article I wrote:

A pick maker finds a wah (part 1) – stinkfoot.se

stinkfoot.se

I'll hit you with some pictures of this guy soon I think you might be interested! It's definitely quite a character. It looks like yours but without the big pillow looking components of the thomas organ, everything else is identical. The pillows are replaced with big green candy looking things (I'm new).

I don't see a part 2! I'm surprised that you think there was a return to quality in the 90s!! I like the 90s ones despite board mounted jacks, seems ok to me. They're quite nice I think. I think it's weird that people are trying to charge high prices for mid-late 80s crybaby's when they're obviously the worst ones. I could tell instinctually by looking at the two circuits that the later one was cheap.