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jkessel « Built like a tank!!! »
Published on 05/01/12 at 16:20I've had 2 of these now, 1975 and a 1977. They sounded slightly different from each other but not big enough to keep them both. They are easily modifiable due to how they work so the difference could have been just a slight modification. These are a very cool design and too bad they're not made any more. With the fuzz and wah off it's a volume pedal. With the fuzz on the pedal controls how much fuzz to clean ratio you want. Toe down is full fuzz, toe up is clean. With the wah on it works like a normal wah pedal. Both the fuzz and wah can be used simultaneously.
UTILIZATION
The pedal works with a "falling curtain" design. Most wah pedals work off of a potentiometer. When you rock the pedal it turns the pot and that controls the sweep. On these when you rock the pedal it moved a black curtain inside the pedal. There's a little light bulb and depending on how much light there is it controls the wah sound you hear. Simple mods are moving the light bulb slightly so there's either more of less light throughout the sweep, either having the pedal work at lower frequencies or higher.
SOUND QUALITY
I used this on bass similar to Cliff Burton of MetallicA. While it doesn't nail his tone it is a very unique sound. I've tried many different pedals, including newer morleys, and none of them sound anything like this. With distortion in front of the wah it has the screaming sound when you rock it forward. For a good example listen to MetallicA's "Pulling Teeth", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", and "The Call of Ktulu". Cliff actually used the Power Wah Boost, which is the same wah pedal, just with a boost instead of fuzz. These are full range wahs, meaning they go from the lowest lows to the highest highs we can hear. So it can be used on guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals... anything you can think of. Guitar wahs generally work only in the mid frequencies cause that's where guitars are. Newer morleys just don't sound the same, but are still much closer than dunlops of vox's.
OVERALL OPINION
I've since sold both of them, cause while they are very cool and unique I just didn't have much use for them. I paid $150 each which is average and IMO totally worth it. I'll probably buy one again eventually just to have it, but don't know how much I'll use it. For anyone looking for a great but VERY different sounding wah pedal for any instrument I'd highly recommend checking these out.
UTILIZATION
The pedal works with a "falling curtain" design. Most wah pedals work off of a potentiometer. When you rock the pedal it turns the pot and that controls the sweep. On these when you rock the pedal it moved a black curtain inside the pedal. There's a little light bulb and depending on how much light there is it controls the wah sound you hear. Simple mods are moving the light bulb slightly so there's either more of less light throughout the sweep, either having the pedal work at lower frequencies or higher.
SOUND QUALITY
I used this on bass similar to Cliff Burton of MetallicA. While it doesn't nail his tone it is a very unique sound. I've tried many different pedals, including newer morleys, and none of them sound anything like this. With distortion in front of the wah it has the screaming sound when you rock it forward. For a good example listen to MetallicA's "Pulling Teeth", "For Whom The Bell Tolls", and "The Call of Ktulu". Cliff actually used the Power Wah Boost, which is the same wah pedal, just with a boost instead of fuzz. These are full range wahs, meaning they go from the lowest lows to the highest highs we can hear. So it can be used on guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals... anything you can think of. Guitar wahs generally work only in the mid frequencies cause that's where guitars are. Newer morleys just don't sound the same, but are still much closer than dunlops of vox's.
OVERALL OPINION
I've since sold both of them, cause while they are very cool and unique I just didn't have much use for them. I paid $150 each which is average and IMO totally worth it. I'll probably buy one again eventually just to have it, but don't know how much I'll use it. For anyone looking for a great but VERY different sounding wah pedal for any instrument I'd highly recommend checking these out.