Buffered wah question

[Boy Howdy]

Everybody is modding their wahs for true bypass these days. I was planning to do the same, but then I got to thinking. You're supposed to have a buffer at the start of your effects chain, right? Well, if a wah is your first effect shouldn't it retain its internal buffer? Or is it better to have the true bypass?

I read somewhere that the Dunlop buffer is pretty similar to the one Ibanez uses in their Tube Screamers. It must not be too terrible.

What do ya'll think?

[Helmholtz]

Yes, a buffered bypass (buffer at the output not input) in a wah makes sense - as long as you are not going to use something like a Fuzz Face after the wah.

[Leo_Gnardo]

Everybody is modding their wahs for true bypass these days. I was planning to do the same, but then I got to thinking. You're supposed to have a buffer at the start of your effects chain, right? Well, if a wah is your first effect shouldn't it retain its internal buffer? Or is it better to have the true bypass?

I read somewhere that the Dunlop buffer is pretty similar to the one Ibanez uses in their Tube Screamers. It must not be too terrible.

What do ya'll think?

There are plenty of "old school" wahs around with no built in buffer. True bypass can help in the cases where there is no external buffer, and the guitar's output is loaded down by the wah circuit's input impedance (around 150K) whether the wah is selected or not. Having a buffer, whether internal or external, preserves the high frequency overtones, helps the wah sound more zippy in the higher registers. I've put buffers in wahs for people, copying the MXR MicroAmp. For some people, it's a bit too much - believe it or not they'd rather have a more muffled tone. Well that's the artist's choice innit?

As to what order effects are in, I'd never choose wah as the first effect. But one of my best long time customers, a guitarist of considerable ability, does use his - unbuffered - wah as his first effect, only in the songs that use it. Whaaat? Yes he goes to the trouble of removing the wah pedal entirely for songs that don't use it. A time consuming PIA, but that's what he does, go figure.

[Helmholtz]

I like the wah sound best with the guitar plugged directly into the wah input. That's the way Clapton, Hendrix, SRV used their original Vox wahs. The Vox wah circuit interacts with the frequency-dependent impedance of the PUs. Feeding it from a low impedance changes its response.

For something like a "Shaft" sound a Morley is the better choice.

BTW, not all guitar speakers/cabinets support a great wah sound. Never liked a wah with my old AC30.

[Boy Howdy]

I agree that wah should go before distortion. I hate the duck quack sound you get by putting it after distortion.

I had a bass player who used a Morley back in the Seventies - yes, on bass. That was a weird sounding thing what with the super long travel of its treadle.

[Boy Howdy]

I had an MXR Microamp way back when. I at one point installed it in my self-built guitar. I remember it as having a pretty substantial treble boost.

You know that idea of removing the wah from the chain, using it only on the songs that need it, is not the worst idea in the world, actually. I rarely use mine as it is. I might have to give that some thought. Or maybe just sell the damn thing - lol - it weighs a freakin' ton!

[Boy Howdy]

The problem remains: better to keep the wah's buffer, or should I go true bypass? Will my ears likely tell me if I set up a way to AB the two configurations?

Another possibility is that I could put my Fulltone Dejavibe (treadle model) in front of the wah and use the Fulltone's switchable buffer and go true bypass on the wah. But wait, you guys are saying the buffer should go after the wah, am I right on that? So that'd be wah first, then Dejavibe. That configuration would seem to suggest going true bypass on the wah.

[Helmholtz]

You know that idea of removing the wah from the chain, using it only on the songs that need it, is not the worst idea in the world, actually. I rarely use mine as it is. I might have to give that some thought. Or maybe just sell the damn thing - lol - it weighs a freakin' ton!

But why? Any wah can be easily wired for true bypass.

BTW, original Vox wahs were considerably lighter as the housing was cast aluminum not heavy zinc as most reproductions.

[Helmholtz]

Will my ears likely tell me if I set up a way to AB the two configurations

Who else could tell you if you like a buffer after the wah?

[Boy Howdy]

Who else could tell you if you like a buffer after the wah?

I'm thinking ... Jesus?

[Boy Howdy]

I'm thinking about drilling mine fulla holes to get rid of some of zinc.

[Helmholtz]

I'm thinking about drilling mine fulla holes to get rid of some of zinc.

Sure, that's the way Gibson "relieved" the weight of Les Pauls since the early 90s.
But I just place my wah on the floor and don't care about weight.