Signal chain question

[helliott]

Lots of different views on where to place your wah in the chain, ie before drive, after, whatever. I've tried both and am having trouble deciding. Does anyone have advice or views on the best place for the wah.

[deeaa]

Some people like it after the drive...makes the guitar scream more; me, I feel the wah, especially when engaged, just way too much EQ's the sound.

Depends on the wah, I suppose an optical one would work equally well at either side, but my analog Vox at least destroys the OD pedal's sound compeletely...I put my wah first, always.

[Spudman]

Mostly I've been happiest with and found the most consistent results running the Wah first in the chain before dirt and compression. If you have the ability to easily move the wah location like with a multi effects pedal such as the M13 you'll find that in some cases certain distortions before the wah sound pretty cool. Still I always just run the wah first and don't think beyond that for the most part.

[mrmudcat]

I also run the wah first in the chain!

[deeaa]

Yeah, I can say it again, I find that most people put it first, but then again there are those who are adamant it must go last, because it gives them a certain sound for leads they want. But I guess it always depends on the type of wah and the type of amp. My all-tube head for instance doesn't like many effects at all before it, or it loses that all-tube 'air' in the sound, and so I need the OD right before the amph for it to sound the best, and as little FX as possible.

[mainestratman]

I'd read a zillion years ago that for better "bite" or something to put the wah last, and because of that, I've always put it last.. well, it's before my talk box, in case I want to wah and talk at the same time.

Maybe I should start mixing up the pedals to see what happens.

[Tig]

I usually keep it first, but with the new Egnater, I decided to experiment with it last in line after the OD and distortion. In this case, it sounds just a little better/more what I'm looking for.

I think it is worth experimenting to see what sounds best to you and the amp it is plugged into.

[helliott]

Interesting diverse views on this. I have tried it both ways. Thing is, before the OD/Drive sounds better for some stuff, but after sounds better for other stuff, such as hard core blues rock. I'll just keep fiddlin. If I was really nuts I'd try two, one before and one after. The noise would probably be crazy, though.

[SuperSwede]

The noise would probably be crazy, though.

Heh.. yeah I wouldnt try that with two vintage cry babies.. :D

Nice to see ya Helliot, where have you been hiding?

[helliott]

Thanks, Swede. I've been around, but maxed out between work and the band. Some things have to get reduced given my increasingly limited capacity -- as in, there's only so much stuff this aging grey matter can deal with.

[bigoldron]

I don't use my wah very often, but I've always kept it first in the signal chain. Just went through and re-arranged my pedals this week and played with several different layouts, but found I liked it this way: Guitar > Cry Baby Wah> Cool Cat Metal II > Cool Cat Transparent Overdrive > DOD Stereo Phaser > Amp. I had something shorting out and thought it was a patch cable, but it turned out to be my Fender Tuner Pedal, so I chunked it. Good luck helliott!

[mainestratman]

This just came across Fender's Facebook today:

http://www.fender.com/news/index.php?display_article=505

[Robert]

I find wahs sound the best AFTER the gain pedals... ;) unless you're going for that clean, 70-s "adult" wah sound... ;)

[Spudman]

From Fender " ...but Jimi Hendrix put his wah-wah pedal before his distortion unit, so there you have it (like we said, there are no exact rules)"

The godfather of Adult wah.:D

[SuperSwede]

unless you're going for that clean, 70-s "adult" wah sound... ;)

Thats my fav wha sound.. ;) :crazyguy

[helliott]

I've settled for now. Seems to sound good like this:

guitar to a/b > wah > zonkin yellow screamer > TS10 Screamer > Texas Blues Driver > stereo chorus > amp

(Zonkin Yellow for boost and a bit of sustain, TS10 for richer sustain -- Santana stuff -- and Blues Driver to dirty up the Tele)

Speaking of 70s adult wah, anyone know where Ron Jeremy liked his? :crazyguy

[SuperSwede]

Speaking of 70s adult wah, anyone know where Ron Jeremy liked his? :crazyguy

Lol.. NO but I can guess :D

[mainestratman]

Guitar >> Tuner >> Bad Monkey >> BSIAB >> RRII >> Crybaby Wah >> Talkbox >> Amph

Works for me. :-)