The Wah Wah turns 50
 

Cool story of how such an iconic sound got started.

"I mean, my conventional people who I worked for, Gene Autry, Lawrence Welk, you know, the suits, I couldn’t even try to use the wah with them — it was too weird, way out for them. I called Frank Zappa and said, ‘I’m having a problem getting people to use it,’ and of course he took one. "

http://www.laweekly.com/music/50-yea...garage-7767475

Apparently Messrs. Whiteside and Casher were unaware of this 1959 gem from Chet Atkins:



Though more subtle and primitive in execution - Chet's pedal most certainly employed a passive circuit - the premise is still the same, and precedes the commercial version by a good seven years...

The inventor's motto: if you can envision/build it, chances are that someone else has too...

I like Chet's version.

One fine day in '79 a friend and I were parting ways and traveling back to our home towns after rooming together for a couple of years. We'd played in bands together as a dual-lead pair and taken turns replacing each other in other bands. My friend said, "I'd like to give you something to remember me by," and handed me an original Thomas Organ Co. "Stack of Dimes" Cry Baby. I never knew he had it because he never used it but I've still got it in really good condition. It's build date puts it in about, oh, 42 of the 50 years.

Bob

A lot of fine players used the wah to good effect, but for me, one man OWNS the pedal!:



Most players rocked the pedal, but Jimi rocked it, and used it to tickle his Marshall and Sunn amps until they cried.

I wouldn't trade my Crybaby for anything on this earth! :up:

Pretty cool! I've still got one of those old big chrome box Morley wah pedals from around '75 or so. Still sounds good till this day. The bass player in my band uses it.

They were optical pedals, weren't they? Scratchless!

Bob

There must be at least twice as many wah pedals in the world as there are electric guitar players. :) I actually have two. It surprised me when I bought my Fulltone, how much better it is than my 70's Thomas pedal, they definitely are not all created equal.

The very best wah I've ever played was the model in my POD 2.0 red kidney bean.

Bob

I have the one with the inductor that Hendrix used, that model, Fasel or something. Really cries.

Agree, Mr. W! Those things don't really have a bad spot.

Regards!

i do too. great machine. i also have one of the thomas organ wah pedals. each has its own sound and both are great.

i was able to adjust the morley so that it has more travel. also adjusted the optical sensor and it works much better.

play music!

I bought my first CryBaby in 1968 after listening to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. I sold it many years later for eight times what I paid for it.

Yes exactly. Like muscmp I also made some adjustments to it. It's got a great sweep, never needs to be cleaned and seems to just last for ever. I can't imagine what I will do when the little light dies. I can't even remember what kind of bulb it is at this point.

Love mine, too. I have the Dunlop 95Q. Oh yeah. Cry, Baby, cry! :)