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Post subject: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:57 am
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Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:15 am
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Location: ithaca, ny
O.K. not strictly a Fender topic although my wife did buy me a Tele for my birthday a few months ago. My questions is regarding a used Dunlop wah pedal. When I first tried it it worked great. The next time I tried it it worked O.K. when engaged but as soon as I turned it off I lost almost all volume and all tone. I unplugged it and hooked it back up. When I played with the wah turned off everything was O.K. I hit the switch and still fine until I turned the wah off, then lost everything again. Any ideas on what could be causing this? It seems maybe something in the switch since it works as it should until you turn it off and back on again.


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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 11:47 am
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Rock Star
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Joined: Fri Jul 20, 2007 12:56 pm
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Location: 16 Miles North Of The Red River
Welcome to the Forum...

The first three things that popped into my head with your Crybaby
First: Did you check/change the battery? I know that sounds too easy, but even new batteries fail on occasion and it could be as simple as that.

Second: Check your guitar cables/patch cables (if you're using other pedals). You might have a cable with an intermittent short, and the slight flexing of the cable when you step on the wah (to engage it) could be intermittently breaking contact. Try different cables.

Third: Perhaps a bad switch on the wah itself? Easy to diagnose is you have any electronic skills and easy to fix if you have any soldering skills at all. Since you didn't say, "I whipped out my multi meter and checked the switch," I'm going to (dangerously) assume you don't have any diagnostic/electronics skills...don't worry, that's not an insult...some of my best friends have no electronic skills. :P
Anyway, if the first two suggestions don't fix the problem, the switch or some other electronic issue might be at hand and you have to decide if the price of fixing your wah is worth it (compared to replacing your wah)...a standard GCB95 Crybaby can be had (new) for $70, a used one around $40, so you'll just have to ask your local amp repair guy what it will cost for repair.

BTW, you gotta show us pics of your Tele...and our fellow teenaged Forumite Buxom probably wants to see pics of your wife, too, lol...just kidding. Maybe.

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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:56 pm
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SA nailed it I think... check battery

cheers!

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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:22 pm
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I'm guessing switch, as a Crybaby should still pass signal when off even with no battery in it.

It's pretty common for them to go, and simple as a very simple thing to replace if you have even the remotest idea of which end of a soldering iron is which.


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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:19 pm
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I would put my money on the problem being in the switch.In my experience with wah wah pedals the wah function won't work at all if the battery is dead.It seems like the internal wiring or contact points inside the switch have broken or come loose.I'm sure that a new switch would do the trick.

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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:20 am
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Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:15 am
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Location: ithaca, ny
I certainly appreciate all the answers. The battery issue could be a possibility but maybe not in the way you think. There was no battery in it and it was running through the adapter. I will try it without the adapter amd with a fresh battery in it and see if it works. If it does I'm not sure exactly what that would tell me except there is some sort of electrical problem. (True, I have zero electrical skills).


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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:47 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:59 am
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If you get signal when bypassed, but silence when wah turned on - power issue or switch issue.

If you get no (or very low) signal when bypassed, and either wah or no wah when on - 99% likely to be the switch or the wiring to the switch. There really isn't much else in a Cry Baby to go wrong, it's a very simple circuit.

Most music shops (or indeed anyone with a soldering iron) would be able to swap it out for you for probably the price of the switch plus a sandwich if you're nice to them. :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Wha pedal problem
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:18 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:38 am
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Switches sell for around $10 online. I need a new switch and pot for mine. A future project for sure.

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