Using The Fractal Wah

P

psguitar

Member
Ever since I bought my Axe FX II, I just use my own Wah-Wah pedal that I have had throughout the years. I've owned a few versions and have grown to love a specific one. I'm wondering how different is the Wah in the Axe than on normal Wahs? (I have tried the Dunlop Cry Baby Rack and it sounds great!) I only ask this because I do not have an expression pedal and am debating on buying one (or two). It is hard to engage a Wah block in my presets without being able to control it with my feet. :lol

I will probably buy an expression pedal if the Axe Wah is pretty customizable. In particular I love the Kirk Hammett and Slash models, so if any of you have tried these as well as the Axe, let me know your opinions on sound comparisons. I would love to be able to emulate these in the Axe and keep the last of my beloved pedals at home during gigs.

Thank you!
 
I have found the axe fx wah to be excellent. I use to love the Dunlop 535q wah but found that the axe fx wah was as good and even better. Fully customizable and auto on set up. I highly recommend the Boss FV500 expression pedal. Built like a tank and great travel range.
 
Tremonti said:
I have found the axe fx wah to be excellent. I use to love the Dunlop 535q wah but found that the axe fx wah was as good and even better. Fully customizable and auto on set up. I highly recommend the Boss FV500 expression pedal. Built like a tank and great travel range.
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+1. Good call. The FV500 works flawlessly. I use 2 of them with the MFC.
 
Boss EV5 is great too for wha , lighter than FV500 which is very good for Vol

Tremonti said:
I have found the axe fx wah to be excellent. I use to love the Dunlop 535q wah but found that the axe fx wah was as good and even better. Fully customizable and auto on set up. I highly recommend the Boss FV500 expression pedal. Built like a tank and great travel range.
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Yeah the FV500 is a great pedal except that you have to get used to the non linear behavior of the pedal. But I think we can adjust that behavior with the expression curve in the Axe :p
 
haieb said:
Yeah the FV500 is a great pedal except that you have to get used to the non linear behavior of the pedal. But I think we can adjust that behavior with the expression curve in the Axe :p
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If I'm not mistaken the FV500 is linear, but you have a number of logarithmic tapers to work with in the AxeFX. You can also customize the curve.

Terry.
 
If you can wait until.. well... "soon". FAS is launching their own expression pedal. Should be (of course) kick ass good
 
I was unable to get use to the auto on function or a Boss pedal so I opted for the Mission SP-1 with switch, which provides the most Crybaby experience of all the available options.
 
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luke said:
I was unable to get use to the auto on function or a Boss pedal so I opted for the Mission SP-1 with switch, which provides the most Crybaby experience of all the available options.
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I mod my FV500 to add a toe switch to it. I basically have a boss version of an SP1
 
What I use:

Mission SP-1 Spring Loaded and set with auto engage on its Wah block for all presets I have... Different types per preset.

Wah is there when I needed in all presets and I don't miss my old cry baby old bad horsie 2. Kick ass set up. Set and forget if you have a Wah preset template or use it for something else when Wah is not used like, pitch shifter, etc..

Look around the forum for good examples on how to make good use of your expression pedals. In my opinion, you are missing out on other stuff you can program on the Axe without an expression pedal.
 
I have a Mission pedal with the switch, but I have my wah set for auto-engage. It's great. The AxeFX wah models are very good. I have a Keeley - modded Crybaby with all of the available "Mello" wah options. It's the best wah pedal I have ever used. The AxeFX wah is extremely good. I have been able to replicate all of my favorite wah sounds with the AxeFX, and now my Keeley wah is for sale.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. That Boss FV500 pedal look very reliable. I was looking at Mission pedals too, and I like the spring-loaded option.

For the sake of unity I can wait for Fractal's expression pedals, I can use my normal wah pedals until then.

By the way, the new AFD amp model sounds amazing with my Slash Cry Baby! Closest I've ever been to recreating the old Guns sound. Maybe I can program that Wah with an expression pedal :) I can see many uses for using expression pedals that are harder to implement with normal amps.
 
luke said:
I was unable to get use to the auto on function or a Boss pedal so I opted for the Mission SP-1 with switch, which provides the most Crybaby experience of all the available options.
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Same for me... I'm too used to old school wah pedals to use the Boss expression pedal for this application. Looking forward to seeing what Fractal comes up with on their new expression pedal though.. we'll see.
 
Pedals aside, I think the wah's are some of the best I have ever used. Especially their own FAS is excellent. If you love the standard Cry-Baby as much as I do, you will feel a slight difference the response (sound-wise), but this is so little, that I don't hesitate for a second using the built in ones instead of dragging my cry-baby along for every show. For songs I have recorded in the past on a cry baby, I use the crybaby sim in the axefx, but all new stuff I use the FAS
 
The Axe FX II wah is excellent and VERY customizable. Like runway11 I use a Mission SP-1 spring loaded and utilize the auto on setting in the Axe wah block. I just step on the pedal and as soon as it moves it's on! It's amazing how much you can change the sound, sweep and tone.
 
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