• Registered: 2007-01-04
  • Posts: 48

Topic: Joe's Wah effects

I've looked through this forum and I was unable to find any topics on it, although I missed it, please feel free to redirect me.

As I was listening to Pain & Sorrow, I realized that Joe's wah wah sounds awesome...    So it got me thinking, why can't I get a similiar sound.

Does Joe use the same wah pedal throughout his albums/songs (mainly thinking of Pain and Sorrow, A New Day Yesterday, Reconsider Baby, etc).

If so, what would the pedal be? I have a built in wah pedal in my Zoom g2.1u effects pedal, but it's not the best and has it's faults. All answers are appreciated. Thanks.

PB

P.S. - I'm not some wanna-be trying to copy Joe's tone or what-ev, I am just curious as to what he uses and if I could give it a try, I am relatively new to the whole guitar equipment scene.

  • From: Tampa, Fl.
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 870

Re: Joe's Wah effects

Joe uses a completely stock Vox V-847 wah.  He says he goes through about 2 a year...

Hope this helps... and hope you liked the random trivia there too smile
Scott

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought-- particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things." - Woody Allen

http://www.last.fm/user/skynyrd128
  • jim m
  • jim m
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: Okie City, OK
  • Registered: 2006-04-24
  • Posts: 3,429

Re: Joe's Wah effects

I'm not a player but I have listened to Joe explain his theory. He uses the wah effect at the top of the stroke instead of the bottom where it gets trebley. Once it is switched on he rocks it back with his heel and makes his sweeps very shallow.

jim m's Website

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 1,168

Re: Joe's Wah effects

Its a stock Vox Wah.. I like having the non- true bypass switch.. I like the high end subtraction.  I have used this one for more than a year and not had to give it away.. very good.. indeed
Joe Bonamassa

5 Reply by BEERinc (edited by BEERinc 2007-02-13 03:17:10)

  • From: Fort Wayne Indiana
  • Registered: 2006-05-17
  • Posts: 65

Re: Joe's Wah effects

hey Joe where ya going with that Vox in your hand...

BEERinc...sometimes a name says it all...
  • Registered: 2007-02-09
  • Posts: 23

Re: Joe's Wah effects

I just bougt one off ebay and like the 847 alot. I bought one that had been modded for bypass by the owner. The alternative is to buy it from a boutique outfit for four times that. I play some stuff clean through NMV 50 watt Marshall, and it gets so much high end at the bottom of your sweep that only the dog hears it. But it is very throaty.
My only wish is that the mechanism was a little stiffer- I keep shutting the thing off.
The big deal is that (and this is true if you look at Joe's or most guitarists set up-I think) that you start off your signal chain with the wah- before the distortion, before the over-drive, before the chorus, before the delay, etc. They are noted for "coloring" your tone, as most don't have the bypass- they are 'off" but still lending their signal path to the circuit.
Now realize even a hack like me spends a phenominal amount of money on these pedals, trying to achieve what Kieth Richards did by running an acoustic guitar with a microphone shoved in it into a cassette tape recorder.
I guess I lost my point...
Jim
PS Honey - whan I say "phenominal" I really mean, quite a bit. Look how little it is, what could it cost, like $25?

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Joe's Wah effects

I have the chrome VOX wah - not sure if its the same model.  I cut the rubber stoppers off of it to get that extra distance both ways, and put the bypass into it.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • Registered: 2007-01-04
  • Posts: 48

Re: Joe's Wah effects

Hey, thanks for your responses, especially yours Mr. Bonamassa! ahah very cool

  • From: Gnashville, TN
  • Registered: 2007-02-14
  • Posts: 198

Re: Joe's Wah effects

You might look into the Ibanez Weeping Demon pedal....it has some really cool features....like a spring loaded/ switching mechanism that allows the pedal to stay in the up postion (wah off) until you engage the pedal..then the wah is on. Once you lift your foot off it goes back into bypass mode. It also has three parameter knobs than can be adjusted (including volume) then pushed down into the pedal so they won't get bumped out of position. That way if your typical wah gets too screaming loud depending on what effects you run into it you can trim it back so your bandmates won't shoot you any grimmacing looks when you take a solo.

ThePartyBoy wrote:

I've looked through this forum and I was unable to find any topics on it, although I missed it, please feel free to redirect me.

As I was listening to Pain & Sorrow, I realized that Joe's wah wah sounds awesome...    So it got me thinking, why can't I get a similiar sound.

Does Joe use the same wah pedal throughout his albums/songs (mainly thinking of Pain and Sorrow, A New Day Yesterday, Reconsider Baby, etc).

If so, what would the pedal be? I have a built in wah pedal in my Zoom g2.1u effects pedal, but it's not the best and has it's faults. All answers are appreciated. Thanks.

PB

P.S. - I'm not some wanna-be trying to copy Joe's tone or what-ev, I am just curious as to what he uses and if I could give it a try, I am relatively new to the whole guitar equipment scene.

"why isn't the number "11" pronounced "onety one"???....S. Wright.

Guitgator's Website

  • mitch
  • mitch
  • Gold Member
  • Offline
  • From: Swindon, UK
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 92

Re: Joe's Wah effects

I've used a Vox V847 for years with no probs- I did put a true bypass switch in it though using Mike Fulller's circuit diagram on the Fulltone website. However,  I've just retired it, as I've just got a Budda wah which I found a bit more transparent and 'vocal' sounding- also the build quality is truly exeptional... Cheers... Mitch

This don't look like no express way to me...