• From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Topic: Morley Wah Pedals

Ok so I bought this new Wah pedal this week for $99 its a morley George Lynch Dragon from 2008 that is signed by this guy.  It has 2 wahs one says wah the other says wow its cute but the standard way works fine for me.  Other then the case being bright orange I think the biggest complaint I've got about it is that you have to keep your foot on the damn pedal to keep that half cocked sound going, if you move your foot off a 1 sec. delay happens and you go back to the normal sound.  Its going to say in my collection because I love the 15 db volume boost on the pedal when you do have your foot engaged on the pedal. 
So what do you all think of these pedals morley in general.  should I keep it or go with a vox?  or better yet does anybody have a suggestion about a cheap wah for around $100 thats better then this?

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2007-09-30
  • Posts: 556

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

+ 1 for Vox.  I've had mine for like 5 years now and I beat pretty good on it.  It hasn't failed me yet and when it does I'll get another one lol.

Ben

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

Same here, I've had my Vox for a while and it's a great sounding wah for the price.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

4 Reply by NPB_EST.1979 (edited by NPB_EST.1979 2009-04-23 08:57:30)

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

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

Same here, I've had my Vox for a while and it's a great sounding wah for the price.

I own BOTH a VOX wah, and a Morley PDW (volume, wah, and distortion in one).
I got the Morley wah first, and after it broke I got the VOX. I've been using the Vox ever since, but recently learned that Morley offers lifetime support and repair/refurbishment FREE. Yes Free. They are out of Illinois, and really nice great people. They completely fixed and refurbished my pedal. If you think theres something wrong with your pedal, call them up... they're totally cool about it.

Did you know the wah range is adjustable on Morleys? If you want more groan or more bite, that's all adjustable. Its in the fiber optics - the morley doesn't use a pot that can wear out like a Vox does.

Even though I enjoy Morley and totally respect them as a company, it is hard to shove my Vox wah out of my normal rotation in the pedal board.

- 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
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

Well I've had the Morley pedal 2 days and have put at least 4 or 5 hours in on it.  I hate the WOW sound, it might be good for something but I haven't found it yet.  What I do notice is it sure is nice having that 15 db boost kick in when you turn the pedal on, it makes my hot rod deluxe sound clean after I turn it off.  I really hate that I can't hold the position of the pedal without me keeping my foot on it.  But you know what, I found the Wah very pleasing and less noisiey.  I had a dunlop Jimi Hendrix wah and this morley can do that and then some so far.  I think I'm keeping it.

AD3THREE's Website

6 Reply by Bailz (edited by Bailz 2009-04-23 11:23:57)

  • Bailz
  • Bailz
  • Silver Member
  • Offline
  • From: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Registered: 2009-01-05
  • Posts: 60

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

I've never tried a Vox wah but I do currently own a Morley Bad Horsie and I love it. I used to run a a Crybaby but found that it didn't have enough sweep to it and the highs were really, really harsh.

I do admit that the Morley pedal switching itself off is really(!!!) annoying.

  • Registered: 2006-06-30
  • Posts: 2,835

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

Bailz wrote:

I've never tried a Vox wah but I do currently own a Morley Bad Horsie and I love it. I used to run a a Crybaby but found that it didn't have enough sweep to it and the highs were really, really harsh.

I do admit that the Morley pedal switching itself off is really(!!!) annoying.

I have a Morely Bad Horsie and an older Crybaby 80's and an ancient one called an Ace Tone Wah(cost about 20.00 in the mid 70's-my 1st wah that I bought along with a Dallas Arbitar blue painted "fuzz face" for 35.00 back then)

Anyway I like the Morely for it's constuction...built like a tank...but I agree the switching sometimes bothers me too.

And so castles made of sand melts into the sea, eventually.........
  • Registered: 2009-02-10
  • Posts: 470

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

I used to have a Morley and I hated it, had hardely any sweep at all!

Got a crybaby to replace it, love the thing, changed the inductor to a fasel and it's excellent sounding. Definately a recommended mod for anyone with a crybaby without the fasel. They're only a couple of quid so it's a cheap mod too.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

Welp I broke into the morley George Lynch Dragon today and this wah seems to not use the fiber optics like you said.
Instead it has 2 LED lights and 2 sensors to pickup the lights.   The thing is when the wah pedal is up the lights are blocked, rocking it forward and the plastic piece to hide the lights has 2 slits in it, that gradually get wider.  The more light the sensors pickup the more treble it adds.  It has 2 of these because one is a Wah and the other option is a W0w effect.  Unless I take a file to the slit it is not going to be adjustable the way it is.  I'd be afraid of messing up anyway.  Bottom line is I like the pedal more then my dunlop Jimi Hendrix wah I used to have.  Also I'd have to blow it up with C4 plastic explosives to damage it, so I'm going to keep it.


NPB_EST.1979 wrote:
stratpaulguy86 wrote:

Same here, I've had my Vox for a while and it's a great sounding wah for the price.

I own BOTH a VOX wah, and a Morley PDW (volume, wah, and distortion in one).
I got the Morley wah first, and after it broke I got the VOX. I've been using the Vox ever since, but recently learned that Morley offers lifetime support and repair/refurbishment FREE. Yes Free. They are out of Illinois, and really nice great people. They completely fixed and refurbished my pedal. If you think theres something wrong with your pedal, call them up... they're totally cool about it.

Did you know the wah range is adjustable on Morleys? If you want more groan or more bite, that's all adjustable. Its in the fiber optics - the morley doesn't use a pot that can wear out like a Vox does.

Even though I enjoy Morley and totally respect them as a company, it is hard to shove my Vox wah out of my normal rotation in the pedal board.

AD3THREE's Website

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

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

AD3THREE wrote:

The thing is when the wah pedal is up the lights are blocked, rocking it forward and the plastic piece to hide the lights has 2 slits in it, that gradually get wider.  The more light the sensors pickup the more treble it adds.  It has 2 of these because one is a Wah and the other option is a W0w effect.  Unless I take a file to the slit it is not going to be adjustable the way it is.  I'd be afraid of messing up anyway.

DONT DO THAT.

Contact morley and they can tell you how to adjust it. You are right, the more light, the more treble, I think the led's can be bent so they are closer together to make a stronger light or pulled further apart for the opposite affect. Morley can email you how to do this or tell you over the phone. Really cool guys. Don't cut slits 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
  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

You know after about a week or so of playing it and figuring out the in's and out's of the pedal I like the sweep it has on it now.  I think it adds much more treble on the sound the a regular wah and even though the sweep is short you can barely move your foot and tell its doing something.  I'm afraid if I extend the sweep to it I may loose the speed that I have of rocking back and forth, as my foot doens't have to do much work to make big sweeping sounds.  Its a keeper and even though I have to keep my foot on it to keep it on for the money I spent on this one its well worth the price of admission!

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: Liverpool, UK
  • Registered: 2009-04-28
  • Posts: 16

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

I was just about to suggest an alternative but as you've now adapted to it I guess it doesn't matter smile. It would certainly drive me mad though if it dropped back to normal mode when you take your foot off it. I personally like sometimes to leave the wah in one position to get that very middly and pokey tone a la some Cream tracks. Actually I will suggest an alternative as the wah I use is also bright orange  smile. It's the George Dennis wah wah. I've seen these go for £20+ on the bay, which is a real steal. They're nicely made with optical controls so basically never wear out. The guy who makes them always responds instantly do any of my email inquiries, which is a great benefit.

piccy

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Morley Wah Pedals

You know the morley only shuts off when it returns to the back posistion so maybe I need to just do some mods to it and remove the spring.  I could set it up so that it moves freely but have tention screws on it to keep the pedal from moving freely if I remove my foot.  what do you think?  Its really not that big a burden to keep my foot on the pedal anyway I don't jump around or show off in front of people anyway stay at the same spot for the most part.

AD3THREE's Website