Big Muff PI and Morley Power Wah connection order

sk8 · #1 08-28-2007, 02:22 AM

Got a Big Muff PI and Morley Powwer wah and connected them up Bass - Wah- Muff - Amp. Wah works great on its own but when i use the muff the wah effect disappears. Connected it up Bass - Muff - Wah - Amp and the wah is there but it doesn't sound to imprressive.

Is this common? Should i consider a compressor after the wah before going into the muff

Any help welcome

Thanks in advance

sk8 · #2 08-28-2007, 09:47 AM

anyone?

JanusZarate · #3 08-28-2007, 10:04 AM

When you run the Power Wah before the Muff, expect it to become very mild - it's what happens with any wah running before distortion.

But when it's run after distortion... it should be pretty dramatic, and most people like it. If you don't like the outcome so far, try playing around with the Boost knob and all of the settings on your Big Muff.

A compressor has nothing to do with it and won't do anything for the sound... play with your settings first!

sk8 · #4 08-28-2007, 10:15 AM

I'll have to have a play but the best sound so far was with it after the distortion.

The reason i mentioned the compressor is it acted as a boost on my guitar set up after the wah

Live and learn - it was so much simpler 20 years ago. Now I've turned into a pedal junkie its got alot more complicated.

Thanks again

Joe Gress · #5 08-28-2007, 10:29 AM

Or you could do like I do and run an Auto Q or envelope filter before the wah, and then run it into the muff. Like this:
Auto Q-Wha-Muff-Amp

This gives it just a little more wha that can really set it off and make it growl. I use a bassballs before the muff, and it growls like a rabid dog. I just use the wha to add that cat getting stepped on scream.

assboglin · #6 08-28-2007, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

When you run the Power Wah before the Muff, expect it to become very mild - it's what happens with any wah running before distortion.

It depends on the distortion. The Big Muff works that way because it's so overbearing on your signal, but the classic wah/distortion sound (a la Hendrix) is Wah -> Distortion (http://guitargeek.com/rigview/354/). Note that this does not count for the amplifier's distortion, which is also after the wah. Most distortion pedals I've owned, and there have been a lot of them, sound very quacky before a wah, which is cool, but the "desired" sound has been after the wah. I posted a sample here:

Random Effects Usage SOUNDCLIP

that is wah -> distortion that might illustrate what I'm talking about, though I don't remember if I used the wah enough to really show so there's another one here:

MXR Bass D.I. Distortion SOUNDCLIPS

with the 105Q before the distortion.

So it's important to try the wah in both locations with any distortion pedal to see what you prefer. Lots of distortions are plenty dramatic with the wah out front.

McHaven · #7 08-28-2007, 12:49 PM

I first tried running the wah into the muff when I first got the pedals and there was no real wah action. However, distortion into wah if very very Burton-esque, which is what I was looking for. I love the almost tornado sound I can get with both pedals on. Its when you're right in between having clear attack and treble, and having a real bassy sound with the wah. Its kind of hard to explain but it sounds killer. Like rushing wind.

JanusZarate · #8 08-28-2007, 01:27 PM

assboglin, you bring up some good points. Heck, I use my Power Wah before my amp's overdrive from time to time. It's not all-out chaos, but it's still cool.

IINM, wah => amp overdrive is the source of Geezer Butler's tone in N.I.B. (Black Sabbath).

Swimming Bird · #9 08-28-2007, 01:36 PM

Your situation is odd... Boo is completely right: wah after fuzz should sound devastating, but you're not getting much of an effect.

I use fuzz >> wah >> od, and I couldn't be happier with that part of my setup. For the life of me, I can't think of what would cause your setup not to sound good unless there's a big volume or low end drop from the BMP that you're not hearing. Try boosting its volume first.

On my setup, fuzz >> wah = pitch controllable feedback via the wah, so I'm saddened that you cannot experience the joy that this causes me.

assboglin · #10 08-28-2007, 02:54 PM

The reason the Big Muff works differently is because of it's level of saturation. It uses ultra saturated distortion, greater than you might find from that of the average tube amp, for example. I have some samples somewhere to illustrate that, I'll see if I can post them sometime.

sk8 · #11 08-29-2007, 12:41 AM

I'll have to have a proper play on the weekend but i think wah after the muff is what i want. Not really had time to experiemnt as i had to amps fail and got the wah and muff just before i went on holiday so only had a quick play.

I will report back.

Thanks for the input

sk8 · #12 08-30-2007, 12:40 AM

put it in front last night and had a fiddle and yep, it kicks ass

Wah in front of the muff was what i needed. You were all right

Thanks for the help

JanusZarate · #13 08-30-2007, 09:21 AM

Wah in front of the Muff? I guess you're into a more controllable wah tone.

Cliff-Burton-style would be the other way around... but it can be difficult to control without practice.

sk8 · #14 08-30-2007, 10:23 AM

actually ignore that post i meant muff in front of wah

whoops

JanusZarate · #15 08-30-2007, 10:37 AM

sk8 · #16 08-30-2007, 02:12 PM

DOH!