Dunlop 535Q

[bass-shy]

I bought one of these a couple days ago and so far, it is fantastic! Listening to assboglin's clips got me thinking about this wah in particular. It has a really pronounced effect whether played clean or dirty and it can be dialed in to sound perfect for your needs. (Well...........my needs. ) I feel equally pleased whether playing rock/metal style leads, or slapped/fingerstyle funk. I haven't found a single wah that could do both before. The main appeal for me is that I can alter the sound and shape of the sweep so I won't grow tired this one as quickly as I have with other, less-adjustable wah pedals.

Construction seems to be like any other Dunlop wah in that it's fairly heavy and it feels solid.

The only gripe is that it does cut low end BUT.........placed in the loop of my ever-so-handy Barge Concepts VFB-2 the problem is solved. Also, since the 535Q is capable of boosting the crap out of your signal, it can be dialed to unity gain even with a 50/50 blend of clean/wah. Nice!

My point here is that there are limited choices for good bass wahs out there and I thought it was worth mentioning that this one, (used in conjunction with a clean blend, of course), provides another option. Actually, now that I think of it, ANY wah with the ability to significantly boost your signal could be used in a blend loop to good effect.

Any other thought on this?

[Swimming Bird]

If you're going to blend in your signal, let's say at 50/50 wah/dry, why not use any wah? I mean, if you can use your blender to compensate for volume discrepancies or loss of low end, why not use the Hendrix wah or anything else?

You have a good idea, but why not take it further?

[bass-shy]

Because the effect's intensity is weakened in a lot of cases by blending in clean tone. If the effect is capable of boosting, you can still have a very apparent effect and a solid bottom end. This is based on my experiences with blending other pedals as well.

[assboglin]

Out of curiousity, what settings do you use on the wah and what do you like to use for distortion with it?

[bass-shy]

For distortion I use an old Tech 21 XXL, a T-Rex Mudhoney and a Tech 21 SansAmp BDDI. I usually run the wah before the distortions.

As for settings on the Wah: I use either of the middle two wah ranges, full sweep and just enough boost to compensate for volume drop from my blender.

Also, I play an ESP LTD bass with active EMG's wired for 18 volts, an EMG 3-Band EQ and strung up with DR Hi-Beams. It's a bright and aggressive sound with lots of midrange presence and a ton of output.

[assboglin]

How do you like the XXL? On it's own and with the wah? I've been curious about trying one. And I'm getting another BDDI this week, I didn't like the programmable one I had, but I'm giving it another shot. I liked the way it's distortion works, and with the blend it might give me some of the dirt I want.

[bass-shy]

I have been very pleased with the XXL since I bought it about two years ago. It's very reactive to dynamics and is really raunchy sounding. Usually, I keep the "Gain" turned all the way down and it seems to be just the right amount of dirt when playing with a full band. By itself, it sounds like it might be "too saturated" but it really evens out when you pile on cymbal wash and guitar solos.

It sounds great to me without a SansAmp but it's even better with one. The Mudhoney reacts to the SA about the same way, too. The Mudhoney can be WAY more over the top than the XXL, though. Both sound great on their own but running them into the SA produces a thickness and grind that I have not ever heard from a single pedal.

As for the wah, I couldn't be happier with it. I'm still in the "honeymoon" stage, so time will tell, but so far so good. To me, it sounds like a wah pedal should. I keep messing with the settings and I have found it hard to dial in a bad sound. Without the blender, however, I would agree with everything you said about it in your "Random Effects Usage" thread. I really appreciate you taking the time to record all of the clips that you have posted. Without them, I wouldn't have given the 535Q a second thought. Thanks.

[assboglin]

Don't mention it. I just hope the 535Q continues to do the trick for you. I actually got mine from my brother, a guitarist, because I read that Marcus Miller uses one. Took me awhile to find the sound I like, but once I did, that thing can scream. I have the sweep maxed and I roll back the chrome knob dealie two clicks. I've also tried it with a clean blend, which of course is great, but for what I wanted it was easier for me to just stick with my 105Q. Sometimes I'll run both wahs though, depending if I want to do any shredding. Another wah that actually surprisingly worked well for me for the shredding distortion style is the Snarling Dogs Bootzilla Wah, which I've long since destroyed. I'd pick up another one, but hey, I've got my 535Q which does the trick.

Also, if you want a distortion pedal that'll really knock your socks off with the 535Q, check out the Z. Vex Box Of Rock. That thing is KILLER! It's really natural like a Marshall, which is of course what it's supposed to be, so every point of the wah sweep comes through perfect. It's a beautiful combination.

[bass-shy]

I have played around with 105Q's before and I think they sound good, but I can't get past the switchless aspect of them. That is also a huge reason that I got rid of my Morley Dual Bass Wah. With the 535Q, I seem to have the best of both worlds..........great tone and a sensible switching system.

Thanks for the heads up on the Z-Vex. The next time I get a chance I'll check one out.

Cheers.

[bass-shy]

Does anyone else have experience with this pedal or experience with blending clean and wah'd signals together? Opinions? Input? Carrots?