Graphic EQ for fixed wah sounds

[TravTrav]

Could I use a Boss GEB-7 for fixed wah sounds?

[bongomania]

Yes and no. Yes, in that you can make extreme EQ shapes with it like by boosting one band to max and cutting all the rest. No, in that the actual curve of the shape will not be the same as with a wah, and also no because a wah is typically a bit resonant, giving it that extra vowelly scream, and the Boss is not resonant.

So if your goal is "copy a famous fixed-wah tone", then it will probably let you down; but if your goal is "make a weird unique sound kind of like a fixed wah", then it's worth a go.

[sunbeast]

I'd recommend a resonant bandpass/lowpass filter like the IE Xerograph or Robot Factory Brain Freeze or a Parametric EQ like the Empress or WMD (both of which can get very resonant at extreme settings). I use both for fixed wah-esque tones.

[FilterFunk]

Pedals with a mid-freq control do a good job of getting fixed wah tones.

[bongomania]

Errr... Some of them may. Some for sure do not.

[sunbeast]

Yeah- depends on the Q of the mid band as well as the gain/resonance at the band.

[G.Bisson]

Keeley makes the Nova Wah, which gives you two fixed wah settings in a conventional pedal format. I've always been very curious to try it on bass.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by bongomania

Errr... Some of them may. Some for sure do not.

You're right - I should have added "some." The Behringer ADI21 does a great job of it.

[sunbeast]

Originally Posted by G.Bisson

Keeley makes the Nova Wah, which gives you two fixed wah settings in a conventional pedal format. I've always been very curious to try it on bass.

+1. I was looking for years for a good way to replace my old Morley Power Wah Boost pedal that I usually only used as a stationary wah/filter. I was super close to pulling the trigger on a Keeley to try it out when I came across a good deal on a Robot Factory Brain Freeze which ended up getting me close enough to the Morley plus doing so many things the Morley couldn't! I was surprised to not find more pedals that do what the Keeley does, as it seems like a very useful function (I think there actually was one other pedal from one of the bigger companies that did the fixed wah too, but can't remember what it was- I think it may have been paired with a drive effect of some sort though). The Empress ParaEQ was something I didn't expect to pull off those tones but actually did really well (and capable of so much more on top of that one function as well). The WMD is capable of much more extreme resonant tones, so I ended up with that after selling the Empress. Of all these I've tried, the Robot Factory probably does the most convincing and tweakable fixed wah sound, but is also the most expensive option if you buy new (and requires its own AC power supply, which can be bothersome).