Morley Bad Horsie II

there's important tweaking that can be only done by opening up the pedal and physically tweaking certain components on the circuit board, and it requires a 'special manual' to know what to change that can only be sent by morley.

Given that the contouring is a main feature (that's why its a bad horsie 2), it actually takes quite some time to get the correct frequency dialled in on the wah.

the setting which i base this review on:

two EMG 81s on a basswood body > Bad Horsie 2 > Peavey JSX head > Peavey 5150 cab

connected with planet waves gold tipped cables
powered by a boss regulated 9v adapter
Tested on the bridge EMG-81

EQ: Everything in the middle

Goods:
1.Doesn't drain the tone as much as a crybaby.
2.step on to wah, step off to deactivate
3."Level" knob can add considerable amounts of gain to increase sustain and string sensitivity. (gives you insanely long pinch harmonics!)
4.with patience, the "contour" knob can be set to have your toe down position to be in a sweetspot.

Bads: (here goes)

It is somewhat acceptable on notes played before the 12th fret on 6th to 3rd string on standard tuning (EADGBE), any notes higher than that reduces the wah progressively with higher notes until all you hear is some insignificent change in tone that doesn't sound like a wah.

It sucks on distortion. I play a lot on the lead distortion in the cab head with high gain, the wah is really bad here because firstly, it loses a lot of wah pronounciation, 2ndly the sweep range sounds a lot shorter. I am extremely dissappointed in this area, I bought a morley because I thought this guys were the modern people of wahs, not like jim dunlop and all their millenia old "vintage" sounding shit. I really thought Morley would make products excel with modern tones, but I am really very disappointed here, as a matter of fact I am actually feeling quite saddened by this. I really had high hopes that Morley will deliver in this area, perhaps I had a misconception of Morley, or maybe my Bad Horsie is just faulty.

The manner which the pedal goes "wah", is similar to the audio tappered volume pedals morley has, which means it suddenly wahs a lot towards the toe down end. This is because of the way the pedals work with "triggers", the wahs work with two trigger points, one close to the heel down position to turn the wah on, and the other trigger makes the wah frequency goes higher, which is close to the toe down side. I prefer the linear tapper concept for wahs because for this current method on the horsie you can only hear the wah pronouced when it comes to the 2nd trigger, any where before that trigger is a very slow changing "wah". For those who stepped on a morley before you probably realize that the pedal has quite a wide travel compared to crybabies, but don't think that you'll get away with a very wide wah range with that, because about half or more of the travel is a very insignificant "waah". In other words, the "waaah" is not uniform throughout the travel, and most of the "waah" is in the front half (or less) of the pedal's travel.

I've been trying to get a very strong wah vocal-like pronouciation quality, like Zakk Wylde's "Fire it up" and this horsie is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING close to that.

Vai uses this, but i cannot get the same qualities from his best wah stuff like "I'm the hell outta here", contour mode or not.

I cannot even get the qualities from average wah guys like Dave Mustain who just uses it for minor licks. Not even Kirk Hammett who uses a shitty crybaby.

there's four rubber feet under the pedal, one of the rubber feet on my horsie is not level, and MY PEDAL IS NOT BALANCED until today because of that rubber feet - this was discovered within an hour after first getting it, was playing on a perfectly flat ceremic tile. I also found that feet to be out of position, as if someone just put glue on the feet and randomly stuck it somewhere close to where it was supposed to be stuck to. The four rubber feets are not accurately glued on to the base.

My unit also had problems with the auto on/off feature with all morleys, I can turn it on, but afterwards it won't off itself as it should, and I got into quite a trouble with that for a while until I contact Bill Wenzloff who sent me a manual to get it fixed. Apparently it is a common problem, but none the less it is still not acceptable.

If I place my full one leg's weight on the pedal, I can hear the pedal making sqeeking and creeking sounds, i'm only 63kg by the way.

The housing for the circuit board is tough, but it's pointless if everything else broke.

There is a gap under the foot pedal for the "shutter" to move in and out of the steel housing (part of the schematics for morley's optic thing), this gap allows dust to enter and settle on the circuit board, not to mention even possibly settling on the LED which activates the light sensitive triggers (another part of the schematics for morley's optic thing). For those who are lost, I'm sorry but you gotta open up morley to understand.

I'm not sure if i can depend on it, I seriously won't be surprised at all if it broke on the set, the creeking sound is really worrying me, though the screws are all tight and strong I'm sure.

Yeah, and I won't go with a backup, because I cannot afford one. If some nut stole it from me I would beat his ass down and ask for payment which I'll use to buy another wah.. probably the zakk wylde crybaby i guess.

I contacted Bill Wenzloff via email about the major problems I had with my unit (auto on/off feature not turning off), the response was fast and to the point, though I have to say he could afford sound more.. human.. it's as if a computer was programmed to respond to emails.

good customer service.

I play lots of metal, and technical music, it would work well if it first gave a decent wah tone. I've seen auto-wahs on stompboxes that sounded much much more desirable than this, but in my opinion, auto wah's are quite pointless.

Yeah, and I won't go with a backup, because I cannot afford one. If some nut stole it from me I would beat his ass down and ask for payment which I'll use to buy another wah.. probably the zakk wylde crybaby i guess.

I used to think that most big guitarists uses crybabies because they are more used to it, but really thinking about it, there is people like Michael Angelo Batio, the only guitar god in this world, and he chose to use a crybaby. I cannot say I'm still wondering why they don't use morleys after I've used this bad horsie.

I don't know, I really have no idea what to do with this unit. I got it as a birthday present, and I was really happy because I thought i got the best wah in the world, but after many tests on many setups and amps, and afterwards many more hopeful tests, the results cannot be denied, this wah probably needs to be revamped, the trigger point wahing is a bad idea as it doesn't give me easy full control of how i want to wah, it doesn't work well with distortion, it is not articulate and prononced and my unit has obvious physical defects.

For those who think I am too demanding and/or too scrutinizing, think about it, I am having what is supposedly Morley's Best wah, and isn't it sensible and logical only to expect prime stuff? It would be an insult to morley if i bought this and just said "i don't expect much from this", and my level of scrutiny is for the good of those who are reading reviews to decide on a wah.

If anyone knows what's wrong, and knows how to set up to get the wah-ing qualities of guys like zakk wylde and vai, I would really like to hear from you.

The pedal is very easy to use.
I don't think a person really needs an manual for it.

This pedal has great sound quality. I don't notice any change in my tone when it is off. Some people say it hurts their tone but I just don't hear it. If your using good quality cables it should not be an issue. I use GL's cables.

Here is everything I have and the order it is hooked up.
Guitar - Morley Bad Horsie II or Cry baby what ever iam in the mood for. Then into a modded 808 Tube Screamer (modded by analog man). Then into a Boss DS1 (modded by Keeley). Then to a Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble chorus pedal.Then into a Whammy pedal. Then to the front of the amp (Carvin Legacy). I have a Boss Rv-3 Delay/reverb pedal and the Morley Little Alligator hooked up through the effects loop.
I really get a good sound out of this setup at just about any volume I want.
Reading this I really sound like a Vai nut and maybe I should try something original. But oh well it makes me happy

I have not owned it long enough to say. But it seems pretty sturdy I can not see a problem. I would use it without a backup.

Customer support is top notch.
I e-mailed them about getting replacment rubber tredal pads and they had two sets of them in my hands within three days and best of all no charge. I have only heard great stories about their support.

I have been playing for close to twenty years now mostly instrumental Vai, Satriani stuff. This pedal of course is perfect for that type of music. I would buy another one in an instant if I lost this one. It's just so easy to use and I love that it is switchless. I have a vintage Vox wha from the 60's and an original Cry baby and even though they are great this one is my favorite so far. If any of you are trying to decide if you should buy it or not all I have to say is DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

I've tried many wahs and this one is the easiest to use for me.
the spring load (used for the switchless system) makes it real easy to achieve "vocal" type of sounds and I like it alot.
the switchless system is PRICELESS, I don't know how I lived without it.
however, becouse of it you can't leave the pedal on a "sweet spot".

I play Ibnez prestige rg > Morley bh2 > Tonebone loopbone > boss fv-300l > Marshall jcm800 100W split channel combo (Ibanez de7 set as echo in my FX loop)
loopbone loop 1 - ibanez tube compressor > MXR M-135 chorus
loopbone loop 2 - Ibanez SM7 > Ibanez ts9 (combined together) > boss ge7 > boss ps5
It's a buffered bypass, no tone loss.
Don't use it in the FX loop, it will totaly ruin the sound!! (the manual mention it too).
I tried it after the distortion, it sounded alright, but I was realy amazed with the sound of it before the distortion.
it makes it sound more metalic and with a lot more attitude, the zakk wylde type of attitude, it makes my soloing much more interesting.
sound good on clean too,but many others sound equally well.
there is enough sweep range.
the thing is, in the middle of the sweep there is like a little bump, where the pedal ectually do the wah, and once you find this spot, it makes it alot easier with longer phrases.
I don't use the contour mode, but I didn't really give it a chance because I like the normal mode so much (maybe i should...).
It's the last wah I'll ever need!

you can stomp on it as much as you like, kick it and even throw it at the wall, and it wouldn't break.
when i gig, this unit is my last concern, I never even considered carrying a backup, what a waste of space!!

never needed them...

I play mostly Instrumental rock, and some proggressive,for about 14 years.
This is my favorite pedal in all the rig, if it were lost i would defenitly buy another one.
I really love the sound of it before the distortion, it's actually gives me more energy in my playing.
it's a modern sound wah, so if you like using a wah after the distortion, it sounds much calmer and subtle than the crybaby.
And really easy to use!

Brilliantly easy to use: just step on it! Much better than old clunky switches: a genius idea!

I use a pacifica 112 and an electro-acoustic bouzouki that run through the bad horsie, then Line 6 delay modeler, then Hughes and Kettner Tubeman direct into the desk.

The standard 'Vai' sound is the business: smooth, versatile, musical. 'Contour' mode is more difficult to get a good sound out of: sounds a bit muddy 'quacky' to my ears, and slightly overloads my system: but then again I mainly play clean acoustic or slightly raunchy so may be OK for Motorhead mayhem merchants!
I leave it on the standard setting all the time: wonderfull; a great, orgainic, natural sound.

Brilliant: tough as nails: I have proffesionally gigged this pedal for about four years. Totally reliable: no backup needed.

Had no need!!

I play in a roots-rock ceilidh band, and use a mixture of traditional acoustic folk sounds with out-an-out rock sounds: For this, the Bad Horsie is brilliantly suited: Very versatile for such a simply operated device. For example: You can use it to subtly push or lift one or two bars of an acoustic phrase,(helped here greatly with the switchless operation) create subtle leslie-type effects,(by wobbling your foot fast!): subtle tone shifts: probably many experimental things that would frankly sound shit with a trad. wah-wah: as well as the standard funk-style stuff that's always great fun. Once again, the switchless operation is invaluable: step on, it works, step off, it goes off: brilliant in the heat of a gig.
A truly excellent piece of proffesional kit that pushes the boundaries of what you can do with a wah wah. It's indespensible in my rig, and I would definitely get another if stolen. Don't even think of getting a lesser wah, this is the BOSS!

Bill Wenzloff from Morley here. We really enjoy reading reviews. The good ones make us feel great and the bad ones keep us trying harder. Just wanted to remind you that if you need any type of assistance with your Morley, please call me toll free at 1-800-284-5172 ext1 2 or email me at demodude@hotmail.com.

Keep the reviews coming!

I have a Crybaby too. When I was on stage I did not feel confident using something without a led lighting when it's on. On the other hand, the plug is very bad so It was something like "here we go, let's see if it turns on...." and the opposite when I wanted to turn it off. You cannot loose your attention to see if it's on or off specially if you sing while you play as I do.

Therefore, this pedal is tip-top.

Love it. But love Vai's tone so I knew in advance I would like it. It coulours the sound very well specially during that tapping moments.

I've been playing a little bit with the contour mode... but preferes Vai's position.

I am sure people who says there is no way to get a good sound from the pedal is placing it through the FX loop. Put it first thing after your guitar to the amp input. That's the way.

I had a Morley standard and sold it because I did not like its sound but this one rocks!

That's the key of the pedal. Reliability. It will turn on & off when you need it and the optical thing makes it way more reliable than other wha-whas.

Don't know but everybody says it's the best so I'll trust them.

- I play lot of different styles
- I've been playing since 20 years ago (uff, I am becoming old...)
- Main gear: Jem7vwh, Les Paul Standard plus, '67 Bassman, Marshall 6100 30th Anniversary and many many pedals.
- If it were stolen or lost I'd buy another one
- I paid $80 for it which was a fantastic price considering it was nearly new so I must give it the best value for the money.

This is a simple as could be. Just step on it and get a lush, deep, sweeping wah! The contour and level allow you to produce a user definable wah, but in all honesty, the ordinary 'pre-tuned' wah is so good, I haven't used it in contour mode!

I plug my J Custom straight into the wah and from there into my Peavey 5150 amp. I've found the BHII produces a really musical wah which sounds good with distorted tones and, to my ears, good with a clean tone too! If you want to hear how good it sounds, simply listen to a recent Steve Vai album! It even makes my playing sound professional!

There doesn't seem to be any particular noise other that the whooshing of the sweep however I have noticed that with the volume turned down on my guitar, i occasionally pick up a radio/taxi broadcast. This seems to be remedied by leaving the volume just above the off position.

In bypass mode there doesn't seem to be any colouration of ones tone although there is decreased volume. However this may be simply because of the extra cable length in the circuit.

This unit is built like a tank. I can't see it getting damaged easily.

I've had no problems with this unit at all. I did send Morley a query about a previous pedal I bought in 1994 (WahSP) that was under-performing and they offered to service and refurbish it for free! They also emailed a document to me that showed how I could tweak the WahSP which went some way to remedying the situation. However, I felt the BHII was the real way ahead and so I bought it!

My only reservation is for UK buyers. Morley don't seem to have much support over here, so this could be a problem once your warranty expires (and assuming you have a problem). I wouldn't like to send it over to the USA for repair.

For a rock guitarist this is a great piece of kit. I would definitely buy it again. It's straight forward, has a great sound, easily comparable to other leading wah manufacturers (I tried Vox, Dunlop in my comparison) but the BHII sneaks forward because of its optical, switchless design. It's so well designed that it can be incorporated into anyones rig without even thinking about it and I wonder why I didn't buy one sooner!

I've given it an '8' overall rating because of its retail price here in the UK. I've seen it advertised for up to #160 sterling (Sheffield Academy of Sound) and I think this is really excessive-a case of 'rip off Britain'! Clearly this is because of the Vai association and I must admit that a certain amount of hero worship swayed my choice. Having said that, I got mine for #114 and so for that price I'd give it a '10'.

If you're thinking of buying one, have no worries about the sound, construction, reliability or ease of use-the BHII is brilliant. The UK price may be your only limiting factor.

This pedal is one of the easiest I have ever had the pleasure to use!First off its a wah, and theyre usually pretty straight forward anyway! It has two simple Contour and Level knobs, for when you use the footswitch to knock-on the Contour Wah-As simple as it can get.

First of all I was extremely pleased by the fact that the wah did not add any extra noise to the mix! the second you set the pedal back down after use it is as if the wah isnt even plugged in-no signal noise whatsoever when you play without it-Excellent!!I was using this with a few Boss and Digitech stomp boxes-flanger,phase shifter,metal zone..etc It sounds terrific. The reason i am giving the Bad Horsie an 8 is that it doesnt hav the bite or variation I am really looking for. Sometimes it can just be a bit weak and struggle at the high-end. Also, it is not the most responsive of the wahs I own when the pedal is depressed. It didnt quite have the punch I was looking for, however it has a great tone. It is very good, better than alot of pedals but not one of the best.

This thing survived being posted to the UK from US in a thin crappy envelope with no padding! I was worried it may have been destroyed before i opened it but was relieved to find it in perfect condition!The build seems pretty damn sturdy and there are no pots to wear out,so thumbs up for build and durability! But use an A/C adaptor-this thing eats 9v batteries for breakfast, lunch and supper!

I have never had to deal with Morley, but they are often praised for their customer service.

A very good Wah pedal that I would definately endorse! It has a nice tone, it will last a life time and you can make it squeal, but I must say that I have actually found myself actually setting it a side, in favour of the Dan-O-Wah from Danelectro! That pedal has several Wahs and the foot pedal is much more responsive on the low end.

Easy as reading to figure out.

Not the most amazing wah sound on the market, but very, very good... and unless you're a guitarist, the typical music fan will never hear the difference anyway. I put mine through a Fender Hot Rod amp. Using this pedal with a Tube King and a Phase 90... whoa... sweeeeeet.

Like all Morley pedals, it's built to last. It's a tank to carry around, but I gig a lot, so I prefer the extra weight for durability.

Without a doubt, the best company there is for support. I called on a weekend, left a phone number and they dialed me back on Monday (in fairness, I explained that it turned out to be 2 bad cords -- who'd a thunk it?! -- and there was nothing wrong with the pedal). I just bought this pedal last year (2004),after testing both the crybaby and this during 2 gigs, and the deciding factor was when I came here I read about how good the support was. I'm always having stuff breakdown and such and I decided that I needed a company with this kind of reputation. They did not disappoint! I've since bought the Little Alligator. Morley is the best.

I'll give it a 9.. but maybe should be an 8. I'll kick in the extra point for the excellent customer service. My only complaint is that the contour does very little to change the sound. Like I've heard others say, I just end up using it like the original Bad Horsie and if I had to buy over, I would just get that. I can't complain though, because I got a great deal on Ebay. All in all, it's a great pedal.

this pedal was one of the easist to use, plug it in, play and step on it. no switches to have to slam the pedal on to to turn it on, it automatically switches off after one second, but you are able to change that. The instruction to set the wah off delay were by far the best instruction i have ever seen for a peice of musical gear. descriptive, short and too the point. to get your own effects, just hit a switch and dial it in, the two leds to show when it was in use was great to.

schecter omen 006 > metal zone dist. > bad horsie > yorkville bass amp
the wah was absolutly silent when it was not in use (no hissing) and didnt rob my tone at all. the main wah, i find weak for my black metal extreme distorted stuff, but sounds great clean, i like to dial in my own wah sound, and it still goes strong

this thing is built like a bunker built to with stand a nuclear attack, which is one reason why i bought it. i would depend on this thing with out a back up

havent delt with them

i play mostly metal and blues, and this pedal works amazingly for both. i tried out a weeping deamon (ibenez) and found that the stores display/test model didnt even work, so i decided that if in a reletivly controlled enviroment ( the store) if the pedal cant work after some normal use, how will it hold up live or in a jam session when it could get abused?.. the bad horsie felt heavier, more like a weapon and looked like a few dings wouldnt touch it. i also tried a jim dunlop classic wah, which didnt sound as good and cost more, lpus i couldnt get my own sound out of it. deffinatly try out this pedal the next time you go wah shopping