Morley NSW Switchless Wah

Here's the thing. I absolutely hated this wah when I first got it. maybe its just me, but I like to use the bass section of the wah just as much as the treble section, and with this pedal in its stock config, you basically can't. If you go back all the way, even for an instant, it clicks off. However, I went to morley's web site and snagged the schematics for this and the bad horsie, which has a delayed shutoff feature, and after a little soldering, BAM problem fixed. The modification is actually pretty easy, and anyone with a little electrical experience should have little problem with this. Email me if you need help with this. Now this pedal is really easy to use. Step on and you've got wah, step off and its off with whatever delay you have set with the mod. I would definately recommend this mod to this pedal. In its stock setup though, this pedal is almost unusable. 3 stars for ease of use by us people who don't want to take a year to learn a 5 minute technique. After the mod its a 10.

Tone is purely subjective. I personally like this wah, although its definately NOT a crybaby. If you expect it to sound like one, look elsewhere. But if you like a little more transparent, modern wah, this it. I really like the sound of this thru my setup (Ibanez JS->morley->Boss DS-1->tubescreamer->Laney Pro-tube 50. sounds similiar to the vai wah. Absolutely no noise with the battery, but really noisy if powered by a cheap ac adapter. Just use a battery for this one, or go buy the approved adapter.

It's a morley, and I've had apart a couple of times, no problems. I gig with it once a week, without a backup.

The fact the morley gives you the schematics for troubleshooting and mods is really cool of them. Boss and some others should take note of that. never dealt directly with morley, but they get a 10 just for the schematics

I was initially really excited about getting this for the switchless thing, but then really mad when I got it and then hated it. If you can do the above mentioned mod yourself, or have someone else do it for you, you can have a really good wah pedal that sounds really close to the bad horsie for alot less money. But if soldering and de-soldering is beyond you, maybe you should look somewhere else, cuz the functinoality of this pedal stock is really hard to get used to.

The switchless operation makes this very easy to use as you don't have to "switch" it on by stomping it ala Crybaby or Vox. However, I deduct points for 1) when working the lower frequencies (i.e. heel range) the NSW would switch off - which gets annoying. 2) you can not adjust the sweep via an external knob or anything. HOWEVER, having said that both problems are addressed in the Morley Bad Horsie 2. By 1) internal adjustment of the "off" mechanism and 2) external controls that allow you to adjust both wah frequency and level.

At first I was not totally happy with the stock sound as to me it sounded too shrill on the treble side. However, I got great customer service and the NSW was 100% improved. What they did was to mod the NSW Wah, by adjusting a diode which changed the sweep characteristic to more of a bassy sweep which was what I wanted. It's still not perfect as I would want it to have a wider sweep range. I think the Bad Horsie 2 Wah addresses these as it has wider sweep range plus controls for contour and level.

I've never had problems with the NSW from a reliability perspective and it is also amazingly consistent. I've heard different from e.g. Crybaby owners that suffer from dirty, scratchy pots and general unroadworthiness but have never had that problem with the NSW.

Customer support is top notch. I brought the NSW into the Morley shop and got immediate attention to my issues with the NSW. They made the mod that I requested and also showed me (right there in the shop) how I could tweak it myself. I think maybe since they are not as big as other companies (e.g. Dunlop) they can be more personal in the relationship with the customer.

Overall I think the NSW is a very good product but has its shortcomings. It was one of the first switchless wah (and I think it may have been the first) and Morley has since improved upon it with the Bad Horsie 2 addressing I think all of the deficiencies of the NSW. However, the customer support is top notch and get high marks on their service of existing customers as well as upon listening to their customers (and comments from message boards like this) and making improvements to their product.

as simple as it gets... the fact that it's switchless means there's no horrible "CLACK" when you step on it.

I run an Ampeg VH140C 2x12 combo pushing another 4x12 Celestion cab, this is a solid state unit and the the distortion (plenty of it!) comes from the amp... I also use Morley volume, Boss chorus, and a Digitech Octoplus. My guitars are an '84 Gibson Explorer with a Kramer pickup and a Korean strat with Carvin pickups. The range of this wah is a bit limited, but with a high-gain setting it's definitely pushing the top end when you stomp it. The sweep is very smooth, and my favorite thing is that it's TOTALLY TRANSPARENT! You don't have to compensate for the tonality of the pedal; if you like your sound already, just plug this baby in and go. When you're not using it you won't even know it's there. True, she's a bit harsh on the clean channel, but I tend to either use neck position for clean stuff or roll off the tone on the guitar a bit. No problem! Oh yeah, it's clean, too... no extra noise, which is a big deal with hot-rod high-gain sounds like I use.

Absolutely tough as nails. I've kicked this thing all over hell and never had ANY problems. A real workhorse.

Haven't HAD to contact the company.

I play mostly heavy modern metal, and with my sound this baby fits in real nice. I'm even happy with it on cleaner stuff like VooDoo Chile. I've been playin for 12 years and this is by far the most versatile, cleanest, tuffest wah I've found. (Compare with the Digitech wah settings on their multi-effect units and you'll understand the tonal coloration I'm talking about...they SUCK!) If I lost it I would either get another just like it or check out the Morley Steve Vai model, as they claim it has a wider sweep with the same switchless operation. Remember, on a gig simplicity is so important... less buttons to push just to use the damn thing is good. Plus it's cheap... $80 or so new!

This pedal is so incredibly easy to use. Plug it in, and step on it. You don't even have to push hard on the end because..... it's switchless. But just because I gave it a 10 on Ease of Use, doesn't mean its a good pedal. Read on.....

Ok, here's the problem. I bought this pedal solely on the fact that it was switchless, and I've heard good things about Morley. Big mistake. This thing has NO range. None at all. Also, when running my Metal Zone (which I love, see my review of that), you can't even hear a difference with the wah! It's awful! When using my amps distortion, I can hear it, and get a decent Voodoo child wah, but thats about it. Sounds awful with gain above about 3. Hence, it gets a 3.

The thing is built like a tank. It wont break no matter how hard I throw it on the ground. And I've wanted to.

I dont think I'd ever have to deal with Morley.

Crap. I think I'm gonna sell it and get a Crybaby 535 or 535Q.

Easy to use, step on the pedal and it works step off to turn it to bypass.

I use a Samick strat, a Crate amp,and a DOD grunge Distortion peadl.It has a great sound with distortion and clean but if you're just using the wah by itself make sure not to leave you're guitar volume at ten because when you use it there is an increase in volume and it distorts the speaker.

Made mostly out of steel. I would gig without a backup.

N\A

I play punk rock and this pedal is great for solos. The only thing I can find bad about it is that it doesn't have a level control. I have to watch the LED if I want to use the lowest setting and making sure it doesn't go into bypass.Other than that,it's a great pedal

It's trivial: just stomp on the pedal.

I can get great wah out of this sucker. I primarily play with a fairly clean tone live, (usually acoustic in fact), and I can surprise people by wailing with this thing. At home, I do like to crank up with distortion, and this works nicely either before or after a distorion pedal.

As one other review noted: this thing is a fucking tank.

N/A

The switchless aspect is great, and the wah quality cannot be argued. I got it new for $50 and have no complaints whatsoever. Rating: 10.

This is why I have it. You don't have to do anything but rock (pardon the pun).

Mine is a little broke, must have gotten dropped somwhere. But it sounds medium on the coolness factor. It is my second wah. I use it when I need to quick get a wah or two in there and don't want to mess around with buttons. It is harsh on clean, but distortions sound pretty decent. This is definately not a crybaby, but a whole new sound in its own.

? Mine works if it wants to. Sometimes it helps if you beg, then kick it. Or try a new cord.

For what I use it for, I give it an 8. If it was your main wah though, I'd think about getting one of those new chrome cry-babys. Like I said, it just isn't your traditional wah sound. Useful, but not Jimi or anyone else that cool.

No switch. How could you get any easier than that?

Wonderful sounding wah pedal. Crystal clear highs, tight lows, great for any style, but with a fresh battery this thing is a little piercing on clean channel.

Very solid, very well built. No volume pots, controlled by a spring thingamajig. I wouldn't gig without it just because I use wah a lot and it's better safe than sorry.

If it got stolen I would go to the store and buy two just like it. I love the thing that much. I wish no changes on this pedal. Whoever made this thing deserves all the respect available.

This would have to be the easies wah in the world to use.There is a LED Light and the pedal itself.I had a Morley PWA and I traded it in for this bad-ass mother fucker.This is a giant step up from any of the other Morley wahs.It's so simplistic to use,just step down on the front and hold it.You can get 2 different wah sounds out of this by either stepping on the wah and then completelly turning it on,or stepping on it and just moving your foot back and forth between all the way down and off.you'll see what I mean when you try it.There is hardly and feedback at all,I had a ton of feed back on my PWA It doesn't interfere with the sound at all.I've tried Crybaby's,and Vox's,but this pedal is far better in my eyes..I reccomend this over any other wah

I use this pedal with an Ibanex Silver Cadet,Peavy Bandit 65 amp,and a Ibanex MSL pedal.It sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!I There is hardly and static at all.I was jamming some Manson and RATM with thisbad boy,it kicks ass. You can get a good sound when playing Sweet Dreams with this.

This is definitely a fucking reliable pedal.It's built like a fucking tank.Heavy duty shit.You can bang it around and it'l still work fine.

???? I've never had to deal with the people at Morley and I probably never will

I play a lot of metal and goth, like:Manson AND RATM.The pedal sounds great.I've been playing for about 3 years and this one of the best pedals i've ever used.I would sure as fucking hell buy it again.This pedal fucking rocks,it's simple to use and it sounds great!!!I seriously suggest trying one of these out.

Just plug it in and go.

Like the other reviews here I agree that it is a bit subtle. I like it that way though.

I've been gigging 3-4 nights a week with this thing for over a year and haven't had a problem at all.

Don't know.

A good pedal that is reliable. For the most part the sounds are good, there a few times when I wish the "wahness" was more pronounced.