Vox V846 Wah Wah

Basic Wah. The way this one works is the reason they all work this way...

Ok, I had fought off succumbing to the supposedly legendary sound of the 846 for as long as possible. I came across this one in a trade, and am now a believer. This is what a wah is supposed to sound like. I hate to buckle under to the hype, but it's true. I have owned probably 11 wahs, and I should have shelled out the dough back when I started for one of these and quit wasting time and money.
Fantastic sound. Right off the bat, a nice sweep with all that recognizable tones along the way: nasal tones, treble bite, countered with the bassy (but not too bassy or muddy) on the other end. It's all in there. (This one's inductor is the metal 'film can' - for reference.)
Anything made today (with the exceptions, depending on taste, of maybe Teese and Fulltone), fail miserably in comparison.

This guy is almost as old as myself, and had a much rougher life. Most of these are pretty worked over at this point. Why? Because they sound the best, and they got used! Notice how many pristine Morleys, King Wah's, etc. you find in the used stores? Then you run accross a 846 that looks like it went through 3 tours in Nam and was patched up in a MASH unit more than once? It's the milage. They sound great an were played because of it.
Reliability? There isn't much to go wrong in a wah aside from scratchy pots (fixed by contact cleaner), loose connections, or faulty switches. I replaced my switch when I converted to a DPDT true bypass mod, replaced the 9v battery connector, and checked all my connections. I can't see any reason why she wouldn't do another 30 years.
One other note: For some reason the sweep feels right more so than any wah I've tried. Not only that, the treadle can stay in position (a la Schenker) relatively easily unlike most wahs.

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I had come to a comfortable realization after years of wah usage, demoing, comparitive A/B-ing, and familiarizing myself on wah history. My realization was, nothing sounded better than my trusty '71 Wah-Face. The Wah-Face is a Sound City Dallas-Arbiter (Made in Italy) version with the cosmetics of a Cry Baby, and the addition of a white ring around the base. This one in particular has the Fasel inductor and Arco capacitors. I had not found it's equal, but the 846 is just that -- it's equal.
It's an extremely tough call to say which is better. Across the sweeps of each, they produce strikingly similar tones, where the Vox may edge it out with a bit more human voice nasal sound, and a bit more treble bite at the top. (Not piercing like Cry Babies.) Like I said, it's a tough call. Some my like the Wah-face better just for the fact it doesn't have the Vox's extra bite (especially with overdrive running - think SRV's solo on 'Come On' off Soul to Soul).
Either way, I am a huge fan of the 846. I have no idea when I am goin g to use my Maestro Boomerang, or my Foxx wahs, with these two in the batting order.
Anyhow, if you see one, pounce on it. One other note: It takes two seconds to unscrew the back and check the guts, to make sure your getting the real deal.

The Vox V-846 wah is a 60's psychedelic freaky dream. I've always wanted to emulate Clapton, Page, and Hendrix, now I've got the pedal to do it. I realize that the "Clyde Mcoy" Vox Wah came right before this, but according to my estimations, Clapton and Hendrix would have bought their Wah Wah's in early 67'. They stoppped making the Clyde around late 66', which means they had the first V-846 wah's. Mine is actually from 69'. It may have to be slightly adjusted for sweep. You may have to play with it to learn its vowel characteristic.

I don't care what any manufacturer may say, in my opinion, they cannot emulate this wah. They may come close and the wah may sound good, but a sixties "ITALIAN" made V-846, or a "Clyde Mcoy" has a sound that is unique unto itself. I also want to dispell the myth that an old "Crybaby" or "King Vox" is the same pedal with a different label. I have Italian made versions of those too, but they do not sound like the Vox. I've heard that the Inductor and outlying components of the Vox, are specifically set for its sound. Keep in mind that some may not like this sound. The sound may be thinner compared to a newer wah. What you are getting is an unmistakeable 60's sound. Clapton had one. Hendrix had one. And Page had one with the early Zep. I use this wah with a TS9 Tube Screamer and Roger Mayer Voodoo1 for fuzz, along with a 67' SG Custom and 69 Marshall Super Lead 100. I also have a Provibe univibe effect by Foxrox. As far as Tone coloration, it does affect the signal but that coloration is part of "THAT SIXTIES SOUND."

Remember this. DO NOT CHANGE THE POTENTIOMETER UNLESS IT IS COMPLETLY BUSTED. Turns out the Pot is part of the sound. They tapered them specifically for the Vox specification. If you spray Cranolin to clean the pot, 9 times out of ten, it will cure any scratchiness. Other than that you may want to keep it in a bag, if it doesn't have one already.

I don't think you're gonna have any success with Korg (makes the current V-847). Geoffry Teese or Jeff Bober would be my choices for repair (they are current makers of vintage style wahs).

This pedal is used today by many top musicians. The style I play is Psychedelic Hard Rock. If you see one for sale, get it, because more than likely, you may not see one again. I used to see a few at vintage stores, and the internet. Not anymore. Alot of the ones I do see have been butchered or have replaced parts. Keep in mind the Sepulveda california version is not even a topic of discussion here. It is the "Italian" version that has the characteristics I've mentioned. I've been turning heads ever since I started using this pedal, and the first question they ask "How Did You Get A Wah wah to Sound Like that?" If you can find one, it may make you FAMOUS.