Noise in the pedal chain

[Volusia]

I have been running a Micro Vibe Voodoo Lab > TS9 > Crunchbox > DL4 Delay powered by a Dunlop Brick and everything sounds great. I purchased a CryBaby Classic Wah yesterday, which I placed first in the chain and started picking up a radio station signal. When the Wah is off I am back to normal but when I switch it on I get the radio station noise. What would be causing this and how do I prevent it?

[Pwozzie]

1.) Does your amp have a ground lift? If so, did you set it to lift?
2.) Do you have a noise suppressor?
3.) What is powering the pedals?

[Volusia]

Originally Posted by pwoznic

1.) Does your amp have a ground lift? If so, did you set it to lift?
2.) Do you have a noise suppressor?
3.) What is powering the pedals?

No to 1 and 2 and the Dunlop DC Brick is powering the pedals.

[Pwozzie]

Oh lol sorry I missed that.

My crybaby is pretty noisy (which is why I bought the weeping demon), but most noise was gone after using the Boss NS-2.. I don't know much about the classics, though. Do you know someone that can let you borrow a NS-2 or ISP Decimator? That would be a good way to check.

[stryker59]

my morley does the same thing! i put a mxr smartgate in the chain and it quit!

[Volusia]

Originally Posted by stryker59

my morley does the same thing! i put a mxr smartgate in the chain and it quit!

lol... Maybe I should reconsider on the CryBaby Classic. I definitely don't have the $$ to by another pedal right now to make it work. I got the CryBaby Classic used for $50 so I thought it was worth the investment.

I've tried a couple different things but basically it boils down to if it's active and half way depressed I get a radio station lol . If it's all the way heal or all the way toe you can't hear the station noise but you get a lot of hiss. When the pedal is off every thing's back to normal as if it wasn't even in the chain.

They have a VOX V847A that I might try for $79.

[stryker59]

if your gonna buy that for 79 why not get a noise gate?

[LoKi]

Wah's are notorious for this, especially classic wah circuits.

Try playing in a different room, or turning your pedals 90 degrees.

[Volusia]

Originally Posted by stryker59

if your gonna buy that for 79 why not get a noise gate?

Because I would be out the $50 plus the $80 for a noise gate. I am not sure if I will like the Vox or if it will do the same. I thought I would try it and if it has the same result then I'll take it back.

I even went with the CBC just being battery powered, repositioned it, played through my strat, then through the LP and nothing remedied it. It may just be the nature of the CBC, who knows, but it's not for me. I love the sweep and the classic sound but unfortunatly I am returning it this week. I would love a CLYDE but that's not in my immediate budget.

BTW - Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.

[racerratt]

Had this problem with stock Vox wah and the minute I put the Area 51 drop in kit, no more noise or should I say radio coming in and I like the way it sounds compared to the stock version.

I also put the D.C. power jack kit in it to.

[b-squared]

I'd do the Area 51 mod to your pedal.

In addition, you might try putting the micro-vibe after the Crunch box. I've found that time effects work better after OD effects.

Just mt two cents. In the end you have to do what sounds best to you.

BB

[Volusia]

Originally Posted by b-squared

I'd do the Area 51 mod to your pedal.

In addition, you might try putting the micro-vibe after the Crunch box. I've found that time effects work better after OD effects.

Just mt two cents. In the end you have to do what sounds best to you.

BB

Thanks B. Before I got the Wah I did experiment with the micro-vibe after the overdrive but it just didn't sound as good. Both the micro-vibe and Phase 90 sound better on my set up before. Weird

I returned the CryBaby today and exchanged it for the VOX 847A. Haven't made it home yet so I'll have to try it out tonight and see if I get any better results.

[stryker59]

Originally Posted by volusia1*

Thanks B. Before I got the Wah I did experiment with the micro-vibe after the overdrive but it just didn't sound as good. Both the micro-vibe and Phase 90 sound better on my set up before. Weird

I returned the CryBaby today and exchanged it for the VOX 847A. Haven't made it home yet so I'll have to try it out tonight and see if I get any better results.

let us know how that vox does!

[b-squared]

Ya, looking fwd to hearing the results.

You also might try taking one thing out of the loop at a time and see if there's a culprit injecting noise. Are any of your effects not true bypass?

BB

[Volusia]

Well I got the VOX 847A and the good news is that is does not pick up the radio station signal The bad news is that I don't like the tone or sweep

Oh well, back to GC I go. I think I am going to table the Wah for a while until I can do some more research. I really liked the tone and sweep of the Crybaby Classic but just got too much noise with it.

[b-squared]

I'd highly recommend the Teese Picture Wah.

It's the wah I was looking for for about 20 years.

BB

[HIPPY]

I have a classic wah and I also was getting radio stations. I have 2 jcm900s and no ground lifts and was told to NOT use a brick but to spend a little more money and use the VooDoo +2 power supply and good cables. I chose Planet Waves cables. It works!! Silence is golden! (Till I dime the Marshalls) Time to go home. See ya tomorrow. Good luck!

[nsureit]

Find a used NS-2 for $40-50...will fix most noise problems, especially hot pickups.