Wah Picks up Radio Interference.

Geeetar · Feb 3, 2017

Hello everyone,

I grabbed a Crybaby Wah pedal from long and mcquade about a month ago. It was picking up radio signals each time I engaged it, so we swapped them out. I've gone through about 2 or 3 crybaby wah's and they all create the same radio interference.

By pushing the wah fully down (toe down) I can tune into a signal.

I've heard this problem is fairly common, but is there any way to suppress the signals?

Granny Gremlin · Feb 3, 2017

I have never heard of this with a wah specifically (just a guitar and amp is enough in a high RFI environment ). I am guessing that the filter on the wah somehow exacerbates the effect; if it is inductor based that might be why.

1. Try moving the entire chain (guitar > wah > amp and everything in between) to a different location (e.g. another room in your house) as well as orientation (which direction everything is facing). If that helps then take it back but rearrange it (when I had RFI interference I could usually eliminate it by turning myself so the guitar was pointing another way. Also the same rig would have the problem in the living room but not the bedroom across the house.

2. Build a faraday cage in/around your jam room (;p)

nonreverb · Feb 4, 2017

Does it do it with the guitar volume turned off? Also, have you tried different patch cords and a different guitar? You might have a ground fault somewhere in the chain.

Wah Picks up Radio Interference.

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