What are the advantages of an Electro-Optical Wah over a standard pedal with gears and potentiometers?
BW
Morley’s mission has always been to “build a better mousetrap,” and in that many of our designs differ quite substantially from other similar products. Since the early ’70s when all other wahs were using a rotary pot as the main component, Morley used Electro-Optical technology, which uses light energy to determine the wah sound. This approach eliminates potentiometers, which wear out, get scratchy, and need replacing. This technology also gives Morleys distinct “voicing” characteristics. As time has gone on, we continue to refine and improve this technology, which basically allows our pedals to function for decades. That is why on our 20/20 pedal line comes with a lifetime warranty, which some may think is crazy but is easy when our pedals last as long as they do.
How does Morley’s switch-less operation work, and how does it benefit the player?
BW
Morleys use Electro-Optical technology to turn the wah on and off, not electro-mechanical switches like most other brands. We hear from so many players the story of how they switched the wah on or off by mistake and didn’t realize it until later in the song, with the wah in the screeching toe position. With a Morley, our spring-loaded feature on most of our wahs really makes it so easy and mistake proof. All you do to activate the wah is to step on it and remove your foot to turn the wah off. As George Lynch said, “One less thing to worry about.”
What is a 20/20 Buffer circuit, and why would you want one instead of a true-bypass design?
BW
True-bypass has always been a “buzzword” that has somehow been equated to the best design solution. We disagree. You see, true-bypass means the pedal circuitry is being bypassed, so you “leapfrog” all the connection, solder joints, etc., to theoretically get the purest, loudest signal. However, what happens when you turn on the effect? If it is well designed, it may maintain a healthy signal and tone, but most pedals load down your signal, meaning your volume is lowered and you lose overall tonality.
A proper buffer circuit allows a louder and more efficient signal transmission, meaning the volume and tone are not changed, and also allows for longer cable runs with no signal loss. It even forces other not-so-efficient pedals to work more efficiently, in effect cleaning up other mischief in the signal chain.
Mark Tremonti uses 50 feet (or more) cable runs between his main rig and two other Tremonti Wahs around the stage, and the Morley buffer circuit maintained his volume and tone even with 200+ feet worth of cables!
Morley has been refining and improving our premium buffer circuit for nearly 30 years. The bottom line for guitarists is, tone is everything, and you don’t want any pedal mucking up your tone. That is why you should have a buffer circuit in your signal chain
How does Morley’s custom MQ2 inductor preserve your tone?
BW
Going back to the “build a better mousetrap” idea, there was a time when other wah pedal companies were reviving inductor designs that were used in the late ’60s or ’70s, which is a great marketing tool but, in our opinion, not very practical by today’s standards. We decided instead to design a new, custom inductor, that allows a full range of tones you would expect with less noise by using modern manufacturing techniques and higher-quality materials. This was also a project that spanned many years of refinement and improvement. Don’t just take my word for it — try a Morley, and you’ll hear the difference. You can take comfort in knowing your Morley is going to deliver the goods night after night so you can focus on your playing (not on your gear).
How rugged are Morley 20/20 wahs? Can they withstand overzealous stomps? Are they roadworthy?
BW
The phrase we hear from our customers all the time is, “Morleys are built like a tank!” And they are. We use cold-rolled steel housings to insure they can take the abuse on the road. There are three particular stories I’d like to share: The first is from Michael Charvel (son of Wayne Charvel, founder of Charvel Guitars). He had a Morley Bad Horsie that he used and loved for many years, but it got burned up in the Northern California fires of 2020, where they had lost everything. After the fires, Michael found the Bad Horsie while rummaging through the debris. He cleaned it up a bit, plugged it in, and it was still working! We sent him a new wah as his was pretty burnt up and dirty.
The second story is from Russell Gridwall whose pedalboard was destroyed in the Thousand-Year Flood in eastern Kentucky, summer of 2022. Russell had a Morley Power Fuzz Wah on his board. We asked him to send it in so we could have a look, and it was in terrible shape — water damage, dirt, and debris everywhere. We were curious, so we plugged it in, and sure enough, it was still working. Rest assured, we sent Russell a new Power Fuzz Wah, so he’s back up and running again.
The third story comes from Eddie Ojeda of Twisted Sister, who was meeting with our owner at 2019 Summer NAMM and said that he had the same Morley ABY switch for 25 years, and it still works great.
The challenging (but satisfying) part of how long our pedals last is that our customers don’t need to buy a new wah every few years. We get emails from players who say things like, “I have the original Steve Vai Bad Horsie from 1996, and it’s still working great. Nice work, guys!” This keeps us working hard on new features, designs, and pedals to entice our fans to get another wah or two or three, even when their original one is still going strong.
How many wahs should a player have?
