Jim Dunlop 105Q Bass Wah Pedal

[iamapirate]

OK, then. Got this about a week ago from a basschatter, and I though I'd write up a review of it.

Sorry for the lack of pics, it looks pristine, anyway!


EASE OF USE:

Pretty Simple, just whack your foot on it and it does the rest. The volume and Q controls are a bit small and you have to learn which is which. There's no numbers on the dials, either, so you cant easily recall presetsl, but they'reboth pretty much set and forget options. Same with the little thing underneath that adjusts the time before it stops when you take your foot off it.

The only REALLLY annoying thing is that my daisychain adapter(https://www.rainbowguitars.com/imagesproduct/bo/bopcs20a-xl.jpg) doesn't fit in the hole for the power adapter. I'm planning on shaving this down, but for the moment I'm running it off batteries.

7/10


SOUND QUALITY:

--- Setup:

Fender 4-string passive american stanfard jazz bass (pearl white... oh yeah!)
into
Boss TU-2 (as a tuner output - not actually in the signal chain)
into
Home-made Mute ('Moot') pedal
into
EHX Bass Microsynth (on a true-bypass loop for remote switching)
into
Boss ODB-3
into
Jim Dunlop Bass wah 105Q
into
Ashdown MAG-300 Combo with 4x10" speakers



--- Comments

It's a pretty nice clean tone, with some typical wah tones on it.
However, I used to own a morley (guitar) wah pedal which would only work if I put overdrive on it (and before it). When i used it, it went all the way to 11, no doubt. I could get quite a nice high-end out of it when I rocked it all the way forward. However, with the 105Q it doesn't quite go as far s I expected, and still remains quite 'passive'(i.e. it doesn't jump out at you - it doesn't melt your face off). This is good and bad - I'll let you decide.

When put through my Boss ODB-3 overdrive with some low settings, it sounds completely orgasmic. You don't quite get the OD coming through until the top half of the pedal so it works as a build-up phenomenally

9/10


RELIABILITY/BUILD QUALITY

hmmmm, I'm too cheap to have backups of pedals, but as for overall build quality:

pros:
- The main part of the pedal where you will be kicking is nice and sturdy
- The main part of it is made from metal
- I'm the second user and there's no scratches on it:D
- The jack sockets could take nuclear blasts

cons:
- When you take off the battery cover (which is bound to snap off) it reveals the whole innards
- when it's in the full-back position (which is it's default position) you can see the main board as well as a pretty hefty capacitor.
- When you try to take off the rubber feet (for pedalboard mounting, etc.) the whole back plate comes off
- a bit of stray water could kill this with ease (it has happened many times at gigs)

7/10, but I don't really care!


OVERALL

I play mostly hard(ish) rock (in a band called 'HyBrid' [url="http://www.myspace.com/bandhybridhybrid"]http://www.myspace.com/bandhybridhybrid[/url] ) and it works for killer build-up intros (play the riff and slowly press the pedal forward) and REALLY works for clean funk stuff. Pretty much the same as the guitar wah pedal.

oh and it funkifies solos!

Favourite feature: auto shut-off - AMAZING IDEA!

It definitely helps me make music, not destroy it with funk


oh and one last thing: I play in my church's youth band and it is also a great atmospheric pedal for just playing slow notes while keeping the pedal about half-way forward. Adds ome extra warmth to the tone.

9/10 - a great pedal!