New (broken) pedal day!

[laurie]

Very nice work pepe

[Pepe]

The Schaller "Wha-Wha-Fuzz" is almost repaired! Well, actually it is, but it is still disassembled and I have to cut the rubber plate in shape, because the material has swollen over the decades. And then I have to purchase double-sided tape to attach it, plus adhesive felt.



This is still an old picture. The dual-gang potentiometer is an original part! I have replaced the four carbon composition resistors and the five electrolytic capacitors, then I repaired all the wiring according to the available schematics. That wasn't easy at all and took several hours, because it was really messed up, but it worked right from the start when I was finished, and I was very relieved.

Until I tried the Wah function. It didn't wah. The problem was that an inductor wire had snapped off. And I assume that this was the reason why the pedal got modified. Or better said: someone tried to modify it to make it a fuzz-only unit. Dumbass! Anyway, I carefully opened the inductor, and soldered thin copper wire from an audio cable to the tiny piece of wire that was still there, put hot glue on the solder spot, put the inductor back in the circuit - and the wah was back!

The Schaller "Wha-Wha-Fuzz" is a really awesome sounding beast! With the two switches it offers four modes:

• volume pedal

• wah pedal

• fuzz wah

• fuzz, with volume function

I still have to compare it with my other Schaller pedals, but from what I have heard so far, the pure wah sounds different from the "Bow-Wow Yoy-Yoy" from the '60s. Less warm and creamy, instead with more bite and clarity. And the fuzz? It seems to be different as well. So all in all it offers sounds that the other units don't have, which is a big plus for me.

Actually, the pedal in this condition with missing and broken parts was already too expensive, and I had to spend more than 16 EUR for replacement parts, but in the end it seems to be a great addition to my sound palette. Also, this pedal will serve as a great tool for jam sessions, and with its battered looks, I can take it on stage without a second thought.

[Pepe]

The Schaller "Wha-Wha-Fuzz" is now fully repaired and I am very satisfied with the result.

In this picture that I made before the recapping, you can see the broken wire of the inductor. I am glad that I was able to repair it, to retain the original sound as good as possible.



This is the board how it looks now. The old Siemens capacitors were replaced by axial electrolytic capacitors of IC (Illinois Capacitor) that are known for vintage sound results. The problematic carbon composite resistors were replaced as well.



This is the final state of the insides, with the new switches (DPDT) and the correct wiring and signal routing. That was a lot of work!



Today I bought strong double-sided tape. I carefully cut the swollen rubber mat and attached it with the tape. It looks as if it has always been this way. I am very relieved that it worked perfectly.



I bought covering caps for the two ugly holes on the side. One of them was fitting, the other one was too small. I am going to order another one next time to close the bigger hole where the 1/4" jack for (badly) modified external power was installed.

[BearBoy]

Great job Pepe

[fuzzbuzzfuzz]

Pepe, peerless as ever!

That's a marvellous job and what a beautiful pedal too. Your recapping is spotless.

[Pepe]

Thanks! It's always the pure delight to breathe new life into a pedal that was thought to be dead. Laurie knows that feeling.