Review: Bad Horsie 2 Wah

hydrahead · #1 09-05-2007, 11:29 PM

I'll start off by saying that if you haven't tried a Morley Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah yet, you need to get off your computer and try one now!
IMHO, this is the best wah out there, bar none.

My story goes like this. I bought an Original Crybaby because I wanted that classic wah sound. I was not satisfied with it because of two things: the large amount of movement I had to give the pedal for the small amount of tone change, and the high pressure on/off switch.

One of my jam buddies (who's been playing for 15+ years) said that he'd burned up 5 or 6 Crybabies gigging over the years. After he switched to the Bad Horsie, he hadn't had any problems.

So, I took his advice, one step farther and got the BH 2. I'm glad I did. Because of the contour and level controls, I can get that classic wah sound through a more reliable and better functioning pedal.

One thing that some people have complained about with the Bad Horsie is the amount of delay in the on/off. The literature the came with the wah said that the factory setting is for Vai's preference and gives instructions on adjustment. It took me about 5 minutes to adjust it for an instantaneous on/off.

The pedal comes with a 2 year manufacturer's warranty and is worth every penny.

Side notes: I'm using it on a '93 RG 470 w/Breeds and a Marshall 100w Valvestate.

newbieguitarmaker · #2 09-05-2007, 11:46 PM

I agree, but my White Bad Horsie signed by vai sounds better than my bad horsie 2

**elcid** · #3 09-06-2007, 12:03 AM

My BH1 and 2 sounded awful, I dont miss them.

hydrahead · #4 09-06-2007, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

My BH1 and 2 sounded awful, I dont miss them.

Really? Just for comparison, what do you use for a wah?

newbieguitarmaker · #5 09-06-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

My BH1 and 2 sounded awful, I dont miss them.

yeah man my BH1 blows my BH2 out of the water along with my old wahs- crybaby, crybaby classic, some vox one

Wild_Child · #6 09-06-2007, 12:25 PM

I don't like that Steve himself feels the need to have a Crybaby as well as a Bad Horsie on his pedal board. I'm pretty sure he uses the crybaby a lot more often and it's his wah sound on all the records. On features alone though, I can see how it would be desirable for using live.

I own a Morley power wah and it has one of the weakest sweeps I've ever heard. I don't know how the bad horsie compaires, but I'd like to get rid of it and replace it with an RMC or Area-51 at some point.

**elcid** · #7 09-06-2007, 06:10 PM

I replaced it with a Dunlop Crybaby from Hell. It does evil nasty, prison type things to the BH. It's like a 535Q with more options.

ME. · #8 09-06-2007, 06:48 PM

I liked the Bad Horsie a lot better than the Morley Power Wah. Great Pedal

Martyr Machine · #9 09-06-2007, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

I replaced it with a Dunlop Crybaby from Hell. It does evil nasty, prison type things to the BH. It's like a 535Q with more options.

Amen to that. I picked up a Crybaby from Hell and I haven't regretted it at all. The only thing I would replace it with is a Real McCoy.

Wild_Child · #10 09-06-2007, 07:23 PM

I had a CFH and sold it.

Definitely the best wah I've ever owned but it had billions of features and I hardly used it. In the end I needed the money...

mi2tom · #11 09-06-2007, 10:30 PM

Don't get morley get any dunlop's wah, it's much more better sounding than the morley, but I'm still keeping my morley, no money to buy any new gears now

newbieguitarmaker · #12 09-06-2007, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mi2tom

Don't get morley get any dunlop's wah, it's much more better sounding than the morley, but I'm still keeping my morley, no money to buy any new gears now

I had 2 dunlops and those sounded like crapola, maybe I'll try an eq crybaby or something

Martyr Machine · #13 09-06-2007, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mi2tom

Don't get morley get any dunlop's wah, it's much more better sounding than the morley, but I'm still keeping my morley, no money to buy any new gears now

I wouldn't say "any dunlop". Most of them are terrible.
The only ones really worth looking at are the 535Q and the CFH.

**elcid** · #14 09-06-2007, 11:42 PM

I gotta agree with Martyr. I tried a few other Dunlops and the CFH was the only one worth noting, although I would like to try the Slash Sig, I dont think it would replace the CFH.

surfdog777 · #15 09-06-2007, 11:58 PM

The real problem I have with my BH2 is the noise. Step on it without playing and the hiss is enough to kill ya. I do like the contour, and the spring loaded return, and the optical switch. If it wasn't for the damn hiss I'd be 100% stoked with the thing.
As a result, I've been considering that Crybaby too....we'll see.