How to Add an LED to a Wah Pedal

Being one of the first guitar effect pedals to be developed, the design of the Wah pedal has remained relatively consistent for decades. This includes some elements that may not be as desirable, such as the normal lack of an LED indicating whether the pedal is off or on. This can easily be remedied by simply adding an LED circuit to the existing components of the pedal. This modification can only be undertaken with a pedal that uses a 9V power adaptor and has at least a double-pole double-throw (DPDT) switch. If your pedal does not contain these components, you will first need to add them.

Things You'll Need

• LED
• 1k ohm resistor
• Insulated copper wire
• Soldering iron
• Rosin-core solder
• Drill and drill bit

Instructions

1. Solder a 1k ohm resistor to the cathode lead of the LED. This will be the shorter of the two leads.

2. Solder enough insulated wire onto the end of the resistor and remaining LED lead to reach between the LED mounting point, the switch, and the 9V adaptor jack.

3. Locate the free outside terminal on the switch matching the "On" position of the wah effect, and solder the wire connected to the longer anode lead to the terminal. The wah effect circuit will be connected to two of three terminals on one side of the switch, the LED circuit will be wired to the second set of terminals.

4. Solder the wire from the resistor lead to the positive terminal of the 9V power jack.

5. Connect a wire between the negative terminal of the power jack and the second, free middle terminal on the switch.

6. Use a drill bit matching the mounting diameter of your LED to drill a mounting hole in the chassis of the pedal. The mounting diameter of the LED will be listed on the package.

Tips & Warnings

• If your effect utilizes true bypass wiring, it will most likely use a 3PDT switch, in which case you will follow the same procedure, but use the open third set of terminals.

References

• StinkFoot.se: Dunlop GCB-95 Mods