I was digging through old gear that I haven't used in years and came across an old Cry Baby wah pedal. Don't know the year, but it was made by Thomas Organ, Sepulveda, CA. Patent Pending. I figure it is mid 70s. On Ebay they are going for about $150 to $200 as opposed to the Dunlop version which go for about half of that.
Does anyone know of any significant difference between these. Does Dunlap outsource these to China now? Just curious.

I believe that's an example of the notion that anything which is merely old is inherently better than something which is new, despite the ongoing march of technological progress.

I have one from 1967 - Vox Clyde McCoy signature model made by Thomas Organ Company. Also have a new Vox from 15 years back.

Side by side there's a slight difference but if I didn't have them both I wouldn't know.

The older one has a warmer wah and more growl but it's very slight. I've heard of the Sixties models going for $1,000 or more on eBay.

I agree Scott - however, with some things the older versions were hand built or better components were used than some of the newer stuff that is made mostly by a machine using the cheapest parts available... but your right - some folks pay way too much for worn out "vintage" junk just because it is old. Go figger.

Holy crap I have one of those.

Me too. I would get a lot more use out of $1000 than I ever have out of the wah.

this thread instilled deja vu in me...

here's why

http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2263388/Cry_Baby_Wah_Dunlap_or_Thomas_

going through my bookmarks... I know within the past couple of years I read an article on the Crybaby in all its phases...

http://www.analogman.com/kraft.htm

-> documentary on the Cry baby http://www.crybabydoc.com/

I think some people don't consider Dunlop-era Crybabys to be the real thing or something... which... Thomas Organ Co. would seem to be more suspect since they almost wrecked Vox with poor quality amps.

I got in an MXR Smartgate pedal today... was a special for cheap last week that I got a bulletin about, and a co-worker picked up the box and kind of took an attitude about Dunlop owning MXR now... there's no reason for that, I trust the name Jim Dunlop!!! I think some people don't like change... and as Scott said anything old is better to some people.

I have some old Vox wah a girlfriend found sitting on top of a full trash dumpster she walked by in NYC in it's little vinyl case that works fine... dunno why someone threw it out.

I also have a recent Crybaby and some other wah I can't remember that people have begged me to buy when they needed a few bucks. Have never used them other than making sure they work.

And somewhere I have my favorite: the Uni-wah, which uses a flashlight's worth of D cell batteries and sounds different/has its own vibe.

oh, and I had a Cry Baby Fuzz Wah from the 60s that someone borrowed and lost... I miss it.

Interesting... I thought I'd read it was originally developed in England by Vox, but someone at Vox America/Thomas Organ invented it.

Watch the doc. Great and informative...