The Morley Tone Questor is a wah pedal with EQ and level controls built into a switchless design. Announced by Morley in April 2023 as the Tone Questor Wah, it steps the wah in and out without a footswitch: you step on the treadle to engage the effect and step off to bypass1. Morley describes its sweep as running from "Trebly Classic Wah Sounds to Dark and Mysterious Sonic Possibilities"2.
Controls and how it works
The Tone Questor adds tone-shaping controls that most basic wahs leave out. Morley describes the Decibel control as a way to "Crank up the Decibel control to put yourself above the mix or pull it back for subtle Wah action"2. The EQ control shapes the wah's character, and the level control sets overall output2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Decibel (dB) | Raises the pedal above the mix or pulls it back for subtle wah action2 |
| EQ | Shapes the tone, part of the EQ and Level control set2 |
| Level | Sets the output level2 |
| Treadle | Step on to engage the wah, step off to bypass2 |
Inside, the pedal uses what Morley calls its "Famous Electro-Optical design. No pots to wear out!"2. In an electro-optical wah, the treadle's position is read optically rather than through a potentiometer, which is why Morley points to the absence of pots to wear out. The pedal also carries what Morley describes as a "Premium Morley Buffer Circuit that protects your tone from any mischief in your signal chain"2. If you want to read more about that side of things, see Buffer Pedals.
The enclosure is sized to save space on a pedalboard while keeping the treadle comfortable to play, according to Morley2. It sits in Morley's switchless wah family alongside pedals like the Morley Bad Horsie 2 and the Morley 20/20 Classic Switchless Wah.
Power and connections
The Tone Questor runs on standard 9V operation, with a quick clip battery door for battery changes2. It accepts guitar, bass or keys at its input, so it is not tied to one instrument2.
Morley's product page gives the power arrangement as "Standard 9v Operation with quick clip battery door"2.
Availability
Morley announced the Tone Questor in April 2023, describing it in the US as "available exclusively at Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend.com"1. The current product page widens that: the pedal is "Available in the US at Guitar Center or Musician's Friend and at select dealers worldwide"2.
Videos
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Peter Plays Guitar
Questions
Does the Morley Tone Questor take a battery?
Yes. Morley describes the Tone Questor as standard 9V operation with a quick clip battery door, so it can run on a 9V battery or a 9V power supply. The battery door is designed for quick battery changes, and the pedal also accepts standard 9V power for board use.
Is the Morley Tone Questor a switchless wah?
Yes. Morley calls it a simple, straightforward switchless wah. There is no footswitch to stomp: you simply step on the treadle to engage the wah and step off to bypass. That makes it quicker to bring the effect in and out mid-phrase than a conventional wah with a switch.
Where can you buy the Morley Tone Questor?
Morley lists the Tone Questor as available in the US at Guitar Center or Musician's Friend and at select dealers worldwide. When the pedal was announced in April 2023, Morley described it as available exclusively at Guitar Center and Musiciansfriend.com in the US.
Can you use the Morley Tone Questor with bass or keyboards?
Yes. Morley states that the Tone Questor works with guitar, bass or keys, so it is not limited to electric guitar. The EQ and level controls let you tailor the wah sweep and output level to suit whichever instrument you plug in.
What does the Decibel control do?
The Decibel control sets how loud the wah sits in the mix. Morley says you can crank it up to put yourself above the mix or pull it back for subtle wah action. Alongside the EQ control, it lets you set both the character and the level of the effect.
Sources (2)
- New Morley Tone Questor, Morley, 2023-04-13
- Tone Questor Wah, Morley
