Wah Pedal: History, Sounds, Techniques & Best Models

Table of Contents

What is a Wah Pedal?

The wah pedal creates its signature vocal "wah-wah" sound by using a filter that sweeps across the frequency spectrum. As you press down on the pedal, the filter opens up, creating a bright, treble-heavy tone. As you release the pedal, the filter closes, darkening the sound. This filter sweep mimics the opening and closing of the human voice box, giving the wah its distinctive vocal-like tone.

Inside the pedal, a potentiometer is connected to the rocker pedal mechanism. As you press on the pedal, it moves the potentiometer, which in turn adjusts the corner frequency of the filter. An inductor is used to create the resonant bandpass filter circuit that gives the wah its tonal sweep. The input and output jacks allow you to connect the wah pedal to your guitar and amp or other effects.

The first wah pedals emerged in the mid-1960s, with pioneering guitarists like Jimi Hendrix popularizing their signature crying, vocal-like tones. Since then, the wah has become an essential effect for genres from funk to metal, with players using the pedal to create sounds that mimic the human voice.

Here’s an audio example of a wah pedal being swept through its range on an electric guitar:

Iconic Wah Pedal Sounds & Players

The wah pedal effect has been used by countless iconic guitarists over the decades, many of whom helped define the signature "wah wah" tone. Here are some of the most famous wah pedal sounds and the guitarists behind them:

Jimi Hendrix – Hendrix revolutionized the use of the wah pedal, employing it for lead lines and solos on songs like "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)". His fluid, emotive wah playing became an integral part of his psychedelic guitar sound.
Eric Clapton – Clapton made great use of the wah effect during his time with Cream, including the legendary solos on "White Room". His smooth, melodic wah tone established the pedal as a key part of blues and classic rock sounds.
Michael Schenker – The German hard rock guitarist used the wah pedal extensively with UFO, producing an aggressive, cutting wah tone on solos for songs like "Lights Out". He helped pioneer wah pedal use in metal and heavy rock.
Slash – The Guns N’ Roses guitarist created one of the most recognizable wah intros ever on "Sweet Child O’ Mine". His raw, rocking wah tone perfectly complemented the band’s hard-edged sound.
Kirk Hammett – Metallica’s lead guitarist used the wah pedal to produce his screaming solo on "Enter Sandman". It became an iconic metal wah sound, influencing many heavy guitarists that followed.
Zakk Wylde – Ozzy Osbourne’s shredder extraordinaire achieved an intense, pinch-harmonic filled wah tone on solos for "No More Tears". His signature "bullhorn" wah effect is instantly recognizable.
Jerry Cantrell – The Alice In Chains guitarist crafted a dark, grungy wah sound on songs like "Man in the Box", helping define the wah tone of the grunge era.

Types of Wah Pedals

Wah pedals come in a variety of different types and variations to produce the signature wah effect. Here are some of the main types to know about:

Optical vs Inductor Wahs: The most common distinction is between optical and inductor-based wah circuits. Optical wahs use an LED and LDR (light dependent resistor) to create the filter sweep, while inductor wahs use a coil and capacitor. Optical wahs tend to have a smoother, more subtle sound while inductor wahs are more bold and vocal-like.
Mini Wah Pedals: For cramped pedalboards, mini and compact wah pedals provide the same classic effect in a smaller footprint. Popular mini wah models include the Dunlop Cry Baby Mini and Vox V847-A Mini Wah.
Multi-Mode Wahs: More advanced wah pedals include controls for the Q and frequency range to customize the effect. This allows guitarists to fine tune the tone sweep and dial in their perfect wah sound.
Signature Artist Wahs: Wah pedals modeled after famous guitarists include Dunlop’s Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell wahs, replicating their signature tones.
Envelope Filters: While not true wah pedals, envelope filters like the Mu-Tron III create auto-wah effects based on picking dynamics.
Volume Pedals: While designed as volume controls, optical volume pedals can also imitate a wah tone when rocked with your foot.

How to Use a Wah Pedal

The wah pedal opens up a wide range of tone shaping and expressive possibilities. Here are some essential wah techniques and uses:

Cocked Wah – Set the wah so the toe is down to give a fixed wah sound. Useful for funk riffs and rhythmic parts.
Vowel Shapes – Sweep the wah to make vowel shapes like "ooo", "aaa", "hey". Adds vocal-like articulation.
Slow Sweeps – For emotional solo tones, slowly press down with the toe and release back to heel.
Wah + Distortion – A wah before distortion acts like an EQ, shaping the overdrive tone. After distortion exaggerates the filtering effect.
Wah + Modulation – Using a wah with phasers, flangers, chorus creates more dramatic and animated textures.
Wah Acoustic – Provides almost synth-like tones for acoustic guitar. Use cocked wah for rhythms.
Wah Bass – Iconic effect for funk bass lines. Also useful for bass fills and expressive tones.

The wah pedal placement and interaction with other effects offers a wide palette of tones. Experiment with integrating the wah into your signal chain to find inspiring sounds.

Wah Pedal Setup & Tone Tips

Proper setup and dialing in your tone is key to getting the most out of your wah pedal. Here are some tips for optimizing your wah’s sound:

Adjust the Treadle Tension
The treadle tension controls the resistance of the pedal and how easy it is to rock back and forth. Tighter tension makes it harder to move the pedal but can allow more precise control. Looser tension creates a looser feel. Adjust the treadle spring tension knob until the pedal action feels comfortable for your foot size and playing style.

Use the Q and Sweep Controls
Many modern wah pedals have knobs for the Q and frequency sweep range. The Q control adjusts the resonance peak – higher Q gives a more pronounced vocal tone. The sweep knob sets the upper and lower limits of the frequency filter. Experiment with these controls to hone in your ideal wah sound.

Buffer vs True Bypass
Buffers keep your high end tones intact, while true bypass preserves the natural wah sound. Buffered bypass wahs work well with longer cable runs, while true bypass retain clarity for recording and effects loops. Choose based on your setup and tonal needs.

Shape the Tone with an EQ
An EQ pedal placed before or after the wah allows you to fine tune the frequency response. Cutting some lows and boosting upper mids can make the wah cut through the mix. An EQ can also tame shrill highs.

Stacking Filters
Combining a wah with phasers, flangers, or envelope filters creates unique hybrid tones. The key is balancing the effect levels so one doesn’t overwhelm the other. Moderate rate/depth settings on the modulation effect work best.

Optimize for Clean and Distortion
For clean tones, use a subtle cocked wah sound with a narrow filter range. With heavy distortion, go for a wide open resonant wah to cut through the mix. Adjusting the Q and sweep range helps optimize the wah for different gain levels.

Best Wah Pedals for 2024

When it comes to selecting the best wah pedal for your needs, there are a ton of great options on the market. Here are some of the top wah pedals to consider for 2024:

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

The Dunlop Cry Baby is the classic and iconic wah pedal. The standard Cry Baby provides that quintessential rock wah tone heard on countless records. It has a durable diecast housing and an adjustable boost switch for extra volume. The GCB95 Cry Baby offers a more modern take with switchable wah voicings.

Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah

This signature wah was designed by virtuoso Steve Vai. It has a contour mode for extra range and tweakable Q control. The Bad Horsie 2 has a small footprint but packs a big wah punch.

Xotic XW-1 Wah

The XW-1 is an optical wah known for its warm, vintage vibe. It has a wider sweep range than many wahs and sounds excellent with fuzz and overdrive pedals.

Dunlop Cry Baby Mini

If you need a mini pedalboard-friendly wah, the Cry Baby Mini is a top choice. It captures that Cry Baby mojo in a tiny rugged housing.

Wilson Ten Spot II Wah

This handmade boutique wah offers insane versatility with 10 wah modes to choose from. It’s on the pricier side but provides the ultimate tweakable wah experience.

MXR Custom Shop Jimi Hendrix Octavio Fuzz Wah

Modeled after Jimi’s famous octave-fuzz-wah tone, this signature pedal combines fuzz and wah circuits for psychedelic soundscapes.

Aguilar Filter Twin

A killer wah option for bassists, the Aguilar Filter Twin features dual filter modes and clean blend for dialing in the ideal wah bass tone.

Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah

With its 3-band EQ and variable Q control, the 535Q Cry Baby lets you customize your wah tone in extensive detail.

So whether you need a vintage rock wah or modern multi-mode tweakable wah, there are excellent options for every budget and playing style. Test some wahs out at your local shop and find your perfect flavor of wah tone.

Wah Pedal Alternatives

While traditional wah pedals with a rocker foot pedal are the most common, there are some other options for getting wah-like effects:

Envelope Filters

Envelope filters are a type of effects pedal that can mimic auto-wah or filter sweep sounds without needing to manually move a pedal. An envelope filter detects the attack of each note and triggers a filter sweep accordingly. This allows you to get rhythmic, synced filter effects hands-free. Some popular envelope filters are the Mu-Tron III, MXR Bass Envelope Filter, and Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron.

Auto-Wah Pedals

Auto-wah pedals use an internal oscillator to create a repeating filter sweep sound. The rate and depth of the auto-wah effect can typically be adjusted via knobs on the pedal. The Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q Multi-Wah is an example of a pedal that offers both traditional wah and auto-wah modes.

Volume/Expression Pedals

An expression or volume pedal can be used to manually control a wah effect in place of a traditional wah pedal. The pedal controls the level sent to an envelope filter or auto-wah effect. So by rocking the volume pedal, you can create a wah sound. Optical volume pedals like the Ernie Ball VP Jr. are commonly used for this purpose.

Notable Wah Pedal Brands

Some of the most well-known and reputable wah pedal brands include:

Dunlop/Cry Baby

Dunlop Manufacturing is the leading wah pedal brand, best known for their iconic Cry Baby line. First introduced in 1966, the Cry Baby wah has been played by legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Slash. Dunlop’s current Cry Baby lineup includes reissues of vintage models as well as more modern and compact iterations. Popular Dunlop wah pedals include:

Cry Baby 535Q: Modeled after the wah tones of Slash and Zakk Wylde
Cry Baby Mini: Compact mini wah pedal
Cry Baby Wah Wah: Dunlop’s modern take on the original Cry Baby
GCB95 Cry Baby: Recreation of the original 1960s Cry Baby pedal

Vox

Vox is another major wah pedal brand, producing the classic Vox V847 wah since 1967. Known for its distinct vintage tone, the V847 is an inductor-based wah pedal that has been used by guitarists like Brian May of Queen. Other notable Vox wah pedals include the multi-mode V845 and the mini V848 Clyde McCoy wah.

Fulltone

Fulltone makes boutique wah pedals known for premium components and unique designs. Popular Fulltone wah pedals include the Clyde Deluxe and Clyde Standard, which aim to capture vintage wah tones in a more compact chassis.

Morley

Morley is known for wah pedals with optical circuits instead of traditional inductors. Their popular "Morley Bad Horsie" wah has been used by players like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Morley wahs are known for a smoother, more gradual filter sweep.

Wilson Effects

Wilson Effects creates handmade boutique wah pedals, most notably the Wilson Ten Spot II wah. It offers extensive tone-shaping controls and switchable wah voicings for customized wah tones.

Wah Pedal Controls

A wah pedal gives guitarists control over their tone with various adjustable parameters. The main controls on a wah pedal include:

Rocker Pedal – The rocker pedal, treadle, or footpad is what you press with your foot to activate the wah effect. The position of the pedal determines the frequency setting of the wah filter. Pressing down sweeps the filter from low to high frequencies.
Q Control – The Q or resonance knob controls the intensity of the wah effect. Higher Q settings make the wah more pronounced and resonant. Lower Q makes it more subtle.
Frequency Range – Multi-mode wah pedals often have a control for adjusting the frequency sweep range. This lets guitarists hone in on the exact wah frequency range they want.
Boost Switch – Some wah pedals have a switch to engage a volume boost. This accentuates the wah effect and makes it cut through the mix more. It’s useful for solos or rhythmic wah effects.

Getting hands-on with the various controls is key for dialling in your ideal wah tones. Take time to experiment with the available parameters on your wah pedal. The most versatile wahs give guitarists the flexibility to craft a diverse array of wah sounds.

Wah Pedal Maintenance

Proper maintenance is key to keeping your wah pedal sounding its best and avoiding issues. Here are some tips for cleaning, lubricating, replacing parts, and troubleshooting common wah pedal problems:

Cleaning and Lubricating

Use compressed air to blow dust out of the treadle/pedal and interior components. Avoid blowing near potentiometers.
Use a clean toothbrush and isopropyl alcohol to gently scrub dirt off the pedal.
Apply a small amount of electric contact cleaner spray to the potentiometers to clean them. Rotate the knobs and treadle while spraying to work the cleaner in.
Lubricate potentiometer shafts, bearings, and joints with sewing machine oil or synthetic lubricant. Avoid getting oil on circuit boards.

Replacing the Inductor

The inductor is the heart of the wah effect. After years of use, the inductor can become scratchy or lose its sweep range. Replacing it can restore wah function and improve tone.

Match the inductance value and wiring of the original when choosing a replacement inductor. Modern inductors can also be used.
De-solder the original inductor and remove it. Clean the area with solder wick before installing the new inductor.
Solder the new inductor in place, following the original wiring layout. Test the pedal after replacing the inductor.

Troubleshooting Issues

If the wah effect is weak/absent, check wiring connections and try replacing the inductor.
For scratchy/noisy operation, clean and lubricate the potentiometers and bearings. Replace worn parts if needed.
Pedal not going back to heel position can be fixed by adjusting the potentiometer gear linkage.
Cracked or broken rocker pedals can be replaced with new pedal assemblies available from parts suppliers.

Regular maintenance and replacing worn components as needed will keep your wah pedal playing its best for years to come. Let me know if you would like me to expand on any part of this section further.