10 Wah Pedals That Will Make You Say ‘Wow’
Who's ready to rock?! If you want to add a cool vibe to your guitar tone, it's time to get familiar with the wah pedal. Its classic effect makes your guitar sound like it speaks in expressive and funky waves. This pedal works by manipulating the signal's frequency spectrum to create a vocal-like "wah" effect.
With the wah pedal effect, deep and moody tones can instantly change into sharp ones. Some musicians also use this effect pedal to add dynamics and emotion to their music. Would you like to try it, too? Cool! Our guide has prepared the best wah pedal. Let's get started!
1. Xotic Wah XW-2 Red Limited Edition
Xotic Wah XW-2 Red Limited Edition allows guitarists to control minimal with maximum tone. This wah effect pedal offers a fuzz-friendly buffering circuit to ensure your tone, whether strumming guitar or playing heavy bass, remains pure.
Moreover, this effect pedal is designed for smooth operation. Its self-lubricating nylon bushing guarantees consistent and quiet performance, even if your feet move aggressively. Plus, with its adjustable rocker pedal tension, you can adjust the wah feel to your playing style.
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2. Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter
What Marty Friedman uses for that liquid and funky sound is none other than the Maxon AF-9 Auto Filter. If you want to bring a new flavor to your guitar, its optical envelope filter can provide everything from subtle quacks to amazing 'wah' effects.
Thanks to its True Bypass Switching, your tone remains pure even when the effects are off. This makes it one of the best options for guitarists who want to add effects to their pedalboard without degrading the sound quality.
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3. Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95 Standard Wah Pedal
Dunlop Cry Baby GCB95 Standard Wah Pedal is the original Dunlop Wah effects pedal. It has been rocking the stage since its first release. Built with heavy-duty diecast construction, this product is extremely durable. No wonder Kirk Hammett, guitarist of Metallica, used it for years.
Some of you might be confused about choosing this model or other brands. Well, some things make GCB95 different. This effects pedal can give you a fast and abrupt wah sound with its 100K ohm Hot Potz. The price? It's cheap! It's $99.99.
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4. Real McCoy Custom RMC3 Picture Wah Pedal
When first introduced in 1994, the Real McCoy Custom RMC3 Picture Wah Pedal secured its place as the first totally tunable self-contained wah. This pedal is paddlers' dream—a device that provides precision, control, and the best auto-adjusting wah experience.
Furthermore, the Q-Harmonic helps you adjust the sweet spot position within the sweep range. It gives you a super-purpose wah tone that can go from smooth to extreme. Just letting you know, John Mayer also made some of his music with this effect pedal.
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5. BOSS AW-3 Dynamic Wah
Are you having trouble synchronizing your effects? The BOSS AW-3 Dynamic Wah solves that problem with its built-in tempo control. Now, you can customize the wah effect with the right rhythm. The best part? You only need to prepare a budget of $132.93.
But the fun continues! The pedal offers Expression Pedal Input. As the name suggests, this feature allows guitarists to express and control their sound with wah effects more expressively. Moreover, your audio results will sound natural since this product has a Humanizer Effect.
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6. VOX Big Bad Wah Pedal
When ordinary pedals have one inductor, the VOX Big Bad Wah Pedal provides two circuits! Yep, Wah 1 sounds like the classic English VOX wah pedal, while Wah 2 mimics the aggressive tone of modern US wah sounds. It's perfect for metal players who want a tense wah sound.
Besides, you can adjust the wah effect rate for a complete control over how fast or slow the sweep is. In addition, you also get a true signal bypass feature to ensure your tone remains transparent when the effect is turned off.
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7. Dunlop JH1D Jimi Hendrix Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal
Your pedal has never been as cool as the Dunlop JH1D Jimi Hendrix Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal. This device produces the legendary Jimi Hendrix sound color. You can hear its smooth leads to killer wah riffs with astonishing precision.
If you are a fan of the 1960s or 90s, you must have this effect pedal. It has a classic look that is 100% authentic. Thus, attach this effect pedal to your guitar and bring out your long-buried Jimi Hendrix soul. It’s clear to see why this model is one of the best wah pedals in its class.
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8. Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah
Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah is the right choice if you are looking for a versatile effects pedal. Its Variable Input Level Control fine-tunes the sensitivity of your audio. The feature suits everything from funk grooves to screaming wah leads.
Further, the device delivers 3 selectable modes: Jimi, Wacked, and Shaft. Each provides a unique wah flavor. Thus, you can make music of any genre since the pedal is adaptable and multi-purpose.
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9. Dunlop KH95X Kirk Hammett Collection Cry Baby Wah Pedal
Kirk Hammett designed the Dunlop KH95X himself! This pedal reproduces Kirk's perfect volume, EQ, and tone settings. Therefore, you can produce the ideal Metallica wah sound. Anyway, this device is suitable for fast wah action.
Likewise, Kirk also provides 1:1 accuracy for his signature tone. Well, we won't be surprised if you sound like a famous rock star after this. Besides, this pedal uses feet for operation. You can choose Cry Baby 95Q Wah if you want a switchless one.
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10. Dwarfcraft Happiness Effect Pedal
The multi-mode filter pedal you've been waiting for is definitely the Dwarfcraft Happiness Effect Pedal. This pedal offers band pass, low pass, and high pass filtering, allowing you to sculpt your sound with complete freedom.
Plus, the expression jacks for filter cut-off and LFO speed are strategically located along the top panel. These positions make it easy to manipulate the sound in real-time, giving you full control over your performance.
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Conclusion
We highly agree that wah pedals are a unique addition to enhance your guitar expression. Suddenly, every riff feels more alive, and every solo becomes more funk! If you're interested, you can choose from these 10 best wah pedals to make your guitar scream and shout 'Wah!'