Best Wah Pedal to Add Some Expression to Your Music
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Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah Pedal -
Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Signature Crybaby Wah Pedal -
CBM95 Cry Baby Mini Wah Pedal -
Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah Pedal -
VOX V847a Wah Pedal -
Buyer's Guide
Asking a guitarist to pick the best effect pedal is going to result in a wide variety of answers, but there’s one thing that is for certain, there are few effects pedals as fun (and as involving) to play as a wah pedal. By moving the pedal up and down with one’s foot, the unit sweeps the peak response of a filter up and down in frequency, creating a “wah” like sound that is similar to that of the human voice. There are multiple ways that this pedal can be used for expression, whether it’s applied to scorching guitar solos, funky rhythms, or anywhere in between.
Here are the best wah pedals in 2022, with each selection giving players the flexibility of choosing between a battery or AC adapter power source, durable case builds to ensure that these devices won’t break under the type of heavy use that wah pedals typically receive, and specific tonal settings entirely unique to that pedal and not found anywhere else.
Best Wah Pedals Worth Considering in 2022
Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah Pedal - Best Wah Pedal Overall
6-string assassin Steve Vai is a legend to guitarists worldwide, having played with a range of artists including Ozzy Osbourne, Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake, to say nothing of his own solo work. A huge part of Vai’s sound has been his expressive use of the wah pedal. Morely teamed with Vai on their last collaborative pedal, but the Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah steps things up a notch, providing players with the ability to dial in Vai’s exact tones or make their own. One unique element of the Bad Horsie 2 is its switchless design; activating this effect is as easy as simply stepping on it, and deactivates just by removing your foot from the pedal.
This feature is also helpful in that it bypasses the typical wah design involving pedal pots which are usually the first things to start to wear down and detrimentally affect the tone of the pedal. If you’re looking for Vai’s wah tone, the Bad Horsie 2 has got you covered. It also features a foot switchable second mode that gives players the ability to craft their own tone, with adjustable Q and wah levels. Whatever you opt for, this pedal is definitely a welcome addition to any player looking for an in-your-face wah tone.
Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Signature Crybaby Wah Pedal - Runner Up
There were a lot of factors contributing to the meteoric rise of 90s grunge band Alice in Chains, not the least of which was the smoldering guitar heroics of lead axeman Jerry Cantrell. A significant part of the guitarist’s identity could be found in his use of wah wah for songs like “The Rooster” and “Man in the Box". Jim Dunlop paired with the AiC guitarist for their Jerry Cantrell Signature Cry Baby Wah Wah, a pedal that emulates his preference for wider, darker frequency sweep response.
A key factor in emulating Cantrell’s sound with this pedal is its narrow band, which results in a tighter and punchier sound as you’re getting a far more pronounced wah. Alternately, the range of frequencies that this Cry Baby can sweep through is quite wide, diving down to 350 Hz and peaking all the way up to roughly 2000 Hz. As a result, you’re able to get deep and dark tones or reach up to the higher frequencies to really make your tone sing. This pedal also has some great visual character, thanks to its oxidized “road worn” brass casting; it truly looks like it has been sitting in “the box” for quite some time.
CBM95 Cry Baby Mini Wah Pedal - Honorable Mention
Truth be told, Jim Dunlop’s original Cry Baby Wah Wah GCB95 is synonymous with what most people hear and imagine when they think of the wah effect. This unit has been used by legends like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, forever shaping the sounds of musicians that would follow in their footsteps. And while there have definitely been some amazing wah pedals that have been introduced since the introduction of the GCB95, the grandaddy of them all still has a rightful seat at the head of the table.
The Cry Baby’s build makes for a highly durable unit designed to withstand the wear-and-tear something like a wah pedal is going to endure; after all, it’s a much more involved experience than just tapping on a button. The heavy-duty diecast build can handle any amount of pressure and rocking that you give it with a 100K ohm Hot Potz potentiometer being the driving force behind this pedal’s quick wah sound. And this unit is able to be powered by a single 9 volt battery or by Dunlop’s AC Adapter, providing versatility for players when considering how they want to provide juice for their Cry Baby.
Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah Pedal - Consider
There’s nothing conventional about the BOSS AW-3 Dynamic Wah pedal, but that isn’t necessarily bad thing. The first thing you’ll notice that distinguishes it from its wah brethren is the units design; you won’t be rocking back and forth on this unit to get the wah sound, but instead using a single stomp to activate both fixed and auto wah settings. These settings can be adjusted using an onboard manual control knob, or by using an optional pedal to set the tempo. The AW-3 can also work with an optional expression pedal in order to trigger Pedal Wah effects. The dynamic wah sounds in the AW-3 are actually affected by the strength with which your pick attacks the guitar strings, which puts more control into the player’s hands (as opposed to their feet). A Humanizer mode incorporates human voice sounds to create a “talking” effect while the AW-3 also offers a dedicated input for bass, which gives this unit further versatility in providing sound to both bass and electric guitars.
VOX V847a Wah Pedal - Best Wah Pedal
Vox originally introduced their wah pedal in the 1960s and it was an instant smash hit among guitarists everywhere. With their V847A, Vox has preserved the classic sound of the original but also updated the pedal with some modern flourishes; they’re not reinventing the wheel here, but they certainly have improved the functionality of the pedal in ways that guitarists will definitely appreciate So what exactly has changed?
For one, this unit has the ability to be powered by AC, and a buffered input jack maintains the unprocessed guitar tone when the pedal is not in use. The dynamics and tone of the pedal have also been improved thanks to the inductor which has been redesigned in order to closer fit the specifications of the original Vox wah inductors. This makes for a sound that's instantly reminiscent of the classic rock wah sounds which have shaped generations over the last few decades. In the end, this wah pedal may not have much flash to it, but when you’re basing your design and approach around such a flawless formula, there’s not too much that can be improved upon.
Buyer's Guide
What is a Wah Pedal?
If you have followed rock music and are a guitar lover, you would probably know what a wah pedal is. The wah pedal has become incredibly popular since the 1960s, with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Metallica using it in their legendary songs. Basically, the wah pedal is an effects pedal that you install with your electric guitar, and it modulates the frequencies in the signal produced by the guitar.
Every time you strum an electric guitar and a sound comes out, it is made up of different frequencies that work together and produce the sound that you hear. The wah pedal acts as a bridge between your guitar and the amplifier, and when you press on the pedal, the sound from the guitar gets changed and comes out of the speaker in a distinct way. It closely resembles a human saying ‘wah wah’, hence the name.
History of the Wah Pedal
The creation of the first-ever wah pedal is attributed to Bradley J. Plunkett at Warwick Electronics Inc. in November 1966. It was made using a breadboard circuit with a potentiometer on it, as well as a series of transistors that provided a boost to the mid-range frequencies of the sound created by the guitar. The entire system was housed inside the casing of an organ volume pedal by Vox Continental.
The discovery of the wah pedal was actually accidental. Brad Plunkett was tasked with taking apart the Vox AC-100 guitar amplifier and finding out how it can be produced at a lower cost. Upon dismantling the amplifier, he noticed the mid-range boost switch, which amplified the frequencies between 300 Hz and 5,000 Hz instantly.
Plunkett found a way to replace the costly switch with a much cheaper potentiometer, and while this completed the task he was given, he started playing around with different parts and came up with a circuit that would alter the guitar’s signal upon the turning of a knob. Although the circuit worked and produced a great effect, he needed to find a way for guitarists to be able to use it, since they can’t twist the knob themselves.
Hence, the Vox Continental organ volume pedal came into play, and by February 1967, the first wah pedal was released into the market by Thomas Organ Company. Brad Plunkett immediately filed for a patent for the wah pedal, which was approved in 1970.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Wah Pedal
The wah pedal is an interesting addition to your guitar equipment, and it goes a long way to produce a different and vibrant sound that you can use in your recordings, as well as when you are playing live. But choosing the right wah pedal is a challenging task, and these factors must be taken into account before you lock in a certain model for buying.
Inductor
The inductor is one of the most essential components of a wah pedal, and it assists in altering the sound by storing the charge and releasing it as soon as the current is cut off. There are numerous types of inductors found in different wah pedals, and each one of them helps in producing a different kind of sound.
Some of the common types of inductors used in wah pedals are halo, fasel, stack of dimes, TDK, and many others. You can find out the type of inductor by having a look at the product description, and also checking out the customer reviews to find out what kind of a sound is produced due to the presence of a particular inductor.
Central frequency
The central frequency is another key factor that you must think about while choosing the right wah pedal. Usually represented as Q, the central frequency is altered when you press on the wah pedal. Each wah pedal has a certain level for Q, which you can find if you explore the product descriptions of each wah pedal you come across.
Generally, the higher the level of Q, the more focused the sound will be on the wah pedal. Moreover, the lower the value, the wider the range of central frequency that you can alter.
Boost
Another very important factor that you need to look out for is the boost, which is the level of gain applied to the resonant frequency of the guitar sound produced by you. As you slowly press on the wah pedal, the boost allows the mid-range frequencies to go up slightly, and when you press it all the way, the boost will allow the frequencies to go up to the maximum level.
Therefore, you can choose a wah pedal that provides a high level of boost, as it will allow you to alter your sound to a great degree.
Q Curve
The Q curve is another key factor that comes into play when you have to choose between different models of wah pedals. The Q curve refers to the range of frequencies on which the boost feature is applied, as discussed in the previous section. If the Q curve is lower, then the wah pedal will boost a narrow range of frequencies when you press on it.
Moreover, if the Q curve has a higher value, the wah pedal will work on a higher range of frequencies, which will produce a more refined sound.
Best Wah Pedal FAQs
Q. Where should the wah pedal be placed on the effect signal chain?
A. Usually, the best guitarists place the wah pedal at the beginning of the effect signal chain, along with the compressor and volume pedals. The wah pedal is usually followed by the distortion or overdrive pedal.
Q. What is a true bypass wah pedal?
A. A true bypass wah pedal comes with a bypass system and a pre-installed buffer, which is activated when you turn the power on.
Q. How can I make the wah pedal sound better?
A. One way to enhance the sound of your wah pedal is to slide the pedal back and forth instead of holding it in one position and doing so much faster than you normally would.
