GEAR GUIDE: What is the Wah Wah pedal?
- Matt
- Mar 10, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 22
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Let's Get Our Groove on Looking At Everything Wah Pedal
The Wah Wah or Cry Baby Wah Wah was just the pedal that spoke to me as a teenager.
When I started to really dig in and discover music for myself, I ventured heavily back in time to the 60s and 70s. Along with that time period came the distinct sound of the Wah Wah and I was hooked. Psychedelic Rock baby!
It wasn't just the sound either, there was something so rock and roll about the movement of the foot on the pedal that was just so... cool.
I decided to spend my day digging into the history and use of the Wah Wah and see what I could find about this tone bending piece of history.
Contents
What is the history of Wah Wah pedals?
The first version of the Wah Wah pedal was created by accident (which is surprisingly how a lot of great innovations come about). Bradley J. Plunkett was working at an Organ company that was in turn owned by Vox in 1966.
They were attempting to redesign the Vox Super Beatle Amplifier (yes, those Beatles - Vox was cashing in on their name and association with the band) by changing some parts to make a more affordable model for people. By doing so, it created the classic sound that we hear today. After adding it to a foot pedal that was used in an organ, the rest is history.
Vox were actually not thinking of this pedal to be used by guitarist but to be used by woodwind and brass players, kind of like when a trumpeter uses a mute to produce a similar sound to the Wah Wah pedal.
In fact, the original Vox Wah Wah pedal that was released in early 1967 had an image of Clyde McCoy, a trumpeter, on the bottom.
How do you use a Wah Wah pedal?
The operation of the Wah Wah pedal is pretty simple. The main way to use it is to rock back and forth so the pedal goes up and down. When you do this the pedal is making the sound go up and down the frequency creating the sound that you know.
You can also just have the pedal turned on and leave it in one position to change the tone.
What is the Cry Baby Wah Wah Pedal?
The Cry Baby was originally the same pedal as the Vox Wah Wah. Although it's a bit of a complicated story, I found that at the time the Vox company only distributed their pedal to authorised dealers where the Cry Baby was distributed in America by the Organ Company to anyone - even though they were owned by Vox.
Unfortunately the Cry Baby name was never trademarked which meant anyone could use it. Shortly after stores were flooded with rip off copies that came into the country via Italy.
One of the companies that jump at this naming opportunity was Dunlop which might be the most popular brand of Wah Wah pedals. In 2017 the celebrated the 50th year of the Cry Baby Wah, calling out the Thomas Organ Company.
How'd The Wah pedal get so popular?
The Cry Baby Wah pedal became very popular not soon after its creation and can contribute to what people commonly call 'the sound of the 60s and Psychedelica .
Born from attempts to mimic muted brass instruments, giving guitars a vocal-like quality.
Popularised by Jimi Hendrix in the late 1960s on tracks like Voodoo Child (Slight Return).
Became a staple in funk music.
Now heard in rock, funk, metal and psychedelia.
Who used the Wah Wah pedal?
If you take a listen to the revolutionary album, 'Disraeli Gears' by Cream, you can hear a great example of the Wah Wah pedal being used by Eric Clapton on 'Tales of Brave Ulysses'. This is said to be one of the first recordings that used the pedal.
Any talk on the Wah Wah pedal would have to call out Jimi Hendrix, one of my personal heroes. I was interested to find a reference that Frank Zappa was the person who introduced Hendrix to the pedal which I think is a great bit of Trivia.
It was also used further on in the time line. Both Slash and Eddie Van Halen have signature models the Dunlop create.
I also managed to find a video short of John Mayer using two pedals at the same time!
Where can I Buy a Wah Wah pedal?
Wah Wah pedals are pretty common place these days and can be found in most music stores (if you can find them) but also on Amazon so they get straight to you. If online shopping is more your thing, here are a few of the best wah pedals out there.
Classic wah tone heard on countless rock records
Heavy-duty die-cast construction for road use
True bypass to preserve your original tone
Powered by 9V battery or optional adapter
Vintage-style wah inspired by the original 60s VOX design
Lightweight aluminum chassis for easy transport
Smooth sweep with traditional voicing
Affordable entry into classic wah sounds
Compact size, perfect for tight pedalboards
Three internally switchable voicings (Low, Vintage, GCB95)
Full wah tone without sacrificing space
True bypass and rugged build
Signature EVH tone with custom voicing
Styled with Eddie Van Halen’s iconic black-and-yellow stripes
Designed for aggressive lead work and expressive solos
Built-in boost for extra gain and presence
Warm, vocal-like sweep tuned to Slash’s specs
High-gain distortion circuit adds bite
LED indicators for wah and distortion modes
True bypass and road-ready build
Combines wah and volume functions in one unit
Small footprint and lightweight design
True bypass with responsive treadle control
Ideal for budget-conscious players or tight setups
In Summary - What is the Cry Baby Wah Wah pedal?
The Wah Wah was created in the late '60s
It was create by accident but they loved the sound
The Cry Baby name was used by many manufactures as it was not trademarked
It contributed to the sound of the '60s
Famous users were Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, Slash, Eddie Van Halen & John Mayer.
About the Author
Matt A, Founder and Head Writer @ Music Thought House
I have had a lifelong passion for music. I picked up my first guitar when I was 10 and it's been there, most of the time haha, ever since. I have played and studied music ever since that time, always trying to learn more and get better. There is not one aspect of music that I am still not in awe of.
I have gathered a lot of information over time and now, with Music Thought House, I have decided to release it on the world.
I know that music can be daunting and seemingly complex and I am not a complicated person. The blog posts I write am to keep things simple and straightforward so everyone can get a better understanding of music.
Glossary
9V Adapter/Battery – Standard power source used to run most Wah Wah pedals, either through a 9V battery or external adapter.
Die-Cast Construction – A durable metal casing used in many pedals for road-worthy toughness and longevity.
Psychedelic Rock – A 1960s music genre that heavily used Wah Wah pedals for swirling, expressive guitar tones.
True Bypass – A pedal wiring method that allows the guitar signal to pass through unaffected when the pedal is off, preserving tone clarity.
Vox – A British amplifier and effects pedal company that helped develop the original Wah Wah effect in the 1960s.
Wah Wah Pedal – A guitar effects pedal that alters the tone and frequency sweep of the signal, mimicking a human voice and adding dynamic expression.
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