Best Wah Pedal for 2025 [Our Reviews and Comparisons]
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Have you heard the recording of Isaac Haynes’ theme from Shaft or Jimi Hendrix’s intro to Voodoo Child? As a guitarist, if you have heard these, then you will understand that such tones on an electric guitar can be achieved through wah pedals. So the best wah pedal is important.
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Wah pedal enhances the overall tones of the guitar making the sounds bassier and the sound output more incredible. Narrowing down on the best wah pedal can be difficult at times. But we bring to you this review of five best wah pedals to help you figure out the right one that provides excellent guitar effects.
Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah Pedal [amazon fields=”B0002CZVK0″ value=”thumb”] |
|
[amazon fields=”B0002CZVK0″ value=”button”] |
| 2. Vox V847A Wah Pedal [amazon fields=”B000TGHVGQ” value=”thumb”] |
|
[amazon fields=”B000TGHVGQ” value=”button”] |
| 3. Xotic XW-1 True Bypass Wah Pedal [amazon fields=”B00YHU343E” value=”thumb”] |
|
[amazon fields=”B00YHU343E” value=”button”] |
| 4. Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedalbr>[amazon fields=”B0031AZH6S” value=”thumb”] |
|
[amazon fields=”B0031AZH6S” value=”button”] |
| 5. Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah [amazon fields=”B000CD3QY2″ value=”thumb”] |
|
[amazon fields=”B000CD3QY2″ value=”button”] |
Our Best Wah Pedal Reviews and Comparisons
1. Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah Pedal
Product Highlights
Dunlop’s Cry Baby original series is one that has created some of the timeless sounds in the Rock genre. The GCB95 wah pedal is capable of producing traditional sounds and is available at an affordable price.
Features
This is the go-to wah pedal for achieving that 60s Jim Hendrix sound. Although the pedal doesn’t offer adjustability yet its tone and functionality can be set according to the personal taste of the guitarists. Moreover, GCB95 is constructed from heavy cast materials and weighs 3.7 pounds.
Being associated with some great names of Rock music, this reliable wah pedal has produced some of the most popular melodies. Besides, its Hotz Potz Potentiometer produces great wah sounds through its 100K Ohms unit of power.
What We Like About Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah Pedal
One of the most incredible parts of this wah pedal is its treadle. Its versatility generates more treble and when it heels down it produces more bass. Besides, based on the guitarists’ style of playing, the amount and the speed of the effect will differ.
Moreover, the treadle can be held in a single position, enabling the guitarist to produce a certain amount of frequency, also to create the desired overtone.
What We Don’t Like About Dunlop GCB95 Cry Baby Wah Pedal
On the flip side, the feature that can be improved is its adjustability.
It is not a true bypass pedal and without any external molding and tweezing the internals, there is no adjustability. Also, at times it becomes too noisy and affects the tone.
PROS
- Affordable price
- Constructed from heavy cast materials
- Quite versatile
- Hotz Potz Potentiometer for great wah sounds
CONS
- No adjustability
- Too noisy and affects the tone
2. Vox V847A Wah Pedal
Product Highlights
Vox is known to be one of the oldest and leading manufacturers in the world. Amongst all its guitar accessories, one of the few highlight products is their wah pedal.
Features
Since its original model back in the 60s, this wah pedal has improved a lot on its features. An AC power supply and the ability to input a buffer jack have been incorporated in this model to maintain zero interference even when not in use. It requires a 9V battery to power and can go up to 100 hours of uninterrupted uptime.
Further, it’s a pedal that has got great durability. It can last really long without the hassle of carrying a backup pedal.
What We Like About [Vox V847A Wah Pedal
The feature which makes this pedal worth considering is the classic and fantastic sound effects it produces that are quite satisfying with a range of tuning control. The mechanism is smoother than many competitor pedals and with a redesigned inductor the tone has enhanced and turned more dynamic.
So if you are looking for a startup wah pedal, then this is apt for its cheap price range and its incredible sound quality.
What We Don’t Like About Vox V847A Wah Pedal
The only drawback of this pedal is its battery. The battery life isn’t good enough and requires improvement.
PROS
- AC power supply
- Input a buffer jack to maintain zero interference
- Great durability
- Redesigned inductor
CONS
- Battery life isn’t good enough
3. Xotic XW-1 True Bypass Wah Pedal
Product Highlights
Xotic XW-1 True Bypass Wah Pedal is constructed based on the Holy Grail wah, dating back to 1967-68. This pedal comes with unlimited sounds and unique control which can shape and contour sounds.
Features
It is one of the most versatile wah pedals available on the market today, which is due to its adjustability and flexibility. Plus, it is built of premium quality materials, which makes it sturdy and durable.
Besides, the bushing pivot of the pedal is made of self-lubricating nylon to ensure noiseless and smooth operation. Even the pedal tension is a crucial feature, as it is fully adjustable and allows it to be modified according to the preferred feel.
What We Like About Xotic XW-1 True Bypass Wah Pedal
XW-1 has a smaller footprint compared to its competitors on the market, which makes it convenient to use. Another remarkable feature of this pedal is its gold contact relay true bypassing, which indicates that the guitarist can transfer the tone without altering it; and this helps the sound to retain its good qualities.
On the other hand, the controls of the guitar are also unique in terms of its internal switches. And the combination of these controls creates one unit which can shape every minute element of sound production.
What We Don’t Like About Xotic XW-1 True Bypass Wah Pedal
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PROS
- On the downside, the pedal is quite large in size and can pose difficulty while playing. Also, the gain control feature is not very easy to access, which can hinder the performance.
- Versatile wah pedals
- Built of premium quality materials
- Gold contact relay true bypassing
- Internal switches
CONS
- Quite large in size
- Gain Control feature not access
4. Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal
Product Highlights
Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal is an updated version of the Fulltone standard. This deluxe version has all features that a guitarist looks for in an authentic wah pedal.
Features
The Fulltone Products have a reputation of offering boutique quality and custom made constituents with hand-wired circuits and Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal is no exception in this. The custom made tuned core inductors covered with MuMetal give protection to it and ensures that it doesn’t develop any hum sounds. Besides, this ensures that the circuit remains silent to allow the creation of wonderful tracks.
Another notable feature of the Clyde Deluxe is its adjustable tension, which allows the player to tailor the pedal according to their preferences. The added advantage of it is that the resistance on the treadle is controllable.
What We Like About Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal
The longevity of the pedal is enhanced through its potentiometer, which also guarantees smooth operation. Most importantly, this wah pedal has three different voicings – Wacked, Jimi, and Shaft. All these three have their individualistic nature, which allows change of elements of the performance with just a single switch.
Besides, it is a true bypass pedal and has JEFT powered buffered circuits. These buffered circuits ensure that the pedal is compatible even with fuzz boxes and even offers a clean boost up to 12 dB.
What We Don’t Like About Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah Pedal
The high price tag of the pedal is one of its limitations. Another reported pitfall of this pedal is its sweep, which is too wide and impacts the performance.
PROS
- Boutique quality and custom made constituents with hand-wired circuits
- MuMetal covered core inductors
- Three different voicings
- Controllable Resistance on the treadle
CONS
- Expensive
- Too wide sweep
5. Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah
Product Highlights
Dunlop’s 535Q model is the most versatile wah pedal that provides control over several parameters. It becomes easy for guitarists to achieve excellent wah tones through this pedal.
Features
Dunlop scrutinized the feedback of the musicians and then developed this wah pedal to cater to the needs of guitarists. It has 6 different frequency ranges with variable wah Q, which allows the player to choose their own tonal flavor and the fine tunes.
Moreover, the boost circuit uplifts the signals up to 18+dB to make up for any possible audible volume loss while playing. Also, the true hardwire bypass of the pedal means that the signal is not compromised even when the pedal is not engaged.
Every feature of 535Q indicates that its versatility offers the best sound quality.
What We Like About Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah
Built with good control over the sound, Dunlop 535Q stands out amongst its competitors on the market. Its unique functionality contributes to its exceptional wah sounds; plus the controls are quite easy to handle and tweak if required.
This model has four basic controls adjustable enough to get the desired flavor of the effect. Features like the range selector enable the player to choose different center frequencies taking the wah sounds to the next level.
What We Don’t Like About Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi-Wah
Despite its exceptional features, Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby doesn’t fit with all music range unlike many other wah pedals. It tends to work with a particular type of music only.
PROS
- Most versatile
- 6 different frequency ranges
- Easy Controls
- Four basic adjustable controls
CONS
- Doesn’t fit with all music range
Final Verdict
As per our analysis, Dunlop 535Q Cry Baby Multi Wah Pedal is the best wah pedal on the market today. Dunlop proves itself to be superior compared to other pedals, as it provides excellent wah tones and everything that a professional guitarist looks for.
Even though it doesn’t fit all music ranges, nevertheless its unique functionality makes it an exceptional wah pedal with enhanced sounds.
With this article, we hope you can figure out the best wah pedals available today. Besides, you can zero down on the others if any suit your price expectations and needs.
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