The 25 Best Wah Pedals You Can Get In 2024

As highly versatile tone-shaping tools, wah pedals are the most expressive of all expression-based effects. Made famous by the great Jimi Hendrix in the 60s, wah pedals have been responsible for some of the most iconic electric guitar moments in music history.

From Slash to Eddie Van Halen and many more iconic guitarists took use of wah pedals to create their solos, riffs, and partitions. The wah pedal can have an amazing effect on your tone. You can change the tone using wah’s rocker pedal, as the bassier sounds are often found when the rocker pedal is at the heel-down position, and the treble-y notes are often at the toe-down position. And transiting in between the two extremes gives the amazing wah-wah effect, which is kind of like the vocal-style sound wah pedals are famous for.

There are many great wah pedals today in the market, which makes it challenging to choose the best one for your needs and style. Here are 25 of the best wah pedals you can check out to find the ideal one for your playing style, budget, and needs.

Dunlop Cry Baby Mini 535Q

• Analog wah pedal
• Volume, Boost, Range Select controls
• Adjustable Q
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• True Bypass
• 9V DC power supply 

When talking about the best wah pedals, the first model that comes to mind is the famous Dunlop Cry Baby Mini 535Q, without a doubt. The industry standard pedal is considered the king of the wah pedals as it is capable of delivering everything its iconic bigger brother can. But, thanks to its compact size, it does not take up as much space.

The pedal features a red fasel inductor for vintage sound creation, plus Volume, Boost, and Range Select controls to finetune your sound as you like. Furthermore, it has four frequency ranges to go from trebly sweeps to bassier realms. Also, the Q knob is there to tweak the intensity of the wah effect. There is also the boost switch for soloists to boost their sound up to 16 dB for some extra oomph. Overall, it is the best all-rounder, reliable, and great-sounding wah pedal you can get.

Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah

• Analog wah pedal
• Simple design without any control knobs
• Lightweight construction
• Rack and pinion functionality
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• True Bypass Switch
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah is Electro-Harmonix’s take on the iconic Cry Baby, but with a better price tag and a more simplistic design. The lightweight construction, simple design without any control knobs, and an amazing price-value ratio, Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah is one of the best wah pedals for guitarists on a tight budget.

From the sonic perspective, the pedal produces a smooth, round transition between the high and low extremes with a synth-like quality. It also has the rack-and-pin functionality for more stable playing. In short, it is the best wah pedal you can get for the price, as it offers an amazing bang-for-buck ratio.

Vox V847-A Wah Pedal

• 1960s-Style Wah-Wah Pedal
• Simple design without any control knobs
• Authentic design with great looks
• Buffered Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Vox was the first company to release a wah pedal in the market, which was called the Clyde McCoy. But that pedal was meant for wind players instead of guitarists. Later they started producing wah pedals for guitars, too, which brought the classic wah sound to the music scene.

Vox V847-A Wah Pedal is a simple wah pedal with the iconic classic wah tone. It does not have any bonus features, and the battery access is quite hard to manage. But the impressive sound and relatively lightweight, along with the smooth rocker mechanism, make this pedal one of the industry standard wah pedals in the market.

Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah

• Steve Vai Signature Wah Pedal
• Contour and Level knobs
• Guitar or Bass effect
• Switchless design
• Contour Wah Switch button
• LED indicators
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Morley Steve Vai Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah is the signature wah pedal of the great guitarist Steve Vai. The wah tone and the Q are adjusted with the specifications of Steve Vai, which sounds quite amazing, especially for soloists.

The pedal features a 2-control design as the Contour switch allows the users to alter wah frequency and level with two knobs. The pedal has a switchless design, so you can simply step on to engage Wah mode and step off to go to bypass. The battery compartment is also very easy to access, and LED indicators are great for stage use. Overall, this is an impressive wah pedal for soloists and guitarists who want the best control and sound from their wah pedal.

Electro-Harmonix Cock Fight

• Analog wah and fuzz pedal
• Talking Wah and Fuzz Tones
• Volume, Frequency, Tone, and Drive controls
• Bottom and Bias mini controls
• Talk-Cry Wah and Post-Pre-Fuzz Off switches
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output, 1 x 1/4″ expression
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Electro-Harmonix Cock Fight is a highly versatile fuzz and parked wah pedal. You can hear these kinds of wah effects in iconic recordings such as Muse’s Dead Star or Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing. EHX took that concept and added versatile filters and fuzz to create this pedal, which brought one of the most versatile wah pedals to the music scene. 

The wah section features frequency, volume, and tone control knobs along with the voicing switch between Cry and Talk wah effects. The fuzz section also has the voicing switch between post-pre-off as well as the bias knob for dying battery fuzz tones. If you want, you can also connect an expression pedal to the Cock Fight to have a standard wah pedal.

Mooer the Wahter Mini

• Analog wah pedal
• 4 Pressure sensors instead of the traditional footswitch
• Compact mini design
• Status LED
• True Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately)

Mooer, the Wahter Mini, is a great mini wah pedal with a great sound similar to the iconic Cry Baby. It is affordable, tiny, and made of high-quality material, making it a great wah pedal for crowded pedalboards and guitarists on a budget. 

Instead of the traditional large footswitch, Mooer the Wahter Mini features 4 pressure sensors to control the wah effect. It is not meant for guitarists with big feet, as it may get a bit harder to control. For the rest, it is an amazing wah pedal to save space and have amazing sound.

Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95 Wah Pedal

• Original Cry Baby analog wah pedal
• Used by many legends like Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton, and more
• Iconic wah pedal effect
• Buffered Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95 Wah Pedal is the most iconic, popular, and classic wah pedal out there. It is used by many great guitarists in many iconic concerts and recordings, such as David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Tom Morello, and many more. To get that classic wah sound, you can not go wrong with this one.

The pedal has a simplistic design with the traditional rocker and 9V battery or power adapter operation. If you like the signature wah sound, this is the best wah pedal for you.

Fulltone USA Clyde Standard

• Analog wah pedal
• Internal Resonance control
• True Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Fulltone USA Clyde Standard is another iconic wah pedal based on the famous Vox Clyde McCoy wah, which was used by many guitarists from Hendrix to Clapton. The pedal’s main star is the added internal resonance control to adjust the bass and gain as you like. 

The pedal has lower noise compared to the Vox Clyde McCoy and a better construction with a long-life wah pot. It has standard input and output ports along with a True Bypass function. So, if you want a reliable and classic-sounding wah pedal Fulltone USA Clyde Standard might be perfect for you.

Dunlop CAE Wah Pedal

• Custom Hot-rodded wah effects pedal
• Features Dual Fasel Inductors with two different voices
• Switch between the inductors with the side-mounted kick switch
• Built-in MXR MC-401 Boost/LineDriver Effect for extra versatility
• True Bypass
• Internal Q and gain adjustment pots
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Dunlop CAE Wah Pedal is a highly versatile wah pedal with some bonus features for guitarists who want extra flexibility from their wah pedal. It features Dual Fasel Inductors with two distinctive voices along with a built-in MXR MC-401 Boost/LineDriver Effect. Plus, it has internal Q and gain adjustment pots to finetune your wah effect.

Furthermore, it has a true bypass and side-mounted kick switch to control the inductors. The rocker is quite large and sensitive, just like it should be. In short, Dunlop CAE Wah Pedal is a great pedal to take control of your wah sound in any way you like.

Hotone Soul Press II

• Volume, wah, volume/wah, and expression pedal in one stompbox
• It can be used with Guitar, Bass, and Keyboards
• Adjustable Control Range, Active Volume Mode, Passive Expression Mode
• Status LED
• Q Wah Tone control knob
• Tone switch for Warm and Classic tones
• Mode switcher
• True Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output, 1 x 1/4″ expression,  and 1 x 1/4″ tuner ports
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Hotone Soul Press II is more than just a wah pedal but also a volume, volume-wah, and expression pedal that can be used for guitars, basses as well as keyboards. It has adjustable control range, active volume mode, and passive expression mode for different uses, making this expression pedal a swiss army knife of wah pedals.

It comes with a Q control knob to finetune your wah sound, a tone switcher to select between warm and classic modes for different voicings, and a mode switcher to select how the expression pedal should act. The high flexibility of this pedal is quite amazing, making it great for players looking for more than just a wah pedal.

Xotic XW-1 Wah

• Analog wah pedal
• Bias, Q, Treble, and Bass control knobs
• Internal resonance, input gain, and frequency range controls
• LED status indicators
• True Bypass
• Adjustable pedal tension
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Xotic XW-1 Wah is another great wah pedal based on the circuit of the Vox Clyde McCoy wah. The pedal comes with the Bias, Q, Treble, and Bass control knobs, and it offers up to 15 dB of boost or cut for your solos. 

The pedal also has internal controls for input gain, frequency range, and wah resonance to shape your sound. Plus, the pedal has a relay-based true bypass switch and adjustable rocker tension to optimize your rocker pedal to your liking. The flexibility the pedal offers to optimize the pedal for users makes it stand out from the rest.

Boss PW-3 Wah Pedal

• Analog dual-mode wah pedal
• Rich and Vintage voicings
• LED Status indicators
• Buffered bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Boss PW-3 is an all-analog wah pedal with a medium size between mini Cry Baby and traditional wah pedals. With two different voicings for modern sound and vintage sound, LED status indicators, and a buffered bypass switch, it has simple yet effective features to give you enough versatility and sound quality as well as functionality to play on the stage or in the studio confidently.

The vintage mode offers the classic wah from the 60s, and 70’s gets the sound of Hendrix and Clapton terms with a drop in low-end. The Rich mode is for a more modern wah effect to retain the bass and boost the output for a more throaty sound. So, if you want to reach both worlds with a single pedal, Boss PW-3 would be a great choice.

BOSS AW-3 Dynamic Wah Guitar Pedal

• Analog auto-wah and envelope filter pedal
• It can be used with guitar or bass
• Decay, Manual, Sens control knobs and Mode switch
• Fixed or Auto wah settings
• Tempo control or external expression pedal control options
• Humanizer effect for vocal-style sounds
• 2 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output, 1 x 1/4″ expression
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

BOSS AW-3 Dynamic Wah Guitar Pedal is an analog auto-wah and envelope filter pedal with a compact size and expression pedal input. It comes with Decay, Manual, Sens control knobs, and Mode switch to finetune your sound. With the expression pedal connected, you can control your wah; otherwise, there is tempo control instead.

The pedal also has the humanizer effect mode for more vocal-style sounds, along with two instrument inputs for bass and guitars. Plus, there is an on-off LED status indicator for the stage operation.

AMT WH-1 Optical Wah-Wah

• Analog wah pedal
• Compact size
• Adjustable sensitivity for the rocker movement
• True bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

AMT WH-1 Optical Wah-Wah offers the optical version of the traditional wah-wah effect with bandpass filter range selection with its 3-way switch. There is the optical frequency control which is more reliable and durable, eliminating the service need for replacements of the control potentiometer. 

The pedal offers a quite good wah effect with low noise and expanded frequency tuning range thanks to its JFET-based circuit. It is a cost-effective and decent wah pedal with great durability for guitarists who like to get more aggressive with their pedals.

Electro-Harmonix Micro Q-Tron

• Auto-wah and envelope filter pedal
• Filter Mode switch (lowpass, bandpass, highpass)
• Q, and Drive control knobs
• True Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

If you do not want to use your foot while playing and looking for an auto-wah pedal, Electro-Harmonix Micro Q-Tron is worth taking a look at. The envelope filter pedal offers great auto-wah sounds with adjustable drive control for sensitivity and filter sweep range, as well as the Q control knob to decide the filter’s bandwidth from smooth to all-out funky.

The pedal also has a true bypass and filter mode switch between lowpass, bandpass, and highpass options. Plus, it also has an internal envelope follower that analyzes your playing dynamics to determine the intensity of the wah effect. It is a great pedal if you like the auto-wah effects.

Mad Professor Snow White Auto Wah 

• Analog auto-wah pedal
• Sensitivity, Bias, Resonance, and Decay control knobs
• Guitar and Bass mode switch
• LED on-off indicator
• True Bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Mad Professor Snow White Auto Wah is a great wah pedal that automatically recreates the natural wah effect. It is one of the best-sounding auto-wah pedals, but the quality comes with a cost, as it is a high-end pedal.  The pedal is great for professional guitarists who want the authentic wah effect without saturating your tone.

It has the Sensitivity, Bias, Resonance, and Decay control knobs to adjust your wah effect, along with a mode switch for bass and guitar. Thanks to the analog circuitry, it also has True Bypass, too. Overall, it is one of the best auto-wah pedals on the market.

Wilson Effects Mini Q-Wah

• Analog mini wah pedal
• Fuzz Friendly buffer
• Volume trimmer
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Wilson Effects Mini Q-Wah is a boutique mini wah pedal with all-analog circuitry and some bonus features that can make your life with wah effect much better. It comes with a fuzz-friendly buffer that solves the problem of input impedance that most fuzz pedals and certain overdrives can cause with wah circuits.

Plus, there is a volume trimmer inside the pedal, which allows you to adjust the output of the effect. This feature really helps when you want your tone to cut through the mix and boost the leads.

Vox V846-HW Handwired Wah Pedal

• Analog hand-wired wah pedal
• Based on 1960’s Vox V846 Wah Pedal
• Vintage-spec Halo-type inductor
• Comes with a special soft case
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V Battery

Vox V846-HW Handwired Wah Pedal is the reissue of the 1960’s Vox V846 Wah Pedal, one f the most used wah pedals ever. It comes with a Vintage-spec Halo-type inductor which is the key to the great vintage wah effect the pedal produces.

It also has low-noise carbon composite resistors, which are amazingly successful at eliminating noise from your signal. So, the pedal does not color your tone at all. If you like the vintage wah effect, Vox V846-HW Handwired Wah Pedal is a great reissue with some modern touches to check.

Dunlop JCT95 Justin Chancellor Cry Baby Wah Pedal

• Signature wah effects pedal of Justin Chancellor
• Wah, Filter, Fuzz effects
• Wah Type, Fuzz Mode switches
• Buffered bypass switch
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Dunlop JCT95 Justin Chancellor Cry Baby Wah Pedal is the signature wah pedal of the Tool’s guitarist Justin Chancellor. The pedal provides amazing wah and fuzz effects that you can hear in Tool’s recordings. It features İndependent Volume and Q controls for each wah type, and there are two modes to select from.

The UK filter mode provides a thick and vocal-like wah effect based on Justin Chancellor’s bass tone circuit, and the wah mode is like a Cry Baby with a lush and aggressive effect. The pedal also has U.K.-style fuzz, which you can pair with either wah mode, or use independently.

Dunlop EVH95 Eddie Van Halen Signature EVH Cry Baby Wah Pedal

• Signature Cry Baby wah effects pedal of Eddie Van Halen
• Van Halen’s “Holy Grail” Crybaby — tone and feel
• Status LEDs
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Dunlop EVH95 Eddie Van Halen Signature EVH Cry Baby Wah Pedal is a copy of Van Halen’s “Holy Grail” Crybaby with the tone and feel of the customized Cry Baby Van Halen used during the 90s. The pedal provides the same tone definition and sweep feel as Eddie’s favorite wah and has the black-yellow stripes of Van Halen style.

Plus, the pedal comes with dual bright blue status LEDs. The pedal is great if you like the feel and tone of EVH’s wah effect, which has a more vocal-like tone, a High Q inductor, and a wider frequency sweep.

Morley PFW2 Classic Size Power Fuzz Wah

• Analog fuzz and wah pedal
• Vintage/Modern Fuzz switch
• Intensity, Level control knobs
• Works with guitar, bass, and keyboards
• Electro-Optical design
• Buffered bypass
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Morley PFW2 Classic Size Power Fuzz Wah is a versatile stompbox that comes with fuzz and wah effects. You can use the effects in tandem or independently as you like and control the fuzz with intensity and level control knobs, as well as the vintage-modern fuzz switch.

The electro-optical design makes the pedal quite durable, and you do not have to worry about worn-out knobs. The tones you get are based on the original Tel-Ray/Morley Power Wah Fuzz with some important modern updates. 

Friedman Gold-72 No More Tears Wah Pedal

• Analog wah pedal
• 3-way Frequency Sweep Switch
• Adjustable Q with 3 presets
• Adjustable pedal tension
• True Bypass, switchable to buffered
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Friedman Gold-72 No More Tears Wah Pedal is a highly adjustable wah pedal with a classic sound. The analog wah pedal features a 3-way frequency sweep switch and Adjustable Q with 3 presets as well as adjustable rocker pedal tension.

You also get True bypass, and it is switchable to buffered with an internal switch. There are also LED status lights to show whether the pedal is engaged. Overall, if you like to customize your wah pedal Friedman Gold-72, No More Tears Wah Pedal is a great choice.

Dunlop SW95 Slash Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal

• Signature analog wah-distortion pedal of Slash
• Classic wah and custom distortion of Slash, especially great for soloists
• LED status indicators
• Gain and Volume control knobs
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 18V DC power supply (sold separately) or 2 x 9V batteries

Dunlop SW95 Slash Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal is one of the most popular wah pedals among hard rock and heavy metal players, thanks to its classic wah sound and custom distortion circuit designed by Slash.

The high-gain distortion circuit of the pedal is great for incredible lead tones like you hear in the solos of Slash. The pedal requires an 18V DC adapter or dual 9V batteries to operate for the high gain. If you want that amazing lead tone like in the Sweet Child O’ Mine, Dunlop SW95 Slash Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal is the way to go.

Fender Tread-Light Wah Pedal

• Analog wah pedal
• 3-way top-mounted mid-frequency toggle
• Adjustable treble control
• Buffered or classic wah effect switch
• Highly stylish wood footpad
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

The first thing to notice with the Fender Tread-Light Wah Pedal is its amazing look with the wooden footpad. Besides the looks, it is a great wah pedal with an attractive price tag. It offers a scooped wah or a darker wah with the buffered and classic wah switch. It also features adjustable treble control and a mid-frequency toggle to shape your sound.

It is a highly adjustable wah pedal that pairs well with distortion, overdrive, and fuzz pedals. There are also LED status lights for darker stages, and the pedal is quite sensitive and easy to control. In short, the ender Tread-Light Wah Pedal is a great wah pedal for the price with an amazing look.

Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal

• Signature Cry Baby wah pedal of Kirk Hammett
• Kirk’s EQ, volume, and tone settings
• Analog circuit
• Mid-frequency Switch
• Adjustable treble
• 1 x 1/4″ input, 1 x 1/4″ output
• 9V DC power adapter (sold separately) or 9V Battery

Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal is Metallica and Kirk Hammett’s take on the iconic Cry Baby wah pedal. It is built with the directions of Kirk Hammett to his liking with the EQ, volume, and tone settings. The pedal features a mid-frequency switch and adjustable treble and offers a perfectly even response from heel to toe. 

The pedal is great for playing metal, especially thrash metal. So if you like your leads to shine as in Kirk’s solos, Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah Pedal is the way to go.

Conclusion

There are many wah pedals in the market today that can make your guitar shine through the solos and riffs with amazing effect. The vocal-style sound wah pedals are famous for is great to use, especially in the solos, to create different effects and expressive playing.

So, depending on your playing style, the sound you are after, and your budget, you can go with any of these great pedals to make your riffs and solos stand out.

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Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API