Few sounds are as instantly recognizable as a wah pedal. Rock the treadle and the guitar seems to talk, cry or sing. The pedal that made that sound famous is the Dunlop Cry Baby, and its standard model, the GCB95, is still the version most guitarists start with.
Here is what the Cry Baby GCB95 is, where it came from, how to use it and where to buy one.
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What it is
The Cry Baby Standard Wah GCB95 is a rocker-style effects pedal. As you push the treadle forward and back, it sweeps a filter up and down the frequency range, emphasizing the low end when your heel is down and the high end when your toe is down. Done in rhythm, it produces the vocal "wah" that gives the effect its name.
Dunlop says the GCB95 features the legendary red Fasel inductor, which gives a lush, expressive character, along with a more focused high end and a more aggressive, accentuated wah sound than earlier designs. It is built in a heavy-duty die-cast housing and uses a Hot Potz potentiometer that Dunlop says is tested to one million cycles. It can run on a 9-volt battery or on a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, and it also works with Dunlop's DC Brick, Iso-Brick and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies, which are sold separately.
Where it came from
As Dunlop tells it, the Cry Baby Wah is the most iconic guitar effect in music history. When it hit the scene in 1966, it added a whole new layer of expression to the electric guitar, and players such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton used it to create some of the most timeless sounds in rock. The GCB95 is Dunlop's modern interpretation of that sound, and the black pedal with the "cry baby" logo on the treadle has barely changed in look over the decades.
Why it is still worth buying
- It is the reference. When people describe a wah sound, they usually mean the Cry Baby. Starting with the standard model gives you the sound that countless records are built on.
- It is tough. A die-cast body and a potentiometer rated for a million cycles mean it is made to be stomped on for years.
- It is simple. There are no menus and no extra knobs. You rock the treadle and listen.
- It works with everything. Wah sounds great on clean tones for funk rhythm parts and in front of distortion for soaring leads.
- It is easy to find. Music shops everywhere stock it, and so do most online retailers.
How to get the most from it
Most players put the wah near the front of the signal chain, right after the tuner and before overdrive or distortion pedals. That way the wah shapes your guitar signal and the drive pedal amplifies the result, which gives the classic rock lead sound. Putting it after distortion is a valid choice too, and it gives a more extreme, synth-like sweep.
For funk, try short, rhythmic rocks of the treadle in time with sixteenth-note strumming on a clean tone. For leads, use slower, expressive sweeps, or park the treadle in one spot for the cocked-wah sound, a fixed filter that gives a nasal, honky tone. Practice moving your foot in time with the music, because that is what separates a great wah part from a distracting one.
A wah pairs naturally with fuzz, so it is worth reading about the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi. For drive, see the BOSS DS-1 and the EarthQuaker Devices Plumes. If you want another classic modulation sound on the same board, the MXR Phase 90 is also made by Dunlop.
Which Cry Baby to buy
Dunlop makes a whole family of Cry Baby wahs, from signature models to compact versions. The standard GCB95 is the best place to start because it is the classic sound and the classic size. If your pedalboard is tight on space, the Cry Baby Mini Wah squeezes the effect into a much smaller housing. Once you know what you like, the specialized models are easier to choose between.
Where to buy
Dunlop sells the GCB95 direct, and it is widely available from authorized dealers.
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