Monday, November 21, 2011

Review: Ibanez WH10 Wah-Wah Pedal

This is the Ibanez WH10 Wah-Wah Pedal (Green/Grey Version, produced from 1987 until 1992).

Although this is a rare and fairly expensive pedal, it is certainly one of the best. I used to have a Dunlop GCB95 Crybaby that had a great tone, but someone stole it at a gig, and I could never find another one with that same "it factor". This pedal solved all of my wah problems.



Features unique to the WH10:
-Bass/Guitar switch
-Effect knob (+6db to +20db boost)
-Dry output
-Tone, tone, tone!

Although these are unique and very handy features, they are not the best thing about this wah. The first thing I noticed when I plugged it in, and the reason this pedal will always be on my board, is that the buffered bypass makes everything sound better, even when the pedal is off! There is a great demand these days for true bypass pedals, but what many people fail to realize is that a good buffer is better than no buffer, especially if you are running a number of pedals into each other.

The other thing that makes this particular pedal so special is that it sounds FANTASTIC! As you probably know, this pedal was made famous by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Supposedly, he has so many of them that he has actually driven the price up substantially in recent years, all by himself! However, the pedal itself needs no celebrity endorsement; the sound sells itself.

The Bad: Unfortunately, the WH10 is made of plastic (if you see one, and it's not made of plastic, it's not original, but a reissue (Ibanez WH10V2). Though I've not tried one myself, I am told that the reissue (like most) is shit and not worth buying when you should be able to get the real deal for less than twice the price. Like all fragile things, just don't step on it too hard, and it will last a long time. Mine has been in constant use since I got it in 2009 (and God knows how long before that), and it works like a charm.

If you need a wah that sounds great and works with a variety of sounds, this is the one for you!

Price Range:
$175-275 (Green/Grey Version)
$300-500 (Black/Purple Version)

Highs:
-Best sounding wah pedal ever
-(see above)

Lows:
-Plastic casing
-Board-mounted components inside pedal

Rating: 10/10

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