In the time that has passed since the dawn of electric guitar effects in the ‘ 60s , many an effect has arrived on the scene with a bang , only to disappear a short time later after quickly wearing out its welcome or simply failing to catch on in the first place . The good ones inevitably make a comeback at some point , though , returning to ( or even surpassing ) their former glory as today ’ s guitarists and pedal geeks rediscover their sonic charms in the context of a new musical era . A good idea never dies , as they say .
One very good idea that is long overdue for popular reincarnation is the fuzz-wah . As we all know , fuzz and wah together is like chocolate and peanut butter , rum and coke , Page and Plant , or Strummer and Jones ; two great tastes that taste even greater in each other ’ s warm embrace . This particular magical tone combo is as at least as old as Hendrix , and it was around his time in the late sixties that fuzz and wah first came together in one pedal . It seems like a rather obvious and useful invention , considering that the two effects are clearly made for each other , and all the cutting edge guitarists of the day were using them in tandem .
Despite fuzz and wah seeming to enjoy an ideal , heavenly matrimony , pedals that combined them never quite caught on with musicians . A few famous players used fuzz-wah pedals with some regularity in the ‘ 70s , such as King Crimson bassist John Wetton , who used a Jen Double Sound to generate his massive fuzz tone , but most players continued to use these effects simultaneously , yet housed in separate enclosures . The fuzz-wah pedal soon went the way of the dodo , at least from a manufacturing and sales standpoint . In recent years , however , it has begun to make a return . Vintage Morley , Foxx , Fender , and Colorsound models fetch hefty sums on the used market , and more than a few companies are releasing new boxes that combine these effects . Let ’ s look at a few of the best of the modern fuzz-wahs .
In the time that has passed since the dawn of electric guitar effects in the ‘ 60s , many an effect has arrived on the scene with a bang , only to disappear a short time later after quickly wearing out its welcome or simply failing to catch on in the first place . The good ones inevitably make a comeback at some point , though , returning to ( or even surpassing ) their former glory as today ’ s guitarists and pedal geeks rediscover their sonic charms in the context of a new musical era . A good idea never dies , as they say .
One very good idea that is long overdue for popular reincarnation is the fuzz-wah . As we all know , fuzz and wah together is like chocolate and peanut butter , rum and coke , Page and Plant , or Strummer and Jones ; two great tastes that taste even greater in each other ’ s warm embrace . This particular magical tone combo is as at least as old as Hendrix , and it was around his time in the late sixties that fuzz and wah first came together in one pedal . It seems like a rather obvious and useful invention , considering that the two effects are clearly made for each other , and all the cutting edge guitarists of the day were using them in tandem .
Despite fuzz and wah seeming to enjoy an ideal , heavenly matrimony , pedals that combined them never quite caught on with musicians . A few famous players used fuzz-wah pedals with some regularity in the ‘ 70s , such as King Crimson bassist John Wetton , who used a Jen Double Sound to generate his massive fuzz tone , but most players continued to use these effects simultaneously , yet housed in separate enclosures . The fuzz-wah pedal soon went the way of the dodo , at least from a manufacturing and sales standpoint . In recent years , however , it has begun to make a return . Vintage Morley , Foxx , Fender , and Colorsound models fetch hefty sums on the used market , and more than a few companies are releasing new boxes that combine these effects . Let ’ s look at a few of the best of the modern fuzz-wahs .