Dunlop Cry Baby Wah — Complete Guide
The Dunlop Cry Baby is the world's most popular wah pedal, and among the most recognizable sounds in guitar history. Jimi Hendrix defined the wah vocabulary on "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" and "All Along the Watchtower." Eric Clapton used the Cry Baby on "White Room" with Cream. Slash built the intro to "Sweet Child O' Mine" around wah phrasing. Kirk Hammett uses it on nearly every Metallica solo.
The wah is unique among guitar effects: its expressiveness is entirely dependent on technique. A reverb pedal sounds the same every time you engage it. A wah pedal sounds completely different depending on how you move your foot. Understanding wah technique is the difference between a musical wah and a noise pedal.
How the Wah Works
A wah pedal is a rocking, foot-controlled bandpass filter. As you rock the pedal:
- Heel down: The filter emphasizes low frequencies, producing a dark, "closed" tone
- Toe down: The filter emphasizes high frequencies, producing a bright, "open" tone
- Rocking: The filter sweeps between low and high, creating the characteristic "wah wah" vocal quality
The pedal contains a potentiometer (variable resistor) connected mechanically to the rocking pedal. As the pedal rocks, the potentiometer changes the center frequency of an inductor-based bandpass filter in the audio path.
The original Thomas Organ Cry Baby (1966) used an inductor (called a Fasel) to create the filter. The specific character of the "Fasel" inductor — its resonance peak and sweep range — is why the Cry Baby sounds the way it does and why inductor swaps are a popular wah modification.
Fundamental Wah Technique
The Basic Rock
The foundation of all wah playing: rock the pedal rhythmically, with the sweep tied to the musical phrasing. The wah should feel like a second voice that mirrors the guitar phrasing.
The most common beginner mistake: Rocking the wah too fast. Rapid oscillation produces a "wacka wacka" sound that becomes grating quickly. Musical wah playing uses deliberate, controlled sweeps that match the tempo and phrasing of the music.
The basic technique:
- Pick a note or chord
- Rock the pedal from heel to toe in the same rhythmic value as the note duration
- For a quarter note, the sweep should take approximately one quarter note
- For a held note, a slow sweep from heel to toe creates a filter "open" sound
Wah on Lead Single Notes
Single-note wah phrasing — used in blues and rock solos — is about timing the toe-down position to land on accented notes. The result is that the highlighted notes have extra treble content, creating emphasis.
Technique: Let the heel-down position begin as you pick the note, then sweep to toe-down as the note sustains. The brightness arrives mid-note, creating a vocal quality. Release back to heel before the next note.
Wah on Rhythm (Funk)
Funk wah playing is rhythmically precise — the wah position is synchronized with the chord hits. The classic funk wah rhythm:
- Heel down on downbeats (1, 2, 3, 4)
- Toe down on upbeats (the "ands")
This creates the alternating closed-open filter pattern that is the rhythmic engine of funk guitar. James Brown's guitar players, Nile Rodgers, and countless soul/funk guitarists use this pattern.
The key: In funk wah, the wah foot and the picking hand must be synchronized. Practice the heel-toe rhythm with muted strings first (no pitch content) until the motion feels automatic.
Stationary Wah (Tone Color)
A wah pedal doesn't need to be moving to be useful. Leaving it stationary at any point in its sweep applies that specific filter position to the guitar permanently. Common stationary positions:
- Heel down, engaged but not rocking: Dark, vocal-quality low-pass filter. SRV used this position for a "woman tone" effect on some passages.
- Partially toe down (12 o'clock position): A midrange boost in the 1–2kHz range. Creates a "throaty" quality that cuts through a mix.
- Fully toe down: Extreme treble emphasis — almost a presence boost. Used rarely as a static tone but creates an instant "radio sound."
Famous Wah Users and Their Techniques
Jimi Hendrix
Hendrix defined wah guitar — "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" is the most analyzed wah recording in guitar history. His technique was expressive and vocal, using the wah to create a second voice that responded to his picking dynamics. He often used slow, deliberate sweeps rather than fast oscillation.
On "Voodoo Child," the intro features the wah in a rhythmic, chunky pattern — heel down on held muted notes, toe down as the riff opens up. The effect is percussive and forward, not a gentle shimmer.
Hendrix approach: Slow sweeps, tied to picking rhythm, wah used as a rhythm element not just a solo effect.
Eric Clapton (Cream)
"White Room" features one of the most melodic wah parts in rock. Clapton uses the wah on the main guitar melody — rocking slowly through each phrase to give each note a different tonal character. The wah is musical and restrained, not aggressive.
Clapton approach: Slow, melodic sweeps. Wah tied to the melody line rather than a rhythmic pattern.
Slash (Guns N' Roses)
Slash uses a Dunlop Cry Baby (model 535Q, a more advanced version with variable Q and boost) on most of his solos. His wah technique is aggressive and rocking-fast during fast solo passages, slow and deliberate on held notes. The "Sweet Child O' Mine" solo contains some of his most musical wah work.
Slash approach: Aggressive, dynamic — fast on fast passages, slow on slow passages. Wah matches the energy of the solo.
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
Hammett is probably the most famous wah-solo user in heavy metal. He uses the Dunlop Kirk Hammett signature Cry Baby (KH95) on nearly every Metallica lead. His technique is energetic and rhythmic, often rocking the wah to the eighth-note pulse of the solo.
Kirk approach: Fast, rhythmic oscillation during solos. The wah becomes almost a rhythm element even on lead lines.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
SRV used the Cry Baby primarily on rhythm work rather than leads — rocking it slowly on chord parts to create textural movement. He also used it stationary in the heel-down position as a tone darkener on certain passages (the "woman tone").
SRV approach: Slow, bluesy, often used on rhythm not just solos.
Where to Place the Wah in Your Signal Chain
Standard placement (most common): Guitar → Wah → drive pedals → amp
Placing the wah before distortion means the wah filters the clean guitar signal. The distorted pedals then amplify and saturate the wah's output. The sweep sounds clear and defined.
After drive pedals: Guitar → drive pedals → Wah → amp
The wah filters the already-distorted signal. This produces a different character — the wah peaks are more exaggerated because the harmonically rich distorted signal has more frequency content to filter. Hendrix sometimes used this configuration.
In the effects loop: Guitar → amp preamp → Wah → amp power amp
Similar to "after distortion" approach but using the amp's own preamp distortion rather than pedals. The wah modulates the amp's distorted signal.
Most recommended for beginners: Standard placement (before distortion). Predictable, musical, and easiest to control.
Cry Baby Model Comparison
Dunlop GCB95 (Standard Cry Baby)
The classic — inexpensive ($70–80 new), the exact circuit that has been used since the 1960s. Uses an inductor-based bandpass filter. Available in true bypass or standard (buffered) bypass versions. The entry point for wah pedals.
Best for: Beginners, players who want the classic sound without modifications.
Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q
A more advanced version with a "Q" control (adjusts the sharpness/resonance of the filter peak) and a Boost switch. The variable Q allows the sweep character to range from subtle and gentle (low Q) to sharp and nasal (high Q). Slash uses this model.
Best for: Players who want more versatility from their wah.
Dunlop Fasel Inductor Cry Baby (CBM95)
Uses the vintage-spec Fasel inductor for the classic vintage character. Smaller enclosure than the standard GCB95. Produces the closest sound to the original 1960s Cry Baby tone.
Best for: Players who specifically want vintage Hendrix/Cream-era character.
Dunlop Kirk Hammett KH95
Kirk Hammett's signature wah with his preferred sweep range and the classic Hazel inductor. Matches his recorded tone closely.
Best for: Metal players who want Metallica-style wah.
Dunlop Jimi Hendrix JH-1
Hendrix's preferred sweep voicing and vintage inductor. Wider sweep range than the standard GCB95. Endorsed by the Hendrix estate with authentic component specifications.
Best for: Blues/rock players who specifically want the Hendrix wah vocabulary.
Cry Baby vs. Vox Wah
The Vox Cry Baby and Dunlop Cry Baby are the two most commonly compared wah pedals. Both originate from the same original Jen/Thomas Organ circuit, but have diverged:
Vox V847: Uses a different inductor that produces a slightly different sweep character — generally considered brighter, with the peak further into the high frequencies. More "quacky" at toe-down. Preferred by some British Invasion-influenced players.
Dunlop GCB95: The American sound — slightly warmer, with a broader sweep that feels more vintage. The GCB95 peak is slightly lower in frequency than the V847.
Recommendation: Both are correct choices. Try both if possible; choose by ear. The Dunlop is more commonly found in stores for immediate purchase. Vintage Vox wahs are considered superior by collectors; the current production V847 is a good approximation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I use a wah pedal for rock solos? The fundamental technique: engage the wah, then rock it from heel to toe in rhythm with your solo phrasing. Start by practicing slow sweeps on held notes before adding faster motion. The key is synchronizing the pedal movement with your picking hand rhythm.
Should the wah come before or after distortion? Before distortion (between guitar and distortion pedals) is the most common and most musical placement. After distortion produces a more exaggerated, harmonically complex sweep. Start with before distortion.
Is the Dunlop Cry Baby true bypass? The standard GCB95 is NOT true bypass — it uses a buffered bypass that slightly colors the bypassed signal. Dunlop sells a true bypass version (GCB95 True Bypass). For a pedalboard with many effects, buffered bypass can actually be beneficial (maintains high-frequency content on long cable runs). For minimalist setups, true bypass is preferred.
How do I avoid the wah sounding "wacka wacka" and unmusical? Slow down your foot movement. The most musical wah playing uses deliberate, controlled sweeps that match the tempo of the music. Practice moving the pedal to an eighth-note pulse (one rock per half second at 120 BPM) rather than as fast as your foot can move.
What string gauge and pickup type works best with the Cry Baby? Heavier strings (10s or 11s) and humbucker pickups produce a thicker, more vocal wah sweep. Single-coil pickups (Stratocaster) produce a thinner, sharper wah. Both work; humbucker wah is more "blues-rock," single-coil wah is more "funky" in character.
Can I leave the wah engaged in one position as a tone filter? Yes — a wah pedal held stationary in any position applies that filter to your tone permanently. Heel-down (dark/closed) creates a vintage "woman tone" effect. Mid-position (12 o'clock) adds a midrange presence boost. This is a legitimate tone technique, not just an effect.