Of the grunge era’s most popular bands,
Alice in Chains is arguably the one guitarists
most appreciate. Vocal harmonies, guitar
solos, and classic song structures set the
band apart from their faster, noisier peers.
Jerry Cantrell—AIC’s lead guitarist and main
compositional force—has cited his major
influences as Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath,
and country music. Rather than reject the
theatrical elements of their rock ’n’ roll predecessors,
AIC absorbed those influences,
and they can be heard in many aspects
of the band’s sound—including Cantrell’s
emotive guitar work. His slower metal style
was often accompanied by odd time signatures
and innovative use of the wah pedal.
Recently, Cantrell got together with the folks
at Dunlop to develop the JC95 Signature
Wah, which is designed to his unique specifications
and comes in an attractive, copper-colored
casing full of rugged components.
It features hardwired-bypass switching and a
9-volt battery you can access without having
to remove the bottom plate. You can also
run it off an optional AC adaptor or Dunlop’s
DCB10 Brick power supply.
Whoops…Wow!
The wah pedal came about by accident in
the mid 1960s when engineers at Warwick
Electronics Inc./Thomas Organ Company
were redesigning a Vox Super Beatle. The
task of downgrading the expensive tube
midrange boost section of the amp to a
cheaper solid-state design was given to a
junior engineer named Brad Plunkett. Part of
the circuit was wired to a Vox organ volume
pedal and the wah-wah was born. In less
than two years, the pedal was under Jimi
Hendrix’s foot and music has never been the
same since. Around that time, funk and soul
players were also implementing the wah-wah
into their sound. By 1970, a mere four years
after the wah pedal’s creation, its capabilities
were well defined. However, rather than
sinking in popularity over the years like some
effects, the wah pedal has remained a staple
for guitarists of nearly every genre.
Dunlop began releasing signature wah
pedals in the ’80s, beginning with the Jimi
Hendrix signature model. Each of these
models has been tailored to the musician’s
specification and, in most cases, the players
have implemented these new designs into
their personal rig. The short and elite list of
signature wah recipients includes Dimebag
Darrell, Slash, Buddy Guy, Zakk Wylde, Eddie
Van Halen, and Kirk Hammett.
Man in the Box
What makes the wah effect so dynamic is
that it emulates the frequency filtering that
occurs in the human voice. The name of the effect itself is taken from the filter sweep
that happens in your throat when you say
the word “wah.” The most basic definition of
a wah pedal is a foot-controlled band-pass
filter. The two things that determine the pedal’s
sonic print are the width of that filter and
its range. Wah pedals with a narrow band
only produce frequencies that are very close
to the center of the frequency you specify by
the position of the pedal. A narrow band will
produce a very sharp, focused, and drastic
wah effect. Wah pedals with a wider, more
relaxed band deliver a calmer, more subtle
wah effect. The JC95’s filter is decidedly
narrow, producing a pronounced wah. This
really lets you make your guitar talk.
The other factor in a wah pedal’s sound is
the range of frequencies that it can sweep
across. The JC95 has a very wide frequency
range, allowing it to dive way down to 350
Hz to give your solos punch and full body.
The pedal also has a knob to set the frequency
ceiling. At its maximum, this is roughly
2000 Hz, and at its minimum it’s around
1000 Hz. The JC95’s range is slightly darker
and drastically wider than other wah pedals.
This affords you a wealth of creative expression.
I’ve been using a standard Cry Baby for
years, and I was really inspired by the JC95’s
voicing. It made me realize that my current
wah pedal is far too timid for my sound.
The Final Mojo
With Cantrell’s moody riffs in mind, Dunlop
has crafted a fine wah pedal that pays perfect
tribute to his unique style. But even if
you’re not attempting to sound like Alice
in Chains, you’ll likely find this pedal’s wide
sonic range and beautiful voicing inspire creative
playing.
Buy if...
you love Cantrell’s wah sound
and would like to incorporate a
dynamic wah pedal into your rig.
Skip if...
you won’t budge on your current
wah pedal.
Rating...
