Wah Pedal History 1966 Accidental Invention

When the Wah Wasn't Wanted: The Accidental Invention of the Wah Pedal

Alright, gather 'round, folks. I've got a tale to tell you about an invention that was as accidental as a toddler's first steps, and as game-changing as... well, toddler's first steps are pretty darn monumental, aren't they? I'm talking about the Wah pedal, that funky little foot friend that's been making guitars cry and basses talk for over half a century now.

Now, picture this: it's 1966, and we're in the heart of California, in a place called Fullerton. A young fella named Brad Plunkett is working at a place called the "Radio Shack," which, back then, was a far cry from the geeky paradise it is today. It was more like a general electronics store, where they sold everything from transistors to toasters.

Brad, our hero, was tinkering with a new gadget, a prototype of a tone control circuit. It was supposed to be a fancy new way to adjust the tone of an instrument, but it was as finicky as a cat on a hot tin roof. It could do one thing perfectly: it could make a guitar sound like it was talking. But only when you turned it on and off really fast. Not exactly the revolutionary tone control they were hoping for.

"Well, that's useless," Brad must've thought, scratching his head. But then, lightbulb moment! "Wait a minute... what if...?" And thus, the Wah pedal was born, not with a bang, but with a... well, a 'wah'!

From Flop to Funk

Brad, in his infinite wisdom, decided to stick this newfangled gadget onto a box with a foot pedal. He called it the "Crybaby," because, you know, it made guitars cry. And thus, the first Wah pedal was born. But here's where the story gets even funnier.

Brad took his invention to his boss, who took one look at it and said, "No one's gonna want that. It's too hard to use. It's a flop." And with that, he sent Brad packing, Wah pedal and all. But Brad, he wasn't one to be deterred. He took his invention to a little music store in Hollywood, and that's where the magic happened.

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The store owner, a guy named Del Casher, took one look at the Crybaby and said, "This is gonna change the world." And he was right. Sort of. It didn't change the world, but it sure did change music. And it all started when Del took that pedal to a little recording session with a certain Mr. Jimi Hendrix.

Hendrix to the Rescue

Now, Jimi was no stranger to weird sounds. He could make a guitar do things it had no business doing. So when Del brought in the Crybaby, Jimi was all, "Let me at it!" And let me tell you, when Jimi got his hands on that pedal, it was like a match to a powder keg.

He started wah-ing away, creating sounds that were as funky as they were otherworldly. And just like that, the Wah pedal went from being a flop to being the hottest thing since sliced bread. Jimi used it on his song "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Wah-ing All Over the World

From there, the Wah pedal spread like wildfire. It was on every guitarist's wishlist, from Eric Clapton to Eddie Van Halen. It was the secret sauce that made funk music funky, and disco music... well, let's not talk about that.

But here's where the story takes a surprising turn. You know who else loved the Wah pedal? The guy who turned it down in the first place! That's right, Brad's boss, the one who said no one would want it, ended up loving it so much, he started selling them. Talk about a plot twist!

And that, my friends, is the tale of how the Wah pedal was invented. It's a story of accidents, of second chances, and of how sometimes, the things we think are useless can turn out to be the most useful of all. So the next time you hear that distinctive 'wah' sound, remember the story of Brad, Del, and Jimi, and the pedal that changed music forever.

And if you'll excuse me, I've got a sudden urge to bust out some Jimi Hendrix and practice my best 'wah' face. Until next time, folks!