AMT Electronics AMT WH-1

The AMT WH-1 is a compact wah pedal from AMT Electronics, sold under the name Japanese Girl. It is an optical version of the classic wah-wah effect: instead of a potentiometer linked to the treadle, the frequency sweep is controlled by light, which AMT says increases the service life of the effect by eliminating potentiometer maintenance and replacement¹. The circuit is 100% analog and built around what the maker calls an original JFET-based design, credited with low noise and an expanded frequency tuning range¹.

The current Japanese Girl Wah WH-1 goes beyond a plain wah. AMT's product material lists an analog preamp with Clean, Low gain and High gain modes, a power amp with 9 types, an IR cabsim with one IR for both L/R channels per preset, parametric Pre/Post EQ, Hi/Low pass filters plus Presence, and a noise gate as a global setting²³. Per preset, the pedal stores the IR cabsim setting along with a delay or reverb effect⁴.

An analog optical wah with a JFET circuit

A traditional wah pedal sweeps a bandpass filter by turning a potentiometer as you rock the treadle. That pot is a mechanical part that collects dust and wears out, and replacing it is a known maintenance chore for wah owners. The WH-1 replaces that mechanism with optical frequency control, so the sweep depends on light rather than a rubbing contact. AMT states this "increases the service life of the effect eliminating frequent replacements of maintenance and" the potentiometer itself¹.

The audio path is fully analog. AMT describes the WH-1 as a "100% analog WAH-WAH effect" built on an original JFET-based circuit design, which the maker credits with low noise and an expanded frequency tuning range¹. On the question of how it behaves with gain, AMT says the WH-1 "boasts great versatile sound and processes both clean guitar sound and Ultra high gain overdrive equally well"¹. The maker's demo material also shows a noise gate available as a global setting, a useful companion when running the pedal into high-gain³.

The controls: three-way range switch and toe-press on/off

The WH-1 keeps its control surface minimal. The range is chosen with a 3-way switch for bandpass filter range selection, and the effect is switched on and off by pressing the movable front end part of the pedal⁵¹.

The three ranges let you place the sweep lower or higher in the spectrum, which changes the vowel character of the wah. The lowest setting keeps the effect in bass and low-mid territory, while the highest reaches up to 2 kHz for a more vocal, treble-forward cry. Switching the effect on and off is done by pressing the movable front end of the pedal with your toe, the same motion many players already use on a wah¹.

Power and connections

The WH-1 runs on a DC adapter or a 9V battery, with the adapter range given as 9 to 12V¹. RockBoard's PedalPedia listing gives the supply as 9V DC, center negative, with a current draw of 1mA⁵. That draw is low enough that a battery is a realistic long-term power source, and the listed weight of 0.45 kg is stated without a battery installed¹.

The enclosure is a steel heavy body, which AMT says is stable and responds confidently to foot control, and the whole pedal measures 110 x 62 x 58 mm, small enough that the maker notes it "fits easily into your guitar case"¹.

Versions: WH-1, WH-1B and the Japanese Girl name

The pedal is sold as the WH-1 Japanese Girl, a name AMT has used since at least 2016, when the maker's media index listed the "AMT WH1 Japanese Girl mini wah"⁶. The current Japanese Girl Wah WH-1 carries the preamp, power amp, IR cabsim and EQ feature set described above².

Alongside it, AMT offers the WH-1B. Both are 100% analog optical wahs with the same JFET-based circuit, true bypass, and toe-press switching, and both are listed as available now¹⁷. The difference is one feature:

So the WH-1B adds an axial screw for adjusting pedal movement, letting you set how the treadle feels underfoot. Players who want a looser or stiffer sweep get that option on the B version⁷.

AMT's media index also records the band Mamas Gun using the WH-1 during a live performance at the Greenroom Festival in 2015⁶, and lists a review of the WH-1 Japanese Girl Wah on Ultimate Guitar among its press coverage⁶.

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