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DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy
Photo: Digitech

DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy

Octave and pitchDigital
List price
$329
Key facts
TypePitch-shifting (Whammy) pedal with built-in expression treadle3
MakerDigiTech3
ReleasedShown at NAMM 2025, in stores January 23, 20256
SignalDigital signal processing4
Power9V DC external adapter, center negative, 265 mA (2.4 W); PS0913DC adapter included3
ConnectionsUnbalanced 1/4 inch TS instrument input, 1/4 inch instrument output, 5-pin MIDI38
Dimensions6.5 x 7.75 x 2.5 inches (W x D x H); shipping weight 3.8 lbs3

It is designed for both guitar and bass players1, with ten Whammy settings optimized for each123, new octaver blend modes, a reworked Detune, 5-pin MIDI control, and MonoNeon's neon yellow and orange signature finish345.

A Whammy with a three-octave Hypersonic mode

The headline feature is Hypersonic mode, which DigiTech describes as a 3-octave pitch rise: "Send your tone soaring with the HyperSonic 3-octave pitch rise"3. In DigiTech's own demo at NAMM, presenter Johnny counted it out: "it's called Hypersonic mode three 1 2 three octaves up"6. At the top of that range the pitch gets extreme; in the MusicRadar demo he noted "you can get into dog whistle territory where the note actually disappears"9.

For bass players, DigiTech says Hypersonic allows the two-octave-up reach that guitar players already have, moving a bass into tenor range, while giving guitar players a full octave more of sonic capability9. MonoNeon himself tends toward more modest settings: in the Premier Guitar demo, DigiTech's Johnny noted that "when mono neon plays he typically uses the one octave up and he uses a guitar whammy"6, and in his own Guitar World demo MonoNeon said, "I would use the one octave up preset and I just go in and out from my regular Basse tone into the whimy stuff"10.

Beyond the Whammy presets, the pedal adds new octaver effects that blend dry and shifted signal3:

  • Dry with 1 to 2 octaves up
  • Dry with 1 octave down, and 1 octave down
  • Dry with 2 octaves down to 1 octave down

Guitar World counts 11 Whammy presets alongside these all-new octaver blend voicings, and notes that a reworked Detune replaces the standard Shallow and Deep modes found on earlier Whammies4.

The controls: treadle, rotary selector and Classic/Chords switch

The control set will be familiar to anyone who has used a fifth-generation Whammy111213:

ControlWhat it does
Expression treadleBends pitch and detunes in real time3
Rotary selectorChooses the Whammy, harmony, detune or octaver setting4
Classic/Chords toggleSwitches between the original single-note algorithm and the chordal algorithm3
Effect On/Off switchEngages and bypasses the pedal4
Neon green LEDIndicates the pedal is on3
Harmony LEDsLight when a harmony effect is selected, showing the dry signal is blended with the effect3

The Classic/Chords switch is the same idea introduced on the 2012 Whammy with chordal pitch shifting121314. DigiTech explains the two sides plainly: Classic is "the original Whammy algorithm (great for single notes)" and Chords is "the modern chordal algorithm (great for bending whole chords)"3. Guitar World's reviewers put it the same way: in Classic the pedal runs the original algorithm dialed in for single notes, while in Chords "you can pitch-shift several notes at once"4.

Power and connections

The pedal runs on a 9V DC external adapter with center-negative polarity, with a power consumption of 2.4 W, which works out to 265 mA at 9V DC3. A PS0913DC adapter (9V DC at 1.3 A) is included in the box3, and press announcements also list an included power supply215.

At 265 mA, this pedal draws more current than a typical analog stompbox, so it needs a power supply rated for the draw, not a battery or a low-current daisy chain output.

Connections are simple: one unbalanced 1/4 inch TS instrument input, one 1/4 inch instrument output, and a 5-pin MIDI port38. DigiTech pitches the MIDI as being "ready to integrate with advanced performance rigs"3; on the related Whammy DT, MusicRadar noted the MIDI in port allowed remote control of both the effects and the treadle position16. There is no stereo operation: Guitar.com's reviewer wrote that "The only thing that is perhaps lacking is stereo"5.

Based on the Whammy V, designed with MonoNeon

Bass Magazine describes the design lineage directly: "The MonoNeon Signature Whammy takes its cues from DigiTech's Whammy V and turns it on its head"2. In the Premier Guitar demo, the story was told from the artist's side: "DigiTech took notice and they worked with the funkmaster on a tweaking the Whammy 5"17. It is optimized for use with both electric guitars and basses6, and Guitar.com's reviewer observed that "The MonoNeon Whammy isn't just a basic WH-1 Whammy with a paint job"5.

The finish is part of the signature: a Neon Orange and Neon Yellow paint job that DigiTech says stands out and glows under black lights on stage1, matching MonoNeon's signature Fender Jazz Bass that came out in 20224. Guitar Pedal X also reported a Green and Red variant that appears luminescent under dimmed conditions8. MusicRadar reported DigiTech calling this its "boldest" Whammy design yet18.

At launch, MusicRadar and Guitar Pedal X both priced it at £269 / $349818, and Guitar World gives the launch price as $349.994. By November 2025, Guitar.com listed it at $3297, and noted it "costs just 30 bucks more than the current WH-5 version"5.

What reviewers said

Guitar World's review awarded it four and a half stars for sounds, praising "Versatile pitch-shifting, plus a whole truckload of weird and wonderful sounds," and four stars for build quality, writing "Kudos to DigiTech for designing an exceptionally sturdy and well-built pedal," with the rugged all-metal chassis matching DigiTech's standard Bass Whammy4. The reworked Detune also earned praise: "The new Detune setting produces an equally pleasing chorus and is easily good enough to negate the need for a separate box on your board"4.

The same review flagged two reasons to hesitate: it is "Probably not different enough to make current Whammy owners swap," and "Unless harmonizers are your thing, a price of around $350 is a little extravagant for a pedal you may not use too often"4. The overall verdict was measured: "Used sparingly the MonoNeon Whammy is a really creative tool"4.

Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson took a different angle on the format itself: he loved the look of the new editions but finds the Whammy oversized, preferring the more compact Ricochet and HammerOn formats8.

In DigiTech's own NAMM demo, presenter Johnny stressed the pedal's reach across instruments: "let me stress it's for guitar and bass players alike"9.

DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy NAMM 2025 demo

MonoNeon demoed the pedal himself at the DigiTech booth at NAMM 2025, described in the Guitar World video as the first ever signature Whammy, walking through the Hypersonic preset and the one-octave-up setting he uses live10.

MonoNeon demos his signature DigiTech Whammy

Videos

The Best Whammy Pedal for Guitar? Testing the MonoNeon Whammy
DigiTech

News

Questions

Does the MonoNeon Whammy work on guitar?

Yes. DigiTech designed it for both guitar and bass players, and the ten Whammy settings are optimized for both instruments. In DigiTech's demo, the Hypersonic mode was described as letting bass players reach the two-octave-up range guitarists already have, while giving guitar players a full octave more of range.

Does the MonoNeon Whammy have MIDI?

Yes. The pedal supports 5-pin MIDI control, which DigiTech positions as ready for integration with advanced performance rigs. On earlier Whammy pedals such as the Whammy DT, the MIDI in port allowed remote control of both the selected effect and the treadle position.

Is the MonoNeon Whammy stereo?

No. The pedal has a single unbalanced 1/4 inch TS instrument input and a single 1/4 inch instrument output. Guitar.com's reviewer noted that the lack of stereo is the only thing perhaps missing from the pedal.

What colors does the MonoNeon Whammy come in?

It is finished in MonoNeon's signature Neon Yellow and Neon Orange paint job, which DigiTech says glows under black lights on stage. Guitar World notes the colors match his signature Fender MonoNeon Jazz Bass released in 2022.

What does the Classic / Chords switch do?

It toggles between two pitch-shifting algorithms. Classic runs the original DigiTech Whammy algorithm, which is dialed in for single notes. Chords switches to the modern chordal algorithm, which lets you pitch-shift several notes at once, so whole chords can be bent.

What power supply does it need?

It runs on a 9V DC external adapter with center-negative polarity, drawing 265 mA, and a PS0913DC power adapter (9V DC at 1.3 A) is included in the box. The 265 mA draw rules out a standard battery and means it needs a supply with enough current.

Sources (18)
  1. Introducing: MonoNeon Signature Whammy, DigiTech, 2025-01-22
  2. DigiTech Releases MonoNeon Signature Whammy Pedal, Bass Magazine, 2025-01-27
  3. MonoNeon Whammy, DigiTech, 2026-01-02
  4. DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy review, Guitar World, 2025-02-25
  5. DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy review: more than a fun paint job, Guitar.com, 2025-06-02
  6. DigiTech Whammy 5 MonoNeon Signature & HammerOn Demos, Premier Guitar, 2025-01-25
  7. Boss XS-100 Poly Shifter review, Guitar.com, 2025-11-28
  8. Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-01-24
  9. The DigiTech MonoNeon Whammy is not for the faint-hearted, MusicRadar, 2025-02-05
  10. MonoNeon Demos His Signature DigiTech Whammy and Shreds His Fender Jazz Bass at NAMM 2025, Guitar World, 2025-02-17
  11. DigiTech Whammy (5th Generation) review, MusicRadar, 2012-09-22
  12. DigiTech Introduces The Legendary Whammy With Chordal Pitch-, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2012-05-16
  13. DigiTech Next-Generation Whammyâ„¢ With Chordal Pitch-Shifting Is Now Available In Stores, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2012-06-28
  14. DigiTech Introduces the Whammy with Chordal Pitch-Shifting, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2012-05-15
  15. New Gear: MonoNeon Signature Whammy, Bass Musician Magazine, 2025-01-27
  16. DigiTech Whammy DT review, MusicRadar, 2011-09-30
  17. DigiTech Whammy 5: MonoNeon & HammerOn, Premier Guitar, 2025-01-26
  18. NAMM 2025: “The all-new Hypersonic Mode will kick that pitch shift straight into the stratosphere”: DigiTech and MonoNeon team up for a radical new Whammy Pedal for guitar and bass with three-octave range, MusicRadar, 2025-01-24

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