The Dunlop GCB-95 is the standard Cry Baby wah: a rocker pedal you push with your foot to sweep a band-pass filter up and down the frequency range, producing the vocal "wah" effect that has been part of guitar vocabulary since the 1960s. Dunlop introduced it in 1982 as the company's first Cry Baby, and it has become, in That Pedal Show's words, "the best-selling, most common wah of the last 25 years, maybe more"12. Dunlop positions it as "a modern interpretation of the original Cry Baby sound, and it's for players who want a straight-up, no frills wah that cuts through the mix"1.
What it does to your sound
A wah pedal is a resonant filter whose center frequency follows the treadle. Rock the pedal forward and the sweep emphasizes higher frequencies; rock it back and it drops into the low mids. Rhythmically working the treadle while you play is what produces the effect's vocal quality. As IvIark of Guitar FX Layouts puts it, "When people talk about wah-wah pedals, they're talking about the Cry Baby Wahs"6.
Dunlop's own description of the GCB95 is a straight-up, no-frills wah aimed at players who want a sound that cuts through the mix1. In the press, MusicRadar's Michael Astley-Brown found the pedal's character suits high-gain playing in particular: "the GCB95's aggressive sweep makes it one of the best wahs for cutting through swathes of distortion"7.
A circuit analysis by GuitarPCB notes one tonal detail that separates the Cry Baby from its closest rival: the Cry Baby "has slightly less bass content" than the VOX V847, because the input buffer filters part of the bass content before the filter stage5. For a player comparing the two classic wah designs, that is the practical difference to listen for.
Is the GCB-95 true bypass?
The bypass question has a history worth knowing. On That Pedal Show's comparison of five classic wahs, Mick and Dan arrived at "the realisation that the modern GCB95 seems to be true bypass… which it never was back when this was all fields"2. In other words, older GCB-95s were not true bypass, but the current production appears to be.
GuitarPCB's circuit analysis of the pedal lists a true bypass switch among its features5. For owners of older revisions, Griffin Effects makes a true bypass modification kit that "will work with The Crybaby GCB-95. All Revisions"8.
If you are buying used, the bypass behavior depends on the revision: vintage GCB-95s were not true bypass, while the modern version is52. A retrofit kit covers all revisions8.
Where it came from
The Cry Baby name dates to the 1960s, and Dunlop's manual for the GCB95 carries the line "THE ORIGINAL SINCE 1967"9. The GCB95 itself arrived later: Dunlop introduced it in 1982 as the company's first Cry Baby wah1, and GuitarPCB's analysis likewise dates the Dunlop Crybaby to around 19825.
Dunlop describes the GCB95 as a modern interpretation of the original 1966 Cry Baby sound rather than a reissue of the 1966 circuit13. The pedal's influence runs through Dunlop's signature line as well: when the company launched the Tom Morello signature wah, MusicRadar reported that it "houses an identical circuit to his early-'80s GCB95 Cry Baby"10, which tells you the basic GCB95 circuit of that era is still considered the reference sound.
The GCB95's status as the volume model of the line has made it the base for many variants, from the Dunlop Cry Baby Mini to artist models like the Dunlop Tom Morello Cry Baby Wah and the Dunlop IM95K Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby Wah2.
GCB95 versus GCB95F
Dunlop makes many Cry Baby wahs, and the GCB95F Classic is the closest sibling to the standard GCB952. The two side by side:
| GCB95 Standard | GCB95F Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 19821 | 20031 |
| Position in line | Dunlop's first Cry Baby1 | Classic model with the original Cry Baby voicing1 |
| Power | Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or DC Brick, Iso-Brick, Mini Iso-Brick supplies3 | 9 volts DC via an AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003/ECB003E, or a DC Brick power supply11 |
| Noise floor | not listed in the manual | -102 dBV A-weighted11 |
Both pedals are wah-wah pedals in the Cry Baby line6512. The GCB95F's manual is where Dunlop publishes the fuller electrical specifications, including the noise floor figure above11.
Power and connections
The GCB95 runs on a Dunlop ECB003 9-volt adapter, or on Dunlop's DC Brick, Iso-Brick, and Mini Iso-Brick power supplies, none of which are included with the pedal3. The GCB95 manual also references the Dunlop DCB10 DC Brick power supply9. The GCB95F takes 9 volts DC from an AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003E, or a DC Brick supply11.
Connection is simple: an instrument cable from your guitar to the pedal's INSTRUMENT jack, then on to your amplifier11.
What reviewers say
Published coverage of the GCB95 is consistent on two points. First, its sweep character: MusicRadar's buying guide highlights the aggressive sweep that lets it cut through heavy distortion7. Second, its ubiquity: That Pedal Show calls it the best-selling, most common wah of the last 25 years or more2, which cuts both ways for a buyer. It means the pedal is a known quantity with a huge installed base, and it also means the used market and the modding ecosystem around it, including true bypass kits8 and circuit analyses8, are well developed.
At $99 as of November 20244, it sits at the accessible end of Dunlop's wah range, below the artist signature models that build on its circuit.
Videos
Sweetwater
Pedal Tone
Reverb
Questions
Is the Dunlop GCB-95 true bypass?
The modern GCB95 appears to be true bypass. A circuit analysis of the pedal lists a true bypass switch, and on That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan found during their demo that the current version seems to be true bypass, which it never was in earlier decades. Older units were not true bypass, and Griffin Effects sells a modification kit that works with all GCB-95 revisions.
What is the difference between the GCB95 and the GCB95F?
The GCB95 is the Standard Wah, released in 1982 as a modern interpretation of the original 1966 Cry Baby sound. The GCB95F is the Cry Baby Classic, released in 2003. Both are wah pedals from Dunlop's Cry Baby line; the Classic sits alongside the Standard among the many Cry Baby variants Dunlop makes.
What power supply does the GCB95F use?
The GCB95F runs on 9 volts DC, supplied by an AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003E, or by a Dunlop DC Brick power supply. Its manual lists a noise floor of -102 dBV A-weighted.
When was the GCB-95 Cry Baby first released?
Dunlop introduced the GCB95 Cry Baby Wah in 1982, its first Cry Baby. A circuit analysis dates the Dunlop Crybaby to around 1982 as well. The GCB95F Classic followed in 2003.
Is the GCB-95 the same as the original 1966 Cry Baby?
No. Dunlop describes the GCB95 as a modern interpretation of the original 1966 Cry Baby sound, not a reissue of the 1966 circuit. The manual calls it 'The Original since 1967,' referring to the Cry Baby line's heritage rather than the pedal's own circuit.
Sources (12)
- Evolution of the Cry Baby Wah at Dunlop, Dunlop (lifestyle.jimdunlop.com), 2017-04-27
- Five Classic Wah-Wah Pedals Compared With Plenty Of Fuzz Face Fun, That Pedal Show, 2019-01-18
- CRY BABY® STANDARD WAH, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- “We are honoured that our company's relationship with the legendary guitar player continues to this day”: Dunlop salutes wah pedal pioneer Eric Clapton with a gold-plated signature Cry Baby, MusicRadar, 2024-11-19
- Dunlop CryBaby GCB-95 Cicuit Analysis, GuitarPCB
- Guitar FX Layouts: Jim Dunlop CryBaby GCB-95, Guitar FX Layouts (tagboardeffects.blogspot.com), 2014-09-02
- Best wah pedals: Add extra expression to your sound, MusicRadar, 2020-09-20
- Crybaby GCB-95 True Bypass Kit, Griffin Effects
- GCB95.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2019
- Dunlop unveils the Tom Morello signature wah, MusicRadar, 2020-09-17
- GCB95F.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2020
- TOM MORELLO CRY BABY® WAH, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
