The Dunlop KH95 Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah is a wah pedal from Dunlop, built around the settings Kirk Hammett uses on his own Cry Baby Rack Wah. Dunlop's buying guide says the pedal is "Based on Kirk's Cry Baby Rack Wah settings"1, and Premier Guitar reported the same origin for the later KH95X edition2. In other words, it is a floor pedal that aims to put Hammett's rack-mounted wah voicing in a standard Cry Baby housing.
Dunlop describes the sound as offering "an exceptionally even response from heel to toe with a thick top end and a full dynamic range"1. Like other Cry Babies, it works by rocking your foot on the treadle: the manual says that "by rocking your foot back and forth on the pedal, you can change the effect that the Cry Baby has on the tone of your instrument"3. The KH95 lists at $209.99 USD on Dunlop's product page4.
How it works and how to control it
The KH95 is a treadle wah with no knobs. There are two things your foot does43:
- On/off: push the toe of the pedal down until you feel a "click" to switch the effect on or off3.
- The sweep: rocking the pedal back and forth moves a low-pass filter across the tone, from 300 Hz to 380 Hz at the heel-down end of the sweep3.
Setup is the classic two-cable arrangement: a shielded instrument cable from the guitar into the KH95's INSTRUMENT jack, and another shielded cable from the KH95's AMPLIFIER jack into the amplifier input3.
Power and connections
The KH95 runs on 9 volts DC3. It takes one 9-volt battery, accessed through the bottom of the pedal, or an AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003E, or a DC Brick power supply3. At 4 mA of current draw3, it places a very small load on a shared pedalboard supply.
The KH95's bypass is hardwire, not true bypass3. Players who want a fully bypassed signal path when the pedal is off sometimes add a bypass looper or place a buffer elsewhere in the chain.
Specifications
Dunlop's 2019 KH95 manual gives these figures3:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 680 kΩ |
| Output impedance | 4.7 kΩ |
| Maximum input level | -13.5 dBV |
| Gain (heel down) | +17 dB at 300 Hz to 380 Hz |
| Filter range | Low pass, 300 Hz to 380 Hz |
| Noise floor (heel down) | >95 dBV (A-weighted, 0 dBV = 1 VRMS) |
| Current draw | 4 mA |
| Power | 9 volts DC |
| Bypass | Hardwire |
The KH95Y manual adds a maximum output level of +6.5 dBV and a toe-down noise floor of >89 dB for that edition5.
Versions: KH95, KH95X and KH95Y
The KH95 has appeared in three main versions, all built on the same rack-wah-derived circuit1:
| Version | What it is |
|---|---|
| KH95 | The original Kirk Hammett Signature Cry Baby Wah, $209.99 USD4 |
| KH95X | The Kirk Hammett Collection Cry Baby Wah, a purple sparkle edition6 |
| KH95Y | The Yellow Sparkle Edition of the same pedal7 |
The KH95X began as a handful of limited edition hand-signed units before going on general release in 2022, as Gearnews reported: "Now, however, it is on general release at last"6. Premier Guitar confirmed it was "available now from your favorite retailers"2. According to Gearnews, the KH95X is the same pedal as the standard KH95 apart from its finish: "Apart from these new aesthetics, the model is the same as the previously released Dunlop Kirk Hammett Signature Wah"6. Gearnews also called it "likely to be an unusual yet stylish sight on guitarist's pedalboards"6.
The KH95Y is the Yellow Sparkle Edition, listed by Dunlop as a Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah in a yellow sparkle finish7. Its manual carries the same core specifications as the KH95, including the 4 mA current draw and DC 9-volt power5.
Players comparing Hammett's wah against other signature Cry Babies can also look at the Dunlop JP95 John Petrucci Signature Cry Baby Wah, the Dunlop SW95 Slash Cry Baby Wah, and the Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Cry Baby, all part of Dunlop's wider signature lineup alongside the Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95 standard model.
Videos
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Questions
Does the KH95 take a battery?
Yes. The KH95 is powered by one 9-volt battery, accessed through the bottom plate of the pedal. It can also run from a Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003E AC adapter, or a DC Brick power supply, at 9 volts DC.
Is the KH95 true bypass?
No. Dunlop's manual lists the KH95's bypass type as hardwire, not true bypass. That means the signal path is switched rather than fully bypassed when the pedal is off, which is how many classic Cry Baby wahs are built.
What is the difference between the KH95 and the KH95Y?
The KH95Y is the Yellow Sparkle Edition of the same Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah, a cosmetic variant rather than a different circuit. Its manual lists the same core specs, including a 4 mA current draw and DC 9-volt power. The KH95X is likewise the same pedal with different aesthetics.
How much current does the KH95 draw?
The KH95 draws 4 mA, according to Dunlop's manual. That is a very light load, so it is easy to run alongside other pedals on a shared power supply.
Where is the manual for the KH95?
Dunlop publishes the KH95 manual as a PDF at jimdunlop.com/content/manuals/KH95.pdf. It covers setup, power, the footswitch, and the full specification list.
Sources (7)
- RANGE OF EXPRESSION: FIND YOUR CRY BABY® WAH, Dunlop (lifestyle.jimdunlop.com), 2021-10-08
- Kirk Hammett & Dunlop Launch Special Cry Baby Wah, Premier Guitar, 2022-05-02
- KH95.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2019
- KIRK HAMMETT CRY BABY® WAH BOTTOM PLATE, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- KH95Y.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2025
- Dunlop Kirk Hammett KH95X Cry Baby Wah: Purple sparkle Metallica tones!, gearnews.com, 2022-05-03
- KIRK HAMMETT CRY BABY® WAH YELLOW SPARKLE EDITION, Jim Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
Kirk Hammett
