The Dunlop KH95Y Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah is a limited edition wah pedal from Dunlop, built around the settings Kirk Hammett used on his Cry Baby Rack Wah. Dunlop says it "captures Kirk Hammett's thick top end and full dynamic range with custom graphics and tread"1. The KH95Y is the Yellow Sparkle Edition of the standard Kirk Hammett Cry Baby, carrying the same circuit in a special yellow sparkle finish2.
Like every Cry Baby, it works with your foot: rock the pedal back and forth and the filter sweeps, producing what Dunlop's manual calls "the vocal, expressive tones that the Cry Baby Wah is famous for"3. Push the toe down until you feel a click to switch the effect on and off3.
A wah voiced from Kirk Hammett's rack wah settings
The KH95Y is not a generic Cry Baby voicing. Dunlop's buying guide states plainly that the circuit is "Based on Kirk's Cry Baby Rack Wah settings"51, and the Yellow Sparkle product page repeats that it is "based on Kirk's own Cry Baby Rack Wah settings, recreating the sound that he used to fire up the licks"2. For a player, that means the sweep is tuned to how Hammett actually ran his rack-mounted wah rather than to a stock Cry Baby curve.
Dunlop describes the result as "an even response from heel to toe with an arresting midrange wail and a thick top end, perfect for fast, melodic runs"2. The standard KH95 gets a similar description from Dunlop's own guide: "an exceptionally even response from heel to toe with a thick top end and a full dynamic range"5.
The manual's specifications show how the filter moves across the sweep:
| Specification | Heel down | Toe down |
|---|---|---|
| Low pass range | 300 Hz to 380 Hz | |
| High pass range | 1.4 kHz to 1.8 kHz | |
| Max gain center frequency | +17 dBV | +21 dBV |
| Noise floor | >95 dB | >89 dB |
The noise floor reference is 0 dBV = 1 VRMS, A-weighted3.
Power and connections
Setting the pedal up takes two cables and a power source. Run an instrument cable from your guitar to the pedal's INSTRUMENT jack, then another from its AMPLIFIER jack into your amplifier's input3.
For power, the KH95Y runs on DC 9 volts from either source below3:
- One 9-volt battery, accessible via the bottom plate
- A 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003/ECB003EU, or an MXR Brick Series power supply
At 4 mA of current draw3, the pedal is easy on a power supply, and a battery lasts a long time at that level.
The KH95Y uses hardwire bypass, not true bypass3. If you are building a pedalboard around true bypass switching throughout, this is the one specification to be aware of.
The Yellow Sparkle limited edition and the standard KH95
Dunlop offers the Kirk Hammett wah in two versions. The KH95 is the standard model, and the KH95Y is the limited edition Yellow Sparkle version of the same pedal2. Both are based on Kirk's Cry Baby Rack Wah settings52, so the difference between them is the finish: the KH95Y wears a special yellow sparkle finish2.
| Version | Finish | List price (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| KH95 Kirk Hammett Cry Baby | Standard | $209.996 |
| KH95Y Yellow Sparkle Edition | Yellow sparkle, limited edition | $265.994 |
The $56.00 difference between the two list prices buys the limited edition yellow sparkle finish; the circuit basis is the same rack wah settings in both52.
"This limited edition version of the Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah delivers the heavy metal legend's signature wah tones"
Dunlop also makes a wider Kirk Hammett Collection Cry Baby Wah for players comparing the Hammett signature options4.
Questions
Is the Kirk Hammett Cry Baby true bypass?
No. The KH95Y uses hardwire bypass, as listed in Dunlop's manual for the pedal. Hardwire bypass keeps the wah circuit's input connected when the pedal is off, which is the traditional Cry Baby switching arrangement rather than the fully disconnected true bypass design.
Does the KH95Y take a 9V battery?
Yes. The KH95Y is powered by one 9-volt battery, accessible via the bottom plate. It can also run from a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or ECB003EU, or an MXR Brick Series power supply.
What is the difference between the KH95 and KH95Y?
The KH95Y is a limited edition version of the Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah with a special yellow sparkle finish. Both are based on Kirk's Cry Baby Rack Wah settings. The KH95 lists at $209.99 and the KH95Y at $265.99, both as of October 2026.
How much current does the Kirk Hammett wah draw?
The KH95Y draws 4 mA, according to Dunlop's manual. That is a very light draw, so the pedal places little demand on a power supply and leaves plenty of headroom for other pedals on the same chain.
Is the Yellow Sparkle Kirk Hammett wah a limited edition?
Yes. Dunlop describes the KH95Y Yellow Sparkle Edition as a limited edition version of the Kirk Hammett Cry Baby Wah, delivering the same rack-wah-based signature tones in a special yellow sparkle finish.
Sources (6)
- KIRK HAMMETT CRY BABY® WAH, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- KIRK HAMMETT CRY BABY® WAH YELLOW SPARKLE EDITION, Jim Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
- KH95Y.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2025
- KIRK HAMMETT COLLECTION CRY BABY® WAH, Jim Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
- RANGE OF EXPRESSION: FIND YOUR CRY BABY® WAH, Dunlop (lifestyle.jimdunlop.com), 2021-10-08
- KIRK HAMMETT CRY BABY® WAH BOTTOM PLATE, Dunlop (www.jimdunlop.com)
Kirk Hammett
