The Dunlop WA45 Wylde Audio Cry Baby Wah is a signature wah pedal from the collaboration between Dunlop and Zakk Wylde. Dunlop describes it as finely tuned to Zakk's specs, so the filter, feel, and rocker action are set up the way Wylde wants a Cry Baby to respond. Like every wah, it sweeps a bandpass filter across your guitar's frequencies as you rock the pedal, from a lower, rounder tone with the heel down to a sharper, more vocal peak with the toe down.1
Filter range and signal levels
Dunlop's manual gives the WA45's filter center frequency and signal figures for both ends of the rocker's travel, measured with VREF=1VRMS, A-weighted.1
| Position | Filter center frequency | Max gain | Noise floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toe down | 400 Hz (2.4 kHz) | +17 dBV | -90 dBV |
| Heel down | 250 Hz (350 Hz) | +17 dBV | -100 dBV |
The maximum input level is -9 dBV at center frequency, and the maximum output level is +6 dBV at center frequency. Input impedance is 1 MΩ (greater than 17 kΩ when engaged) and output impedance is 10 MΩ (less than 2.5 kΩ when engaged).1
Power
The WA45 runs on 9 volts DC and draws 900 uA. You can power it with one 9-volt battery or with a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003, or an MXR Brick Series power supply. The battery is accessed via the underside of the pedal.1
The manual specifies a 9-volt DC power supply. Use a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003 or an MXR Brick Series supply rather than a generic adapter of the wrong specification.1
Setup and controls
Hooking the WA45 up takes two cables:
- Run an instrument cable from your guitar to the pedal's INSTRUMENT jack.
- Run another instrument cable from the pedal's AMPLIFIER jack to your amplifier input.1
The pedal has no knobs or switches on its face. Its two adjustments are mechanical:
- Rocker pedal: Rocking the pedal sweeps the wah filter. To turn the pedal on or off, push the toe of the pedal down until you feel a "click."1
- Torque clutch: Located under the rocker at the heel of the pedal, an adjustable torque clutch sets the amount of resistance the rocker has to being moved. Turn it clockwise to increase the resistance and counterclockwise to decrease it. A wrench is included.1
Where it sits in the Cry Baby range
The WA45 is one of many signature Cry Baby wahs Dunlop makes alongside artists such as Zakk Wylde, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Slash, and Tom Morello. If you want a wah with more tonal control than a fixed signature voicing, the Dunlop Cry Baby Multi-Wah and the Dunlop Cry Baby Mini 535Q add selectable filter ranges, while the Dunlop GCB95 Original Cry Baby is the standard model the signature versions are built from.
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Tech Perception
Questions
Who designed the Dunlop WA45 Wylde Audio Cry Baby?
The WA45 is a collaboration between Dunlop and Zakk Wylde. According to Dunlop's manual, the pedal is finely tuned to Zakk's specs, making it a signature wah built around how Wylde wants a Cry Baby to respond under his playing.
Does the WA45 use a battery or an adapter?
Both. The pedal runs on 9 volts DC and can be powered by one 9-volt battery or by a 9-volt AC adapter such as the Dunlop ECB003, or an MXR Brick Series power supply. The battery is accessed via the underside of the pedal.
Where is the battery compartment on the WA45?
The battery compartment is on the underside of the pedal. Dunlop's manual states the WA45 is powered by one 9-volt battery accessed via the underside of the pedal.
How do you turn the WA45 on and off?
Push the toe of the pedal down until you feel a click. That footswitch action turns the wah effect on and off, the same way a standard Cry Baby is engaged.
What does the torque clutch on the WA45 do?
Under the rocker at the heel of the pedal is an adjustable torque clutch that sets how much resistance the rocker has to being moved. Turn it clockwise to increase the resistance and counterclockwise to decrease it. A wrench is included for making the adjustment.
Is the WA45 true bypass?
Dunlop's manual lists the WA45's bypass as hardware bypass, which is how the pedal passes your guitar's signal when it is switched off.
Sources (2)
- WA45.pdf, Jim Dunlop, 2024
- Artists - Zakk Wylde - Dunlop, Dunlop (jimdunlop.com)
