The Gig-Fx SubWah is a bass wah pedal released by Gig-Fx in September 2009, an all-analog unit that adapts the company's Megawah circuit to the frequency ranges of the bass guitar1. Where most wah pedals are voiced for guitar and thin out on the low strings, the SubWah was built to preserve bass frequencies, including the low B of five- and six-string basses1.
Gig-Fx marketed it as "the funkiest wah ever for bass"1, and Bass Musician Magazine's 2012 review went further, calling it "the funkiest and most melodic Wah and Envelope filter ever produced for bass players, bar none"2.
An all-analog wah tuned for bass
The SubWah is an all-analog pedal with four onboard settings reached through a four-position selector switch12. Its core is the Megawah circuit, with the frequency ranges tailored for bass guitar: Gig-Fx says it captures the Megawah's "signature wide sweep range and funky low end" but retuned for the instrument1.
The circuit itself differs from a conventional wah. Bass Musician Magazine explains that Gig-Fx uses a unique filter circuit with a wider range than the narrow bandpass of the inductor found in most wah pedals, letting the pedal sweep from a low, funky bass response to a crisp high end2. The reviewer found this wider range gives the pedal "a much more expressive ping, quack and talk capability"2.
For extended-range players, the review reports the SubWah "can respond all the way down to below low B," which the magazine called one of the few wah pedals with that reach2.
The four-position selector
The four modes are chosen with a four-position selector switch on the pedal2. On the related Peter Frampton Signature Megawah, Premier Guitar describes the equivalent control as a 4-way knob on the left side of the pedal3, and Gig-Fx's announcement for that pedal confirms the four settings are actuated by a selector switch4.
| Position | Mode | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Classic wah | Standard wah sweep voiced for bass1 |
| 2 | Very deep bass "Sub" wah | Extends the sweep into sub-bass territory1 |
| 3 | Auto-wah | Cycles automatically, with adjustable rate1 |
| 4 | Trigger/envelope | Specially adapted envelope setting that responds to your attack1 |
The auto-wah position means the pedal works without rocking the treadle: you set the rate and the sweep cycles on its own1. The trigger/envelope position is an envelope filter mode, which is why Bass Musician Magazine describes the pedal as both a sub-wah and an envelope filter in one unit2. On the Frampton Signature Megawah, Gig-Fx describes its envelope wah mode as "a funky envelope wah with adjustable trigger sensitivity"4, the same family of function the SubWah's fourth position provides for bass.
Where it came from
The SubWah is a variant of the Gig-Fx Megawah, the company's flagship wah. Bass Musician Magazine reports that when Gig-Fx designed the SubWah, the company expected it to be "an easy off-shoot from the famous MEGA-WAH," but the project instead took two years of hard work, with intense product testing and feedback from some of the most respected bass players2.
Theron Brison, a protege of Bootsy Collins, worked on the pedal during its developmental stages2. The finished product is endorsed by Bootsy Collins, James Brown's bass player, along with the band Theeramjam2.
"We ended up with the funkiest and most melodic Wah and Envelope filter ever produced for bass players, bar none."
The Megawah line continued after the SubWah: in 2010 Gig-Fx announced the Peter Frampton Signature Megawah, an all-analog, mono signature version with four modes and optical control4, and Premier Guitar reviewed that pedal in 20234.
Videos
Bass Musician Magazine
Questions
Does the Gig-Fx SubWah work with five- and six-string basses?
Yes. Gig-Fx says special care was taken to preserve bass frequencies, including the low B response of five- and six-string basses. Bass Musician Magazine's review found the pedal responds all the way down to below low B, which the reviewer called rare among wah pedals.
Is the Gig-Fx SubWah analog or digital?
It is all-analog. Both the original Gig-Fx announcement and Bass Musician Magazine's later review describe the SubWah as an all-analog pedal, with no digital processing in the signal path.
Can the Gig-Fx SubWah work as an auto-wah?
Yes. One of its four selector positions is an auto-wah mode with an adjustable rate, so the wah effect cycles without rocking the treadle. A fourth position is a specially adapted trigger/envelope setting that responds to your picking dynamics.
What is the Gig-Fx SubWah based on?
It is based on the Gig-Fx Megawah, keeping that pedal's wide sweep range and funky low end but tailoring the frequency ranges for bass guitar. Bass Musician Magazine noted the design turned out to be harder than a simple offshoot of the Megawah, taking two years of development and testing.
Who helped design the Gig-Fx SubWah?
Theron Brison, a protege of Bootsy Collins, worked on the pedal during its developmental stages. The finished pedal is endorsed by Bootsy Collins, and Gig-Fx tested it with feedback from respected bass players over two years of development.
Sources (4)
- Gig-Fx Announces SubWah for Bass, Premier Guitar, 2009-09-24
- Effects Pedal, Bass Musician Magazine, 2012-11-06
- Gig-FX Peter Frampton MegaWah Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2011-02-15
- Gig-Fx Launches Peter Frampton Signature Megawah Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2010-11-12