The GUP Tech Ottawa-Wah is an auto-wah, also called an envelope filter: a pedal that sweeps a filter across your signal in response to how hard you pick, instead of using a rocker pedal you move with your foot. GUP Tech bases it on the old DOD 440 Envelope Filter, which the maker calls "the classic Green pedal of old school boards"1. The pedal is built by GUP Tech itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada1.
Where a regular wah pedal follows your foot, the Ottawa-Wah follows your hands. GUP Tech says it "can be tweaked to provide a huge range of sounds, and is very responsive to how heavy or lightly you pick"1. Play softly and the filter barely opens; dig in and the sweep widens. That makes it a filter pedal that behaves more like a dynamic effect than a manually controlled one.
The circuit and where it came from
The Ottawa-Wah is a homage to the DOD 440, an envelope filter from the era of old school pedalboards. GUP Tech's version is specifically inspired by the DOD 440 Reissue, and it carries over that pedal's UP/Down emphasis toggle1. In effect, the Ottawa-Wah is a modern, hand-built take on a circuit players already know from the original green DOD box.
The name is a geographic joke rather than a technical one: GUP Tech says it is "paying hommage to the city of Ottawa, host of the Canadian parliament"1. The builder sits a few hours north of Ottawa in Saguenay, Québec, and all of its pedals are made in-house there1.
The controls
The control set is small, which suits an envelope filter: two knobs and a toggle1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Range | Sets the wideness of the oscillation, in GUP Tech's words, how far the filter sweep opens up1 |
| LVL | The threshold detector, setting how hard you need to pick before the filter reacts1 |
| UP/Down toggle | Selects the emphasis: up for a throaty, bassy tone; down to cut low end1 |
The LVL knob is the one to spend time with. Because it is the threshold detector, it is the control that matches the pedal to your instrument's output and your touch1.
The UP/Down toggle is the most characterful control. GUP Tech describes the two positions plainly12:
"In up position, you get a throaty-bassy tone, perfect for guitar. In the bottom position, a lot of the low-end is cut, letting the pedal shine in a mix"1
The down position, with its low-end cut, is the one to reach for on bass or in a band mix where a full-range sweep would muddy the low end. The up position keeps the body of the instrument intact for guitar1.
Power and setup
The Ottawa-Wah runs on 9V DC only, center negative, the standard arrangement for modern pedals, and draws just 6mA1. That current draw is low enough that it will happily share a daisy chain or a modest isolated supply with the rest of a board, leaving capacity for hungrier digital pedals. GUP Tech lists no battery option, so it needs a supply from day one.
Versions and editions
The Ottawa-Wah comes in a red enclosure as the standard model, and GUP Tech has also released two special editions of the same circuit123.
| Version | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ottawa-Wah | Standard red enclosure, based on the DOD 440 with the UP/Down toggle1 | In production1 |
| Gold Rush Edition | Limited edition of the same circuit and controls2 | Limited edition2 |
| Auto-Wah Douche Edition | Super limited Sparkling Red edition3 | Limited run3 |
All three share the same DNA: each is based on the DOD 440 Envelope Filter, inspired by the Reissue with the UP/Down emphasis toggle, and carries the same Range and LVL controls123. They also share the same power spec, 9V DC center negative at 6mA123. The differences are cosmetic: the Gold Rush Edition is a limited special edition2, and the Douche Edition is a super limited Sparkling Red finish3. GUP Tech describes the Douche Edition as the Auto-Wah arriving in its catalog, so the editions mark the circuit's entry into the lineup rather than a change in the design3.
The Gold Rush Edition is a limited edition2. Players wanting the circuit new should look at the standard red Ottawa-Wah, which GUP Tech lists at £71.00 GBP1.
Videos
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Questions
What circuit is the GUP Tech Ottawa-Wah based on?
It is based on the old DOD 440 Envelope Filter, the classic green pedal of old school boards. GUP Tech says the design is inspired by the DOD 440 Reissue, including that pedal's UP/Down emphasis toggle. It is an auto-wah, meaning the filter sweep is driven by your picking rather than by a foot rocker.
What does the UP/Down toggle do on the Ottawa-Wah?
It selects the frequency emphasis. In the up position you get a throaty, bassy tone that GUP Tech describes as perfect for guitar. In the bottom position a lot of the low end is cut, which the maker says lets the pedal shine in a mix, a setting that suits bass players or dense arrangements.
What power supply does the GUP Tech Ottawa-Wah need?
It takes 9V DC only, center negative, the same standard supply as most modern pedals. All versions of the pedal, including the Gold Rush Edition and the Auto-Wah Douche Edition, share this requirement. GUP Tech lists no battery option.
How much current does the Ottawa-Wah draw?
The maker lists power consumption at 6mA, which is very low. That means it can share an isolated output or a daisy chain with plenty of headroom on even a modest power supply, and it leaves most of a typical supply's capacity for hungrier digital pedals.
Where is the GUP Tech Ottawa-Wah made?
GUP Tech builds all of its pedals itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, including the Ottawa-Wah and both of its special editions. It is a small Canadian builder rather than a mass-market manufacturer.
Why is it called the Ottawa-Wah?
The name pays homage to the city of Ottawa, host of the Canadian parliament. GUP Tech is based in Québec, Canada, and the name is a nod to the country's capital rather than a description of the sound.
Sources (3)
- Ottawa-Wah Auto-Wah, guptech.ca
- Ottawa-Wah Gold Rush Edition, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Ottawa-Wah Auto-Wah Douche Edition, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
