The Jam Pedals Wahcko 2 is a wah pedal and an update to the original Jam Pedals Wahcko. In a 2026 demo video, guitarist Pete Thorn used it for all the guitar sounds, running it with a PT-15 channel one and a fuzz pedal, and described JAM Pedals as a maker of "cool, viby, very vintage inspired, great sounding effects with a lot of character." He found it easy to bond with the pedal's sounds right away, for both clean and dirty sounds, simply by flicking the sweep control. The pedal as he received it shipped in guitar mode.1
What it does to your sound
JAM Pedals has a house sound, and Pete Thorn's demo of the Wahcko 2 places it squarely in it. "They always make cool, viby, very vintage inspired, great sounding effects with a lot of character," Thorn says of the company. The custom inductor, "inspired by vintage TDK designs," is what gives the MK2 its vintage-leaning wah voice.1
Players who have spent time with the original Wahcko describe it in similar terms. Guitarist Mark Lettieri, on the JAM Pedals artist page, puts it this way2:
"The Wahcko is a very flexible, musical, and all-around inspiring wah pedal!"
Controls and features
The MK2 adds several controls and features over the original Wahcko:
- Mode switch: the pedal as received by the reviewer shipped in guitar mode1
- Sweep control: flicking the sweep was how the reviewer found sounds he bonded with right away, for both clean and dirty sounds1
Thorn found the sweep control immediately usable: "it was easy to find sounds that I just bonded with right away, both for clean sounds and dirty sounds simply by flicking" the sweep control.1
The bass mode is set with internal DIP switches, and the Q trimmer is also internal, so changing either means taking off the back plate rather than turning a top-panel knob.
Power
The Wahcko 2 can be powered two ways. It takes a standard 9 volt supply through a jack on the side of the pedal, so it sits on a pedalboard like any other 9V pedal, and it also offers 9 volt battery operation inside the pedal for players who run it standalone.1
In the demo
Pete Thorn published a full demo of the Wahcko 2 on 22 September 2026, using a PT-15 amplifier's channel one for all the guitar sounds in the video, with a fuzz pedal in front of the wah. He demoed the pedal in guitar mode throughout.1
The Wahcko family
The Wahcko 2 sits in the JAM Pedals line as an update to the original Jam Pedals Wahcko.1
Videos
JAM pedals
R.J. Ronquillo
News
Questions
What is different between the Wahcko and the Wahcko 2?
The Wahcko 2 is an update to the original Wahcko. The MK2 adds a JAM custom designed inductor based on the 1960s TDK inductor, an internal Q trimmer, a dedicated bass mode via DIP switches, a rubber tread footplate and internal 9V battery operation, according to press reports of the launch in September 2026.
Does the Jam Pedals Wahcko 2 run on a battery?
Yes. The Wahcko 2 offers 9 volt battery operation inside the pedal, and it can also be powered from a 9 volt jack on the side of the pedal with a standard pedalboard power supply, as Pete Thorn notes in his demo of the pedal.
What does the sweep control do on the Wahcko 2?
The sweep control is a six-position knob that adjusts the wah sweep range. Pete Thorn found it easy to find sounds he bonded with right away, both for clean and dirty sounds, simply by flicking the sweep control.
What is the Q trimmer on the Wahcko 2?
The Wahcko 2 has an internal Q trimmer, a control inside the pedal that adjusts the resonance or intensity of the wah effect. It is one of the additions that sets the MK2 apart from the original Wahcko.
Does the Wahcko 2 have a bass mode?
Yes. Press reports of the launch describe a dedicated bass mode selected via DIP switches, alongside the guitar mode the pedal ships in. Pete Thorn demoed the pedal in guitar mode.
Sources (2)
- KILLER VINTAGE WAH TONES! Jam Pedals Wahcko 2, Pete Thorn (YouTube), 2026-09-22
- Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy), JAM Pedals (www.jampedals.com)
Marc Ribot
