The Loud Button Electronics WTF is a distortion pedal that combines high gain distortion with a low frequency oscillator (LFO), a circuit that repeats at a slow rate and here produces a steady drone under the guitar signal. The maker describes the result as a wide range of rich psychedelic tones, and the pedal is equally suited to bass guitar, where it produces Dubstep, also called Dubby, tones1. It belongs to the wider family of distortion pedals, but the LFO sets it apart from a straight high-gain box.
The WTF had been available in the underground effects trade since 2008, and Loud Button announced wider availability in September 2012, with an MSRP of $219 USD and a street price of $169 USD1.
Controls
The WTF has four knobs, each shaping a different part of the distortion-plus-LFO circuit1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Attack | Modulates the LFO, providing variable envelope sweep and octave-down effects |
| Frequency | Tunes the LFO's base frequency, the steady drone present when the guitar signal decays |
| Gate | Adds a range of glitchy effects to the output |
| Volume | Meters a generous amplification factor |
The Gate control works in stages. At full clockwise the pedal functions normally. Turning it counterclockwise gradually gates the droning LFO, and near full counterclockwise the LFO becomes fully gated, leaving the guitar signal to decay abruptly into silence1. Players after similar gating in a conventional pedal can look at noise gate pedals, though here the gating is part of the effect rather than a separate cleanup stage.
Construction and availability
Loud Button states the WTF is handmade using the highest quality parts, with hand-wired, handmade circuit boards1. The pedal was announced as available in September 20121.
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Questions
What does the Gate knob do on the Loud Button Electronics WTF?
The Gate control adds a range of glitchy effects to the output. At full clockwise the pedal functions normally. Turning it counterclockwise gradually gates the droning LFO, and near full counterclockwise the LFO becomes fully gated, leaving the guitar signal to decay abruptly into silence.
Can the WTF be used with bass guitar?
Yes. According to the maker's announcement, the pedal is equally suited to bass guitar and produces Dubstep, also called Dubby, tones.
Is the Loud Button Electronics WTF handmade?
Yes. The maker states the WTF is handmade using the highest quality parts, with hand-wired, handmade circuit boards.
How much does the WTF pedal cost?
At the September 2012 announcement, the WTF carried an MSRP of $219 USD and a street price of $169 USD.
What is the LFO on the WTF for?
The LFO is the low frequency oscillator at the heart of the pedal, combined with high gain distortion. The Frequency control tunes the LFO's base frequency, the steady drone present when the guitar signal decays, while the Attack control modulates the LFO for variable envelope sweep and octave-down effects.
Sources (1)
- Loud Button Electronics Announces the WTF Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2012-09-13