The Morley 20/20 Wah Lock is a compact wah pedal from Morley, built as a switchless, optical wah with three selectable modes: Wah, WHOA and Wah Lock. Instead of a footswitch, you step on the treadle to engage the effect and step off to bypass it, the switchless approach Morley has used since it introduced what its 50th anniversary press release calls "the first Switchless activation Wah"1. The optical design means the sweep is controlled by light rather than a mechanical potentiometer.
What sets the Wah Lock apart from other wahs is the third mode. Wah Lock emulates a fixed wah position, so you can park the filter at one point in the sweep and use it as a tone filter rather than a moving effect. Morley's Scott Fietsam called it "our most versatile Wah" when the pedal was announced in November 20192.
The three modes
The pedal's three modes are its main selling point, and each changes what the sweep does to your tone324.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Wah | Set for standard Morley wah tone3 |
| WHOA | Shifts the envelope over for a deep vocal wah sound, with gritty vocal-like overtones; Morley says it suits high gain, horns and bass guitar3 |
| Wah Lock | Emulates a fixed wah position, holding the filter at one point so it works as a tone filter3 |
Gearnews described the wah-lock mode as one that "emulates a fixed position of the wah pedal when engaged," and noted that the WHOA mode "shifts the envelope" for its deep, vocal-like character4. The WHOA mode is the one Morley points bass players toward, since its shifted envelope keeps the low end in the sweep.
A 20dB boost is functional in all three modes3, which means you can push the filter forward in the mix whether you are sweeping it or holding it fixed.
Controls and features
The control set is minimal. A Notch knob dials in the frequency3, letting you set where the filter sits. Beyond that, the pedal's behavior is governed by the mode selection and the treadle itself.
Other features from the maker:
- New 20/20 buffer circuit that Morley says prevents signal loss and maintains tone3
- 20dB boost, functional in all three wah modes3
- Switchless operation: step on the treadle to engage, step off to bypass5
- Cold-rolled steel housing3
The buffer is worth noting for anyone running long cable runs or a large pedalboard, since it keeps the signal strong into the rest of the chain36.
Power and connections
The Wah Lock is powered by one 9-volt battery or an optional Morley 9V adapter, and it is compatible with most 9V adapters3. That adapter compatibility means it will run from common pedalboard power supplies without a dedicated unit.
No current draw figure is published for the Wah Lock itself. The related 20/20 Lead Wah Boost draws 12mA, which gives a rough sense of the series, but the Wah Lock's own draw is not stated by the maker.
Size and build
The pedal measures 6.85" long by 4.5" wide by 2.5" high3, in a cold-rolled steel housing3. That footprint is shared across the 20/20 line, which Morley built as a pedalboard-friendly update to its classic wahs; Gearnews described the range as classic Morley pedals getting "a pedalboard-friendly update"7. Compared with full-size wahs, the smaller box leaves room on the board for other pedals.
Where it came from
Morley announced the 20/20 Wah Lock in November 2019 as part of an expansion of the 20/20 line, alongside the 20/20 Wah Boost and 20/20 Lead Wah24. Guitar World covered the release and reported a price of $1698, matching the street price in Morley's own press release2. In Europe, Gearnews listed an RRP of EUR 2194.
The 20/20 series itself reworks Morley's established wah designs into the smaller enclosure. Morley's Bill Wenzloff has credited the company with building "the first Switchless activation Wah"13, and the switchless treadle on the Wah Lock continues that approach.
Other 20/20 models
The Wah Lock sits in a wider 20/20 range, most of it still current. Each model shares the same 6.85" x 4.5" x 2.5" footprint, cold-rolled steel housing and one-year-plus-registration lifetime warranty3.
| Model | What it is |
|---|---|
| 20/20 Bad Horsie | Two modes: Bad Horsie and Contour Wah, with contour/tone and level knobs |
| 20/20 Lead Wah | Switchless optical wah for high gain with a wide sweep |
| 20/20 Wah Boost | Wah with a boost stage |
| 20/20 Power Wah | Switchable optical wah with wide sweep and vintage tone |
| 20/20 Classic Switchless Wah | Switchless wah at $139 |
| 20/20 Mini Classic Wah | Compact classic wah using Morley's MQ2 inductor |
One model in the range, the 20/20 Distortion Wah, is discontinued and no longer available9.
Videos
Sweetwater
Morley
Kyle Ewers
Questions
Is the Morley 20/20 Wah Lock a switchless wah?
Yes. It is a switchless, optical wah: you step on the treadle to engage the wah and step off to bypass it, with no footswitch to hit. Morley describes it as a Switchless, Optical Wah with three modes, and the company credits itself with building the first switchless activation wah.
What does the WHOA mode do?
WHOA shifts the wah envelope over to give a deep, vocal wah sound with gritty vocal-like overtones. Morley says it is great for high gain, horns and bass guitar, so it suits players who want a more exaggerated, pronounced sweep than the standard Wah mode.
Does the Morley 20/20 Wah Lock run on a battery?
Yes. It is powered by one 9-volt battery or an optional Morley 9V adapter, and it is compatible with most 9V adapters. No current draw figure is published for this model, but the related 20/20 Lead Wah Boost draws 12mA.
What size is the Morley 20/20 Wah Lock?
It measures 6.85 inches long by 4.5 inches wide by 2.5 inches high, in a cold-rolled steel housing. That footprint is shared across the 20/20 line and is what makes the series pedalboard friendly compared with Morley's larger full-size wahs.
What warranty does the Morley 20/20 Wah Lock have?
It carries a one-year warranty, and Morley offers a lifetime warranty if you register the pedal. The same one-year plus registration-based lifetime warranty applies across the 20/20 series.
Can the 20/20 Wah Lock be used on bass?
Morley says the WHOA mode's deep vocal wah sound is great for bass guitar as well as high gain and horns. So while it is a guitar wah by design, the WHOA mode is the one the maker points to for bass players.
Sources (9)
- Morley 50th Anniversary Press Release, Morley, 2019-01
- Next 20/20 Pedals Press Release, Morley, 2019-11
- 20/20 Wah Lock, Morley
- Morley adds new 20/20 pedals: Wah Lock, Wah Boost and Lead Wah, gearnews.com, 2019-11-07
- 20/20 Classic Switchless Wah, Morley
- Morley 20/20 Power Wah/Volume Pedal Demo, Sweetwater (YouTube), 2019-11-07
- Morley 20/20 Wah Range: Classic pedals get a pedalboard-friendly update, gearnews.com, 2019-08-21
- Morley extends its 20/20 vision with 4 tricked-out wah pedals, Guitar World, 2019-11-19
- 20/20 Distortion Wah, Morley, morleyproducts.com
