The Morley George Lynch Mr. Scary Wah is a signature wah pedal built by Morley with George Lynch, the guitarist whose nickname "Mr. Scary" gives the pedal its name1. It was released as an exclusive limited-edition pedal made with the retailer Pitbull Audio1, and Morley's product page now carries an update stating it is sold out1.
For a player, the pedal does two jobs at once. It is a switchless wah: you step on the treadle to engage the effect and step off to bypass it, with no footswitch to find mid-phrase1. And it carries a built-in boost: the Scream control adds level on top of the wah, enough to lift a solo or push an amp into breakup1.
Controls and how it works
The Mr. Scary Wah is built around Morley's electro-optical design, in which a light and a light sensor control the wah sweep instead of a mechanical potentiometer. Morley's pitch for this design is simple: no pots to wear out1. The pedal also includes what Morley calls a Premium Morley Buffer Circuit, which the company says protects your tone from any mischief in your signal chain1.
The controls break down like this:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Treadle | Step on to engage the wah, step off to bypass1 |
| Scream | Boost control, adds level on top of the wah1 |
| Execute Switch | Engages the Optical Lock filter, emulating a parked wah1 |
| Slice knob | Controls the parked wah sweep1 |
The Optical Lock is the feature that sets the pedal apart from a standard wah. A parked wah is the sound of a wah pedal held in one position, a fixed vocal filter that many players use as a tone rather than an effect in motion. The Execute Switch engages that filter instantly, and the Slice knob sets where in the sweep the filter sits1. Morley's product page frames it as a way to execute those fixed-wah tones instantly.
Power and build
The pedal runs on standard 9V operation and has a quick clip battery door, so a battery can be changed without tools1. The housing is cold-rolled steel, which Morley describes as rugged and lightweight, for maximum protection1. That steel enclosure is a long-standing Morley trait: when the earlier George Lynch Dragon Wah 2 launched, MusicRadar noted that all of Morley's new models at the time featured what it called bulletproof, road-worthy cold-rolled steel housing construction2.
Where it came from
George Lynch's relationship with Morley goes back years. Morley has built signature wahs for him alongside other signature artists, and by summer 2018 the company's custom shop mini wah line had grown to include Steve Vai, George Lynch, Kiko Loureiro, Mark Tremonti, Michael Amott and DJ Ashba3. The Dragon Wah 2, a switchless, optical wah, was among four new Morley pedals announced in 20092.
The Mr. Scary Wah sits closest to the Morley Immortals Series George Lynch Dragon 2 Wah, a limited-edition reissue of Lynch's famed signature Morley wah, also exclusive to Pitbull Audio4. The two pedals share most of their feature set:
| Feature | Mr. Scary Wah | Dragon 2 Wah |
|---|---|---|
| Boost control | Scream1 | Loudness4 |
| Parked wah | Optical Lock via Execute Switch, Slice knob sets sweep1 | Wah Lock engages the Optical Lock filter4 |
| Battery door | Quick clip1 | Quick clip5 |
| Housing | Cold-rolled steel1 | Cold-rolled steel1 |
When the Dragon 2 was announced, Lynch himself described the Wah Lock Mode as emulating a cocked wah5, the same idea the Mr. Scary Wah's Optical Lock carries forward.
One extra for collectors: Morley's product page lists a Golden Ticket prize tied to the pedal, a George Lynch online lesson1.
Bass and keyboard use
Morley states the Mr. Scary Wah works with guitar, bass or keys1. That range fits Morley's wah history: Guitar World notes that Metallica's Cliff Burton most famously used a Morley wah, and the company honors that legacy with the Morley Cliff Burton Power Wah Boost6.
Videos
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Questions
Is the Morley George Lynch Mr. Scary Wah sold out?
Yes. Morley's own product page carries an update stating the pedal is sold out. It was an exclusive limited-edition pedal made with Pitbull Audio, so no further production run has been announced. Players looking for a similar Morley signature wah may find the George Lynch Dragon 2 Wah reissue, which shares several of the same features.
How does the Morley Mr. Scary Wah switch on and off?
It is a switchless wah. You simply step on the treadle to engage the wah effect and step off to bypass it. There is no footswitch to hit, which is the same switchless activation approach Morley introduced on its earlier wah pedals.
What does the Optical Lock do on the Mr. Scary Wah?
The Optical Lock gives you an instant parked wah, a fixed wah-filter tone like a wah pedal held in one position. The Execute Switch engages the Optical Lock filter, and the Slice knob controls the parked wah sweep, so you can set where that fixed filter sits.
Does the Morley Mr. Scary Wah use a battery?
Yes. It runs on standard 9V operation and has a quick clip battery door, so the battery can be swapped without tools. The quick clip door is a Morley design carried over from pedals like the Dragon 2 Wah.
Can the Mr. Scary Wah be used with bass or keyboards?
Yes. Morley states the pedal works with guitar, bass or keys, so it is not limited to guitar players. Morley wahs have a long history with bass, most famously through Metallica's Cliff Burton.
What does the Scream control do?
The Scream control is the pedal's built-in boost. Morley describes it with the tagline Scream, and it adds level on top of the wah effect, enough to lift a solo or push an amp harder. It works like the Loudness boost control on the related George Lynch Dragon 2 Wah.
Sources (6)
- IMMORTALS SERIES GEORGE LYNCH MR SCARY WAH, Morley
- Four new Morley pedals, MusicRadar, 2009-11-18
- Summer NAMM 2018: Morley debuts 3 Custom Shop mini wah pedals for Mark Tremonti, Michael Amott and DJ Ashba, MusicRadar, 2018-06-28
- Immortals Series George Lynch Dragon 2 Wah, Morley
- Immortals Series George Lynch Dragon 2 Wah Press Release, Morley, 2022-05
- DOD and Morley unveil triple threat Wah-ocTo-Fuzz pedal, Guitar World, 2026-05-27
