The Chi-Wah-Wah from Plutoneium is a wah-wah pedal built to the footprint of a standard compact pedal rather than the long rocker pedal most players associate with wah. MusicRadar's review described it as "a small, steel encased wah-wah that is the same size as a typical guitar pedal." Instead of a footswitch, it uses a switchless optical actuation design: the treadle is spring-loaded and returns to its flat position on its own, and the effect disengages by itself. "Around half a second after removing your foot, your guitar reverts back to its original tone (ie no wah wah effect)," the review notes1.
The controls
The Chi-Wah-Wah keeps its control set to three dials1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the pedal's output level1 |
| Contour | Shapes the character of the wah sweep1 |
| Gain | Drives the resonant circuit1 |
Because the tone controls sit on the outside, the wah can be adjusted before playing rather than set by internal trimmers. MusicRadar's reviewer found that the pedal's appeal came from how quickly the effect engages and disengages and from the sounds available once the dials are set, with everything from funky Shaft-style parts to Hendrix-style tones reachable, and both subtle and wide sweeps easy to dial in1.
How it is built and powered
The enclosure is a 1.5mm thick rolled steel pedal, and the circuit is an inductor-based resonant wah with a 100% analog signal path1.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Circuit | Inductor-based resonant wah, 100% analog signal path1 |
| Actuation | Switchless optical, spring-loaded auto-return treadle1 |
| Frequency range | 250Hz to 2.2KHz1 |
| Bypass | Fully buffered1 |
| Power | 9V battery or Boss PSA type plug1 |
| Current draw | 35mA at 9V DC1 |
| Dimensions | 133mm (L) x 72mm (W) x 59mm (H)1 |
| Weight | 625g without battery1 |
The Chi-Wah-Wah is fully buffered rather than true bypass1. Players who build strictly true-bypass boards may want to account for that, though a buffer can help drive longer cable runs.
Guitar Pedal X later referred to the unit as "the super compact Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah Auto-Return," naming the spring-loaded auto-return treadle as a defining feature of the design2.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's verdict put the pedal's appeal squarely on its switchless behavior and its tone1:
"it's the on/off speed of effect and its sound that gives the Chi-Wah-Wah its appeal"
The reviewer found that dial adjustments made both subtle and wide sweeps easy to reach1.
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Questions
Does the Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah have a footswitch?
No. The Chi-Wah-Wah uses a switchless optical actuation design with a spring-loaded treadle that returns to its flat position on its own. MusicRadar's review notes that around half a second after you remove your foot, the guitar reverts to its original tone with no wah effect, so the effect switches itself off rather than relying on a footswitch.
Is the Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah analog?
Yes. MusicRadar describes the Chi-Wah-Wah as an inductor-based resonant wah circuit with a 100 percent analog signal path. It is a traditional analog wah design rather than a digital or modelled one.
What frequency range does the Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah cover?
MusicRadar lists the Chi-Wah-Wah's frequency range as 250Hz to 2.2KHz, which covers the sweep from the lower midrange up through the upper frequencies a wah pedal moves through as the treadle rocks.
Is the Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah true bypass?
No. MusicRadar's review describes the Chi-Wah-Wah as having a fully buffered bypass rather than true bypass, so the signal passes through a buffer when the pedal is off.
Sources (2)
- Plutoneium Chi-Wah-Wah Pedal, MusicRadar, 2010-11-22
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-08-12