The Vexter Wah Probe is a wah pedal from ZVex, designed by Zachary Vex, and it works differently from almost every other wah: there is no treadle. Instead of rocking a pedal back and forth, you move your foot over a sensor plate, and the wah follows your foot1.
MusicRadar's Mike Astley-Brown described it as "a foot-adjustable wah, but not in the way you might think"1. It has long been part of Vex's catalog, and the Vexter series is his cut-price range that makes the design available at a lower price1.
What it does
Where a conventional wah uses a treadle turning a potentiometer, the Wah Probe uses a copper plate to create a bubble of RF energy that you disturb with your foot2. MusicRadar's Alex Lynham lists the RF antenna among its unique features, and describes the sensor as theremin-esque, "like the ones used in retro sci-fi flicks, but aimed at guitarists"12. The result is a wah you sweep by hovering and moving your foot over the plate rather than pressing on a rocker.
The pedal also includes Vex's built-in Super Hard-On boost circuit1, so you can push the signal into the wah rather than running it at instrument level alone.
For bass players, the mix control is worth knowing about. MusicRadar's buying guide found it "isn't particularly useful for guitarists," but it "may be relevant to bass players wanting some unfiltered signal" blended with the effect2.
"Innovative controls and tones. Build quality."
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Questions
How does the Vexter Wah Probe work without a treadle?
Instead of a rocker pedal turning a potentiometer, it uses a copper plate that creates a bubble of RF energy. Moving your foot closer to or further from the plate disturbs that field, and the pedal reads the change to sweep the wah, much like a theremin.
What is the Vexter series?
Vexter is ZVex's cut-price range. The Wah Probe was long part of Zachary Vex's hand-painted catalogue, and the Vexter version brings the same design to players at a lower price.
Is the Wah Probe useful for bass players?
MusicRadar's buying guide notes that the mix control is not particularly useful for guitarists, but it may be relevant to bass players who want some unfiltered signal mixed in with the wah.
Sources (2)
- Z.Vex Vexter Wah Probe review, MusicRadar, 2013-03-27
- 5 great wah pedals guitarists need to try, MusicRadar, 2021-06-24
