The Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper is a wah pedal from Wilson Effects, offered in a brushed aluminum enclosure with the company's ICAR taper potentiometer. It is one half of a pair: the same pedal is also sold with a Smooth Taper pot, and the two versions carry the same list price of $225.00 USD as of October 19, 202612.
What the ICAR taper means
The taper of a wah pedal is the potentiometer under the rocker, and it shapes how the sweep of your foot translates into the filter's movement. Wilson Effects describes its Vintage Taper Wah Pot as "meticulously replicated from a vintage ICAR taper pot for an authentic wah feel"3. On this pedal, that ICAR taper pot is what the ICAR Taper version is built around, and the Smooth Taper version substitutes the company's other pot in the same brushed aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah12.
Wilson Effects offers the choice across much of its wah line. On the Tunable Colorful Clone, the maker states it is "Now available in two options, ICAR pot and Smooth Taper Pot, with either the tradition Black Powder finish or the new Br[ushed Aluminum]"3. The same two-option structure applies to the 12 Position Wilson Wah and the Rippah Wah.
The 12 Position Wilson Wah family
The 12 Position Wilson Wah is sold in brushed aluminum in both taper options at the same price12:
| Version | Taper | Enclosure | List price (Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper | ICAR | Brushed aluminum | $225.00 USD1 |
| Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah Smooth Taper | Smooth Taper | Brushed aluminum | $225.00 USD2 |
For players comparing across the wider Wilson Effects range, the same taper choice appears on other brushed aluminum models, at differing prices45:
| Model | Taper | List price (Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version | ICAR | $185.00 USD4 |
| Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version | Smooth Taper | $185.00 USD5 |
| Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper | Smooth Taper | $240.00 USD6 |
| Tunable Colorful Clone ICAR Version | ICAR | $215.00 USD7 |
| Freaker Wah V.3 w/LED | V.3 | $250.00 USD8 |
| Ten Spot II V.3 w/LED | V.3 | $225.00 USD9 |
The Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version was shown as available for purchase, with an Add to Cart option, on the Wilson Effects site as of October 19, 20264.
Choosing between the tapers
Within any one Wilson Effects model, the ICAR and Smooth Taper versions are the same pedal with a different potentiometer, and on the 12 Position Wilson Wah and the Rippah Wah they carry identical prices1245. The maker positions the ICAR pot as the vintage-style option, replicated from a vintage ICAR taper pot for an authentic wah feel, with the Smooth Taper Pot as the second option across the line3. Which sweep a player prefers is a matter of feel under the foot, and the pair exists so that choice can be made at the point of purchase rather than with a mod later.
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Questions
What does ICAR taper mean on a Wilson wah?
On Wilson Effects wahs, the ICAR taper refers to the wah potentiometer's response curve. Wilson describes its Vintage Taper Wah Pot as meticulously replicated from a vintage ICAR taper pot for an authentic wah feel. In practice it is the alternative to the company's Smooth Taper pot, and most Wilson wah models are offered with a choice between the two.
How much is the Wilson Wah ICAR Taper?
The Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper is listed at $225.00 USD on the Wilson Effects site as of October 19, 2026. The Smooth Taper version of the same pedal is also listed at $225.00 USD, so the choice of taper does not change the price on this model.
Is the Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version available to buy?
Yes. The Wilson Effects product page for the Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version showed it available for purchase, with an Add to Cart option, as of October 19, 2026. It is listed at $185.00 USD, the same price as the Smooth Taper Version of the Rippah Wah.
How does the ICAR taper differ from the Smooth Taper?
They are the two potentiometer options Wilson Effects offers across its wah line. The ICAR pot replicates a vintage ICAR taper for what the maker calls an authentic wah feel, while the Smooth Taper Pot is the other option. Both are offered on models such as the 12 Position Wilson Wah, the Rippah Wah and the Tunable Colorful Clone, usually at the same price within a model.
Sources (9)
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah Smooth Taper, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Tunable Colorful Clone, Wilson Effects
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Tunable Colorful Clone ICAR Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Freaker Wah V.3 w/LED, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Ten Spot II V.3 w/LED, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
