The Wilson Effects Brushed Aluminum Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper is a wah pedal with a built-in booster, built by Wilson Effects and housed in a brushed aluminum enclosure1. It is one version of a product Wilson Effects offers in two taper options: this one with a Smooth Taper pot, and a companion Rippah Booster Wah ICAR Taper version1.
How it differs from the standard Rippah Wah
The Booster Wah is a booster wah, pairing the Rippah wah with a boost function in one unit1. Wilson Effects also sells the standard Rippah Wah without the booster, in the same brushed aluminum enclosure and in the same two taper options: the Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version and the Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version23.
The price difference between the two lines is $55.00 as of October 19, 2026: the Booster Wah Smooth Taper is listed at $240.00 USD1, while both standard Rippah Wah versions, Smooth Taper and ICAR Taper, are listed at $185.00 USD23.
| Wilson Effects wah (brushed aluminum) | Taper | List price (Oct 19, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Rippah Booster Wah | Smooth Taper | $240.001 |
| Rippah Wah | Smooth Taper | $185.002 |
| Rippah Wah | ICAR Taper | $185.003 |
| 12 Position Wilson Wah | Smooth Taper | $225.004 |
Smooth Taper and the other Wilson Effects wahs
Smooth Taper is the pot option Wilson Effects uses across its wah range, offered alongside ICAR Taper on several models. Beyond the Rippah line, the same choice appears on the 12 Position Wilson Wah, which comes in both Smooth Taper and ICAR Taper versions45, and on the Tunable Colorful Clone Smooth Taper Version6. Wilson Effects also sells the Smooth Taper pot itself as a separate part, the Smooth Taper Wah Potentiometer, for players swapping pots in an existing wah.
The taper of a wah pot determines how the pedal's physical sweep maps to the frequency sweep of the filter, so the choice between Smooth Taper and ICAR Taper changes how the pedal feels underfoot through the same basic circuit. A player comparing the two can find both options on the same models, which keeps the rest of the pedal constant while the sweep changes.
Questions
What does the booster do on the Rippah Booster Wah?
The Rippah Booster Wah is a booster wah, which pairs the Rippah wah circuit with a built-in boost stage in one pedal. Wilson Effects lists it as a distinct product from the standard Rippah Wah, so a player gets the wah sweep and the level lift together rather than adding a separate boost pedal to the board.
How much is the Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper?
Wilson Effects lists the Brushed Aluminum Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper at $240.00 USD as of October 19, 2026. That is $55.00 more than the standard Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version, which is listed at $185.00 USD on the same date.
How does the Booster Wah differ from the standard Rippah Wah?
The main difference is the built-in booster: the Booster Wah is a booster wah, while the standard Rippah Wah is a wah only. Both come in the same brushed aluminum enclosure and both are offered in Smooth Taper and ICAR Taper versions, so the taper choice is the same across the two lines.
What does Smooth Taper mean on a wah?
Smooth Taper is the potentiometer option Wilson Effects offers across its wah range. The name refers to the taper of the wah pot, the component that maps the pedal's physical sweep to the frequency range. Wilson Effects sells the same wahs in both Smooth Taper and ICAR Taper versions, letting a player choose the sweep feel.
Sources (6)
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Booster Wah Smooth Taper, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah Smooth Taper, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper, Wilson Effects
- Brushed Aluminum Tunable Colorful Clone Smooth Taper Version, Wilson Effects
