The Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version is a wah pedal from Wilson Effects, housed in a brushed aluminum enclosure and built around the company's ICAR taper potentiometer. It was listed at $185.00 USD on the Wilson Effects site as of October 19, 2026, and was available for purchase at that date1. It is one of two taper options for the Rippah Wah: the other is the Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version, which shares the enclosure and differs in the sweep of the pot2.
ICAR taper or Smooth taper
The taper of a wah potentiometer determines how the pedal's sweep feels under the foot as the treadle moves from heel to toe. Wilson Effects offers its wah designs with two tapers, and the company describes the choice on its Tunable Colorful Clone page: "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.
On the ICAR side, Wilson describes its pot as the "Wilson Effects Vintage Taper Wah Pot, meticulously replicated from a vintage ICAR taper pot for an authentic wah feel"3. In other words, the ICAR taper version of the Rippah Wah is the one aimed at the sweep curve of a vintage wah pot, while the Smooth Taper version uses the company's alternative curve. The same two-taper choice runs across the Wilson wah line, not just the Rippah: the Tunable Colorful Clone is offered in an ICAR version and a Smooth Taper version, and the 12 Position Wilson Wah is likewise offered in both45.
The ICAR and Smooth Taper Rippah Wahs are separate product pages with separate listings. The difference between them is the pot taper; both come in the brushed aluminum enclosure12.
Other brushed aluminum wahs from Wilson Effects
The brushed aluminum finish is a shared enclosure option across much of the Wilson Effects wah range. Alongside the Rippah Wah in both tapers, the company lists these brushed aluminum models146:
| Pedal | Taper options | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rippah Wah | ICAR / Smooth Taper | The subject of this page, in brushed aluminum12 |
| 12 Position Wilson Wah | ICAR / Smooth Taper | Offered in both tapers in brushed aluminum45 |
| Tunable Colorful Clone | ICAR / Smooth Taper | Wilson says it "has more exterior controls than any other Wilson wah"7 |
| Freaker Wah V.3 w/LED | V.3 | Listed in a brushed aluminum version with LED6 |
The Tunable Colorful Clone page is also where Wilson explains the taper system most fully, describing the Vintage Taper Wah Pot replicated from a vintage ICAR taper pot as its option "for an authentic wah feel"3. Players deciding between the two Rippah Wah versions are therefore choosing sweep character: the ICAR taper for the vintage-style curve, the Smooth Taper for Wilson's alternative. The Smooth Taper version of the Rippah Wah carries the same brushed aluminum enclosure and the same maker2.
Availability
The Brushed Aluminum 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, 2026, at $185.00 USD1. The Smooth Taper version was also part of the current lineup at that date2.
Sources (7)
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah ICAR Taper Version, Wilson Effects, 2026-10-19
- Brushed Aluminum Rippah Wah Smooth Taper Version, Wilson Effects
- Tunable Colorful Clone, Wilson Effects
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah ICAR Taper, Wilson Effects
- Brushed Aluminum 12 Position Wilson Wah Smooth Taper, Wilson Effects
- Brushed Aluminum Freaker Wah V.3 w/LED, Wilson Effects
- Tunable Colorful Clone Smooth Taper Version, Wilson Effects
