Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
About a week ago, I wrote an article about getting a wah pedal. I had tried out and listened to several, and actually dug on a lot of them, but I just kept on coming back to the original Cry Baby. There has just been something about the classic sound of the Cry Baby that just makes me close my eyes with a smile of complete satisfaction while I’m playing.
For other players, this classic wah sound may not be their cup of tea, but this is the sound I grew up with. Every cop show on TV in the 70’s had a guitar played through a wah, and of course, let’s not forget Jimi who took it to another dimension. And it’s not like I’m going to try to play like Jimi – frankly, no one can – it’s just a sound that I’m used to, and it puts me in a time warp, back to when I was a kid.
Did nostalgia make me pick the GCB-95? It probably had a lot to do with it, but that’s the thing about tone: It’s what you like that matters. I didn’t get that nostalgic feeling of my youth with a lot of the other pedals. Yeah, I do admit there were some really awesome ones out there that I was ready to buy, but I figured that those could actually wait. I just couldn’t justify making a substantial investment into something that was so new to me. But I could get a Cry Baby at a fraction of the price, and I figured that since I was so new to playing with a wah, it would be best to instead make a minor investment to try out the technology before I spent a couple of hundred on a more expensive model. So, I forked out a reasonable $49 bucks at my local used gear shop for Cry Baby in excellent condition and saved even more money to hedge my bet.
So after a day, what’s my take? Well… I should’ve gotten a wah a long time ago! Don’t know what it is about it, but I’ve taken to it like a fish to water! Not to say that I’ve completely mastered it in a day, but it sure does feel natural. And you know what? The Original Cry Baby may be bordering on the vintage with respect to tone, it may only cost $69 used, and may be considered way too low tech for more modern players’ likings, but it totally does the job for me. I’m very satisfied.
Guitar Gear 
Funnily enough I just got a wah just a few days ago too. I did a bit of research and went with the Vox. Got it for $99AUD, that’s currently about $65.
I’m very happy with it, very nice looking, sweet tone… I think Jimi also used a Vox wah for some songs.
Mojo trumps bells and whistles. Good choice. I still have my original crybaby manufactured by the original Thomas Organ Co. (circa 1972), Vox did the earliest 60s version I think. I wanted it because Jimi used one. I bought it with paper route money when I was just learning to play guitar. The finish is worn off, a tru-bypass switch was installed, and I’ve been through four potentiometer pots and its still going strong. Its currently wired direct into my pedal board. Wouldnt trade it for any other wah. I think the new ones are tru-bypass, other than that, not much else changed.
I gotta say, it just sounds great! I tried it out at my Church gig on Sunday, and with the volume up on my amp, the sound was just as sweet as can be! There really is nothing like the original…
Hey Dawg . .you still playin that SAINT ? Hows she doin ? do you play her at church? Sure is a nice looker ! just stopped by to say hello . . Hope Ig is alright too. Did I tell you I bought another one? Its Flippin beautiful !!! Its like this burnt orange metallic . .looks amazing against the mahogany neck. It’s a double cut messenger though. It has amazing tone as well. A very different sound than my Benchmark, but I truly love both of them. Anywho . .talk to you soon, I’ve got a recording gig down here in North Hollywood . . . gotta jett . . . .. CrAsH
I have an old Thomas Organ pre-Dunlop Crybaby. It’s a brick and still hangin’ in there. I’ve replaced the pot, but it’s still the Allen-Bradley 100K.
[…] Dunlop Original Cry Baby – This was my very first wah pedal, and up to that point, I had NEVER even considered playing wah. But curiosity got the best of me, and I got a second-hand one at a used gear shop. I still love playing with it now and then, though my main wah is a VOX Big Bad Wah. But the Cry Baby opened a whole new realm of expression; and even though I’m not playing it much, I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of it. […]
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