Vox has continued its recent slew of releases with one that looks backwards rather than forwards – in the best way – as it faithfully recreates the first two production wah pedals. They come in the form of VRM-1 and the V846 Vintage and both will be on display at NAMM 2024.
Nicknamed ‘The Real McCoy’, the VRM-1 is a “meticulous recreation of the original wah pedal” produced by Vox in 1967. The pedal was created to emulate Clyde McCoy's trumpet mute technique, although it became an iconic beast unto itself when paired with an electric guitar, with Jimi Hendrix and Clapton quickly finding new ways to express themselves with its rocker pedal.
It was later paired with other instruments. Geezer Butler used one to create Black Sabbath’s iconic intro of N.I.B, while saxophone players also began using them, including several players who performed with Frank Zappa.
The VRM-1 aims to be something of a time capsule piece, recreating the tonality of that first-ever wah pedal and its nasally tone. To achieve that, it accentuates the midrange for a warm and melodic sound that carefully underscores the articulation of each note.
There’s also a VRM-1 Limited, which contains the same hand-selected hardware and vintage craftsmanship but in a sparkling all-chrome finish which makes it look surprisingly space-age.
The V846 Vintage, on the other hand, is an “authentic recreation” of its follow-up, the second-ever production model wah. Tonally, this pedal, and Vox’s brand-new recreation of it, is characterized by an extended sweep range, with extra focus placed upon its high frequencies for a sharper, more biting effect.
The triple whammy of releases has led to Vox claiming that “1967 is back!” While it clearly isn’t – I mean, you’re reading this on the internet – it adds that the pedals feature “hand selected and custom designed parts” which “make for a perfect reproduction of the sound of these two iconic pedals.”
Naturally, the use of “premium” parts means these faithful regenerations don’t come super-cheap. The regular versions will cost £279 (approx $350), while the fancy chrome edition of the VRM-1 is a little extra at £329 (approx $415). That makes it more expensive than your average Jim Dunlop wah (circa $125) but will you have the same vintage kudos as you would with these new Vox offerings?
Vox has had a busy week. It's already announced the Gerry Anderson-looking APC-1 guitar, a guitar with a built-in speaker, rhythm machine and effects unit. It's also unveiled the latest additions to its amPlug range, with pocket-sized British and American replicating amps, alongside two bass models.
For more information about Vox’s full wah pedal range, head to Vox.
To keep up to date with all the latest gear releases ahead of NAMM 2024, head over to our guide to the latest NAMM 2024 news.
