BY JORDAN WAGNER
Originally conceived as a small start-up operation in 1992,
Way Huge was helmed by relatively unknown upstart inventor
Jeorge Tripps with the intent of constructing high quality effect
pedals for gigging musicians. Way Huge products helped start
the golden age of gear we’re now in, but when the company
closed down in 1999 the boutique pedal boom had hardly
even begun. Current boutique mainstays were crafting their
designs and slowly gaining ground with players at the time,
and some believe that Way Huge simply missed the boat
because of unpredictable timing and the unforeseeable explosion of demand that was only a couple of years away. Timing
aside, the design and construction of Way Huge pedals was
nothing short of perfection. They were classic effect foundations combined with modern revamps that were truly ahead of
their time.
Tripps chose very high quality components with very closely
matched tolerances, which provided smooth analog warmth
and feel, and a much more consistent tone from pedal to
pedal. On top of that, the pedals left a modest footprint on
the pedalboard. Because of the very high quality parts and
production, their limited availability and unique personality
drove prices through the roof, with some selling for over a
$1000 dollars. Way Huge (along with numerous other small
companies) informed a generation of guitar players that there
were many more choices available to them than they could find
at major chains.
Because of the high demand, Jim Dunlop commissioned Tripps
to bring back the Way Huge line, to give the average player
a chance to enjoy some of these renowned pedals. Along
with the reissue of the Swollen Pickle Jumbo Fuzz comes the
introduction of two new products: the Fat Sandwich Harmonic
Saturator and the Pork Loin Soft Clip Injection.
