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well. I explored the many shades of wah
within the Frampton Mega Wah using a
trusty 1978 Gibson Les Paul Custom and
a 1981 JCM800 2204 head with matching
4x12 cabinet.
After I flipped to the Classic Wah mode
and stepped on the pedal, the amp roared
with a thick, syrupy bite that coated every
’70s rock lick I threw its way. There’s a lot
of headroom, thanks in part to circuitry that
doubles the voltage. And a Gain knob helps
you use the extra headroom to make the wah
more or less cutting for solos or rhythm work.
The Frampton Mega Wah also has a super-wide range—much more than most wah
pedals I’ve encountered. Many players have a
problem with the relatively small amount of
sweep on most wahs. But this is not likely to
be a point of contention on the Mega Wah,
which has a pedal sweep that was enormous
enough to literally throw me off balance in
more expressive moments! The Frampton
also includes Gig-FX’s super-sensitive silent
switchless bypass that not only detects the
slightest movements almost instantly, but that
won’t wear out like conventional wah pots.
The Mega Wah mode, which was voiced
especially for Frampton himself—was the
most striking of the four. With the Gain
control cranked all the way, I was able
to coax some really cool synth-like tones
that I could tailor by using the pedal’s
Resonance control to dial in just the right
amount of peak-signal amplification (up
to 15 dB). Essentially, it adjusts the pedal’s
intensity, making the effect more or less
pronounced. This feature also helps make
the Frampton one of the more unique-sounding wahs around.
Auto Wah is one of the most surprisingly cool modes. Ordinarily, it’s an effect
that can make a song when used sparingly or break it when used to excess. The
Frampton’s Auto Wah mode is particularly
pleasing and smooth, however, with a nice,
natural ramp from each end of the pedal’s
frequency spectrum. Unfortunately, you can
only change the rate (which is indicated by
a red flashing LED), and not the intensity
of the mode’s ramp. It’s a limitation that
makes it a little harder to tailor the effect
in a live setting. This is offset somewhat by
the mode’s rounded and less peaky tone.
The funky Trig Wah mode, which
responds dynamically to pick attack, does
have a useful Sensitivity control that helps
keep the effect in subtler realms, if need
be. Conversely, if you want a taste of
Frampton’s “Show Me the Way” talk-box
tone, the Sensitivity control lets you dive
deeply into this realm.
The Verdict
Peter Frampton’s searing, vocal-like guitar
tones are known the world over, and the new
Gig-FX Peter Frampton Mega Wah is capable
of delivering those signature sounds, along
with a world of additional tones. About
as feature-packed and versatile as a wah
gets, the Mega Wah’s smooth, natural tones
encourage you to explore the outer limits
of wah textures, yet also enable you to dial
up subtler variations that will keep your less
wah-enthused bandmates from casting the
evil eye your way. Not having the ability to
change the ramp rate in the Trig and Auto
modes is a minor quibble. On the whole,
this is a wah of unusual flexibility and tone-shaping power, and it’s a remarkable value
too. So whether you’re after Frampton’s
classic colors or looking to spice up your
funk, rock, or experimental playing with a
wider range of wah-ness, the Peter Frampton
Mega Wah may well be the ticket.
Rating:
Buy If...
you want a versatile wah with
smooth action and extreme range.
Skip If...
your wah needs are satisfied with
a single classic wah tone.
Gig-FX
Street $149
gig-fx.com
or use a mobile device to watch a
video review of the pedal at
ClickHere…
