Dunlop 535Q Wah vs MXR CAE Wah

The Dunlop 535Q Wah and the MXR CAE Wah are both pedals sharing mid-forward. The Dunlop 535Q Wah leans transparent and dynamic. The MXR CAE Wah leans smooth.

Similarity
citedBlended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.

45% — somewhat different

Shared genres
citedGenres both listings are associated with.
  • Funk
  • Blues
  • Rock
Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • mid-forward
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
0%
Price
—

$121.09via Reverb

Description

The Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q is a versatile multi-wah, often called a swiss army knife of wah pedals for its wide tonal range. A six-position voicing switch shifts the sweep from narrow and dark to broad and subtle, while a range selector spans defined low end to screaming high harmonics. Its Variable Q control sets the sharpness of the wah, from gentle, mild weeps to vocal-like, refined sweeps. An onboard boost adds up to 16 dB to drive the signal chain harder and push an amp into natural distortion. Capable of nearly any classic wah tone, it suits funk, rock, blues, and lead playing where expressive, customizable wah voicing matters.

The MXR CAE Wah (Custom Audio Electronics MC404) is a Bob Bradshaw-designed dual-inductor wah with two voices and a boost, prized for a wide, vocal sweep and pro-grade build. Used by Eric Gales and Kim Thayil, it offers selectable inductors for different sweep characters plus a clean boost, suited to rock, blues and metal lead. It is a versatile, high-quality wah for serious players.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
—
  • Metal
  • Alternative Rock
  • Electronic
Tonal lean
  • transparent
  • dynamic
  • smooth

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