The Dunlop Cry Baby Wah is a Dunlop wah pedal, currently around $85. Close alternatives include the Ibanez WH10V2 Classic Wah and the Dunlop 535Q Wah. It pairs well with the Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head and the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo.
Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Dunlop · pedal
The Dunlop Cry Baby is the original production wah pedal, built around a responsive sweep and musical response curve that has defined the classic wah sound since the late 1960s. It ranges from a vocal, midrange-focused quack on funk rhythm playing to a soaring, expressive sweep on sustained lead lines, and its simple, rugged construction has made it a road-tested staple for decades. It suits blues, rock, funk, and psychedelic playing, and remains the benchmark wah pedal most other wah designs are compared against.
What stands out
“The Dunlop Cry Baby is the original production wah pedal, built around a responsive sweep and musical response curve that has defined the classic wah sound since the late 1960s”
— from the listing
“I love this pedal”
— from the community notes
“Personally, I think the sweep is terrible and honky and there's a noticeable tone suck when this is in your chain”
— from the community notes
“Badass and fun to use • LOVE IT — the story is: my dad told me in oct 28 2019 buy the wah when its important i said ok the next day oct 29 2019 i told my guitar teacher there's a sale at jb music store then he told me he bought a wah pedal …”
— from the community notes
“— Had mine modded to be true bypass and also had an LED installed to see when it is activated or”
— from the community notes
- wah
- insanely versatile
- honky
- quack
- midrange
- rhythm
- vocal
- funk
Price updated Oct 25, 2026
Genres the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah is commonly used in
- Funk
- Rock
- Blues
- Psychedelic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head
Revv
22% matchRevv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo
Mesa Boogie
21% matchRun mid-forward into Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo for more high gain on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt for more high gain on top
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Friedman BE-Mini Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Hughes & Kettner Coreblade
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Hughes & Kettner Coreblade in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce Stage II
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Mesa/Boogie Stiletto Deuce Stage II for more high gain on top
Pedals that stack with the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter
EarthQuaker Devices
25% matchEarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
Fjord Fuzz Odin
Fjord Fuzz
25% matchRun mid-forward into Fjord Fuzz Odin for more fuzzy on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Roland SDE-3000D
Roland
7% matchPut Roland SDE-3000D after Dunlop Cry Baby Wah in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Dunlop Cry Baby Wah — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Keeley Halo
Keeley
7% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Put Keeley Halo after Dunlop Cry Baby Wah in the signal chain, where it won't crowd Dunlop Cry Baby Wah — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Death By Audio Destruction
Death By Audio
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Death By Audio Destruction in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2
Dr Scientist
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Subdecay F-Bomb
Subdecay
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Subdecay F-Bomb for more fuzzy on top
Warm Audio Jet Phaser
Warm Audio
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Warm Audio Jet Phaser after Dunlop Cry Baby Wah: modulation reads clearest once the core tone is set
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Carl Martin 2Wah
Carl Martin
68% similarityShared character: sweep, wah, vocal
Xotic XW-2
Xotic
64% similarityShared character: wah, vocal
T-Rex Gull Wah
T Rex
58% similarityShared character: wah, vocal, response
Morley Power Fuzz Wah
Morley
54% similarityShared character: wah, vocal, response
Vox Vintage Wah
Vox
52% similarityShared character: 1960s, wah, vocal
Boss PW-3
Boss
51% similarityShared character: wah, response, lead
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Ibanez WH10V2 Classic Wah
Ibanez
67% similarityShared character: honky, wah, vocal
Dunlop 535Q Wah
Dunlop
66% similarityShared character: honky, sweep, wah
Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95
Dunlop
60% similarityShared character: classic, wah, true bypass
Vox V846HW Wah
pedal
58% similarityShared character: sweep, wah, true bypass
Morley Wah
Morley
56% similarityShared character: sweep, wah, vocal
Vox V847A Wah
pedal
52% similarityShared character: sweep, wah, vocal
See all alternatives to the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah?+
The closest matches in character are the Ibanez WH10V2 Classic Wah, the Dunlop 535Q Wah, the Dunlop Cry Baby GCB-95. Budget picks: Vox WAH-V845, Dunlop Jimi Hendrix JH-1 Wah Pedal, Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah. Boutique upgrades: Carl Martin 2Wah, Xotic XW-2, T-Rex Gull Wah.
What pairs well with the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head, Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Combo, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt — Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal.
How much does the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah cost?+
Around $85 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).