The MXR WA90 is an MXR wah pedal. Close alternatives include the Dunlop IM95K Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby and the Cry Baby Dunlop Cry Baby Standard GCB95. It pairs well with the Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head and the Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt.

MXR WA90

MXR · pedal

The MXR WA90 is an Eddie Van Halen signature wah pedal, modeled on Van Halen's own heavily used 'Holy Grail' Cry Baby, which he customized with a High-Q inductor and a wider frequency sweep than a standard wah. Its pot response is cloned from Van Halen's own worn-in original, giving it a more defined midrange and an increased low-end sweep compared to a stock Cry Baby. Van Halen used it sparingly but memorably, most notably on Poundcake. It suits rock players wanting the specific, wider-swept wah voicing behind one of Van Halen's less common but distinctive tonal signatures.

What stands out

  • “The MXR WA90 is an Eddie Van Halen signature wah pedal, modeled on Van Halen's own heavily used 'Holy Grail' Cry Baby, which he customized with a High-Q inductor and a wider frequency sweep than a standard wah”

    — from the listing

  • “Vocal, warm wah sweep for hard rock”

    — from the reviews

  • “Strengths: Eddie Van Halen signature wah delivers the EVH classic rock wah character at MXR Dunlop quality”

    — from the reviews

  • “The MXR WA90 delivers Eddie Van Halen signature wah at MXR Dunlop quality for hard rock players who want classic EVH wah character from a signature pedal”

    — from the community notes

  • “Its standout weakness is the signature niche connection”

    — from the community notes

  • wah
  • hard rock
  • classic rock
  • midrange
  • rock
  • low end
  • vocal
  • frequency

Genres the MXR WA90 is commonly used in

Amps that pair well with the MXR WA90

Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head

Revv

19% match
$1199via Reverb

Revv 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 JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt

Mesa Boogie

tonal match

Comes 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 match

Comes later in the signal chain

Run mid-forward into Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H for more high gain on top

Friedman BE-Mini Head

Friedman

tonal match
$195.67via Reverb

Comes 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 match
$901.54via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here

Egnater Tourmaster Combo 4212

Egnater

tonal match
$380via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Run mid-forward into Egnater Tourmaster Combo 4212 for more high gain on top

Hughes & Kettner Coreblade

Hughes & Kettner

tonal match

Comes later in the signal chain

Run mid-forward into Hughes & Kettner Coreblade for more high gain on top

Synergy Friedman DS Module

Synergy

tonal match
$399.99via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Synergy Friedman DS Module layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal

Pedals that stack with the MXR WA90

Fjord Fuzz Odin

Fjord Fuzz

22% match
$199via Reverb

Run mid-forward into Fjord Fuzz Odin for more fuzzy on top

Comes later in the signal chain

Fjord Fuzz Berserk

Fjord Fuzz

22% match

Run mid-forward into Fjord Fuzz Berserk for more fuzzy on top

Comes later in the signal chain

Roland SDE-3000D

Roland

6% match

Keep Roland SDE-3000D after MXR WA90 in the signal chain, where it won't crowd MXR WA90 — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Comes later in the signal chain

Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1

Walrus Audio

6% match
$269via Reverb

Walrus Audio Mako D1 High-Fidelity Stereo Delay V1's pristine voice goes after MXR WA90 in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with MXR WA90's own mid-forward character — 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 match
$137.70via Reverb

Comes 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 match
$204.36via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal

Subdecay F-Bomb

Subdecay

tonal match
$229.95via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Run mid-forward into Subdecay F-Bomb for more fuzzy on top

Warm Audio Jet Phaser

Warm Audio

tonal match
$109.01via Reverb

Comes later in the signal chain

Put Warm Audio Jet Phaser after MXR WA90: modulation reads clearest once the core tone is set

Alternativessee all similar tone character →

Dunlop IM95K Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby

Dunlop

76% similarity
$219.99via Reverb

Shared character: wah, vocal, hard rock

Cry Baby Dunlop Cry Baby Standard GCB95

Cry Baby

71% similarity

Shared character: wah, vocal, hard rock

Dunlop EC95 Eric Clapton Cry Baby Wah

Dunlop

68% similarity
$427.29via Reverb

Shared character: wah, vocal, classic rock

Friedman Gold-72 Wah

Friedman

67% similarity
$169via Reverb

Shared character: wah, alternative

Roland PW-3 WAH

Roland

65% similarity

Shared character: wah, classic rock

Dunlop "Dimebag" Signature Wah Crybaby

Dunlop

60% similarity
$199.86via Reverb

Shared character: wah, hard rock

The Next Sound CH-07 Wah Tone

The Next Sound

59% similarity
$66.08via Reverb

Shared character: wah, vocal, alternative

Dunlop Slash Signature Wah SW95

Dunlop

59% similarity
$209.99via Reverb

Shared character: wah, vocal, classic rock

Shins Music Shin's Music Delicious Vintage Wah

Shins Music

59% similarity

Shared character: wah, classic rock

Dunlop JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Signature Wah

Dunlop

59% similarity
$80via Reverb

Shared character: wah, classic rock

Tech 21 Killer Blue Wail

Tech 21

58% similarity
$219via Reverb

Shared character: wah, alternative

Dunlop DB1B Dimebag Crybaby From Hell Wah

Dunlop

58% similarity
$236.43via Reverb

Shared character: wah, classic rock

See all alternatives to the MXR WA90 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the MXR WA90?+

The closest matches in character are the Dunlop IM95K Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby, the Cry Baby Dunlop Cry Baby Standard GCB95, the Dunlop EC95 Eric Clapton Cry Baby Wah.

What pairs well with the MXR WA90?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt, Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H — Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal.

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