Vox V846 Vintage Wah Pedal

VOX revives the Original Wah Pedals. These iconic wah pedals are synonymous with rock performances of the 60s and 70s, and great care has been taken to deliver an authentic, true recreation of the most famous and original wah pedals. The V846 has been meticulously recreated from one of the earliest units produced, specifically offering a unique and highly sought-after tone characterized by a broader sweep range and more pronounced high-frequency response compared to the McCoy wah.

• Connections: Input Jack (mono phone jack), Output Jack (mono phone jack)
• Power supply: 9V batteries (6LF22/6LR61) (sold separately)
• Battery life: approximately 100 hours or more (with alkaline batteries)
• Current consumption: 540μA (9V DC)
• Dimensions (W x D x H): 102 x 252 x 80 mm
• Weight: 1300 g (excluding batteries)
• Accessories: Carrying bag, instruction manual

The “Halo” inductor is the quintessential element of vintage wah. By carefully analyzing the characteristics of inductors in vintage units, we successfully replicated the Halo inductor for integration into our wah pedals. The Real McCoy, known for its iconic nasal tone, emphasizes the midrange, providing a warm and melodic quality perfect for expressive lead guitar work that highlights each note articulation.

The potentiometer, a variable resistor, is the key component driving the wah sweep. When copying the potentiometer from the vintage unit, meticulous adjustments were made to ensure an almost identical curve. The VRM-1 and V846 Vintage models use different resistance curves and values.

Using the appropriate transistor, specifically the BC108 model with identical numbering and appearance to its vintage counterpart, allowed for precise component matching. This setup requires careful assembly due to its interaction with the bottom plate, an essential component of the transistor terminals. Although similar transistors are available, tonal variations compared to 60s components necessitated a custom circuit for tone adjustment.

In guitar amplifiers, “carbon composition” resistors were once highly valued. However, by the late 60s, “carbon film” resistors, which are cost-effective and offer consistent quality, became standard. The VOX Wah, introduced in 1968, also adopted carbon film resistors. In the new VOX Wah pedals, larger 1/2 W carbon film resistors are used to faithfully replicate the tonal characteristics of the classic Wah. Moving away from chip resistors and 1/4 W resistors allows us to deliver an even more authentic sound.

About VOX Amplification

VOX is a musical equipment manufacturer based in the UK, renowned for producing the AC30 guitar amplifier, famously used by legendary guitarists such as John Lennon, The Edge, and Brian May.