Xotic Effects’ latest drop is one for all the wah pedal connoisseurs out there who want something that references the time-honoured classic vocal sounds of old Vox units that were named for Clyde McCoy, but maybe with a little modern twist.
Resplendent in a metallic blue enclosure that is 20 per cent smaller than your common or garden variety wah – which means more pedalboard real estate for something else – the XW-2 is one of those no-fuss wahs. You just step on the thing, and step on it to disengage the effect.
“Maximum tone with minimum fiddling,” is what Xotic says, and oftentimes that is just what you need.
The XW-2 is not a million miles away from its predecessor, the XW-1, in terms of tone or design. It too has the adjustable rocker tension that can really enhance its performance. It similarly has the self-lubricating nylon bushing pivot for smooth, squeak-free operation.
And it has the gold contact true bypass relay switching which is good for a minimum of one million uses, and there is a red LED that is illuminated when the effect is engaged.
In other words, it’s tough.
Under the hood, Xotic has designed a new circuit with a custom wound inductor and potentiometer. The modern twist we alluded to above is that this is not simply a vintage repro but should give you something a bit more original.
Judging by the demo videos, you can get all that throaty squawk and something a bit more refined for making those single-note jazz-funk lines stand out in the mix.
The venerable Alen Hinds offers up the quote for the box: “Incredibly musical and vocal… the way it was always supposed to be.”
So yes, another high-end Clyde McCoy variant from Xotic Effects with a certain something to make it stand out from its peers. It almost looks too good to step on.
Available now, it’s priced $220 (reduced from $275). See Xotic Effects for more details. There is also a limited edition metallic red edition of the XW-2 that is still available via some retailers. Sweetwater is carrying one right now for $210.
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