Ibanez has launched the Twin Peaks wah pedal, a wah “unlike any other before it” that processes your electric guitar's signal across two frequency peaks where typically you just get one.
Furthermore, Ibanez gives you the opportunity to blend these two frequency peaks in search of your own sweet spot, with a level control that can apply 6dB of boost to your signal.
It’s an ingenuous way of finding a new angle on one of the oldest guitar effects pedals on your pedalboard, and it is achieved by a dual-inductor circuit design. This produces the two high and low-frequency resonance peaks, which can then be controlled via the Balance dial.
Turning it counter clockwise will bring the low-frequency peak to the fore for a darker, throatier sound. Turning it clockwise will place the emphasis on that high-frequency peak, giving you a brighter tone – perhaps with an avian quality if we were to look to the animal kingdom for a tonal reference point.
The TWP10 Twin Peaks also has a slider switch for choosing High or Low frequency modes, which will surely come in handy when pairing this with your rig. Those with a super-bright Telecaster rig might want the Low mode. Those with a darker rig, with warmer, rounder sounding humbuckers erring towards the muddy side of things, can select the High mode.
The Low mode’s low-frequency sweep ranges from 220Hz to 750Hz, while the High mode’s low-end sweep is still lower than most wahs, ranging from 300Hz to 1kHz. The High mode’s high-frequency sweep is voiced for 670Hz to a 3kHz, while the Low mode’s higher frequency sweep is a classic wah range of 440Hz to 2kHz.
Both modes adhere to the designing principal and present their peaks with the Balance dial to control the mix between both. You will find unity gain at 12 o’clock on the Level dial, with your extra 6dB of boost goodness available when fully counterclockwise. Engage or disengage the pedal via the toe-mounted footswitch, much like your typical Vox or Cry Baby.
The treadle design, however, is vintage Ibanez, not a world away from the retro look of the WH10V3 that remains in the Japanese gear titan’s lineup, offering individual voicings for guitar and bass guitar.
The TWP10 Twin Peaks wah is true bypass. It takes a 9V of battery or DC pedalboard power supply, drawing 15mA. And it is available now, priced £169 / $192. For more details, head over to Ibanez.
