Wilson = Wah

:::Wilson Effects:::

Guilford, Indiana

Builder: Kevin Wilson

Years In The Game: 6

Flagship Box: 12/Positon Vintage Spec Rippah Q-Wah

Websites: www.wilsoneffects.com - www.myspace.com/wilsoneffects

"All of a sudden people came running in to see what was making this sound, they just freaked out!"

                                                                      - Brad Plunkett

The first time I can remember hearing a wah pedal I was about 11-12 years, it was on "Up From The Skies" by Hendrix. I quickly became addicted to the sound of the pedal and went nuts looking for someone who had one, I was hooked to the gills. After discovering that Jimi used it I went looking for as much music as I could find that had the wah pedal in it. I was in my first couple years of playing the guitar and knew that doing my homework then would later benefit my playing and my style. My obsession with this new magical pedal led me to find the ultimate goldmine of psychedelic classic rock bands, bands that would become the nutrients of a healthy rock and roll diet. The music of The Electric Prunes, Cream, Zappa, Funkadelic, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, The Velvet Underground and of course Hendrix all had some of the best music with wah pedals in them. A sound that has burned an endless collection of beautiful songs into our hearts & souls that will live there forever. Today when I think of wah pedals one name comes to mind...Kevin Wilson.

Kevin Wilson is the captain and builder of the Wilson Effects pedal company. A hard working, vast minded effects builder with one mission... to bring us some of the missed tones of the golden age, and help us hear some new ones. Talking with Kevin for a few minutes will tell you he's of the old school classic rockl tone chasing species. His obsession and love for the wah pedal has driven him to recreate some of the sweetest sounding wahs and stompbox tones available today. What started as a hunt to find the tone he had always heard in his head has also given him the ability to produce his own signature sounds, his gift to dissect an idea from thought and make it audible is pure art. I became a fan of Kevin's work throughout my own hunt and frustration to find a classic, quality sounding wah. For years I went through standard wahs, busting them and having them fixed only to have it happen time and time again. It was either get another crappy wah and have it break down, or buy a vintage piece and have it break me. My first run-in  with a Wilson wah was through a buddy of mine, I remember getting a phone call that went something like this. "Hey you get a wah pedal yet?" Says my friend. I say "No, still looking. Why?" Then he says "Well get your ass over here and listen to this!", and the rest is history. A flashback of all my favorite tunes came flooding in and I was sold, sold is actually the wrong word, satisfied was what I was. The tone of this newly discovered wah pedal delivered everything I had been looking for and more. I figured that was it and it couldn't possibly get any better, this was only his The Standard Wah and the first of many interesting models that Wilson Effects offers. One of the models that really caught my ear was the Freaker Wah, if you haven't heard this incredible pedal you're in for a treat. See here's a really cool thing about Kevin, not only does the cat have a natural talent for building great pedals, but because he's also a player he also knows what sounds good and is able to deliver what players are looking for. That's a killer combo if you ask me. Another thing that separates him from some other builders is the wide selection of effects he's capable of building. You see a ton of cats tweaking their own versions of a Tubescreamer, a Ross Comp, and if you're lucky you get a good sounding modulation device. But never do we see anyone building the whole nine yards. Well this cat is building them all, doing it well, and with them comes a huge selection of wah pedals. The Wilson Standard Wah is unlike any other standard wah out there. Why you say? Vocal Sweep Adjustment, Fuzz Friendly Output Buffer, Vintage Spec Wiring, True Bypass, Replica Halo Inductor, Easy Adjustable Rocker Tension, Handmade in the U.S. The list screams class, quality and durability. And it doesn't stop there. Remember the black version WH-10 wahs from Ibanez, one of coolest wah pedals ever made. Try finding one of those without shelling out half a months rent. The Wilson Ten Spot Wah is Kevin's take on the black WH-10, but it's not just a replica, Kevin has added his own touch to it. The Ten Spot comes with a Switchable Filter Based Circuit for guitar and bass use, True Bypass with LED, Blend Control Knob and Depth Knob which give you an endless amount of usable tones. Kevin is also coming out with the grey version of the WH-10 that John Frusciante uses. It's scary to think that Kevin has only been building effects for six years, I can only imagine what's next. I had some time to ask him some questions about how he got started, his influences and the future of Wilson Effects. Let's take a look shall we?

Analog War Cry:

Alright, before we get going here I have to ask. All time favorite stock pedal?

Kevin Wilson:

That's a tuff one. I'm really into wahs right now so I would have to say either the Vox V846 with Trash Can inductor, or the original Clyde McCoy. There's so may to choose from!

AWC:

Wah pedals is something we all definitely think when we hear Wilson Effects, don't get me wrong everything that comes out of your shop sounds fantastic, but there's an obvious attraction to wah pedals with you. Why is that and what inspired you to build them?

KW:

I think the inspiration came from just wanting to find that tone, you know the one that lives in your head and only you know what it sounds like. I also wanted to get a wide spectrum of sounds out of one pedal that could replicate all the vintage wah tones we have all come to love. Except now it's more of an obsession than anything else.

AWC:

How long have you been in the game? When did you start Wilson Effects?

KW:

I actually became a company in 2006, but I've been into the building side of it for about 5 or 6 years.

AWC:

What was your first build attempt?

KW:

The first pedal I ever built was a Ross Compressor clone. Never the less it didn't work out so good, my soldering abilities weren't up to par as of yet.

AWC:

There's a very classic rock based feel in the tones of your effects. How do you approach building your designs, do you have something in mind when you go into it, experimenting, or is it more from a player's view?

KW:

I'm more of a player searching for particular sounds. If I build something and I don't like it, it typically goes in the garbage bin. So I try to go after more of the vintage vibe than anything.

AWC:

What were the first pedals you offered when you first launched Wilson Effects? What would you say your flagship pedal is?

KW:

The first pedal I ever sold was the Standard Wah. I used to perf-board them and do all point to point, then sell them on Ebay. Then I developed the Overdrive. If  had to say there was a flagship pedal it would have to be the 12 Position Vintage Spec Rippah Q-Wah.

AWC:

Is there as build you're especially proud of?

KW:

I would have to say the Rippah Q-Wah as that is pretty much the pedal that can replicate several other vintage wah sounds. I'm also particularly proud of the new Ten Spot Wah II as it's taken me a lot of time and hard work to finally get a working prototype.

AWC:

Who's gear/pedals did you play when you were growing up and is there anyone in particular that you looked up to?

KW:

When I was a kid I played a lot of acoustic and then got into electric. I was always buying the latest greatest thing from Digitech, etc... Then I found out about tube amps and stompboxes and I was hooked. Pearl Jam has always been a big influence on me, Mike McCready is one of the most underrated guitarists in my opinion.

AWC:

Besides your wah pedals you also offer some killer OD/Dist pedals. What would you say you model these pedals after?

KW:

It depends on which one you're talking about. The Wilson Effects Overdrive is your standard TS circuit with a few mods to ramp up the drive and fatten up the sound a bit. The Sparkling Blue is modeled after the vintage Guv'nor so it's basically your Marshall in a box sound. 

AWC:

Do you have a favorite chip/component that you dig building with?

KW:

I prefer the JRC4558 and the TL072 op amps in my IC based stuff, but FETS are also fun to work with.

AWC:

If you could pick an all time favorite OD box?

KW:

I had the privilege of having a Westbury W-20 The Tube n my possession at one time and that sounded absolutely fantastic. I'm also very partial to the modified TS circuit when done right.

AWC:

The selection of effects you offer is pretty much complete. What's next brother, is there anything brewing in the shop?

KW:

I've been working on a Univibe circuit as of late and there is a Ring Modulator circuit that I've been dragging my feet on for the past year. The one new thing that is due out in a few weeks in the Ten Spot II, which is the clone of the infamous gray WH-10 wah pedal.

AWC:

Is there anything else you'd like to let the readers know?

KW:

I'll be at Summer NAMM this year if everything goes according to plan, I'm also planning on attending the New York Amp Show in May. So look me up!                                                               

www.wilsoneffects.com