The Industry’s First Wah Pedal … Revisited

Vox’s The Real McCoy VRM-1 transports you back to 1967, when Vox introduced the industry’s first wah-wah pedal — the Clyde McCoy — to the world. The VRM-1 is a meticulous re-creation of the original McCoy, yielding the unmistakable mid-focused, vocal-esque tones wielded by garage rockers at the tail end of the 1960s. This premium wah guitar effects pedal vaunts hand-selected, custom-designed parts to ensure spot-on accuracy, and its chassis was methodically crafted using cutting-edge 3D scanning technology. Powered by 9-volt batteries, The Real McCoy VRM-1 puts the sound of the world’s first wah-wah pedal squarely at your feet.

A brief history of the Clyde McCoy

In terms of music, 1967 was a monumental year. The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band just weeks after The Jimi Hendrix Experience released Are You Experienced?, an LP considered by many to be the greatest debut album of all time. And in England, Vox revealed its newest innovation: the Clyde McCoy. Initially targeting trumpet players, the wah-wah effect quickly gained favor among guitarists. Vox took notice and subsequently introduced the V846, which offered a more aggressive tone and a wider sweep. The V846 went on to blaze the trail of psychedelia under the foot of the genre’s most famous artists. And the rest, they say, is history.

Made the old-school way

Vox builds each V846 Vintage wah pedal the same way the company did in the late ’60s — the old-school way. Everything is exactly the same, from the precisely shaped chassis to the guts. Vox spared no expense in bringing this iteration to bear, either. This wah pedal comes with custom-designed parts to replicate the original circuit perfectly. In fact, each component is selected by hand for its quality and consistency, ensuring you get the best possible tone. City Music guitar historians and Vox enthusiasts agree that the new VRM-1 is the most accurate reissue of the McCoy we’ve ever seen.