The deepest wah-wah tube
This aluminium tube is approx. 32 cm long and 5 cm in diameter, making it the largest and deepest member of the wah-wah family. The greater size gives a long, resonant, overtone-rich tone that hangs in the air for a long time.
Open and covered palm - two colours
One end of the tube is open. Strike the tube, then start covering and uncovering the opening with your palm: the sound continues to wave with its characteristic wah-wah pulse. The speed of your hand decides whether you get a slow, rolling effect or a fast, shimmering one.
Without a specific pitch
This tube is deliberately not tuned to a named note. It is therefore not part of a scale but a free colour: it can be added to music in any key without ever sounding out of tune. That is exactly why it is popular in film scoring, improvisation and sound baths.
Where it works best
On studio recordings it adds a distinctive texture, in live playing it is a striking effect, and in sound therapy or relaxation sessions it is a long-ringing, calming source of sound. Its simple, robust build also makes it safe to hand to children in a workshop.
Where it sits in the wah-wah family
This is the largest and deepest size: 32 cm long, 5 cm across. Its smaller siblings are the 27 cm high-pitched version and the 17 cm mini, and alongside them a five-piece set in F pentatonic tuning is also available. If you collect several sizes you can stack low and high layers on top of each other and use the wah-wah effect in more than one register at once.