Re: Whammy

[Damon Langlois <damon-langlois@home.com>]

Both the original red whammy and the black whammy were digital. 
After the black whammy IVL no longer had anything to do with the Whammy.
Digitech just kind of took the idea and made their own versions.

The reason everyone wants the Wh-1 (red) is because it is the original and 
it
performs better sound wise. It has an auto gain circuit (AGC) that 
increases
the level to the pitch recognition algorithm so you can sustain a pitch
shifted note longer than the Wh-2 before you got what we like to call the
oogly-aaglies (the pitched output kind of going nuts).  This happens when 
the
Wh-1 or Wh-2  losses pitch lock because the volume is too low or you are
playing more than a single note into it. Even though this has actually been
used to great effect in a few guitar solos by Tom Morello from RAGE, it is
generaly an undesired artefact.  The black Whammy or Wh-2 pretty much has 
the
same pitch shifting as the Wh-` but without the AGC. You can compensate for
this by putting some compression before the Wh-2 in your FX chain. The Wh-2
does have full control with your feet including toggle mode which allows 
you
to program two presets and toggle between them...with just your foot. So...
the Wh-2 is still a cool pedal but no where near as coveted as the Wh-1. As
for the other Whammy pedals....I know nothing.


Damon