BBE Sound’s new The Wah pedal is based on a 1967 Class A circuit design that featured a unique halo inductor, which is essential to its vocal-like qualities. Players and collectors who search for vintage wah pedals pay a premium for these rare examples.

BBE has re-engineered and custom-tuned the halo inductor to re-create tones made famous by players like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. In addition, The Wah’s potentiometer was designed for the ultimate dynamic sweep response. A harmony control has been added so players can custom tailor the wah to their personal taste. 

Oklahoma City-based DMB Pedals has hit the streets with its new Cosmic Boost stomp. The pedal is based around a super low-noise IC chip and a clipping section. Low gain setting offer a clean boost and warm bright chime. The stomp is housed in a retro-looking purple flake metal casing.

When the Cosmic Boost is gained out, it makes for a mean, crisp distortion as well. DMB says the Cosmic Boost works best in front of your distortion/overdrive pedals to give the standard boost effect.

Denmark-based EMMA Electronic is preparing the production of its awkwardly named PisdiYAUwot distortion pedal. The PisdiYAUwot offers true bypass, three-EQ controls plus gain and level, twin LEDs that glow red (as the eyes of a skull graphic) when the pedal is engaged. The pedal also works with bass guitars.

EMMA has a demo video of the pedal on its website. The company anticipates that the PisdiYAUwot will be in stores by late summer 2008.

DigiTech will offer up its new HarmonyMan Intelligent Pitch Shifter guitar effect pedal in May. The company touts HarmonyMan as the ‘world’s first guitar pedal that can produce multi-part guitar harmonies on guitar solos by analyzing the chords users were playing before the solo.’ Players can simply perform favorite songs as they know them, and then hit the harmony footswitch at the start of a solo to render amazing multi-part guitar harmonies.

The HarmonyMan employs the same patented musIQ technology as the DigiTech Vocalist family of products. The technology creates multi-part harmony by analyzing guitar chords. There is no tedious programming or knowledge of complicated music theory needed, according to the company.

Domenican-based Copilot FX has placed its Antdroid ring modulation stomp on hold. Tweaking on the fourth revision of the pedal did not yield the desired results, according to the company’s website. The project will be picked back up – with fresh ears and eyes – later this spring.

Meanwhile, Copilot FX is looking into a new LFO controlled tremolo pedal. The prototype has been tested and the unit may be finalized as early as the summer.

WTDP? journeyed to Dallas, Texas this month to attend the 31st Annual Dallas International Guitar Festival just to the west of downtown at Dallas Market Hall. The show was a drool-inspiring display of vintage guitars and gear, as well as a place for boutique equipment makers and other independent dealers to show off their fineries.

The weekend also featured performances from the likes of Johnny Hiland, Black Stone Cherry, Rick Derringer, Will Ray, Paul Reed Smith Band, Johnny A, Point Blank and George Lynch, among others.

Empress Effects has slated 12 May 2008 as the ship date for its Superdelay pedal. Preorders for the unit are being taken now. The Ottawa-based company will also be giving away one Superdelay to someone on its mailing list, so be sure and sign up.

Empress has also extended its money back guarantee for its products to 45 days. Be sure and check out the Superdelay in action on the company’s website.

Jay Rockett and crew at Denver-based Rockett Pedals have a pair of demo videos up showing off the company’s upcoming Afterburner overdrive pedal. The company said the new stomp is designed to be used in tandem with the Rockett Boost pedal as a line buffer or to better shape the OD’s tone. “With this combination of pedals and the guitar volume I can get country punchy cleans, blues tones and down right mean Van Halen brown sounds all with the twist of one single knob on a Strat!” said Rockett of the dual stomp set up. No pricing information is available for the Afterburner, which according to the company’s website is coming soon.

The fine folks at Barge Concepts are putting the finishing touches on their MB-1 Grinder pedal, which could debut as early as May. The Orient, New York-based company is firming up the circuit board and layout to the new stomp – an analog filter based on the LoveTone Meatball design.

According to Barge’s original release regarding the Grinder, the pedal has been designed around the Hammond 1590DD, a rugged aluminum enclosure that is nearly 20 square inches smaller than the original, while still providing room for switches, rotary controls, and signal jacks. 

Denmark-based Carl Martin has released its Echotone pedal to retailers around the world. The Echotone boasts 1200 milliseconds of vintage echo, foot-switchable tap or manual time settings, insert loop and switchable trail function at bypass. 

As with all the Danish built Carl Martin effects, the Echotone comes in the company’s trademark low-profile housing with the built-in 12v (+/-) regulated power supply.

UK-based Blackstar Amplification has inked an exclusive deal in the states to sell select products, including its HT line of tube overdrive pedals at Guitar Center’s across the nation. The line includes a valve boost, overdrive, distortion, ultra high gain and a dual clean and crunch pedals.  All the stomps feature true high voltage (300V) circuitry and the company’s proprietary Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) tone shaping feature.

A few of the Northhampton, England-based company’s high-end amps also are available at locations that carry Guitar Center Platinum boutique items.