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Home > Effects > Effects Reviews > Snarling Dogs > Whine-O Wah

Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah

Summary
Price New Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah @ Musician's Friend
Manufacturer URL http://www.snarlingdogs.com/
Ease of Use 8.8 (33 responses)
Sound Quality 8.3 (33 responses)
Reliability 7.7 (27 responses)
Customer Support 6.7 (16 responses)
Overall Rating 7.6 (34 responses)
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Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $149.00
Submitted 07/01/1998 at 12:12pm by Jon
Email: jrock at bigfoot<dot>com

Ease of Use : 7
The pedal is very easy to use... Just click it on and click it off. Also, you can select wah modes from a knob on the side, although it is awkward during a gig, etc... Hard to move with foot too... Looks like it could snap off.

Sound Quality : 4
This thing is noisy. In bypass mode it is not so noisy, but it is not a true bypass by any stretch. It definately made my signal a lot more quiet and I can't say how to describe it other than that. But in wah mode, watch out, it will add so much static and blur to your sound that you'll think your amp has gone bad. There is an annoying sweep that will not go away and only gets worse as you select a more treble oriented wah--as in shaft, voodoo, etc...

Reliability : 7
Looks somewhat sturdy (nice layout!) although it might have a problem: the pedal matting was peeling away on the pedal even though it was brand new. The wires that connect to the glowing eyes are flimsy and held onto the LED with a wimpy bit of solder. I'd say it could be problematic.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Don't think I'll deal with it now I got rid of it, but I've heard they're great and always helping with their product.

Overall Rating : 4
This pedal did nothing for me but make too much noise, sound too transistor-like and whiney, and was all around annoying. When compared side by side with a VOX, Kern, etc. you might actually start laughing at the pathetically loud hum this thing makes. It is not quiet in the slightest and makes no effort to be tactful.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $114.00
Submitted 06/25/1998 at 04:25pm by Oscar Jordan
Email: prs<at>deltanet dot com

Ease of Use : 10
I had been brain washed having used the other Wah products on the market. I wasn't use to having such versatility in a Wah so I had to actually play around with it a bit to get what I wanted, and experiment to apply it to the songs my band plays. The three settings are very cool and versatile (Shaft, Voodoo, and White Room) and I found the Voodoo the most usable for all around funky scratching, Santana tone, and over the top Wah-Wah obnoxiousness. I like the White Room setting too but just to show off. The only real problem I had was the volume knob. I wasn't use to it and had to work on finding a volume setting that would not take my volume signal over the top. At 12:00 it kills! Great tone! But it's a little too loud and your volume jumps dramatically. So I lowered the volume and that took care of that. The only problem is that it's just not as intense at 8:00 as it is at 12:00. It still kills though and I'm taking the time to experiment with it in clubs by just using my guitar as a master volume. This should take care of that. All in all it's a no brainer and simple to use.

Sound Quality : 10
I pride myself on being an individual and being my own guitar player. I wanna sound like me and the Whine-O Wah gives me a very distinctive voice. I've tried Dunlops, Vox's, and Morley's but this one has my name on it. I don't know how to explain it other than the fact that it is radical and not for the conservative, standing in the background, wall flower guitarist. This unit makes a statement! At the moment I'm using it with a Fender Hot Rod DeVille with two 12 inch speakers and it is as quiet as a mouse, and does not alter my original tone when it is in the off position. And finding that sweet spot ala Carlos Santana and Michael Shenker is an easy thrill.

Reliability : 9
I would say that it is very reliable. I had a bit of a problem with it shutting of accidently while I was berzerkedly Wahing away but I sent it back to Charlie and he's taking care of me. It was some kind of short or something. Even with that it still kicked butt and was very dependable. If I hadn't sent it back it would have still been very reliable and usable it's just that I can be so anal sometimes ya know...

Customer Support : 10
Charlie is my man! The man of the hour with all the power! The Women's pet and the Man's regret! I have never met someone so "Right There" to offer assistance and support. You can tell he really believes in his product 100%. He'll take what you have in a nano-second and get what you need done. In fact he's sending mine back as I write. Kudos! Kudos! Kudos! Salamm! Salamm! Salamy!

Overall Rating : 10
I'm an eclectic Blues man who travels around, under and beyond the umbrella of the Blues. From Buddy Guy to Santana, Robben Ford to Hendrix, and Albert Collins to Yngwie J. Malmsteen. I've been playing for about 25 years or so and it has taken me a long time to find myself in this world of guitar virtuosos and flavor of the month icons. I like to try new things and when the guys at Performance Guitars in Hollywood said check out the Whine-O Wah I went for it. Tone has always been a beast of burden to get for me and I'm just now getting a grip on it. This little Wah monster is taking me to that place of distinction where they know who I am when they hear me play.
The Whine-O wah makes my songs unique and people come up to me later and ask me if I wrote that song when in fact Willy Dixion wrote it 30 years ago. It just gives it flavor!
If I could change one thing it would be to hook up some kind of cybernetic link from my cerebral cortex to the switch that changes the tones from Shaft, Voodoo, and White Room. I hate to bend over during the middle of a guitar solo. Other wise I'm pleased as punch.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $129
Submitted 06/19/1998 at 08:38am by Dean Cain
Email: 2x4<at>ibm dot net

Ease of Use : 10
This is a follow-up to earlier submissions on this pedal. After about 6 months of use (about 3 months with the upgraded tone resistor installed in it, which will kick your ass all the way to the moon, and halfway back). Controls have not changed, so it's still as easy to use; step on it and wail.

Sound Quality : 10
The sound from this thing is still, in my opinion, unparalleled. With Charlie constantly thriving to offer his customers new upgrades for it, he is staying at the avant-garde of technology, which translates into a pretty sweet deal for his customers. The output from the highest wah setting (Shaft) on this thing will puncture your eardrums given half a chance (but hey, pain is gooooood...)! The lowest setting (White Room) sounds so guttural you'd swear your guitar was actually a warthog that was drowning in pea soup.

Reliability : 10
This is what this review focusses on: reliability. 6 months of ownership, no problems whatsoever, except for a slight static electricity SNAFU (which is NOT related to the pedal). The buildup from my basement carpet caused a *little* scratchiness in the Whine-O when used at high distortion settings. This was easily remedied with a few quick sprays of Static Guard (used for removal of static cling on clothes; you'll find this stuff at any grocery store for about $3 a can) directly into the jacks and onto the surface of the rack-and-pinion mechanism and surface of the pot. The sealed pots Charlie uses are by far the most resistant ones I've come across in a wah pedal.

Customer Support : 10
Charlie's reputation speaks for itself. Check out any other review here at HC, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Overall Rating : 10
If you want a wah, get this one; it's all you'll ever want or need.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $125
Submitted 04/01/1998 at 04:25pm by Joe Tristano

Ease of Use : 10
At first I thought that the treadle was a bit tight but I got used to that. It's pretty easy to change the vol with your foot but it's a bit tricky changing the wah with your foot. There's a manual but you really don't need it. To get a good clean sound at low volumes you have to turn you guitar vol down if you have humbuckers. It's unreal how ballsy this wah is.

Sound Quality : 10
If you are playing out this wah is awesome. To reiterate, if you are just playing at home then you may have to turn your guitar volume down to get a clean wah sound. I talked with Charlie (Helluva guy) and he told me that my wah was one of the newer beefier ones. When I played out with this wah it blew me away. With three wahs in one you can't beat it. I like the White Room the best because it can go real low. The Voodoo setting is also great. The Shaft setting is really cool if you are playing that kind of music. It sounds just like Shaft/Superfly. It's not very noisy. It has some noise on the shaft setting but the frequency is so high I would expect that.

Reliability : 10
I haven't had it more than two weeks but I can't see how it could break the thing is built to withstand nuclear war. The only thing I might be "slightly" worried about as stated above is the footswitch prematurley wearing because of the pedal hitting it and moving it a very small distance. I asked Charlie about this and he said they were thinking abuot putting washers around it but thought it might be to be too difficult to activate.

Customer Support : 10
If there was an 11 for this category I would give that rating. Charlie Stringer has to be the most helpful CEO of all music. I had a few questions about the pedal and he replied that night giving me some tips and pointers on the wah.

Overall Rating : 10
This is the best wah! I play blues & rock w/some jazz and country and this wah kicks my old crybaby's butt. I've been playing for 12 years. I play a PRS CE, 335 through a mesa/boogie studio 22+. ( I used this wah at a gig through my buddy's 74 no master vol Marshall w/ a Kendrick Buffalo Pfuzz and it was unreal). If it was lost/stolen I would definatley replace it.The true bypass is a great feature along with the three wahs. I went out on a limb doing mail order for something I didn't try out and it was definatley worth it.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 03/28/1998 at 04:28pm by Stuart Butler

Ease of Use : 10
This wah is very easy to use and it is impossiple not to get a good sound out of it. just give it a good stomp and it cuts right on

Sound Quality : 8
i use the whine o through a fender automatic gt amp and a fender squier. it sounds great considering my lineup. i would love to hear what it sounds like through a good guitar and amp. there is very little noise , except when i cut it on, there is a small click, which may be just my guitar and/or amp. there are three settings, white room being like classic wah, vodoo being a little sharper, and shaft being very sharp

Reliability : 10
made of die cast zinc. weighs 6 pounds

Overall Rating : 9
this wah has great tone and everything else you would expect from a wah. it looks awesome too. the dogs eyes light up when the pedal is on and the actual pedal lights up w/ a black light and the snarling dogs logo glows in the dark. this pedal rules!!!!!


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $125.00
Submitted 03/23/1998 at 05:31pm by Dr. Nick Flor

Ease of Use : 10
Plug it in, select the wah (3 possible!), rock! There is also a volume knob for those times you have to crank out a wah solo (like on Funkadelics "Maggot Brain"). One of the most versatile, easy to use pedals on the market today.
Did I mention that this is a cool wah? The pedal is shaped like a foot. In the middle of the foot is a glow in the dark picture of a dog. The dog has LEDs for eyes. When you stomp the pedal on, the eye light up. TRES COOL!
Most wah pedals aspire to be like some old vintage wah. The Whine-O-Wah, does the vintage sounds, *and* coupled with its volume control and wider tonal sweep, has IT'S OWN tone.

Sound Quality : 10
This is an awesome Wah. I have a Dunlop Jimi-Hendrix Wah (which I've used for the past couple of years). The Hendrix Wah is supposed to have a fatter bottom end than the normal Dunlop Wah. However, compared to the Whine-o-Wah, the Hendrix Wah is anemic. The Whine-O-Wah (WOW) has three selectable wahs: (1) White Room; (2) Voodoo; (3) Shaft. Each wah has a different tonal sweep, with (1) being the broadest, (2) being intermediate; and (3) voiced in the upper range of the tonal spectrum. Others may like (1), but I really like the Voodoo mode. It really cops the Hendrix tone on a song like Voodoo Child Slight return.
Compared to the Hendrix Wah, the WOW is way more quieter. However there is one caveat. Recall that the WOW has a much broader tonal sweep. At the trebliest frequency (foot all the way down), there is slight noise. However, with such a high gain pedal, this is to be expected. The key thing to remember is that the WOW is super quiet across all the tonal sweeps that your old wah pedal does. So basically, don't rock all the way down.

Reliability : 10
The thing is built like a tank! It's 6.5 pounds. If it's built like the other snarling dogs effects I have (Blue Doo pedal), then there's nothing to worry about.

Customer Support : 10
I had some questions about the pedal and mailed Snarling Dogs (snarlingdogs@compuserve.com). Charlie Stringer himself (the President) answered all my questions!!! Wow. that's customer support. I personally feel that Charlie Stringer is the Leo Fender of effects pedals.
I bought direct from Charlie Stringer based on a special discount ad in Guitar World magazine.

Overall Rating : 10
The best wah pedal at its price point (and maybe at higher price points). The ability to have both vintage and original wah sounds is great. Be original. Get a Whine-O-Wah. You won't be disappointed.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $124.95
Submitted 03/12/1998 at 11:28am by Dean Cain
Email: 2x4<at>ibm dot net

Ease of Use : 10
This is the same pedal I reviewed during my last submission, i.e., the Whine-O wah pedal from Snarling Dogs. More specifically, this is about the upgrade(s) available for it. Charlie (the prez) e-mails everybody who owns one, offering two upgrades: (1) a more quiet wah, and (2) a meatier-sounding wah, especially in the two first wah settings (White Room and Voo Doo). If your pacemaker needs changing, or if your house's structural integrity has been compromised by an El Nino-driven storm, then keep away from this upgraded version! However, if dying youg and leaving a good-looking corpse is more your bag, then this is your pedal. When Charlie said that he'd make it sound meatier, he wasn't kidding! Get this: with a totally clean tone (no effects whatsoever), the Whine-O will add an amount of gain sufficient to make the sound distort... and this isn't even a distortion pedal!!! Despite this, there is surprisingly little white noise, or hiss, coming from the pedal at full volume, even when in the full-treble setting. Better yet, both of these upgrades are free! How often has Dunlop called you in the last 20 years to say, "Hey dude, here's our new upgrade offer, and it's free" ?? Can't beat that deal!!!

Sound Quality : 10
See above. The Whine-O will give your sound a serious kick in the nads, to say the least. A Dunlop Crybaby gains out at about 11 dB; the Whine-O kicks out a terrifying 18 dB gain over baseline. Wimps need not apply.

Reliability : 10
As I mentioned in my previous review, this thing is a tank. It weighs like 10 lb or something, so unless you're out playing a gig on a stage directly above the San Andreas Fault, it ain't gonna move! As far as durability, I use (and abuse) my gear daily for about an hour or so, and it hasn't failed me once.

Customer Support : 10
Also see above. Charlie has given me the best customer support I've ever received for ANY product, bar none. You gotta query for him? E-mail him; he gets back to you within the hour... and he's the prez of the company! He's also very knowledgeable about his gear, so you'll never get a "Uh, I dunno...I'll get back to you later...maybe." I think he might have gotten his brainbox slightly rattled by the power of the last upgrade, but hey, whoever said that was a bad thing? :) As far as turnaround time, this is my report: I got his notice for the upgrade Monday of last week, I sent the pedal to him the next day (Tuesday), he upgraded it and had it back on my doorstep by Tuesday of this week, exactly one week after I sent it off. If you're gonna argue that this isn't great response time, you're on a different time-space continuum than the rest of us.

Overall Rating : 10
Two words: it rules. Better yet, Charlie informed me he plans yet further upgrades for the Whine-O. I know this may sound like a totally glowing review, but it's the straight poop; nothing more, nothing less. I think Charlie got ripped off by Infiniti (the car company) when they stated "Own one and you'll understand."


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $125.00
Submitted 03/06/1998 at 06:33pm by Angel

Ease of Use : 10
Very simple wah pedal. Very nice: has a volume pot and a selector between "White Room", "Voodoo" and "Shaft". This pot works as a "tone" switch: White room is guttural while Shaft is ear-splitting. There is a manual with it but you don't really need to read it. The sound is great and the rocking action of the pedal is great.

Sound Quality : 9
I use it with Peavy Classics and a Transtube. Actually there is a slight noise that can be put up with, but not scratchy as other wahs. It doesn't bother me. The wah effect is so good, I don't notice the noise. The sound deflection is very easy to control and extremely smooth and proportional to the rocking action. The Shaft setting is a bit harsh for me, but the White Room and Voodoo are awesome.

Reliability : No Opinion
I acquired it recently, but it is a very heavy casing that can double as a weapon. I don't think it will let me down. Anyway, I am quite a do-it-yourselfer and the manual card has a listing of parts and their prices.

Customer Support : 10
I called the company once to ask about other products and Charlie answered the phone. Very helpful and friendly chap.

Overall Rating : 10
I tried the Dunlops and the Morleys. They are the usual wah's. I bought the Whine-O for the magazine review, website info, magazine ads, and cosmesis. This is the coolest wah pedal in existence. It is fluorescent red, with glow-in-the-dark "Whine-O" decal and Snarling Dogs logo. When the pedal is on, the LED's are the dog's eyes, and the rocker pedal is in the shape of a foot. These are lame reasons, I know, but I bought the Danelectro pedals for the same reasons and wasn't disappointed. The Whine-O is at this moment the best wah pedal I have tried: and I've tried a few. The selector switch gives it the versatility no other wah pedal has and the effect tone is awesome in the White Room and Voodoo setting. I just can't wait for the Erogenous Moan pedal which Charlie told me will be out in a couple of months. Check out the Snarling Dogs website at www.snarlingdogs.com


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: N/A
Submitted 01/16/1998 at 09:02pm by Kevin

Ease of Use : 10
It's a wah. Just plug in and go.

Sound Quality : 10
I am using the WHINO with my Start and Terry McInturf Empress running into my 64 Supr Reverb. It's sound great to me. I like the volume control on the WHINO. It's quiter than my Vox. A conpletely different wah. Can you say "white room" Jimi?

Reliability : No Opinion
Brand new. But seems to be buit like a tank.

Customer Support : No Opinion
Charlie has been great to talk to. He seems to care about his customers. Unlike some manufactures.

Overall Rating : 10
Great wah for the money. Three wahs in one. I have been playing for over twenty six years and I would replace it if it was stolen. It was recommended by the music store owner/guitar player. The whino is a very musical wah with three distinct and different wah sounds. Great job Charlie.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $124.95
Submitted 01/14/1998 at 01:58pm by Dean Cain
Email: 2x4<at>ibm dot net

Ease of Use : 10
Very easy to use...pretty well a no-brainer; stomp on it and wail. The pedal rocks back and forth very easily, with a wide rocking angle, so it's easier to get a particular tone than say from a Cry-Baby.

Sound Quality : 10
Sound rules. Three settings of wah are available, the most pronounced being the "Shaft" setting. Using the wah right after a Boss compressor followed by Boss MetalZone, it gives a wah sound that needs to be heard to be described. Once again, very wide tonal variance, real cool.

Reliability : 10
Metal box casing, metal stomp pad, the damned thing weighs like 9 pounds or something. This thing would stay in its spot even after a 8.2 on the Richter scale! Give it a good stomp, it switches on and off very reliably; I've never had to hit it twice to turn it on or off.

Customer Support : 10
I've had no problems with the hardware. I've been in contact with Charlie, CEO of Snarling Dogs, and he's real friendly, and more than willing to help or suggest different things to try with his product.

Overall Rating : 10
Have had a Cry-Baby and a Morley PWV. The Whine-O kicks both their asses in a single swing.


Product: Snarling Dogs Whine-O Wah
Price Paid: US $130
Submitted 12/21/1997 at 08:27pm by Mike K.

Ease of Use : 10
I recently received this pedal through the promotion Mr. Stringer was running in one the guitar mags. The handsome red pedal is very easy to use. You can choose between three wah settings (classic, voodoo, and shaft) and set the volume level. Both are chosen by vintage "chicken head" knobs. No manual is included and is not necessary.

Sound Quality : 8
This pedal is considered band property so it alternates between several amps (four Fenders and one Marshall). Important because these amps sport different variations of 6L6's, 6V6's, and 6550's (a wide tonal palette, I must say). The quality of the sounds appear to be very good. I only tested about three pedals (Jim Dunlop Cry Baby, Vox, and Digitech) before buying this pedal without even listening to it (due to a rave review in a guitar mag (power of the press strikes again)). Although the Vox was a very strong sounding pedal, I think the Whine-O is very comparable in the classic setting. In fact, I think it has a wider tonal range of over its pedal throw. Good or bad, depending on your perspective. The Voodoo and Shaft are very useful also. I must caution that the Shaft setting combined with a Tele bridge pickup can be earsplitting (you make the call). I rate the "sound" of the pedal very highly. However, as with all products, there is a downside. The pedal is somewhat noisy in my perception. It seems to be most pronounced at the higher ranges of the pedal throw. This was not mentioned in the review. I still give the pedal a high overall rating.

Reliability : No Opinion
The pedal is constructed of a very heavy zinc casing. The parts all appear to be of high quality. However, the pedal is new and has yet to suffer to heavily. One item though, pedal seems to always contact the on/off switch in the upper portion of the pedal throw. Hopefully this does not create premature switch wear.

Customer Support : No Opinion
I have called Stringer Industries several times they have always been professional and polite. I have even talked to Charlie himself severl times (Hooray for smaller companies!). However, a problem is the true test of customer support.

Overall Rating : 8
This pedal fits our band's style quite nicely. I would buy it again. However, I do believe I took a certain gamble. You may not be comfortable with such a risk. If it were more quiet, it would pretty close to the ultimate wah for me. In closing I would say give it a listen, you may be suprised.

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