It's time to compare the mettle of Jim Dunlop pedals!
In GuitarWorld.com's latest readers poll — the first annual Jim Dunlop Effect Pedal Throwdown — we're pitting Dunlop, MXR and Way Huge pedals against each other in a no-holds-barred shootout.
Yes, we're pulling out all the stomps! Thirty-two stompboxes will go head to head — or toe to toe, if you prefer — culminating with the crowning of the king of Dunlop pedals.
You can check out the beginning bracket — with all 32 competing pedals — in the Scribd.com window below (Be sure to click on the "full screen" button in the lower-right-hand corner to expand the bracket).
The bracket will be updated after every matchup, and matchups will take place pretty much every day. Each competing pedal will accompanied by a demo video created by the Jim Dunlop company, and you'll always find a photo gallery of the competing pedals at the bottom of each matchup.
Today's Matchup
In today's matchup, the Dunlop JC95 Jerry Cantrell Signature Cry Baby goes foot to foot against the Dunlop JB95 Joe Bonamassa Signaturee Cry Baby pedal. Start voting below!
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS: Yesterday, the MXR M104 Distortion+ (53.15 percent) defeated the MXR M116 Fullbore Metal (46.85 percent) and advanced to the next round! To see all the matchups that have taken place so far, head HERE. Thanks for voting!
Meet the Combatants
Dunlop JC95 Jerry Cantrell Signature Cry Baby
One of the most influential guitarists to come out of the Seattle rock scene, Jerry Cantrell's epic riffs and searing tone have been the driving force behind Alice in Chains since the late 80's. His melancholy wah-drenched melodies in modern classics like "Man in the Box" and "The Rooster" left an indelible mark on a generation of guitarists.
Jerry favored wah-wahs with a wider, darker response, and Dunlop has painstakingly replicated that moody sound to create his signature pedal. It's custom-voiced for a tight, punchy heel-down tone and a rugged side-control knob lets you fine tune the toe-down frequency. And with its antique, oxidized "road worn" brass casting and custom Alice in Chains tread, this is one pedal that looks as great as it sounds.
Dunlop JB95 Joe Bonamassa Signature Cry Baby
Whether he’s blazing through the blues on his own or rocking with Black Country Communion, Joe Bonamassa’s playing is fiery, deep, and powerful. And when he really wants to express himself in a solo, he steps on a Cry Baby wah. That’s why we at Dunlop worked with Joe to develop the Joe Bonamassa Signature Cry Baby, specially engineered to fit in perfectly with Joe’s system, from the way it looks to the way it sounds.
On the outside, it sports a classy copper top with a smooth-finish black body. On the inside, it features large, vintage-style thru-hole components, a Halo inductor (for added harmonic content), an output buffer (to prevent impedance imbalance with vintage fuzz pedals), and a switch for true-bypass or non-true-bypass operation (Joe prefers non-True Bypass as it darkens the high end). With its huge vocal sweep range, this is one of the most expressive Cry Babys ever, and it’s Joe’s tool of choice to accentuate every soulful bend and bluesy wail. “The first pedal I ever purchased was a Cry Baby, 25 years ago,” he says. “I am so honored to have my name on this pedal and hope it brings you as much fun as it brings me every night on stage.”
Voting Closed!
The Dunlop Joe Bonamassa Signature Cry Baby (50.67 percent) just barely defeated the Dunlop Jerry Cantrell Signature Cry Baby (49.33 percent) and advanced to the next round! To see the current matchup and all the matchups that have taken place so far, head HERE. Thanks for voting!
