This is a tribute blog to Mr. Del Casher (1938-2026), the Father of the Wah-Wah Pedal.
Born Delton Edward Kacher, Del Casher – the guitarist and inventor (above Jim Steinfeldt internet image). Besides inventing the wah-wah pedal, Casher also invented the Ecco-Fonic, the Fender Electric Echo Chamber, and the Roland Guitar Synthesizer.
Guitar-drenched bluesy songs that feature the Wah-Wah Pedal, basically mimicking the sound of a human voice saying “wah wah”, or a melancholic harmonica, always had that extra mojo sauce in them. It seeps into your soul.
Pay your respects to Del Casher every time you give a loud listen to “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) by Jimi Hendrix, “White Room” by Cream, “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin, “Surfing With The Alien” by Joe Satriani, “Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses, and “25 Or To 4” by Chicago. George Harrison even had an “All Things Must Pass” album song named, “Wah Wah”.
Slash With A Jim Dunlop “Cry Baby” Wah-Wah Pedal (above image).
In the mid-1960s, Casher, while working with the Vox amplifier company, wanted to make the electric guitar sound like the trumpet or trombone. He had trouble marketing his “a thing of the future” invention. Even James Brown said, “I just think it’s passing fad”. In fact, his detractors thought he was a “crackpot”.
But history has taught us that if we keep picking ourselves up every time we fall, the Sun will eventually shine its blessings on us. That’s how I regard Del Casher and his “crackpot” invention every time I hear those iconic songs listed above. The inventor that never gave up Hope, he kept getting up when he was knocked down. Do Google “Del Casher” to read more awesome achievements of this amazing man and his inventions.
It wasn’t until top-drawer guitarist Frank Zappa took a liking for the unique sounding pedal. Zappa, in turn, gifted a wah-wah pedal to his buddy, Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix used his new wah-wah toy all over his new phenomenal double album, “Electric Ladyland”. Lo and behold, the wah-wah pedal was what every guitarist wanted for their sound. And the rest is guitar history, folks.
Long Live the Awesome Memory of Del Casher.
