Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante’s guitar tech Dave Lee discussed what Eddie Van Halen did for Frusciante in a new JFEffects article.
I would have to ask how John’s WH-10 wah wah was always working good for the shows. From what I’ve heard they break down a lot.
Dave Lee: “The WH-10’s were always a problem. I was constantly on the lookout for them. I had just about every gearhead in SoCal on the lookout for them. We did a show in Moscow where John had broken our last one the show before. Before the show I told John “We are out of wah wah’s”. John said “Well, we just won’t do the songs with wah wah”. I thought, “That’ll make for a short set”. Somehow we got through it.
One of my friends that was on the lookout was a guy named Matt Bruck (Eddie Van Halen’s guy). Matt called me and said he’d found one, but I had to go up to the “5150” house to pick it up. As I pull up to the end of the driveway, there’s Eddie himself. Standing in the driveway with the WH-10 in his hands looking very confused. He says to me “Why would he (John) use a piece of shit like this?”. I said, “They sound great! But they break all the time. This one here, is our only backup.” (Now I’m kinda blown away a bit, that I’m standing there talking to Eddie Van Halen). Then he say’s, “Well don’t tell him that you have this one. When I think a pedal of mine is the ONLY one I have, I’m a lot more careful with it”. Roadie advice from E.V.H.
Lol. That was pretty cool.”
I managed to get one and the sound cuts when I make a sweep. I think it may need the wah pot replaced.
Dave Lee: “Yes Kevin. It needs a new pot. A problem I became familiar with.”
