5 Best Auto Wah Pedals for Guitar (Envelope Filter Pedals)

Pedal designer Robert Keeley has built a reputation as an innovative force in the industry. The Neutrino V2 is further evidence of this, with its array of intuitive controls and features. 

One of the aspects I found most impressive about this pedal is its versatility. When each of the onboard parameters is set to a medium level, you get the classic auto-wah tone that was popularized in the 1970s. 

Alternatively, by tweaking the gain, peak, and filter controls, you can create mind-bending psych-rock tones that color a clean guitar sound beautifully. 

The central feature of this Keeley pedal is its three-way filter selector. This allows you to choose between lowpass, bandpass, and highpass filtering, instantly altering the prominent frequencies which are subjected to the effect. 

I’ve always enjoyed the functionality of Keeley pedals, and the Neutrino V2 lives up to the high standard they’ve set with their previous creations. It’s very easy to use and requires very little effort to create complex auto-wah sounds.

The Spatial Delivery V2 by EarthQuaker Devices is a highly customizable envelope filter pedal that I believe is well suited to most styles of guitar playing. 

With a minimalistic three-control design, adjusting the key elements of the filter effect is very straightforward. The filter parameter is used to control the frequencies that are subjected to the effect, ranging from highpass to lowpass. 

Then there’s the useful resonance control, which interacts with the filter to provide a wide variety of wah sounds and sweeps. 

If you’re looking for a funky auto-wah effect that injects a sense of motion into rhythm guitar playing, I’d strongly suggest considering this pedal. 

Moreover, the Spatial Deliver V2 can be slotted into many different positions in your signal chain to create varying results. For example, when placed before a compressor, the dynamic range of the effect is tightened, creating a polished sound. 

Renowned for their roadworthy construction and affordable price tags, Boss’ stompboxes have a large and loyal fanbase. 

The AW-3 Dynamic Wah Pedal provides responsive filtering to suit a range of guitar styles. I was surprised to discover that it also doubles up as a bass auto-wah, which is useful if you’re a multi-instrumentalist. 

Along with its ability to produce immersive, rhythmic auto-wah effects, this pedal features extensive connectivity. 

On the left side of the pedal, there is an output that can be used to split the signal of your guitar or incorporate the AW-3 into an FX loop. 

The EXP/CTL input allows you to use an expression pedal with the device, or control its rhythm using a tap tempo footswitch. 

Another unique aspect that I believe guitarists will enjoy when using this pedal is the “humanizer” preset. When selected, this mode gives the guitar a human-like quality, resembling the distinctive sound of a talkbox. 

Although the Q-Tron+ by Electro-Harmonix is quite bulky compared to most of the auto-wah and envelope filter pedals featured in this guide, the increased size is justified by its extensive selection of adjustable controls. 

With a sonic flair to match its eccentric aesthetics, this pedal covers every detail of the auto-wah effect. In addition to the usual filter controls for tweaking the frequency output and rhythm, I found the inclusion of an “Attack Response” switch to be very useful. 

This feature allows guitarists to switch between the standard preset of the original Q-Tron pedal, which responds quickly when a note is played, and a new setting with a slower attack. 

It’s also worth highlighting the dedicated FX loop input and outputs, which make it easy to isolate the effect to get the cleanest possible results from this sophisticated auto wah pedal. 

Fender’s expertise in sculpting guitar tones is unrivaled. Although they’re most famous for their huge selection of instruments and amplifiers, the legendary American brand also produces some impressive effects pedals. 

The Pour Over includes an inbuilt drive circuit, making it stand out amongst conventional auto-wah and envelope filter pedals. 

I enjoyed the impact that the drive control has on the harmonics of the auto-wah filter effect. The more this parameter is cranked up, the more extreme the tone becomes, which is a great tool for elevating guitar parts above the mix. 

The tone and Q controls perform EQ-like functions, making it easy to adjust the frequencies that are most affected by the filter. 

Another thing that stood out to me when dissecting this pedal was its ability to respond to even the subtlest of changes to playing dynamics, which increases the amount of control you have over the auto-wah effect.