Vox · V846 · 1967 originals; modern reissues
Vox V846 / Clyde McCoy Wah
These are the first wahs. Brad Plunkett stumbled on the circuit at Thomas Organ, Vox's US distributor, in late 1966, and Vox released it in February 1967 as the Clyde McCoy, named after the jazz trumpeter known for his wah-wah mute on Sugar Blues. McCoy had nothing to do with designing it. Early ones carried his picture on the bottom, which soon gave way to just his signature. Vox says the pedal was then revoiced for rock guitar and released as the V846, with a wider sweep and more treble, while the McCoy has a warmer, nasal midrange. Hendrix and Clapton put the Vox wah on the map in 1967. The originals were built in Italy by JEN, and those Italian units are among the most collected wahs today. Vox has since reissued both voices, as the V846-HW, the V846 Vintage and the Real McCoy, and there was an earlier V848 Clyde McCoy. Check the bottom plate and the guts closely before you treat one as original.
Clyde McCoy picture wah (1967)Clyde McCoy signature wahVox V846 (1967)Vox V848 Clyde McCoy (reissue, true bypass, Fasel inductor)Vox V846-HW Hand-WiredVox V846 VintageVox Real McCoy VRM-1
Spec at a glance
- Brand
- Vox
- Model
- V846
- Family
- Vox wah
- Effect
- Wah
- Circuit
- Inductor wah with the Halo inductor and BC109 transistors Vox found in the 1967 units it measured for its reissues. The Clyde McCoy has a mid-focused, nasal voice, and the V846 that followed has a wider sweep with more treble.
- Made in
- Italy (originals built by JEN)
- Power
- 9V battery
- Era
- 1960s
- Years made
- 1967 originals; modern reissues
- Nickname
- Picture wah
What to check before you buy
Reissues and rebuilt pedals get sold as vintage, so the bottom plate, pot and inductor all need checking. Original pots wear out, and many old wahs have had the pot, jacks or switch replaced.
- 01Bottom plate: Ask for a clear photo of the bottom plate. A picture of McCoy or his signature points to an early Clyde McCoy, so compare it with known originals.
- 02Inductor: Ask for a gut shot of the inductor. A period Halo or Fasel part fits an early Italian wah, and a modern replacement lowers originality.
- 03Origin: Ask the seller where the pedal is marked as made. The 1960s originals were built in Italy by JEN.
- 04Sweep: Ask for a short clip rocking the treadle slowly. The sweep should be smooth with no crackle or dropouts.
- 05Toe switch: Ask whether the switch under the toe engages every time. It should click on and off cleanly.
Find one on eBay
We haven’t been through this pedal’s listings yet. Search eBay for the exact model and run every listing through the checklist above. Ask for a photo of the bottom plate and a short video of the pedal on and off through an amp, and pass on any listing that won’t show them.
Search “Vox Clyde McCoy wah V846” on eBay ↗eBay searchPower and cables
Plenty of used pedals turn up without a power supply. Check the power line in the specs above, then match the voltage and plug before you buy one. This searches Amazon for the usual kit.
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