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Average Price: $358

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$100

$301+

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High-end

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Description

Introducing the DigiTech Whammy II, an exemplary piece of craft from the renowned DOD company. Following the successful legacy of the first Whammy, the Whammy II now comes with a sleek black chassis and the innovative feature to store one preset setting for effortless toggling between two set modes. With its unique ability to instantly shift your tone up or down an octave, it opens up a whole new world of harmonic pairings. This versatile tool has been a game-changer in the music industry, with its usage popularized by legendary artists like Tom Morello and Jack White. While the Whammy IV reissue made its mark in the year 2000, the original Whammy II continues to be treasured for its superior build quality and unmatched tone.

Key Features:

  • Innovative preset setting storage for swift toggling between two set modes
  • Ability to immediately shift tones up or down an octave
  • Facilitates creation of unique harmonic pairings
  • Popularized by legendary artists like Tom Morello and Jack White
  • Superior build quality and unmatched tone
  • Sleek black chassis design
  • Produced from 1994 to 1998

Product specs

Brand DigiTech
Model Whammy II
Finish Black
Year 1990s
Made In Canada
Categories Octave and Pitch-Shifting Pedals

FAQs

What are the main features of the DigiTech Whammy II?

The DigiTech Whammy II offers pitch shifting and harmony effects, allowing you to shift your guitar's pitch up or down by several octaves. It features an expression pedal for real-time control over the pitch shift, making it a versatile tool for creative sound manipulation.

How does the DigiTech Whammy II differ from the original Whammy pedal?

The Whammy II introduces improved tracking and a more robust design compared to the original Whammy. It retains the classic pitch-shifting capabilities but with enhanced reliability and performance for live and studio use.

Can the DigiTech Whammy II be used with a bass guitar?

Yes, the DigiTech Whammy II can be used with a bass guitar. It effectively processes lower frequencies, allowing bassists to explore creative pitch-shifting effects similar to those used by guitarists.

Does the DigiTech Whammy II require a specific power supply?

The DigiTech Whammy II requires a 9V DC power supply. It's important to use the correct power adapter to ensure optimal performance and avoid damage to the pedal.

Is the DigiTech Whammy II suitable for live performances?

Yes, the DigiTech Whammy II is well-suited for live performances. Its robust construction and reliable pitch-tracking make it a dependable choice for musicians looking to add dynamic pitch effects to their live sound.

Music 301

Music 301

Digitech Whammy 2 Review and Demo

Video thumbnail for Digitech Whammy 2 Review and Demo by Music 301

Digitech Whammy 2 Review and Demo

Music 301

Music 301

Video thumbnail for Whammy II - octave up - 8/6/17 Simple by Treys Rig

Whammy II - octave up - 8/6/17 Simple

Treys Rig

Treys Rig

Video thumbnail for Whammy 2 by tool14me

Whammy 2

tool14me

tool14me

Reviews

PROS

  • Unique glitchy artifacts create amazing sounds

  • Cycling through settings with a foot switch enhances live usability

  • Distinct from later versions with a vintage appeal

  • Toggle button offers practical alternative to MIDI

  • Vintage units possess a unique soul or mojo

  • Smaller footprint with comprehensive options

  • Self-calibrating with rugged steel case

  • Classic pitch shifting sound with aesthetic appeal

CONS

  • Requires a true bypass loop to avoid tone sucking

  • Noisy with less fidelity even in optimal conditions

  • Poor bypass quality

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about DigiTech Whammy II.

Features and functionality

  • The Whammy II offers footswitchable mode-scrolling, a feature not present in newer models, allowing hands-free mode changes during performances.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • The Whammy II requires a dedicated power supply, complicating integration with standard pedalboard power setups.

    Source

User experience

  • Owners note significant tone suck and non-true bypass issues with the Whammy II, impacting overall sound quality unless modified.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • The Whammy II is favored for its monophonic capabilities, though tracking issues may affect performance, especially with chord playing.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Some owners consider a true bypass mod to maintain sound integrity, suggesting it could extend the pedal's usability on modern boards.

    Source

Comparisons

  • The Whammy 5 is noted for its polyphonic capabilities and compatibility with 9v DC power supplies, making it more versatile for various setups compared to the Whammy II.

    Source
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 2 Reviews and 4 Ratings

5 star
4 star
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1 star
bernardduur

Good version of the known Whammy

When needed a whammy, you can go new or vintage. The new ones are equal amazing, but lack some of the soul or mojo these vintage units have. And the II has lots!

I've been playing around with different versions to determine which one to keep. The original version is expensive but sounds the fattest / fullest of them all. The 4 and 5 get shriller in sound but do have a lot of extra's.

In comes the II. A perfect match of the two. Smaller in footprint but with all the options the other units have. And much easier in use when compared to the XP100.

To me this II is amazing. Self calibrating, rugged steel case (it looks like plastic on the pics though) and a big enough threadle to control you sound. Bypass is not great, but you don't buy this pedal for the bypass I guess. Options on sound are good enough.

A keeper! For me the best of all options!

Preferred Settings + Usage:

Octave up is hard to beat! The detune function though is amazing!!

brianrainwater

DigiTech Whammy II

These have that classic pitch shifting sound while also being black. A true win win of a pedal.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Justin Chancellor uses DigiTech Whammy II

Justin Chancellor

Bassist

Tool

...
Verified via Photo

Justin does uses this pedal! Here is a photo of JUSTIN'S bass pedal setup from Tool concert on May 8, 2019 at the KFC Yum Center in Louisville, KY.

See how Buckethead uses DigiTech Whammy II

Buckethead

Guitarist, Bassist

Guns N' Roses

...
Verified via YouTube

Buckethead can be spotted using a Whammy II, (not 5 as someone else has noted) during this performance and most, if not all past present and future performances. You can see the black pedal to the left of his FM4.

See how Troy Van Leeuwen uses DigiTech Whammy II

Troy Van Leeuwen

Guitarist

Queens of the Stone Age

...
Verified via YouTube

You can hear Troy scrolling through the harmony presets at the beginning and you can see the toggle mode light of the Whammy II when the camera pans down

See how Pat Smear uses DigiTech Whammy II

Pat Smear

Guitarist

Nirvana

...
Verified via Photo

In this screenshot of the Tibetan Freedom Concert in 1996, we can see the pedalboard of Pat, it is composed of a ProCo Rat 2 (see one of my previous submission), a Arion Stage Tuner (we can clearly see that it’s the Arion Stage Tuner), a Boss BF-2 (sure it’s the Boss BF-2 because of the shape and color of the pedal but also of the live at Concert Hall 1996, where during the noise part of Exhausted we can ear a Flange effect), and a Digitech Whammy II (sure it’s a Whammy II because of the shape, footswitch, and color of the pedal).

See how Jeff Buckley uses DigiTech Whammy II

Jeff Buckley

Singer, Guitarist

Jeff Buckley(band)

...
Verified via Jeff Buckley

Listed on the official Buckley site, as stated by former Buckley tour manager.

See how Robert Fripp uses DigiTech Whammy II

Robert Fripp

Guitarist, Keyboardist

King Crimson

...
Verified via YouTube

Seen in this rig rundown video at 5:46.

See how James Iha uses DigiTech Whammy II

James Iha

Guitarist, Bassist

The Smashing Pumpkins

...
Verified via Spfc

James began using a Digitech Whammy II in his live setup starting with the touring for MCIS. In an April 1996 interview with "Guitar School" magazine, Billy states "...there is a bunch of Whammy on the record. James uses a Whammy for his solo in Zero."

James also said the following in a December 1995 interview with The Guitar Magazine (TGM) magazine "We tried to be a bit more obtuse, varied, and interesting. Like on XYU I was using a whammy pedal and I kept getting these intermittent breakups-like dang-dan-dan-dan-dang-dan-dan-dan-dang-fllllplplplplplsh! You just step on the pedal and it destroys the sound! It's like a tape machine going haywire or something."

See how Scott Ian uses DigiTech Whammy II

Scott Ian

Guitarist

Anthrax

...
Verified via Photo

Scott's 2003 rig diagram which includes a DigiTech Whammy II.

See how Bootsy Collins uses DigiTech Whammy II

Bootsy Collins

Singer, Bassist

Funkadelic

...
Verified via YouTube

At 0:35 in the YouTube video titled "Bootsy Collins Tours His Incredible Home Studio 'The Boot Cave'” by Reverb, a DigiTech Whammy II pedal is visible on a pedalboard in Bootsy Collins’s studio setup, confirming its use by the artist.

See how Mike Campbell uses DigiTech Whammy II

Mike Campbell

Guitarist

Fleetwood Mac

...
Verified via YouTube

"This is the input right here. Then it splits off. This is the bypass switch for the Whammy. Then out of the Whammy and into the tuner," says Mike Campbell's guitar tech when the Digitech Whammy II Guitar Effects Pedal is shown in the rig rundown.

See how Trey Anastasio uses DigiTech Whammy II

Trey Anastasio

Guitarist

Phish

...
Verified via Trey's Guitar Rig

Trey most frequently uses the pitch bender, which allows the user to bend pitches using the expression pedal to various degrees up or down. Trey almost always uses this feature in its middle position, which is 2 half steps down. So by depressing the expression pedal, the guitar tone sweeps down two half steps, eg, from an Bb to an Ab. Then as your sweep the pedal back up, the tone returns to the original note. In early 3.0, Trey was experimenting with this sound, dubbed the “Whale,”

See how Sugizo uses DigiTech Whammy II

Sugizo

Guitarist, Composer

X Japan

...
Verified via Guitarthai

According to an article on Guitarthai, in addition to his own signature ESP Eclipse lineup, Sugizo also used an ESP Horizon, Fender Jaguars, Fender Stratocasters, Fender Telecasters, Gibson ES175, a Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Richenbacker 330, and electric violins made by Kranz.

He also used Diezel VH4 head, a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier head, a Mesa Boogie 4x12 cabinet, a TC Electronic TC 2290 Rackmount Dynamic Digital Delay, Decimator ProRack G power conditioner, a script Phase 90, a Boss CE-2 Chorus pedal, a Boss OD-1 pedal, a Providence Final Booster, a Digitech Whammy II, an Eventide Pitchfactor, an Eventide TimeFactor, an Eventide ModFactor, a TC Electronic G System, a Boss PS-5 Super Shifter, a Blackstar HT-DIST Distortion pedal, and a Providence Stampede Overdrive.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use DigiTech Whammy II, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

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