Morley has unveiled a tribute to the late Cliff Burton, Metallica’s legendary bassist, by reissuing his iconic wah fuzz pedal. This modern rendition not only seeks to replicate Burton’s distinctive “old-school ripped speaker” tone, famously heard on tracks like “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, but also introduces contemporary features to enhance its utility and appeal.
The Cliff Burton Tribute Series Power Wah Fuzz meticulously mirrors the original pedal’s optical circuitry from its 1976 iteration, ensuring that the unique sound that defined Burton’s bass playing is accessible to today’s musicians. Morley’s aim with this reissue is to enable a new generation of players to explore the same sonic landscape that Burton navigated with his groundbreaking bass lines.
One of the notable upgrades in this reissue is Morley’s switchless activation feature, eliminating the need for a footswitch to toggle the effect. This allows musicians to engage the pedal by simply stepping on the treadle, with the effect disengaging once the foot is lifted, facilitating instant access to the pedal’s lower sweep range—a hallmark of Burton’s playing style.
The pedal also incorporates a 15db level control within its wah circuit, designed to amplify the signal for standout solos, much like those Burton was renowned for. Moreover, the pedal is equipped with a glow-in-the-dark treadle and toe sticker, ensuring visibility on dimly lit stages.
Aesthetically, the pedal sports a distressed chrome finish, mirroring the well-worn look of Burton’s original equipment, further accentuated by glow-in-the-dark elements for a striking appearance.
The pedal maintains Morley’s standard dimensions and features the brand’s electro-optical design, guaranteeing durability with pots that “never wear out”. A premium buffer circuit is included to preserve the integrity of the tonal output, and the pedal operates on a standard 9V adapter.
The Cliff Burton Tribute Series Power Wah Fuzz is available exclusively in the USA at Guitar Center and Musician’s Friend, with a global release set for April 1. Priced at $229, this pedal is a testament to Burton’s enduring influence on the metal genre and bass guitar playing.
