Guitar Innovator Del Casher, Creator of the Wah‑Wah Pedal, Dies at 88

Del Casher, the guitarist and inventor whose groundbreaking work included the creation of the iconic wah‑wah pedal, has died at the age of 88.

Casher passed away on October 1 after a prolonged battle with cancer. A GoFundMe page set up for his widow, Eiko, announced his death, and the news was first reported by TMZ.

Born Delton Kacher in Hammond, Indiana, Casher began his career performing with artists such as Gene Autry, Lawrence Welk, and the Three Suns. During these early years he experimented with new techniques and technologies to make his electric guitar sound distinctive.

In the early 1960s, while playing with the Thomas Organ Company’s Vox Ampliphonic Orchestra, Casher sought a way to mimic the sound of a trumpet and add a “voice‑like” filter to his guitar. Although the company’s engineer Brad Plunkett helped develop the hardware, the wah‑wah pedal is widely credited to Casher’s invention.

Originally called the “Cry Baby,” Casher recorded a demo and a promotional single to showcase the effect, but both failed to gain traction when released in 1967.

The pedal gained fame when Frank Zappa, who had used it in 1966 with the Mothers of Invention, gave one to Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix’s innovative use of the wah‑wah on classic tracks such as “Voodoo Child,” “Burning of the Midnight Lamp,” and “All Along the Watchtower” cemented the effect in rock history.

Other leading rock guitarists quickly adopted the effect. Eric Clapton employed it on Cream’s “Tales of Brave Ulysses,” while Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi, David Gilmour and many others experimented with the wah‑wah. By 1971 the effect appeared on Isaac Hayes’s Oscar‑winning “Theme From Shaft,” propelling it to mainstream success.

Casher’s inventive spirit extended beyond the wah‑wah. He also contributed to the development of the Ecco‑Fonic and the Fender Electronic Echo Chamber, and performed with Elvis Presley, appearing in the 1964 film Roustabout. Later in his career he worked as a film composer.

In a 2015 interview with The New York Times, Casher reflected on his legacy: “I feel gratified that I was there at the beginning. I would just like guitar players to think of me once in a while. The only thing I ask is: remember me.”

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