DigiTech Whammy II Harmonizer & Pitch Shifter / Bender

Trey Anastasio, Tom Morello and Jonny Greenwood have been three of my favorite guitarists for 30+ years now – they all also happen to be masters of the DigiTech Whammy series of pedals. These harmonizing and pitch-bending units can be tricky to conquer, but these three guys have made them part of their signatures sounds for decades. The Whammy II, which we’re going to look at today, is sort of the odd man out in this group of effects, with a much smaller footprint and some features not found on any of the other models. If you’ve never heard or played this one, you’re in for a demented, detuned sonic treat…

The Whammy pedal. It’s been a topic of conversation since its original version was released back in 1989, becoming one of the most prolific pitch shifters ever created. Today, we’re going to take a look at the second iteration of this unit, the Whammy II, perhaps the most unique of all versions. Offering both a smaller size and a settings toggle feature, this one defies logic, and your music will do the same if you use it.

The Whammy II operates as a real-time sampler, constantly sampling and analyzing what you’re playing. At the same time, the notes being sampled are sent back out at a different pitch. Since the Whammy II recognizes the pitch of each note you play, it is able to automatically choose a looping point for the pitch-shifted output to create a natural-sounding harmony – not a garbled, delayed one, as with other pitch-shifting pedals.

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

Superior build quality and unmatched tone

Sleek black chassis design

Produced from 1994 to 1998

Following the successful legacy of the first Whammy, the Whammy II features near-identical specs, but with a sleek black chassis and the ability to store one preset setting for toggling between two set modes. It allowed users to immediately shift their tone up or down an octave or more, with the ability to create harmonic pairings as well. With its unique ability to instantly shift your tone up or down an octave, it opens up a whole new world of harmonic pairings.

All the pedals in the Whammy lineup are versatile sonic tools that have been game-changers in the music industry, with usage popularized by legendary artists like Trey, Tom and Jonny, plus Matt Bellamy, Jack White, John Scofield, Nels CLine, Buckethead and more. 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. Be sure to check out our demo video below to see and hear this one in action, it’s not to be missed!!

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