A few years ago, design agency Critical Mass developed a prototype for a pair of high-top Chuck Taylors with a built-in wah pedal. Now, Converse and our friends at CuteCircuit have brought the shoe to life, giving them to legendary guitarist J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. and others to test out.
The aptly named All Wah functions no differently than a traditional wah pedal, and can be connected to an amp and guitar using the dual plugs on the side of the shoes. It then uses micro-sensor technology to track the flex of the sole, and communicates wirelessly with a wah box over Bluetooth. The special Chucks convert a guitarist’s foot movements into wah modulation — push down for treble, lift up for more bass.
What’s more, you can ditch the cables and sync the All Wah up to a Mac or iPhone instead. A 3.7V battery located in the right sneaker can be recharged wirelessly when placed atop the wah box, while a touch sensor on its side turns the system on/off.
So far, only 23 pairs have been made, and Converse has not revealed if or when they will go on sale. Until then, check ‘em out below!