Review: Ibanez SM9 Super Metal

This is the Ibanez SM9 Super Metal pedal. Made in the 1980s, this pedal can really capture the sound of 80s rock. But the best part is, it does so much more!

What the Super Metal is, in essence, is two Tube Screamers cascaded into each other. The circuitry uses the same JRC4558D op-amp chips popularized by the 9 and 10 series tube screamers, and found in earlier Ibanez distortion/overdrive pedals such as the OD808 Overdrive and TS808 Tube Screamer.

Many players looking to get crunchy overdrive from a tube amp use two Tube Screamers running into each other. This pedal saves you the trouble.

As an added bonus, you get a 3-band equalizer circuit built in as well, which really helps to shape your distorted tones. Also, like a TS, you get the ability to clean up your sound by rolling off the volume knob on your guitar.

I bought this pedal on Ebay after hearing the sound on an Ibanez DUE300 Multi-effects Unit, and immediately fell in love. The sound is creamy, and makes all your overtones and natural harmonics sing. Furthermore, I noticed that, even with single coil pickups, I got sustain for days! The Attack, Edge, and Punch knobs really make it easy to dial in the perfect shape for your signal.

My favourite thing about the SM9, though, is how it can make a tube amp sound solid-state. This may seem strange, since most people are concerned about making solid-state amps sound more like their valve-driven cousins. I love tube amps - they almost always sound better to me than transistors, but when you're playing Metal or Hard Rock, sometimes you NEED a solid-state amp just to get the right attack, response, and undecaying sustain to make it sound right. The SM9 does just that; it punches up the tubes' response to picking and hammer-ons, and tightens up everything else. (I'm not sure if Eddie used one in the 80s, but he must've had something like it...)

Price Range:
$80-150

Highs:
-Rock solid construction
-Fantastic sound
-Great range of tones
-Cheaper than equivalent boutique pedals
-Beautiful color!

Lows:
-Very noisy with "level" knob cranked
-Minor tone drain when off

Rating: 9/10

Review: Ibanez WH10 Wah-Wah Pedal

This is the Ibanez WH10 Wah-Wah Pedal (Green/Grey Version, produced from 1987 until 1992).

Although this is a rare and fairly expensive pedal, it is certainly one of the best. I used to have a Dunlop GCB95 Crybaby that had a great tone, but someone stole it at a gig, and I could never find another one with that same "it factor". This pedal solved all of my wah problems.



Features unique to the WH10:
-Bass/Guitar switch
-Effect knob (+6db to +20db boost)
-Dry output
-Tone, tone, tone!

Although these are unique and very handy features, they are not the best thing about this wah. The first thing I noticed when I plugged it in, and the reason this pedal will always be on my board, is that the buffered bypass makes everything sound better, even when the pedal is off! There is a great demand these days for true bypass pedals, but what many people fail to realize is that a good buffer is better than no buffer, especially if you are running a number of pedals into each other.

The other thing that makes this particular pedal so special is that it sounds FANTASTIC! As you probably know, this pedal was made famous by John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Supposedly, he has so many of them that he has actually driven the price up substantially in recent years, all by himself! However, the pedal itself needs no celebrity endorsement; the sound sells itself.

The Bad: Unfortunately, the WH10 is made of plastic (if you see one, and it's not made of plastic, it's not original, but a reissue (Ibanez WH10V2). Though I've not tried one myself, I am told that the reissue (like most) is shit and not worth buying when you should be able to get the real deal for less than twice the price. Like all fragile things, just don't step on it too hard, and it will last a long time. Mine has been in constant use since I got it in 2009 (and God knows how long before that), and it works like a charm.

If you need a wah that sounds great and works with a variety of sounds, this is the one for you!

Price Range:
$175-275 (Green/Grey Version)
$300-500 (Black/Purple Version)

Highs:
-Best sounding wah pedal ever
-(see above)

Lows:
-Plastic casing
-Board-mounted components inside pedal

Rating: 10/10