GuitarsCanada
04-01-2008, 07:53 AM
Review Submitted By
iaresee
Product Name
Ibanez SM-9 Super Metal
Would you recommend this product to others?
yes
Your overall review of the product
great
Did you feel there was good value for the money?
yes
Obviously used, had to hunt for one that wasn't >$150 USD.
What is your name?
Ian Chesal
How would you best describe yourself?
Part Timer
please select a choice
I own this gear
-----------------------------------------------------
Your full review
I'm like a junkie when it comes to those old 9-series pedals. I've been on the prowl for an SM-9 Super Metal ever since I read this article (http://www.amirderakh.com/collection-ibanez_sm9.php). It's a rare 9-series pedal so I had to exercise a good bit of patience to find one in good shape and in the sub-$100 range. Last week my patience payed off.
I've only spent an hour or so with it. I had no idea what to expect when I plugged it in. Total annihilation? Wall of doom? I mean, what is "Super Metal" really? It turns out "Super Metal" is euphemism for "multi-stage gain tube screamer" -- kind of.
It's got 5 (!) knobs: level, gain, edge, attack and punch. Level and gain are what you'd expect. I'll put those two aside for now. Lets talk about the three more interesting knobs first.
Edge seems to be the high frequency filter, attack the mid-range filter and punch the low end filter. The filter sweeps on all three dials are huge and offer a expansive amount of boost and cut as you sweep through their full range. With the filter knobs all at noon the frequency response feels full and even, with no peaks in the mid-range. Counter-clockwise from here on any knob and you start to subtract pretty quickly, clockwise and the boost is equally huge. All three knobs have a big effect on the over all output level of the pedal, but not much effect on the gain. Case in point: take the Punch knob from noon to 5 o'clock and not only do you get a heaps and heaps of low end content in the sound but the volume jump will take your head off if you don't knock the Level knob back 1/4 turn or so.
The gain knob is another knob with a huge sweep and it controls an overdrive that's characteristically JRC45xx (Indeed, this little guy has 2 of them in it.). Tube-like in its warmth and not too fizzy or fuzzy. At 0 it's got a barely there overdrive sound. Roll it from 0 to 10 and you move quickly through TS-9 territory on into SD-9 territory and finally into a land of overdrive that is all SM-9. Compressed, smooth with gobs and gobs of gain.
If you've ever wanted to stack a Tube Screamer or two (or three) and have always wished you could dial in the EQ section of the setup with an almost parametric-like set of controls, the SM-9 might be for you.
I'm really impressed but of course it's all very much honeymoon right now. I'm going to fix that jack and then take it outside for a field test late next week. I've been after an SM-9 for a while now and now that I've got my hands on one I'm going to savour the discovery period. I've got a bad habit of parting with 9-series pedals and regretting it later on.
I'll do clips at some point for the sonically curious.
------------------------------------------------------
Gear used for this review
PRS Standard 24
Koch TwinTone
iaresee
Product Name
Ibanez SM-9 Super Metal
Would you recommend this product to others?
yes
Your overall review of the product
great
Did you feel there was good value for the money?
yes
Obviously used, had to hunt for one that wasn't >$150 USD.
What is your name?
Ian Chesal
How would you best describe yourself?
Part Timer
please select a choice
I own this gear
-----------------------------------------------------
Your full review
I'm like a junkie when it comes to those old 9-series pedals. I've been on the prowl for an SM-9 Super Metal ever since I read this article (http://www.amirderakh.com/collection-ibanez_sm9.php). It's a rare 9-series pedal so I had to exercise a good bit of patience to find one in good shape and in the sub-$100 range. Last week my patience payed off.
I've only spent an hour or so with it. I had no idea what to expect when I plugged it in. Total annihilation? Wall of doom? I mean, what is "Super Metal" really? It turns out "Super Metal" is euphemism for "multi-stage gain tube screamer" -- kind of.
It's got 5 (!) knobs: level, gain, edge, attack and punch. Level and gain are what you'd expect. I'll put those two aside for now. Lets talk about the three more interesting knobs first.
Edge seems to be the high frequency filter, attack the mid-range filter and punch the low end filter. The filter sweeps on all three dials are huge and offer a expansive amount of boost and cut as you sweep through their full range. With the filter knobs all at noon the frequency response feels full and even, with no peaks in the mid-range. Counter-clockwise from here on any knob and you start to subtract pretty quickly, clockwise and the boost is equally huge. All three knobs have a big effect on the over all output level of the pedal, but not much effect on the gain. Case in point: take the Punch knob from noon to 5 o'clock and not only do you get a heaps and heaps of low end content in the sound but the volume jump will take your head off if you don't knock the Level knob back 1/4 turn or so.
The gain knob is another knob with a huge sweep and it controls an overdrive that's characteristically JRC45xx (Indeed, this little guy has 2 of them in it.). Tube-like in its warmth and not too fizzy or fuzzy. At 0 it's got a barely there overdrive sound. Roll it from 0 to 10 and you move quickly through TS-9 territory on into SD-9 territory and finally into a land of overdrive that is all SM-9. Compressed, smooth with gobs and gobs of gain.
If you've ever wanted to stack a Tube Screamer or two (or three) and have always wished you could dial in the EQ section of the setup with an almost parametric-like set of controls, the SM-9 might be for you.
I'm really impressed but of course it's all very much honeymoon right now. I'm going to fix that jack and then take it outside for a field test late next week. I've been after an SM-9 for a while now and now that I've got my hands on one I'm going to savour the discovery period. I've got a bad habit of parting with 9-series pedals and regretting it later on.
I'll do clips at some point for the sonically curious.
------------------------------------------------------
Gear used for this review
PRS Standard 24
Koch TwinTone