Ibanez SM9 into Plexi

[Neil S]

I bought this new when I was in high school almost 40 years ago. It's a pretty angry little pedal and needs to go into a dark sounding amp. I use it in the low input of an 800 or as I've done here the bottom input of the number two channel on a 1959 blended with the top input of channel number one, I thought it sounded pretty good so I hit record!

 

[Leonard Neemoil]

 

[V-man]

Not the glorious nasty Iommi tone that sounds like a 70s muscle car idling/reving, but that‘s a solid drive tone for sure.

 

[MickeyS]

I bought this new when I was in high school almost 40 years ago. It's a pretty angry little pedal and needs to go into a dark sounding amp. I use it in the low input of an 800 or as I've done here the bottom input of the number two channel on a 1959 blended with the top input of channel number one, I thought it sounded pretty good so I hit record!

Do you have the older blue version, or the black and green one? I have the black one, probably from the mid 80s....last time it was on my board was back then, running into a 2x12 Peavey Heritage lol. That sounded sweet, I may have to dig that thing out and try it with a few of my Marshalls, nice clip!

 

[Neil S]

Do you have the older blue version, or the black and green one? I have the black one, probably from the mid 80s....last time it was on my board was back then, running into a 2x12 Peavey Heritage lol. That sounded sweet, I may have to dig that thing out and try it with a few of my Marshalls, nice clip!

I have the old blue one (In the photo) Its taken a beating over its lifetime. It even got wet outside in my old shed and came back to life.

 

[matttornado]

Sounds killer! I had one of those when I was teen. How did you have your amp set? channels linked? what were the volumes turned up to?

 

[Neil S]

Sounds killer! I had one of those when I was teen. How did you have your amp set? channels linked? what were the volumes turned up to?

Channels were linked but, backwards if you think about how it's usually done. Guitar was plugged into bottom (low sensitivity) of channel 2 then channel 2 top input linked to bottom input of channel 1. Amp was set with the volumes at around 1 for both channels. Channel 1 was cracked open just enough to put some top end sizzle on, too much sounds too thin and just bad. This was still loud so I squashed it down with a RockCrusher. Presence 5, Bass about 3.6, Middle 4, Treble about 3.6 This pedal sounds pretty bad (like most distortion pedals) if the amp clean tone is too bright.

 

[matttornado]

Channels were linked but, backwards if you think about how it's usually done. Guitar was plugged into bottom (low sensitivity) of channel 2 then channel 2 top input linked to bottom input of channel 1. Amp was set with the volumes at around 1 for both channels. Channel 1 was cracked open just enough to put some top end sizzle on, too much sounds too thin and just bad. This was still loud so I squashed it down with a RockCrusher. Presence 5, Bass about 3.6, Middle 4, Treble about 3.6 This pedal sounds pretty bad (like most distortion pedals) if the amp clean tone is too bright.

Cool thanks for clarifying for me. That gives me some thoughts on how I'm using my Rat into my 1959 Superlead.

 

[solarburn]

I bought this new when I was in high school almost 40 years ago. It's a pretty angry little pedal and needs to go into a dark sounding amp. I use it in the low input of an 800 or as I've done here the bottom input of the number two channel on a 1959 blended with the top input of channel number one, I thought it sounded pretty good so I hit record!

Fuuuuuk.

 

[Rocktane]

 

[Neptical]

Tasty! Just waiting for the King D vocals to kick in!

I've been wanting one of those pedals for as long as I've been able to play. Haha. Glad to see someone is still rocking one of those out here!

 

[Neil S]

Tasty! Just waiting for the King D vocals to kick in!

I've been wanting one of those pedals for as long as I've been able to play. Haha. Glad to see someone is still rocking one of those out here!

I was always going to buy one for a backup, Never got around to looking one up.

 

[Neptical]

I was always going to buy one for a backup, Never got around to looking one up.

Always had mixed reviews. But apparently it was a TS on steroids. As a big Boss SD-1 fan, I'm still interested however.

 

[Neil S]

Always had mixed reviews. But apparently it was a TS on steroids. As a big Boss SD-1 fan, I'm still interested however.

Boss SD-1 is something I always wanted to try. The SM9 can sound totally crap if the amp is either the wrong one or not set up for the pedal.
The SM9 has two of the chips (JRC4558D) that were in the TS9.