yek
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Ibanez SD-9
| Description | Classic distortion from the Ibanez "9" series |
| Yek’s Tip | Turn up distortion, Turn down tone |
| Original Controls | Level (Level), Dist (Dist), Tone (Tone) |
This pedal is from the same era and series as the Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer. Scott Henderson probably is its most famous user, and has his own signature edition. Ibanez also released a modded version: SD9M.
Contrary to the TS9, the SD9 is a distortion instead of an overdrive and scoops the mids. It uses dual diodes.
"It's sort of like a dist+ (your ross) with a big muff tone circuit. I like them a lot but the tone circuit loses all the low end if you turn up the tone knob, so most people leave the tone knob down. Or they can be modded to make the tone circuit better and also a midrange knob can be added to get rid of the scooped mids if desired." — Analog Man
Maxon now manufactures this pedal as part of their Nine Series.
"Since its original release in the early 80’s the Sonic Distortion has gained a huge cult following among tone connoisseurs, including the likes of guitar legends Scott Henderson and Mike Landau. Maxon’s current-production reissue captures all the magic of the original with the added benefit of true bypass switching. The SD-9 provides a smooth distortion that covers a wide range of Gain levels from mild overdrive through pseudo-fuzz. Regardless of the Gain setting, the SD-9 remains articulate and responsive to note dynamics, providing excellent sustain without crossing over into super-compressed Metal territory. The SD-9’s Tone knob has plenty of top end on tap, yet notes still retain a round, full-bodied tonality with the low end presence usually associated with amp distortion. The pedal’s midrange response is smooth and even – present without seeming spiked. Since its humble origins to its current place in the pedalboards of the stars, the Maxon Sonic Distortion has proven itself to be a timeless classic that has only improved with age." — Maxon
"The Maxon SD-9 is the best distortion pedal EVER made, period. It has the clarity and punch you get from a pedal, while retaining the low bass you get with amp distortion. The SD-9 is one of the rare pedals which sound equally great on both the neck and bridge pickups, whether they're humbucking or single coil. It's been a very important part of my tone for many years." — Scott Henderson
Articles:
The pedal has 3 knobs:
- Dist: amount of overdrive (model: Dist)
- Tone: controls tone (model: Tone)
- Level: output level (model: Level)
Fractal Audio added the "Sonic Drive" model of the SD9 in firmware Cygnus for the Axe-Fx III.
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