Ibanez 2024 (2)

I see this as a spinoff, really. The 2023 Ibanez Pentatone pedal is now split into two units. The EQ section is now a standalone unit (PTEQ).

Ditto the noise gate section (PTGATE). This might be the consideration after players decided they don't need a preamp or any gain section in their FX lineup compounded by the fact that the drive produced by the Pentatone might not be up to their expectations but they can do with the EQ & noise gate. Between the two pedals, the EQ looks like it's leaning into the overkill side; features are rather excessive. The noise gate is a good lesson in simplicity.

Pics: Ibanez

EQ = Boost?

I remember this episode of EQ talk with an acquaintance some time back who was of the opinion that the EQ pedal is actually a booster unit with frequency manipulations. I disagreed with him to a certain extent because some EQ units do not offer a gain push. These are notable EQ units with no LEVEL or VOLUME control options. An example is seen above- MXR's 6-band EQ. The primary purpose of the EQ is frequency manipulation, if it comes with a little push in terms of volume or gain then it's a bonus. We therefore do not resort to EQ units as the first cut in boosting our signals. We have clean boosts to refer to for that purpose. 

Am I a big fan of the EQ pedal? I used to be EQ inclined when dealing with practice amps. I needed that extra magic so to speak, to compensate what could have been achieved by a bigger amp or a more feature laden amp in terms of tone. These days, even the smaller amps are quite competent in this aspect as they feature 3-band EQs as opposed to that single TONE knob. 

EQ memory

This might be quite evolutionary but more importantly, it makes our playing experience more enjoyable. A programmable EQ pedal- how about that? Key in your favourite settings, recall at will during play but with all digital devices, putting it into action is cumbersome. Just refer to the control panel above, you would have to use the 2 scroll buttons to move from one band to another, as opposed to the traditional faders/ sliders which give us a more immediate authority. Nevertheless, I'd like to try this one.

DODs

DOD pedals were firm alternatives to the BOSSes back in the '80s - '90s. What I like about them were those super sensitive switches which would activate the unit via a mere touch. Battery access was also via a flip hatch as opposed to the BOSS access where unscrewing is necessary. The DOD brand name ventured into digital applications & gave birth to a sister brand name, Digitech. Ironically, the Digitech label took over proceedings at the turn of the century reproducing many of the DOD tones but manifesting them in the Digitech pedal design.

I own 4 DOD units, 3 of which are seen here (I can't seem to locate my Death Metal unit in the mean time...) the Supra Distortion saw missing knob caps exposing the screw heads inside. The DD/ Sampler pedal was my attempt to steer away fro the BOSS digital delays which were battery eaters because back then, acquiring a PSU for any pedal wasn't as easy as buying a 1-Spot unit today. The DOD EQ was also another BOSS digression, I prefer this EQ unit due to its wider range; -18/+18 vs BOSS' -15/+15.

What's 'scoop'?

If you are new to guitar & wondering what's a 'scooped' EQ setting then your understanding would be aided by the pic above. The term 'scoop' is very much a lay person's reference to an EQ setting where the midrange is reduced, coupled with the enhancements of bass (low) & treble (high). So ladies & gentlemen, what we get here is a shape very much like a cross-section of a bowl, that's the 'scoop' setting.

Ninja EQ

The Ninja's tonal forte is its dual EQ section. You'd benefit from this amp by setting both sections in neutral markings as a start. Work with any one of the EQ sections first, boost/ cut whichever frequencies to your fancy. Use the other section as a flat booster, ie. raise or lower all frequencies together/ simultaneously & hear how marked the tonal changes are. You can also replicate one section's settings in the other, to hear more of what you fancy. I just wish this amp has reverb to make it sound more lethal not that it's a tame puppy to begin with.

Cheap & good

I am certainly not trying to propel cheap, obscure brand names to fledglings reading this entry but there are indeed items out there which are affordable and reputable.

The pedals here are my Behringer EQ & Beta Aivin Heavy Metal distortion pedal. The former brand name is rather prominent when it comes to duplicating other established technologies but many cite the manufacturer's plastic housing & fiddly battery latch to be its undoing. My take here is this- if you wish for caviar, be sure to look for sturgeons otherwise be content with cod roe especially if you are shopping with that limited budget. This is no defence for a preferred brand name but Behringer stuff generaly works, people tend to equate its performance with the original item it is duplicating. That's when the endless whining & bashing begins.

Beta Aivin on the other hand is another name in the effects emporium very much ignored for its far eastern origin. Yes, it's not too different from other semi-nameless products out there but it has its refined moments privy to the initiated. The Heavy Metal here gets the idea very much from BOSS' ubuquitous Metal Zone, especially its stacked midrange feature. The pedal sounds great per se because the distortion does not suffer from an implosive ('compressed' to the rest of us) nature at higher level settings. The output we hear is thus a progressive kick rather than sounding choked. A great possession for those on a budget but in preference of plesantries.