Ibanez SM7 Smash Box

I purchased the SM7 Smash Box from a local music store for £69.99. The reason that I got it is because I wanted a pedal that could go from 'Clean' to 'Dirty'. And that's what I got.

What I like about the SM7 is that it is really useful if you want a good drive/distortion sound out of your guitar. It's got a 'Drive' knob on it which controls how distorted the sound is. It has two frequency knobs, one for the low end and one for the high end. The low end increases the bass n the sound. The high end increases the treble in the sound. It also has a 'Level' knob which is basically a volume control. You've also got two switches aswell. A 'Void' switch and an 'Edge' switch. The void controls the feedback that you get. If you want a really distorted sound you want this off. The edge switches between a smooth or a sharp sound on your guitar. Another thing i ike is that with a few other pedals I have seen there's no LED or anything to tell you that it's on. On the SM7 it does.

One thing i don't like is that if you're playing on stage you want your amplifier really loud and the SM7 gives a massive feedback even if you have void on. You also get a sort of static effect if you play for too long.

A good pedal but what's annoying is that once you put the input in it starts to drain the 9v battery straight away. So if you get an SM7 you should get an adaptor for it to save wasting money on batteries.

Overall a good pedal for the alternative msic guitarist. A good range of sounds can be produced in combination with a good amp.
If you like to play rock or metal. Buy This!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought it at a local guitar shop for around $120 CDN. I had been looking for a decent distortion pedal for a while, and I fell in love with it as soon as I tried it.

The gain is amazing. It has got to be one of the heaviest-sounding distortions to come out of a pedal that I have ever heard. With the noise gate (VOID switch) on the "2" setting, it's surprisingly quiet. It handles low tunings extremely well, which is a must for any guitarist playing a step, step-and-a-half down, dropped-D. It's quite responsive at fast playing speeds, unlike some units that I've had in the past, and it is capable of great lead tones. The edge switch is useful too, taking the high-end "sizzle" off when it's on "smooth", and making the pedal downright evil when it's on "sharp". The recessing control knobs are a real plus, too. ANALOG, not digital. Get ready for the neighbors to start complaining when you buy this monster.

If you are trying to get a slightly overdriven sound, you're definately not gonna find it in this beast, at least without sacrificing the noise gate. The thing gets noisy without it. The footswitch on mine gets kinda fickle; sometimes it'll activate and sometimes it won't if you don't hit it SOFTLY enough, which gets to be a drag when you're performing and really into it and then you jump on the pedal.

The only things plastic on it are the control knobs and switches, and the button that allows acess to the battery. It's amazingly durable. I've dropped it a couple of times on asphalt and concrete, and it still works fine. I've jumped on this thing so many times during practices and performances that an effect box made out of plastic would have been completely destroyed. It's heavy enough to stay in one spot, aided by the rubber pads on the bottom of the unit, of course. In one word: it's a TANK.

I love this pedal. It's amazingly heavy-sounding, and seems made for tunings in the 1 1/2 steps down range. It sounds great for nu-metal, classic metal, or anywhere a good distortion is required.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I heard about this little powerhouse from a column in guitar world. I bought it at Elderly Music for $45 bucks.

I love this pedal because of its raw crunch, a trademark of anything from Ibanez. I think that this is the only distortion pedal I will need for a while. Ypu can tell it was well built. You can switch between sharp melodies and smooth rythms. There is even a void.

I can't find anything about the pedal I don't like, but the instrctions it came with are bogus. DON'T USE THE SETTINGS THEY GIVE U FOR "ULTRA HEAVY" BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE CRAP. Also, I would keep the level on about 4 or 5. For a good bass sound go with the 90's metal setting in the booklet. For a good high end crunch, put the low on 7, the hi on 8 and the gain on 8. However, if u like it as crunchy as I do, put the hi on 10.

This thing could survive the apocalypse. Heavy duty, don't worry about hurting it cuz u can't.

If u want a raw tone with a wide range, this is for you. I wouldn't suggest it for blues or classic rock. For that, get a tubescreamer. But, I have heard a lot of complaints about this thing wearin' down on the batteries, it actually doesn't if u take care of it. The reason why it does that is if u leave it plugged in all the time, it is using its battery all the time.. To preserve battery life unplug it when ur not using it and you'll be A-ok.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

From Merchant city music in Glasgow. £60. The other guitarist in my band uses it as do a few people in friends' bands and it sounds ace.

The 'set and forget controls'. You can dial in your tone and click them into the body of the pedal thus ensuring you get the same sound time and time again. The noise suppressor feature is a great feature (although I also use the BOSS NS-2). I also like the fact that there's 2 types of distortion available.

I haven't had cause for complaint although one of my friends has an annoying buzz with his, but I don't get it with mine.

Extremely sturdy. Solid metal box that takes a beating.

Great pedal, excellent distortion for the discerning metal/hardcore guitarist. I've just used it to record my bands new CD - great stuff!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com