Ibanez CS9 Review

History:

Purchase: I was looking for a good, classic chorus for my guitar rig. I was in a pawnshop and saw the Ibanez CS9 in the case. I remembered seeing the same REISSUE pedal in Music***'s Fri**d for $119.00! I looked over the pedal and waited a few days. I went back and asked what he would take for the pedal...$30.00. I was unable to test the pedal before I left the store, but was give a receipt and a seven-day return. I got the pedal home, the LED lit up, but there was no Chorus Effect. Here is the information I really want to pass on -- If you can solder, you can fix the pedal. My pedal's breadboard was broken were the ground screw attaches to the medal case. 1) Remove the ground screw. 2) Scrap enough of the breadboard to see copper on both sides of the break. 3) Using a piece of wire, form a jumper from one side of the break to the other. 4) Solder in the wire jumper 5) make a loop of wire that will fit under the screw and have a 1 cm piece extending toward your last solder spot (hint -- there is a capacitor where the break most likely occurred -- it is on the ground side -- attach this to ground with a small amount of solder) 6) attach the ground wire from the screw to the ground side of the capacitor. (Hint #2 -- you can use enough wire on the screw to solder to the ground side of the capacitor and extend to the case screw -- you cannot over ground) 7) using your thumb and forefinger only, tighten down the screw (Unless you are gorilla, you shouldn't generate more that 18 inch-pounds of torque replacing the screw -- you shouldn't cause any more cracks with this method) 8) check your soldering in this manner -- check that the ground is present on the screw to the body to both sides of the break in the breadboard &&& that there is resistance (high) between the two sides of the capacitor just below the screw. (Don't be sloppy with solder -- it just conducts what you bond together) USE A BATTERY AND CHECK THE UNIT WITH YOUR GUITAR AND AMP. Should work.

What I Like About This Unit: Cheap price compared to other "name brand" chorus effects -- ease of repair -- more actual "feel" & "tone" than the digital and multi-effect units I have tried. Classic Design -- Unless you what to build one yourself, you probably can't get close to the analog design with any other design (gets harder everyday to find Bucket Brigade Delay chips -- I looked for three months to find em')

What I Do NOT Like About The Ibanez CS9: color of pedal -- my 4 year old daughter now wants fingernail polish in that color -- who knew!

CS9 Quality: Metal case, two knobs for controls, one input, two outputs for mono and stereo operation, will operate on 9 volt battery OR ac/dc adapter

Summary: I would recommend the pedal -- great sound and value for the one I purchased.

Rating of this product: 5

This Ibanez Guitar Effects Review Submitted By: Johnny CoCo -- Bluesman Extraordinaire

Date: 2004-05-14