True to its name, the Ibanez Pentatone preamp pedal packs five different all-analog effects and tone-shaping controls into a single pedalboard-friendly, dual footswitch box. This pedal starts with a formidable boost section that makes it easy to crank your signal into the distortion section, complete with a 2-band eq to shape your signal to taste. Looking for even greater EQ power? Leave that task to the powerful 5-band parametric EQ section with +/-10dB per-band for studio-level tone shaping. Last comes the post-boost section to slam your signal into the next part of your signal chain. Finally, a built-in noise gate allows you to crank up the gain on the pre-boost, distortion, and post-boost with impunity, as it keeps your signal free from unwanted noise at even the most extreme settings. Add in the bright switch and versatile footswitch options, and the Pentatone preamp pedal is a must-have piece of gear for the guitarist who requires maximum tone-shaping control!

Boost, distortion, more boost

Far more capable than your run-of-the-mill gain pedal, the Pentatone features three ways to kick up the gain: pre-boost, distortion, and post-boost. The boost-into-distortion combo is considered standard issue among guitar enthusiasts, as it allows you to crank up even the weakest output pickup to hit the front of the distortion, resulting in a smoother, more saturated tone. However, the post-boost that comes after the distortion circuit is undoubtedly an innovation that deserves praise, especially since it allows you to altogether forgo the age-old question of whether the boost goes before or after the dirt pedal.

Serious tone-shaping power

While we appreciate how the Pentatone’s distortion section features a dedicated 2-band EQ, sometimes you need a little more tone-shaping power. Thankfully, the Pentatone has a full 5-band EQ that sports up to +/-10dB of gain for each band. Combined with the distortion’s EQ, the 5-band EQ unlocks near-limitless tonal possibilities for you to experiment with — and that’s before you even get to the Pentatone’s treble-boosting bright switch!

Versatile switching options

Right out of the box, the Pentatone’s dual footswitches allow for a standard bypass and activation/deactivation of the post-boost section. It’s an intuitive setup that allows for a quick, dramatic dynamic shift; however, that’s just the beginning of the Pentatone’s utility: plugging in an external footswitch grants even greater control by making the entire pre-boost and 5-band EQ section footswitchable.

Ibanez Pentatone Preamp and EQ Pedal Features:

• 5-band +/-10dB parametric EQ unlocks a deep level of sonic sculpting
• Built-in noise gate to keep your signal clear when cranking up the gain
• Pre-boost to slam your signal going into the distortion section, with a post-boost to push it onto the next part of your signal chain
• Distortion section that goes from light overdrive to crushing high-gain tones
• Distortion section sports a dedicated 2-band EQ for even more tone-shaping possibilities
• Bright switch kicks up the treble response to cut through a dense mix
• 2 footswitches: preamp bypass and post-boost section
• Connecting an external footswitch allows hands-free activation of the pre-boost and 5-band EQ section
• All-analog design for rich, organic tones
• Functions with either a 9V battery or external 9vDC 100 mA power supply (not included)