Catalinbread Formula No.55 vs Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion
The Catalinbread Formula No.55 and the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion are both pedals. The Catalinbread Formula No.55 leans dynamic and saturated. The Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion leans high gain.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.28% — somewhat different
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$179.99via Reverb
The Catalinbread Formula No. 55 is an amp-voiced overdrive pedal from the Portland boutique effects builder, designed to capture the tone and response of specific vintage amplifier settings in the tradition of their Formula pedal series. Like other Catalinbread Formula pedals, it models the circuit behavior and harmonic characteristics of a target amplifier front end rather than functioning as a generic drive pedal. It delivers warm, natural saturation with the feel and dynamic response of a pushed tube amplifier. Suited for blues, classic rock, and studio players seeking an authoritative amp-in-a-box overdrive tone.
The Ibanez Super Metal Mini is a compact mini-enclosure revival of the classic Ibanez SM9 Super Metal distortion pedal, one of the most celebrated vintage high-gain distortion designs from the 1980s. The SM9 Super Metal was known for its extreme gain and heavy metal voicing at a time when dedicated high-gain pedals were rare, and the Super Metal Mini reissues this circuit in a pedalboard-efficient mini format. Guitar World and vintage pedal enthusiasts have praised the SM9 character as a defining example of 1980s heavy metal distortion design.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Metal
- dynamic
- saturated
- transparent
- warm
- harmonically rich
- high gain
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Occasions this gear suits — judged per model, or derived from its wattage, connectivity and category.- Busking
- Live