The Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive is an Ibanez distortion pedal. Close alternatives include the JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion and the Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high. It pairs well with the Laney Ironheart Foundry Leadtop 60W Head and the Swart MOD 84.
Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive
Ibanez · pedal
The Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive is a vintage 1980s hard rock distortion pedal from Ibanez, featuring a distinctive industrial-futuristic enclosure design that reflects the cyberpunk and digital-age aesthetic of the era. The CD5 delivers a chunky, mid-forward distortion character suited to 1980s hard rock and classic metal applications, with a voicing that emphasizes the midrange presence needed to cut through a loud band mix. It has achieved vintage collector status and is sought by players who want the specific character of 1980s Japanese hard rock distortion.
What stands out
“The CD5 Cyberdrive delivers authentic 1980s hard rock distortion character with the mid-forward Japanese distortion voicing that defined the era, combined with a collector-worthy industrial-futuristic enclosure that makes it visually distin…”
— from the reviews
“Vintage 1980s hard rock distortion from Ibanez with a distinctive industrial-futuristic enclosure design, delivering chunky, mid-forward distortion suited to classic metal and hard rock of the era”
— from the community notes
“Used by vintage tone enthusiasts and collectors who want the specific 1980s Japanese hard rock distortion character that the CD5 produces”
— from the community notes
“It has achieved vintage collector status and is sought by players who want the specific character of 1980s Japanese hard rock distortion”
— from the listing
“players who want modern high-gain or boutique distortion character should look at current production alternatives”
— from the community notes
Trade-offs
“featuring a distinctive industrial-futuristic enclosure design that reflects the cyberpunk and digital-age aesthetic of the era”
— from the listing
“ibanez 1980s construction quality is solid and the pedals have survived decades of use with good reliability”
— from the reviews
- hard rock
- distortion
- mid forward
- chunky
- high gain
- vintage
- metal
- mix
Genres the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive is commonly used in
- Metal
- Rock
- Alternative Rock
- Hard Rock
- Heavy Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Christian Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive
Laney Ironheart Foundry Leadtop 60W Head
Laney
19% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Put Laney Ironheart Foundry Leadtop 60W Head in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
Comes later in the signal chain
Swart MOD 84
Swart
19% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Swart MOD 84's own lush character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Hughes & Kettner Warp 7
Hughes & Kettner
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Run mid-forward into Hughes & Kettner Warp 7 for more high gain on top
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H
Marshall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Marshall Studio JCM900 SN20H stacks high gain on top of the mid-forward already here
Friedman BE-Mini Head
Friedman
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Put Friedman BE-Mini Head in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain
EVH 000
Evh
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EVH 000 layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Randall KH103 Kirk Hammett Signature 3-Channel 120W Head
Randall
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Randall KH103 Kirk Hammett Signature 3-Channel 120W Head layers high gain onto an already mid-forward signal
Pedals that stack with the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive
Fjord Fuzz Fjaer Spring Reverb
Fjord Fuzz
22% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Run mid-forward into Fjord Fuzz Fjaer Spring Reverb for more fuzzy on top
Comes later in the signal chain
Fjord Fuzz Berserk
Fjord Fuzz
21% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Fjord Fuzz Berserk stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Comes later in the signal chain
Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
pedal
14% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive's mid-forward voice out front: Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble goes after Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it
Comes later in the signal chain
Wren and Cuff Gold Comp
Wren And Cuff
10% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive leans toward mid-forward, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage Dual Reverb
Crazy Tube Circuits
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Put Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage Dual Reverb after Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath
EarthQuaker Devices
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → ambient)
Run EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath after Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Death By Audio Destruction
Death By Audio
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Death By Audio Destruction layers fuzzy onto an already mid-forward signal
Subdecay F-Bomb
Subdecay
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Subdecay F-Bomb stacks fuzzy on top of the mid-forward already here
Alternativessee all similar tone character →
JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion
JHS Pedals
56% similarityShared character: chunky, metal, hard rock
Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high
Tone City
55% similarityShared character: hard rock, mix, distortion
Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion
Behringer
54% similarityShared character: metal, hard rock, alternative
Marshall Guv'nor
Marshall
53% similarityShared character: voicing, distortion, high gain settings
Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31
Tone City
53% similarityShared character: chunky, voicing, metal
J. Rockett 10 Ton Hammer Overdrive
J Rockett
52% similarityShared character: voicing, metal, hard rock
Hotone Chunk Overdrive
Hotone
52% similarityShared character: chunky, hard rock, digital
J. Rockett Animal
J Rockett
52% similarityShared character: hard rock, alternative, distortion
Amptweaker Tight Rock 2
Amptweaker
51% similarityShared character: voicing, metal, hard rock
Revv G3 (Purple Channel Distortion)
Revv
51% similarityShared character: chunky, metal, distortion
Fender Hammertone Metal
Fender
51% similarityShared character: metal, hard rock, distortion
Black Country Customs Monolith
Black Country Customs
50% similarityShared character: metal, hard rock, distortion
See all alternatives to the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive?+
The closest matches in character are the JHS Pedals Hard Drive Distortion, the Tone City TC-T38 Metal Storm classic British-style high, the Behringer UM300 Heavy Metal Distortion.
What pairs well with the Ibanez CD5 Cyberdrive?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Laney Ironheart Foundry Leadtop 60W Head, Swart MOD 84, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt — Put Laney Ironheart Foundry Leadtop 60W Head in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward high gain.