The Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion is an Ibanez distortion pedal, currently around $105.40. Close alternatives include the Truetone V3XO and the Catalinbread StarCrash SideArm. It pairs well with the Fuchs FBT-700 and the Peavey VTM-120.
Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion
Ibanez · pedal
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.
What stands out
“the ibanez super metal mini is a compact mini-enclosure revival of the classic ibanez sm9 super metal distortion pedal”
— from the listing
“one of the most celebrated vintage high-gain distortion designs from the 1980s”
— from the listing
“Guitar World and vintage pedal enthusiasts have praised the SM9 character as a defining example of 1980s heavy metal distortion design”
— from the listing
“The SM9 Super Metal was known for its extreme gain and heavy metal voicing at a time when dedicated were rare, and the Super Metal Mini reissues this circuit in a pedalboard-efficient mini format”
— from the listing
“Ibanez construction quality is reliable”
— from the community notes
- distortion
- high gain
- sm9 character
- vintage
- metal
- circuit character
- amp in
- super metal mini
Good for
- Busking
- Live
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion is commonly used in
- Metal
Amps that pair well with the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion
Fuchs FBT-700
Fuchs
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Fuchs FBT-700 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Peavey VTM-120
Peavey
20% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → tight)
Peavey VTM-120 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Comes later in the signal chain
Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited
Aguilar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited and it comes out closer to tight
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo
Ebs
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
EBS Magni 502 2x10 bass combo takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 410 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight
Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Feed a high gain signal into Gallien-Krueger Legacy 210 Bass Combo and it comes out closer to tight
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210
Gallien Krueger
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Gallien-Krueger Fusion 210 pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo
Phil Jones
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Phil Jones BG-400 Suitcase Compact Bass Combo takes that high gain character and pushes it toward mid-forward
Pedals that stack with the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion
Suhr Shiba Drive
Suhr
17% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Suhr Shiba Drive pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress
Electro-Harmonix
17% 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 → shimmer)
Run Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress after Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
Browne Amplification Gritador
Browne Amplification
17% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (high gain → mid-forward)
Browne Amplification Gritador pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Comes earlier in the signal chain
Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2
Hungry Robot
15% 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 → lush)
Put Hungry Robot Moby Dick V2 after Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Hungry Robot The Borderland
Hungry Robot
15% 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 → modulated)
Put Hungry Robot The Borderland after Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion in the signal chain, clear of Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Comes later in the signal chain
Electro-Harmonix Pico Deep Freeze
Electro-Harmonix
13% 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)
Electro-Harmonix Pico Deep Freeze's own ambient character is the real reason this is worth trying
Comes earlier in the signal chain
MXR CAE Wah
MXR
tonal matchComes earlier in the signal chain
Put MXR CAE Wah in front of Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion: a wah tracks picking dynamics best on the raw signal
JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4
Jam Pedals
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Stack JAM Pedals RetroVibe Mk.4 on top and a high gain tone tightens toward mid-forward
Cheaper alternatives
Boutique & premium upgrades
Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion
Ibanez
63% similarityShared character: distortion, vintage charm, high gain settings
Catalinbread Airstrip Console Pre
Catalinbread
56% similarityShared character: distortion
JAM Pedals Rattler mk.2 Distortion
Jam Pedals
54% similarityShared character: distortion, high gain settings
RHC Audio Ydrat
Rhc Audio
54% similarityShared character: distortion
Friedman BE-OD
Friedman
53% similarityShared character: guitar world, metal, distortion
Walrus Audio 385 Overdrive
Walrus Audio
47% similarityShared character: distortion, high gain settings
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Truetone V3XO
Truetone
56% similaritySimilar role and voicing
Catalinbread StarCrash SideArm
Catalinbread
56% similaritySimilar voicing: full
Boss DS 1W Distortion Waza Craft
Boss
52% similarityShared character: distortion, vintage charm, high gain settings
Mesa Boogie Cleo
Mesa Boogie
52% similaritySimilar voicing: harmonically rich
EarthQuaker Devices Special Cranker V1
EarthQuaker Devices
52% similarityShared character: distortion
Electronic Audio Experiments Limelight
Electronic Audio Experiments
51% similarityShared character: high gain settings
See all alternatives to the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion?+
The closest matches in character are the Truetone V3XO, the Catalinbread StarCrash SideArm, the Boss DS 1W Distortion Waza Craft. Budget picks: T-Rex Totenschlager, Sonicake MiniLane Shark Classic Crunch Distortion. Boutique upgrades: Ibanez SD9 Sonic Distortion, Catalinbread Airstrip Console Pre, JAM Pedals Rattler mk.2 Distortion.
What pairs well with the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Fuchs FBT-700, Peavey VTM-120, Aguilar SL110 Fawn Limited — Fuchs FBT-700 takes that high gain character and pushes it toward tight.
How much does the Ibanez SM Mini Super Metal Distortion cost?+
Around $105.40 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).