Ibanez DS10 Distortion Charger

Very Easy

Sounds great especially when mixed with reverb and chorus

excellent

never had a problem

My overall rating of this pedal would be very very good. I got this pedal brand new for my 13th birthday and I am 35 now. It has served its purpose for that many years through band after band and I just recently retired it at the end of March 2007. I bought a BOSS MT-2 Metal Zone and for those of you that think the Ibanez DS10 Distortion Charger pedal is the be all and end all of metal distortion I have news for you lol. The MT2 Metal Zone is by far the heaviest and best sounding pedal on the market! A must have for any metal player. I am still planning to use the DS10 though for the secondary output for eq controls this is where these 2 pedals differ and wish the MT2 had this feature.

except for the enhance knob, controls are obvious. what the manual says about it: "basically, what happens here, is that high frequency signals are sampled, phaseshifted, and remixed into the output". the ds10 is maybe a little packed with knobs, but still okay to twiddle...

since before i only had a very crappy distortion effect (monarch mdi-1),
i am loving the sound of the ds10. i'm using it with my roland tb-303.
with the distortion level on 2/3, bass pumped up and the high level enhanced, it's barking at you in hardcore acid style. the sound of the enhancement section is subtle yet great and adds a lot of character to the signal. the ds10 gets really noisy when turning the distortion control all the way up, but i don't need too much distortion anyway - it sounds best on lower settings.

plastic pots, metal casing. i think it's solid, though i don't stomp on it...

a great box, for the eq and the enhancement section. the design is very very 80s, love it or hate it... i always find it hard to make friends with ugly looking equipment, but i think the ds10 has a certain coolness to it.

Very easy to use. Adjust the distlevel 6 tone controls, set the level, then GO!

I?ve just got it. Tested it whith my CIJ strat, and it sound awesome thru my Engl Jive. Gain and bass at full, roll of the treble,set the enhance to 3-4. Its just a killer sound. I dont think I will use the od channel in my amp after this ;-). Lower gainlevels work well to, not as smooth as a TS-9, but the highgain sound makes up for that.

As I sad, I?ve just got it. But like the rest of the 10-series i think it will continue to be troublefree..

I dunno, I?ve not needed support yet...

Wellbuild pedal, with very nice sound. It rocks.

This pedal is so awesome sounding! not the most extreme distortion on the planet, but it works well with my ibanez roadstar II (Tuned to B) and it works well with my other guitars too. controls are easy to use, and it took about 15 minutes to get aceptable sounds for humbuckers and single coils. high knob can get a bit shrill (I leave it off, to 9:00. to compensate for loss of treble I use the enhance knob for bite i set it at 9:00 to 12 noon.

Setup is: Ibanez roadstarII 410 (or gax70),ibanez DS10, boss MT2, Boss BF2 Flange, Boss DD3 delay, into fender automatic 90 watt amp.
this distortion is killer! crank the dist to 8 or below to get tubescreamer tones, turning the dist knob past8 and the distortion just rips! i use it primarily as my "B" tunings main distortion. i actualy prefer this dist to the boss ds1, but i'm also going to get a DS1 as a backup to this dist, but i'll also have to buy a GE7 EQ to get the sound i'm looking for out of the DS1.

I just got this pedal and it looks like it's survived for about 20 years or so. but i would like to get one as backup if i can find one.

This unit is quite easy to get good moderate crunchy overdrive sounds. Having a bass and treble control allows you to compensate for the typical loss of bass that comes with a tube screamer. This unit has the same TI chip as the tube screamer.

I am running a number of guitars (Ibanez Artist, Strat, Tele) into my board and then into a peavey classic 30 with 2-12 cab. My chain goes: Boss TU-2, Boss DS-1, Ibanez DS10, DOD Ice Box chorus, Ibanez DE-7(on the analog echo setting). Through the clean channel cranked about 1/2 way, I can get the range of clean, moderate gain (DS10) and heavier gain (DS-1). For a more over the top sound I'll use the distortion channel of the classic 30. I have had this pedal for two years and am still amazed at how good it sounds. I have had the fortune to compare this to a Fulltone FullDrive, TS808, a TS9, a Hot Cake and a Keeley Modded DS-1, all great sounding pedals, I still like the sounds I get from my DS10. It just has a richer, smoother sound with full bass.

People talk about the switch going out on the Ibanez 10-series pedals, but I have had no problems with this one. I do, every 3-4 months spray the switch with contact cleaner(radio shack). I do this to all my pedals. I have the DS-1 as a backup and for a slightly more aggressive sound.

I have been playing for nearly 30 years, and I play bass most of the time now. The other guitarist in our band has been using my pedal board and his own Peavey Classic 30 and loves this pedal as well. We are playing 60's 70's 80's and 90's stuff from CCR to AC/DC to Fountians of Wayne. This set-up can cover it all. If we ever need anything heavier, we have a peavey Bravo(a pawnshop steal at $100) with a Vintage 30 that sounds better than most of the JCM 800's I have heard. If this pedal were stolen, I would look for another one of e-bay and most likely send my DS-1 to Keeley for the SEM mod. I might also look for a Vox Valve tone or a Guyatone OD-2.

Since mine was used, I had no manual. The controls were reasonably easy to figure out even without a manual, though some of them only after testing and deduction.

Guitar: Kramer, amp: Marshall solidstate combo.
Powered by a battery, the unit was almost noiseless. However, with a power adapter, the pedal produced an untolerable hum.

I didn't like the distortion of this unit. To be frank, I hated its guts. It had bite, sure, but it lacked depth and tone. I tweaked the settings as much as I could, but could not get a passable rhythm guitar tone; for leads it was even worse.

To my ears, this pedal will make your guitar sound WORSE.

About the only usable distortion I could get from this pedal was a very dirty thrash distortion (like something you hear on SOD's "Speak English or Die"). Unfortunately I was not into that kind of music so this pedal did nothing for me.

When the battery connector broke, I was marooned with the damnably noisy power adapter.

I had this pedal in 1987-1989. A friend gave it to me for free because he did not like it.

Despite the number of knobs, this is a very limited pedal. The main problem is the distortion it produces: it is a very gray and uninspiring distortion. An artificial, "dead" distortion.

This is the only pedal that I have had that I have never missed.

Easy enough to get a good sound out of. 5 knobs, (dist, level, low, high and enhance)tone controls can be tricky, and it does take some tweaking on the treble depending on if you use humbuckers or single coil pickups.

I use a '66 blackface super reverb, '98 Naylor super club 38 and a Yamaha DG80. Guitars are a stock '63 strat and a mexican Tele. I have alot of pedals, including an original TS808 and a TS9 modded to 808 specs. This pedal DOES have the JRC4558 chip! Because of that, you can get very close to a TS9/808 sound, but not quite as smooth. But, for what it lacks in the smoothness department, it makes up for in the GAIN department. Not a Metal Zone, but with humbuckers you can get a decent Van Halen type of tone. For the price I paid, $40.00, you can't beat the bang for the buck. The high end, like I said earlier, does need to be attenuated (almost off) to get a good tone. I'm sure if you are a tech head, you could rectify this with a slight mod. It could stand a littl more low end as well, but I am splitting hairs at this point. Can be a bit noisey at high gain levels, but that's expected anyway. Can be used in a pinch as a backup to a TS9 or 808. I find it sounds exceptionally good through the Yamaha DG80. In fact, I prefer the tone of the DS10 to the distortion tone of the actual amp! I have also had an SD9 Sonic distortion, and the DS10 is far superior tonally, and is much more flexible. In fact, I sold the SD9 and bought a second DS10 for $35!

As dependable as any other "10" series pedal. Switch will stick occasionally, but I use it mostly at home at practice volumes. I would not use it as a primary distortion, but to supplement my tone arsenal. Use as a backup to a TS808 or TS9.

N/A. Never dealt with Ibanez

I play mostly blues/ rock (SRV, Hendrix, Robben Ford). Been playing 20 years. I also own a TS808, TS9, Ibanez Mostortion, Boss SD1, Boss OD1, and a Klon Centaur. This pedal is great if you are a tone junky, or just looking for a TS9/808 pedal on a budget. Not the most sophisticated pedal in the world, but can get the job done, and is very flexible. Goes from ts808 range to jcm800 type gain. Not too shabby.

5 knobs, one button to boot. Tweak and go!
2 outputs: A= standard, B= always enhanced, even with dist off.
So you can hook up 2 amps, after the box.

Somwhere between overdrive and dist. Lots of guts and sustain. Adds no noise to my setup. (single coil->tube amp).
Works perfect in conjuction with guitar's volpot and string-attack.
Goes from nearly clean to not clean at all, with a good guitar.

Use it as distsource to clean channel, or kickdown for drive channel.
Works fine either way. Hendrix/SRV 'round the corner!?

The treble settings is important in getting the tone You want

It is important that You test it with YOUR amp.
I tried for fun to switch between the 8 different amptypes in my Yamaha DG60 amp, with the DS-10 on. Got everything from wonderful to awful.
No wonder the same pedal gets different review-ratings.

I think this is an early 80:s pedal.
Still kickin'.

Dont know.

I play blues and bluesrock, since the -70's and this pedal is perfect for that. Fits my Laney LC50-II (Rock 'n roll in a box) like a glove.

Also have DG-stomp, DG 60-fx, H/K TubemanII (great box!), TC sustainer and TC booster/dist etc. The DS-10 does not need to feel inferior to them.

If You want metal, I cant' guarentee You will be happy with this.
But for blues etc, buy it!

5 knobs no problem

I really like the sound of this pedal,others say need more bottem end eq, I agree, other than that I go stright into my board I love that kind of distortion.

I bought this pedal off ebay .the solder on input and outs were broke.I fixed that and found that it was very noisy,tryed other adapters until I tryed a one spot adapter .Its ok now if I don't turn the distortion up all the way

Im looking for another one right now...Its a keeper in my books

Read the nobs and go. A great range of distortion.

I run 400 series Charvells through the peddle into a 60s Fender Dual Showman. The way the processor works on this little baby allows me to use my volume knob as a gain control. Allowing for almost clean tones on the neck single coil, to heavy meat on the bridge humbucker. I get a little buzz when the level and distortion are cranked. But, I have to back the distortion off when the amp is really cranked (live shows). Sustain for days and feedback only when I want it. Not enough low end tough.

I have two of these because the on off switch went out on one of them. The connector to the top of the battery breaks as soon as you get it, but it is relatively quiet with an adapter.

I can't figure out where to get the replacement on/off switch.

I really love this box and can not find anything to replace it. It is first in a long series of other boxes I use (eq, delay, flanger, chorus..all BOSS though). I've used this box for the past eight years, several live shows and most of the recording of my CD. I play a wide range of styles (Satriani to AC/DC to Elvis) and this thing lets me do my work well. I've gotten many complements on my tone from other established musicians.

As easy as it can be.

Using a Ibanez 270 through a crybaby, a mt-2, ds-2 and os-2 into a fender champion amp.
Great sounds! great for punk, metal, rock...

Never had a problem

no experience

Great pedal.
If your looking for a distinct distortion sound, don't look elseware!

This is the reason i bought it so quickly when i was messing with it. I am an anti-rackmount person myself.However, it is very basic in it's design.

I am able to get that kind of sound out of it that U2's "until the end of the world " intro has if you need a good idea of it's quality.I am an aquaintance of long time U2 guitar-tech Dallas Schoo, so that is the way I have been doing my effects.I am really trying my best to emulate a tubescreamer ...cheaply.

I found it at a pawn shop and for it's age it has held up really well...

It will work great for what I am doing...especially on my path signal.I am a huge Queensryche, Bowie, Townshend and U2 fan. So for that new techno-esqe...rock sound it is a great value.

Fairly easy to use. The pedal has five controls : level, distortion, low high and enhance. The pedal has two outputs, marked A and B, but I'm really not sure what the purpose behind this is. Takes a 9v batterie or an adapter.

I tried this pedal out with a '65 Fender Bandmaster and a '70's Fender Twin Reverb from both outputs. I used a '88 Fender American Standard Strat. The distortion ranges from a clean boost to fuzz and everything in between. The tone controls leave much to be desired. There is not enough low in the low control and the high control is very shrill, like fingernails on a blackboard!!! The enhance control is a presence control and works well. I could not hear any tonal variation between the two outputs.

Typical '80's Ibanez pedal. Seems fairly reliable.

I bought the pedal used with no box or instructions. Never had to deal with Ibanez.

I'd buy it again mainly because I collect pedals although I prefer my Ibanez SD-9 Sonic Distortion to it by far.

It's alright. Five knobs: Level, distortion, bass, treble, presence. It takes a bit of fiddling around, but you can get some cool sounds from it. It also has two output jacks, which is fun if you wanna run to two amps or effects.

HOLY SHIT, is this thing fun! It is relatively quiet, until you turn the distortion past about 3:00...then it hisses. The effect is kinda trebly and shrill, but in front of a tube amp, it really sounds awesome. Great for heavier, punky and rock applications. If you turn the distortion down, it gives a cool garbled fuzz tone, like burnt-out tubes. And crank the level to overdrive your amp. Makes it sound kind of like the distortion circuitry in a JCM 900. We recently recorded - it's my co-guitarist Ben's pedal - and it was so fun getting feedback sounds from this little bitch. If you're looking for a pedal that won't feed back, go elsewhere, cuz this is a screaming monster. Waves of heavenly (terrible?) feedback, especially when you crank the presence knob.

It's got a plastic switch and switch cover, and a chintzy-looking opening mechanism. I'm afraid to use it. Ben probably won't abuse it as much as I would, so it should survive. And it's an ugly seafoam green color, like the color they paint the buildings around beach resorts. If you do use this pedal, bring a backup.

Huh? If I break anything, I just buy a new one. I haven't ever dealt with Ibanez.

I envy Ben. He got a really spiffy feedbacky pedal that I wanted. It distorts like a split speaker cone on low settings, and sounds really heavy if you combine it with driven tubes. This pedal may not be for you, so try it before buying it. But I likes it. Vroom vroom.

Very

For a stomp box creating this much distortion, it is relatively "quiet". I go through my Peavey and it sounds huge without any other effects. Not flexible outside of the "huge distortion" sound.

Never had any problem. Batteries last forever but it can be plugged in with a power adapter not included,

I'd buy it again! It's terrific.