Instantly recognizable by their molded plastic enclosures, the Ibanez Soundtank series were a serviceable, affordable, and widely-available line of effect pedals made throughout the '90s. For any player who grew up loitering in guitar shops during that decade, there's sincere nostalgia in the unique design, curves, and knobs of the Soundtank series. There are also some good tones in these old boxes! You'll find more than enough sounds to satisfy at least a few Saturday afternoons of exploration.
The Ibanez TL5 offered clean tremolo sounds just like those found in a good vintage amp. Interestingly, it was one of the first tremolo pedals to feature both a Level knob and a flashing LED. These features are typically only found on high-end pedals, but they greatly add to the pedals usability. The Level knob allows you to eliminate volume balance issues common on some tremolo settings, and the flashing LED helps ensure the rate is set to the desired speed.
Nowadays—with the litany of high-end, boutique tremolo pedals available—the message boards and YouTube "experts" will try to convince you that pedals like the Soundtank series are a waste of time. But that's not true! These pedals remain affordable today, and the TL5's musical, smooth tone remainss faithful to some of the sought-after tremolo circuits in pricey vintage amps.
This 1990s Ibanez TL5 shows some cosmetic wear, but it is in very good condition all around. It functions 100% as it should, and it has no history of repairs or issues. A previous owner added two strips of velcro to the bottom.