The Ibanez AFL Auto Filter is a vintage automatic filter pedal, part of Ibanez's Master series. It was produced from 1985 to 1986, a short run that makes it a rare pedal today. TONEHOME, an independent reference site for Ibanez gear, rates its collectibility as high and records that it has never been reissued1. If you are hunting one, it sits in the wider family of filter pedals that shape a guitar's tone by sweeping a filter automatically rather than by foot, in the manner of a wah pedal.
Relation to the AF 201 and AF9
TONEHOME describes the AFL as very similar to two other Ibanez auto filter pedals, the AF 201 Auto Filter and the AF9 Auto Filter1. Those two pedals were sold under different Ibanez series names, and the AFL belongs to the Master series. For a player comparing the three, the practical difference lies in the era and series each was sold under rather than in the basic idea: all three are automatic filters from Ibanez's vintage catalog.
Documentation for owners
Original AFL owners and repairers are well served by surviving documentation. TONEHOME hosts the AFL's manual as a PDF download of 2.2 MB, along with a schematic available as a PNG download of 52.3 KB1. For a pedal of this age with no reissue and no current factory support, having the schematic in circulation matters for anyone servicing or restoring an original unit.
The AFL was made only from 1985 to 1986 and has never been reissued, so any example on the used market is a vintage original. Its high collectibility and rarity are worth keeping in mind when one appears for sale.
Videos
PJ and the Beard
Questions
Has the Ibanez AFL Auto Filter been reissued?
No. TONEHOME records the AFL as produced from 1985 to 1986 with no reissue. Players looking for a similar circuit today would need to find a used original, and the pedal's rarity and high collectibility mean originals do not come up often. Ibanez did make closely related auto filter pedals, the AF 201 and the AF9, which the AFL closely resembles.
How is the AFL related to the Ibanez AF 201 and AF9?
TONEHOME notes that the AFL Auto Filter is very similar to the AF 201 and the AF9, two other auto filter pedals Ibanez sold under different series names. All three are automatic filter pedals from Ibanez's vintage range, and the AFL belongs to the Master series. Documentation for the AFL, including its manual and schematic, is available online.
Sources (1)
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME
