The Ibanez CP9 Compressor/Limiter is a compression pedal from Ibanez's 9 Series, a family of pedals the company built in the early 1980s. It squeezes dynamic peaks and lifts quiet notes, working as both a compressor and a limiter depending on how hard it is driven. TONEHOME dates its production run from 1982 to 1984, after which the pedal was discontinued and never re-issued1.
What it does to your sound
The CP9 is a compressor/limiter: it evens out the difference between loud and quiet notes, which lengthens sustain and keeps picking dynamics in check. Pedal of the Day, reviewing the pedal as part of the Ibanez UE 305 multi-effect unit, described the CP-9 as "a pretty musical comp, with a bit of a mid-boost and a little bit of attitude"21. The same review noted, "It's quiet, though, which is nice, and has great sustain as well"2. For a player, that combination means the pedal can sit in front of drive stages without adding noticeable hiss, and the slight mid emphasis helps a part cut through a band mix.
Part of the Ibanez 9 Series
The CP9 belongs to Ibanez's 9 Series, a line of single-effect pedals. Ibanez also built the UE 305, a multi-effect unit that combined three 9 Series pedals, and the CP-9 Compressor/Limiter was one of the effects inside it21.
Ibanez went on to make other compressors in later series, including the CP-830 Compressor, the CP-835 Compressor II and the BP10 Bass Compressor, and compression remains a staple effect type, covered in the site's guide to Compressor Pedals.
Production, price and collectibility
TONEHOME lists the CP9 as produced from 1982 to 1984, giving it a run of roughly three years1. The pedal carried a US list price of $79 USD in 1984; in Germany, its 1983 list price was 179 DM1.
TONEHOME rates the CP9's collectibility as high and its availability as good, meaning used examples do surface, but the pedal is regarded as a desirable vintage piece1. Because it was never re-issued, any CP9 on the market today is an original from the 1982 to 1984 run1.
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Questions
Was the Ibanez CP9 ever reissued?
No. According to the reference site TONEHOME, the CP9 has never been re-issued. Ibanez built the pedal from 1982 to 1984, and after production ended the design was not brought back, so every CP9 in circulation today is an original from that three-year run.
How much did the Ibanez CP9 cost new?
TONEHOME lists a 1984 US list price of $79 USD for the CP9. In Germany, the pedal carried a list price of 179 DM in 1983. Both figures date from the pedal's original production years.
How long was the Ibanez CP9 made?
TONEHOME dates the CP9's production run from 1982 to 1984, a span of about three years before the pedal was discontinued.
What does the Ibanez CP9 sound like?
Pedal of the Day described the CP-9 as "a pretty musical comp, with a bit of a mid-boost and a little bit of attitude." The same review noted that it runs quiet and delivers great sustain, which matters for a compressor used in front of an amp or other drive stages.
Is the Ibanez CP9 a collectible pedal?
Yes. TONEHOME rates the CP9's collectibility as high and its availability as good, meaning examples turn up on the used market but the pedal is regarded as a desirable vintage piece.
Sources (2)
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME, 1984
- Ibanez UE 305 Multi-Effect, Pedal of the Day, 2016-12-13
