The Ibanez GE-500 is a graphic equalizer pedal made by Ibanez, produced from 1979 to 1980 as part of the company's Big Box series1. A graphic EQ lets a player cut or boost fixed frequency bands to shape the tonal balance of their signal, whether that means taming a harsh upper midrange, adding body to a thin pickup or tailoring a sound to a particular room. The GE-500 is a vintage pedal from a short production run, and it has not been reissued1.
Where it sits in Ibanez's EQ lineup
The GE-500 is a graphic EQ, and it sat alongside other equalizers in Ibanez's lineup1. Players looking at Ibanez's current compact range can compare it with the Ibanez GE-601 Graphic Equalizer, a modern take on the format.
Rarity and collectibility
TONEHOME, an independent reference covering vintage guitar effects, rates the GE-500's availability as very rare and its collectibility as high1. The short two-year production run and the absence of any reissue mean original examples seldom come up for sale. Players hunting vintage Ibanez pedals generally find the Big Box models among the harder ones to track down.
Price when new
The GE-500 carried a list price of 222 DM in 1980, as recorded by TONEHOME1. That figure is given in Deutsche Marks, the currency in which the pedal was originally priced, and is not converted here.
The GE-500 was never reissued, so every example in circulation is an original from the 1979 to 1980 run1.
Questions
What is the Ibanez GE-500?
The GE-500 is a graphic equalizer pedal made by Ibanez. It belongs to the company's Big Box series and was produced from 1979 to 1980. As a graphic EQ, it lets a player shape the tonal balance of a guitar or bass signal across fixed frequency bands, cutting or boosting selected areas of the spectrum to suit a room, an amp or a pickup set.
When was the Ibanez GE-500 made?
TONEHOME dates the GE-500's production period to 1979 and 1980, making it a short-run pedal from the end of the 1970s. It sat alongside other Ibanez graphic equalizers of the era, such as the wide-box GE-300, which was also produced from 1979 to 1980.
Has the Ibanez GE-500 been reissued?
No. TONEHOME records the GE-500 as never having been reissued, so any example on the used market today is an original from the 1979 to 1980 production run.
How much did the Ibanez GE-500 cost new?
The GE-500 carried a list price of 222 DM in 1980, according to TONEHOME. That is the price as stated in the currency of the time and place of sale, and it is not converted to US dollars.
How rare is the Ibanez GE-500?
TONEHOME rates the GE-500's availability as very rare and its collectibility as high. With a production run of only about two years and no reissue, original examples are seldom seen for sale.
Sources (1)
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME, 1980
