The Ibanez Jemini is a distortion pedal developed as the first signature distortion pedal for Steve Vai, the guitarist whose long association with Ibanez gave the JEM guitar its name. Its defining idea is that it is two pedals in one box: Vai described it as allowing "two different settings with two different sounding distortion pedals" in a single enclosure1. Premier Guitar's 2008 announcement called it "a unique, multi-colored stompbox" housed "in one rigid zinc die-cast case"2.
Two distortion sounds in one pedal
The Jemini's whole premise is variety at a stomp. Rather than one distortion voice, it carries two different sounding distortion circuits so a player can set up two distinct gain tones and switch between them. Vai's own description of the design goal was colorful: he said the aim was "a schizophrenic type distortion pedal that allows you to have two different settings with two different sounding distortion pedals, all wrapped up in a psyco-delic bullet proof package"1.
Where the two voices come from is the interesting part for players who know Ibanez's back catalog. Premier Guitar reported that the overdrive side is "a souped-up version of an Ibanez classic"2. Vai explained the thinking in a 2022 MusicRadar rig rundown:
"I love tube screamers and I love the DS-1 but they need a bit of tweaking to my ear. So we kinda tweaked them a bit and made two pedals."
In other words, the Jemini takes the flavors of Ibanez's most familiar drive circuits, the kind of overdrive found in the Tube Screamer family, and a Boss DS-1 style distortion, and reworks both to Vai's taste. Players who want to hear those source circuits on their own terms can look at Ibanez's other distortion and overdrive designs, from the SD9M to the JD9 Jet Driver, among the wider field of distortion pedals42.
Where it came from
Ibanez announced the Jemini as Steve Vai's first signature distortion pedal in March 20082. By August that year, Vai's official site reported the pedal "is now widely available at your local music retailer"1. Alongside the release, Vai created a demonstration video showing how the pedal works and sounds, posted on Vai.com and his official YouTube channel1.
MusicRadar's 2012 coverage of signature pedals described the Jemini as "one of these uniquely-finished, limited run pedals"3, while the 2008 release announcement said it was widely available at retailers1. The pedal appears to have been produced in a limited run with broad distribution at launch; the sources differ on how to characterize its availability.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's roundup of signature effects pedals gave the Jemini a warm verdict aimed squarely at the pedal's obvious audience3:
"If you're a Vai fan, you'd be mad to miss out on one of these uniquely-finished, limited run pedals, all for a reasonable price."
The reviewer's emphasis falls on the finish and the signature connection as much as the circuit, which fits the pedal's positioning: a multi-colored, die-cast box carrying two of Vai's personally tweaked gain voices23.
Videos
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Mauro Cordero - Guitar, music & gear
Questions
Who designed the Ibanez Jemini?
The Jemini is Steve Vai's first signature distortion pedal, released by Ibanez. Vai described the goal as creating a pedal that holds two different sounding distortion circuits at once, and he was involved in shaping the sound, saying that he loved tube screamers and the DS-1 but felt they needed tweaking to his ear, so the two sides were tweaked and built as two pedals in one.
Is the Ibanez Jemini based on a Tube Screamer?
Partly. Premier Guitar reported that the overdrive side of the Jemini is a souped-up version of an Ibanez classic. Vai himself has said he loves tube screamers and the DS-1 but that both needed a bit of tweaking to his ear, so the Jemini's two circuits take those familiar Ibanez-style sounds and adjust them.
Is the Ibanez Jemini a limited edition?
MusicRadar's 2012 coverage described the Jemini as one of a limited run of uniquely finished pedals. Earlier, at its 2008 release, Vai's own site announced it was widely available at local music retailers, so availability has varied over the years since it came out.
What is the Ibanez Jemini case made of?
Premier Guitar's 2008 press release described the Jemini as a unique, multi-colored stompbox built in one rigid zinc die-cast case, the same kind of heavy metal housing used on many full-size Ibanez pedals.
Sources (4)
- Vai.com - The Official Steve Vai Website, Vai.com - The Official Steve Vai Website, 2008-08-24
- Steve Vai's Ibanez Signature Distortion/Overdrive, Premier Guitar, 2008-03-26
- 16 signature guitar effects pedals, MusicRadar, 2012-08-23
- Steve Vai reveals the pedals he couldn't live without, zombie apocalypse or no zombie apocalypse, MusicRadar, 2022-08-04
Steve Vai
