The two fuzz voicings
The No.59's appeal rests on its two octave fuzz settings. TONEHOME describes the pedal as having "two octave fuzz settings, one with scooped mids and one with a really thick mid-range"1. In practice that means a player can switch between a voicing that cuts the mids out of the signal and one that pushes them hard, covering two very different fuzz characters without a separate EQ pedal. For more on the effect type itself, see Fuzz Pedals.
Versions and branded variants
The circuit was not sold only under the Ibanez name. TONEHOME records that the unit was branded under, and is identical to, a variety of names1:
- Mica Fuzz
- Bruno Fuzz Machine
- Aria Diamond Fuzz
- Fuzz Machine (unbranded)
For a player shopping the vintage market, that matters: a Bruno Fuzz Machine or Aria Diamond Fuzz on a listing may be the same pedal as a No.59, often at a different price because of the name on it1.
Production years and original prices
The No.59 was produced from 1974 to 19801. TONEHOME documents its German list prices across that run:
These are the original prices in West German Deutsche Marks as documented for the pedal's production years, not converted amounts1.
Collectors' standing and players
TONEHOME rates the No.59's availability as good and its collectibility as high, and records that it has never been re-issued1. Any example on the market today is an original from the 1974 to 1980 run.
The pedal also has a documented player: the Ibanez Standard Fuzz is used by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys1. That association has kept the No.59 and its identical branded variants on players' radar alongside later Ibanez fuzzes such as the Standard Fuzz, the FZMINI, and the 850 Fuzz Mini.
Videos
Marcus Serck
Marcus Serck
Questions
Has the Ibanez No.59 Standard Fuzz been reissued?
No. TONEHOME, an independent reference on Ibanez pedals, records the No.59 as never having been re-issued. It was produced between 1974 and 1980, and any No.59 on the market today is an original unit from that period. The pedal's collectibility is rated high, though availability is described as good, so originals do turn up for sale.
Who uses the Ibanez No.59 Standard Fuzz?
The Ibanez Standard Fuzz is used by Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, according to TONEHOME's product page for the pedal. That association has helped keep interest in the No.59 and its identical branded variants alive among players hunting for vintage fuzz tones.
What other names was the No.59 sold under?
The same unit was branded under a variety of names, including the Mica Fuzz, the Bruno Fuzz Machine, and the Aria Diamond Fuzz, and it also appeared unbranded as the Fuzz Machine. TONEHOME describes these variants as identical to the Ibanez No.59 apart from the branding on the enclosure.
When was the Ibanez No.59 made?
TONEHOME gives a production period of 1974 to 1980 for the Ibanez No.59 Standard Fuzz. It was part of Ibanez's first series of numbered pedals, and its list price in Germany rose from 117 DM in 1974 to 119 DM in 1979 and 125 DM in 1980.
What did the Ibanez No.59 cost new?
TONEHOME lists German list prices of 117 DM in 1974, 119 DM in 1979, and 125 DM in 1980. These are the original prices in West German Deutsche Marks as documented for the pedal's production years, not converted amounts.
Sources (1)
- TONEHOME, TONEHOME, 1974
