The Ibanez PT-909 Phase Tone is a vintage four-stage analog phaser pedal made in Japan. ToneHome describes it as offering "clean, transparent, and subtle phase shifting with low noise", which places it among the more understated phasers of its era rather than the sweeping, dramatic sort1. It belongs to Ibanez's Phase Tone line, alongside models like the PT-999 Phase Tone, PT-900 Phase Tone and PT-707 Phase Tone II.
A clean, low-noise analog phaser
The PT-909 is an analog design with a four-stage phaser circuit1. Four stages is a common phaser arrangement, giving the classic notched phase-shifted tone, and ToneHome's description points to a unit that stays clean and quiet rather than coloring the signal heavily1. As with the rest of the Phase Tone range, the PT-909 was built as a player's effect first, and its reputation today rests on that circuit and its build.
Narrow box to standard box: the versions
Ibanez produced the PT-909 in two enclosure styles across seven documented versions. The early versions use the narrow box format Ibanez shared with its first-series pedals, and the later versions move to the larger standard box used for the TS-808 era3.
| Version | Enclosure | Details |
|---|---|---|
| v1 to v4 | Narrow box | see the narrow box series pages3 |
| v5 | Standard box with ® | knurled nut on power jack, no level markers3 |
| v6 | Standard box with ® | no nut on power jack, no level markers3 |
| v7 | Standard box with ® | no nut on power jack, with level markers3 |
The pictured example on ToneHome's standard box page is a v7 from Japan, 19813. Note that the narrow box versions themselves come in round-switch and square-switch variants, which ToneHome documents on separate pages12.
The dating of the PT-909 differs between references: the narrow box is given as produced 1978 to 19801, while the standard box is given as made in Japan 1980 to 19813. The two accounts overlap around 1980 and have not been reconciled.
Rarity, availability and original pricing
The narrow box PT-909 is one of the harder Ibanez pedals to find. ToneHome rates its availability as extremely rare and states: "Less than a handful of specimen known to the author, all of them had been shipped to the USA originally."2 The standard box version is a different story, with availability rated as good3, and ToneHome gives the whole pedal a collectibility rating of high3.
Original list prices on record:
ToneHome lists the PT-909's availability as good2, and gives the German list price as 156 DM in 1979 and 175 DM in 1981, with the 1979 price also given as $70 USD32. ToneHome also hosts a scanned manual for the narrow box PT-909 as a PDF on its site1.
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Questions
Was the Ibanez PT-909 Phase Tone ever reissued?
No. ToneHome records the PT-909 as never having been re-issued, in both its narrow box and standard box listings. Players looking for a modern take on a vintage Ibanez phaser have to look at other models in the range, such as the PH99 Classic Phase or the PT-999 Phase Tone, rather than a PT-909 reissue.
How rare is the Ibanez PT-909?
Extremely rare. ToneHome lists its availability as extremely rare and notes that less than a handful of examples are known to its author, all of which were originally shipped to the USA. The standard box version is somewhat easier to find, with availability rated as good by comparison.
Is the Ibanez PT-909 analog or digital?
Analog. ToneHome describes the PT-909 as a four-stage analog phaser, offering clean, transparent and subtle phase shifting with low noise. It is a phaser pedal in the Phase Tone line made by Ibanez in Japan.
Where was the Ibanez PT-909 made?
Japan. ToneHome records the standard box version as made in Japan between 1980 and 1981, and the narrow box version as produced from 1978 to 1980. The two enclosure styles therefore overlap in the transition around 1980.
How can I tell the PT-909 versions apart?
By the enclosure and its details. Versions 1 to 4 are narrow boxes. Version 5 is a standard box with a knurled nut on the power jack and no level markers. Version 6 is a standard box with no nut on the power jack and no level markers, and version 7 is a standard box with no nut on the power jack but with level markers.
Where can I find the Ibanez PT-909 manual?
ToneHome hosts a scanned manual for the narrow box PT-909 as a PDF on its website, at tonehome.de. The download is linked from its PT-909 Phase Tone narrow box product page.
