TB25R Review

Ibanez ToneBlaster guitar amps have the mondo amounts of gain, dripping reverbs, and the super tight bottom-end you'd expect from a stack 20 times their size.

Features:	8
Sound:	8.8
Reliability:	10
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.1
Users rating:	6.6
Comments:	6

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: halfstepdown88, on november 07, 2005

Price paid: $ 100

Purchased from: Discount Music

Features: I don't know what year the amp was made in. The amp seems to be versatile enough for me and my styles of music, which is hardcore rock, but occasional blues. Lots of everything kind of, but mainly like Chimaira, Bullet For My Valentine, Slipknot, etc. The features seem to be fine. This guitar has a headphone jack, which is very useful as my family has been getting pissed at me lately for playing too much. This amp has plenty of power for me. It never goes beyond 1/3 of the volume. I'm sure at my first gig it will be able to be heard. But keep in mind the gig would be a small one, this wouldn't be able to handle humongous crowds. // 8

Sound: I'm using a Hamer Slammer with it. It suits my music style, as it can handle my grunge pedal and the distortion sounds awesome. It isn't noisy, but at times with treble all the way up it can have a little noise. The amp can make a good variety of sounds. The distortion can't go very brutal, but it definitely satisfies my distortional taste. Oh yeah, but don't expect to be able to use this amp without a pedal of some kind. By this I mean if you just plug your guitar in the amp, and use the amp's distortion, the distortion sucks. // 8

Reliability & Durability: This amp can definitely be depended on. I would use it at a gig without a backup. The amp has never broken down. I have actually dropped the amp twice and was a good enough drop to do some damage, but this baby withstood it with no side effects, works like new. // 10

Impression: I play hardcore music most of the time. This is a pretty good match for me. I've been playing for almost a year. I use this amp with my grunge pedal. There isn't anything I wish I had asked before buying it. If this was stolen/lost, I would buy it again. I love that this is big enough so it can be loud enough. It's awesome. This amps rules! // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: MarkL, on january 20, 2004

Price paid: $ 478.8

Purchased from: Musikhaus Lange

Features: Made in China in 2001. I usually play modern rock and country with it.
It's a 25 watt amp with reverb, 2 channels, switchable gain, active 3-band equalizer. I use a one button footswitch to switch between clean mode and distortion. It's possible to use a two button switch. Then you can turn on/off the reverb with the second button. But I don't need the reverb often. The open-back cabinet design is great to put your cables, pedals and switch in. I play it for almost 3 years now and it still works very well after all the band sessions and events it has been to. Although it's just a 25 watt amp it can be damn loud! // 8

Sound: It's great for rock because you can set up treble, middle and bass with the equalizer. But also country riffs or just "normal" clean songs sound great. I usually use the bridge humbucker. The distortion becomes brutal if you turn the modulator over level 5. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It never let me down when I used it. 3 years ago it was made and it still sounds the same as on the first day. // 10

Impression: I've been playing electric guitar for 3 years now. I have an Epiphone SG-400 Deluxe Flametop and a Squier Standard Fat Strat. For effects I have the Korg AX100G effect board. But you can have a great sound just with the amp. // 10

overall: 8

Reviewed by: Tartan_nick, on december 17, 2007

Price paid: $ 329.4

Features: The amp is great for beginners, cheap and reliable. It performs well when playing metal, blues and flamenco, however you might find it doesn't pick up the highest e string as well as others. If you're just starting out and want an amp to test on, this is it. It has overdrive and clean. it's has overdrive volume and gain, clean volume, middle, bass, reverb, treble, a headphone jack and a pedal jack. It's light and thus portable, it's great for practicing with freinds on the weekends. It is not powerful enough to play at a decent sized gig full stop. You will want a bigger amp for this, at least 50 watts. // 6

Sound: I am using the Ibanez SA260FM, though I have also tried it with an Aria guitar. I find for distortion, you always want the back pickups, maybe the middle for fast alternate picking. For clean you are definately looking at playing the front and middle pickup combined, this gives the best sound for clean with this amp. It suited me very well, for practising heavy and clean songs. It's a surprisingly versatile amp and it works well and will give you any basic sounds. The clean settings are fine no matter what the volume. If you want to use distortion, go ahead, this little amp can pack quite a punch. // 7

Reliability & Durability: It is very dependable, I almost guarantee it wont break if you don't physically bash it in. I have sprayed silly string all around the inside of the amp before and it had no effect whatsoever. it's casing also gives it enough cushioning against bumps and bruises. For all the time I have had it, it's sound quality hasn't decreased in the slightest. // 10

Impression: Be it my metal distortion songs or my clean acoustic sounding songs, this amp has been great. I've been playing for 9 months, but have progressed very quickly. I own a Line 6 amp, which after you've warmed up on this wonderful little Ibanez amp, I advise to get, it's got everything you will EVER need in an amp. I also own an Ibanez SA260FM guitar with sperzel heads (I'd go for them if I were you), and it is a lovely guitar, suprisingly good I think you'll find. I'm going to invest in a gem soon. If stolen or lost I would go for a better amp if I felt I wanted to continue guitar, as like I have said before, it is a great practise amp and if I were you I would keep it even after getting a better amp for practising with freinds and such. My favourite feature is it's ability to adapt very well to different styles of music. I played things like enter sandman, canon rock, stairway to heaven, the hell song and it's diverse enough to cover all of the range of sounds experienced in the song. However, the reason I advise not to use it in gigs (largish) is because it's not loud anough, and even if you do put the volume high enough, if you are using any sound of overdrive it will not sound good. This is a very reliable, diverse, durable practise amp. It suits it's purpose very well. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: XXm3t@lXX, on august 16, 2005

Price paid: $ 380

Purchased from: H&H music

Features: I'm not exactly sure what year it was made in, possibly 2003 or 2004. First of all, second it was made in China. It is versitile for the style of music I play, mainly metal and rock. It has two channels, clean and OD, a headphone jack which you can use to get the sound from the amp to a computer or stereo, very cool. The amp is awesome so far it has everything I need, reverb, overdrive, bass, treble, middle, I use them all, you can make it do really cool sounds so I enjoy it. I have used it in garage bands I've been in and its loud. It definatly has the power I need for now. You can also store tuners or cables or anything in it since its hallow. So I would say features are great. // 10

Sound: I use a Squier Stratocaster from a starter kit since that's all I got. And the guitar ain't so good but the amp make its sound nice. It really suits any style I believe, metal, rock, slow soft rock, blues, country, jazz, but I mainly do metal and hard rock, which it is good for. It really has a mean overdrive once it gets past 5. So the distortion is brutal. It can't do the strange effects like wah or echo but it has a variety of distortion if you use the right settings. The clean channel is great. It's just perfect for country or anything clean. So I would say it sounds awsome too. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This amp I could depend on. I'm sure I could for a long time. I have had it for a half a year and it still sounds brand new. I could definatly use this at a gig with no backup. My old drummer used to love this amp because you can hear it well even over drums. The amp never has broken down and I don't expect it either. So I can really rely on it too. // 10

Impression: Overall it's a wonderfull amp. I have been playing for 2 years and I have a Squier Strat, an Ibanez distortion pedal (DS-7), and that's it. The distortion pedal and the amp really get along great. Like they were made for each other. If it were stolen, yes I would definately buy another one or something similar. My favorite feature is distortion and reverb, very nice. I really like this amp overall, no negitives about it for me. I chose it because really the other amps were wimpy and I wanted power and noise so I got this, it's not so big but it packs. // 10

Comments

[Shinozoku]

Best practice amp for a Pantera tone, in my opinion. I wouldn't mind a warmer distortion, but I'm in no hurry. this is probably one of the best practice amps out there for a metal guitarist. Or at least it was when I got mine (I chose it over a Line 6). If you so choose to use the distortion (I hear nothing wrong with it, although I intend to invest in a Rocktron Silver Dragon), then I suggest you get a 1 button footswitch with a 1/4 inch plug for it. It's got a very clear sound to it, nice and defined, even when I have the gain cranked to 10. Add a little reverb to it (I keep mine on 2-3) and it adds some depth to both channels.

[Shinozoku]

Crap, repeated myself there a couple of times. Sorry about that.

[OttovanZanten]

er.. changed your mind in about 2 minutes?:P

[Shapakastina]

Do any of ye people have the limited edition one? pretty much identical, except for the looks... Cant find any pics on the net (why.. WHY?!!)If so, please post a pic

[Mynabull]

I love this amp.

[stenchbump]

I'm getting this amp on July 10. and I'm looking forward to it, especially if you can do pantera tones on it:o)