King of Tone
By Analog Man
Analog Man's famous two-sided overdrive, built with Jim Weider as a more open, less compressed alternative to a Tube Screamer. Sold through a long email wait list.
About this pedal
The King of Tone grew out of a modified Marshall Bluesbreaker that Analog Man and Jim Weider tuned to keep a good guitar and amp sounding like themselves, just pushed harder. It is two full overdrive channels in one box, each with its own volume, drive and tone, and each can be set internally for overdrive, clean boost or distortion.
It runs from 9V up to 18V, has true bypass and top-mounted jacks, and can be ordered with higher gain, external mode toggles, four jacks for split routing, or a buffer. Hand made in the USA. Ordering is by wait list only: you email to get on the list and are contacted when your spot comes up, which has meant a wait of several years.
Specs
| Version | Ver4 |
|---|---|
| Channels | Two independent sides (red/yellow) with separate volume, drive and tone; each side selectable OD, clean boost or distortion via internal DIP switches |
| Power | 9V battery or Boss-style 9-18VDC adaptor |
| Current Draw | about 6-10 mA |
| Input Impedance | 1 megohm |
| Dimensions | 4.75" W x 3.75" L x 1.5" H (about 2 1/8" to top of switch) |
| Options | {"Higher gain":"+$10 per side","External mode toggle (red side)":"+$50","Four-jack version":"+$50","Second output jack (not with 4-jack)":"+$10","Second output power jack":"+$15","Buffered bypass (no battery room)":"+$45"} |
| Ordering | Wait list only; join by email, no deposit. As of 2026-09-15 the list was shipping to sign-ups from 2019-07-24. |
| Price note | price_max = $335 base plus all listed compatible options |
Quick answers
- How much does the King of Tone cost?
- Analog Man lists it at $335 to $515 (USD), depending on options. Dealer and used prices vary.
- Is the King of Tone still available?
- It's available for preorder from Analog Man.
- Who makes the King of Tone?
- Analog Man. Where it's built: Handmade in the USA (Analog Delay and Prince of Tone are hand-soldered but not fully USA-built). It's listed here as an overdrive pedal.
- What warranty does Analog Man offer?
- Analog Man warrants all pedals it builds or modifies for one year to the original owner. Pedals it sells but doesn't build or modify carry their own manufacturer's warranty.
- How long is the wait for Analog Man gear?
- King of Tone is sold only through a waiting list (email to join, see kingoftone.com); the list is very long and customers are limited to four KOT pedals total since 2016. Other pedals list their build time on each order page's availability line.