NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

[CapoFirstFret]

What's up folks! I haven't been too active on this forum in the last couple of years. I've moved, gotten married, and haven't gotten to play as much as I used to. Getting back into the swing of it this year and made my first significant guitar gear purchase in a long time! Got on the AnalogMan King of Tone list back in April of 2016 and my name finally came up! It'll be here tomorrow and I'm PUMPED. Got the stock yellow side and a hi-gain red side. No other mods as I didn't really need anything else. I know it's got some internal switches and I need to get them dialed in. I am very glad I waited and got to avoid paying the super high used prices.

Any suggestions on getting it dialed in? Going to be playing through a BF [circuit] Super Reverb and a Mesa Rect-O-Verb. Pictures tomorrow after I get it in.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

Welcome back, and congrats!

 

[Chistopher]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

Best be careful who you talk to with a controversial name like that, a thread recently got closed over those things.

I'm not very familiar with this pedal. How much does it cost new and what's so special that there is a year long wait list? Is it insanely good, are they insanely short handed, or do you think they limit it as a marketing tactic?

I'm looking forward to an in depth review, of course. I might have to add myself to the wait list if it's good enough.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

It's a nice pedal but if Mike ever quits building, those pedals will end up garnering ridiculous Klon prices. I don't think there is any marketing tactic, he has other pedals to build, he cant dedicate 24/7 and a bunch of people all to a single pedal. I think he gets them out as fast as he possibly can and they are hyped by many in the music world. And I'm not being critical when I say "hyped". Lot's of name players are or have used them. Plus, the price is fair within the realm of "boutique" pedals.

Lots of info ... http://analogman.com/kingtone.htm

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

I've definitely read a ton on them. I got on the list years ago and just couldn't afford the pedal when my name came up and then deleted the order e-mail so I missed an opportunity. I'm on the list again and will likely buy a second one when my name comes up either as an investment piece or for a second pedalboard or just a backup. I have no doubt I'm going to love this pedal.

It's a nice pedal but if Mike ever quits building, those pedals will end up garnering ridiculous Klon prices. I don't think there is any marketing tactic, he has other pedals to build, he cant dedicate 24/7 and a bunch of people all to a single pedal. I think he gets them out as fast as he possibly can and they are hyped by many in the music world. And I'm not being critical when I say "hyped". Lot's of name players are or have used them. Plus, the price is fair within the realm of "boutique" pedals.

Lots of info ... http://analogman.com/kingtone.htm

 

[jeremy]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

hes had that moniker for over a dozen years so hopefully he will be ok

the kot is based on a bluesbreaker but tweaked a bit and has two pedals in one box. originally for jimmy weider who is a big tone hound. each side has three available settings clean/od/distortion selectable by internal dip switches. analogman is a fairly small shop so they only produce XX number of kot per month or whatever. they make great pedals all around and for some, the kot is as good as it gets. i had one and really liked it but ended up selling it at cost to a buddy who was in dire straits tonally. the clean setting is my favorite but is pretty loud at the settings i like best.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

Oh, and congrats to the OP for finally getting his long awaited KOT.

I've waited 4 months for pickups that were supposed to show up within 4 weeks. They never did get wound (I got a refund).
I've waited up to 8 weeks for custom holsters.
But, I'm not enough of a pedal guy to wait 2 years for a pedal. Kudos to anyone willing to do so.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

Like Jeremy said, I've had this name for over 12 years. Hopefully the climate hasn't changed here so much since I have been on hiatus that I'm causing a dust-up.

As far as the other questions, it's a very well known pedal as Jeremy also said. It's made in smaller batches to maintain the quality construction. There's a long page explaining the history of the pedal and why they decided to maintain the small batch operation here.

Brand new (once you get through the waiting list) the pedal is $245+shipping and any other customization you add to it. I add the hi-gain option to the red (right) side of the pedal which is a $10 addition. These pedals typically sell for $450-$500 on the used market due to the waiting list to receive one. I don't think it's all hype based on the number of major players that swear by them and the tone I've heard in numerous videos and recordings over the years. I'm just excited to finally be getting mine.

I highly recommend getting on the list if you even THINK you might be interested in one. You have plenty of time to decide whether you actually want to buy it when your name comes up as you do not pay a dime until your name is up on the list.

Best be careful who you talk to with a controversial name like that, a thread recently got closed over those things.

I'm not very familiar with this pedal. How much does it cost new and what's so special that there is a year long wait list? Is it insanely good, are they insanely short handed, or do you think they limit it as a marketing tactic?

I'm looking forward to an in depth review, of course. I might have to add myself to the wait list if it's good enough.

 

[jeremy]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

he was joking about your name since there was a thread about capo's that disolved into bs

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

I found the thread after figuring that was what he likely meant. That thread escalated quickly! So much hate for the capo

he was joking about your name since there was a thread about capo's that disolved into bs

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

aaaaand the pedal didn't make it today because the winter storm around Memphis, TN delayed mail getting to me....so I have to wait until Tuesday.....WHYYYYY?!?!?!

OK that's out of my system now...

 

[Darg1911]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

aaaaand the pedal didn't make it today because the winter storm around Memphis, TN delayed mail getting to me....so I have to wait until Tuesday.....WHYYYYY?!?!?!

OK that's out of my system now...

I hate when that happens.

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

I found the thread after figuring that was what he likely meant. That thread escalated quickly! So much hate for the capo

Forgive them. They know not what they do. :smack:

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

The hype is somewhat deserved when you look at how many big names known for their tones use or gave used a KOT, and partly built up due to the wait list to get one. If you have tried Bluesbreaker based pedals and liked them, you'd probably like the KOT and the wait is worth it. If some reason you don't like it, you can always sell it. They currently go used for at Keats the same as when bought new, if not a bit more money.

I got a dual OD called King Klon in late 2016 that was based on 1/2 Klone and the other 1/2 Prince of Tone (the single OD version of the KOT for those unaware).

I loved it so much, I bought a stand alone Klone from the same builder and picked a clone of the Bkuesbreaker Mk I.

I loved the Bluesbreaker pedal and the King Klon's Prince of Tone side so much, I decided to get on the list back in June 2017.

Too impatient to wait nearly 2 years, I decided to get a clone built. While I was at it, I got a few mods not offered currently on the KOT. It's also not using the nearly unobtainable NOS clipping diodes, but supposedly an equivalent spec production diode. It sounds close to anything I have heard through YouTube demos.

I want the original even more now. My plan is put the KOT on my main board and the clone on a second board.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

Dammit... now I'm on a 1.5 year waiting list for ANOTHER distortion pedal.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

I have a KOT that's currently not on my board, but I like it enough that it's not for sale.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

I have a KOT that's currently not on my board, but I like it enough that it's not for sale.

I probably couldn't sell a pedal that I waited 1 - 2 years for, even if I hated it. Well, that is unless there would be a good chunk of profit in it. Wish I owned a couple of original Klons, especially the gold ones. I like the Klon but there isn't much, if anything, between them and a good Klone. At least not nearly enough to hold on to a pedal that I could get a couple of grand, or more, for.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

So... how is it?

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

It literally just came in the mail today! I've been able to unbox it and take a look inside and that's about it. I'm going to spend some time tonight with it and figure out exactly how I'm going to use it in conjunction with my Fulldrive2 (mosfet) to get the most versatile and best sounds out of it. My speculation is I'm going to put the KoTv4 in the chain first with the left side OD, right side Distortion and I'm going to put the FD2 in comp cut with the left side on basically all the time and providing a little push to my amp and use the boost as a true boost. Should give me a pretty wide range of tones to utilize!

So... how is it?

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: NPD [tomorrow]: Finally getting my King of Tone!

It literally just came in the mail today! I've been able to unbox it and take a look inside and that's about it. I'm going to spend some time tonight with it and figure out exactly how I'm going to use it in conjunction with my Fulldrive2 (mosfet) to get the most versatile and best sounds out of it. My speculation is I'm going to put the KoTv4 in the chain first with the left side OD, right side Distortion and I'm going to put the FD2 in comp cut with the left side on basically all the time and providing a little push to my amp and use the boost as a true boost. Should give me a pretty wide range of tones to utilize!

So I've gotten the chance to toy around with it and man is that overdrive transparent! I'm really having to get used to it after just using a stock TS-9 for dirt for so long. That distortion side is EXACTLY what I've been missing in my rig!

I'll get a lot more time this weekend to turn it up and I'll try to snag some video and clips.

In the meantime... what more could I possibly need? Lol