Following the success of last year’s Imperial preamp, Tone King has unveiled the Royalist: a high-voltage tube preamp pedal that distills the sound of their Royalist MKIII amplifier into a compact, pedalboard-friendly format. Where the Imperial covered American cleans, the Royalist is a full-throated tribute to the golden age of British rock.
Inside are three 12AX7 tubes running at proper amplifier voltages, not the reduced voltages found in many “tube” pedals. This delivers genuine touch sensitivity, harmonic bloom, and the dynamic response that digital modelers struggle to replicate. A built-in “Zero Watt Power Amp” uses one of those tubes as a phase inverter, capturing the interaction between preamp and power stage that gives cranked British stacks their signature feel—without the volume .
The Royalist features two independent channels, each with Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Reverb controls. The defining feature is the three-way voicing switch per channel, tracing the evolution of British amp tone:
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1964: Smooth top end, lower gain, vintage warmth inspired by early JTM45 blues amps
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1967: Crisp treble, bold mids, the aggressive bite of the Plexi era
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1970: Increased gain and tightness for arena-ready Super Lead crunch
Each channel also includes a FAT switch to add low-end weight for single-coils or extra sustain with humbuckers. The top channel uses a vintage-accurate JTM45/Bassman-inspired EQ, while the bottom channel reflects a later British Lead tone stack—subtly different, giving you two authentic flavors.
For direct recording or silent stage work, the Royalist includes a low-latency IR cabinet simulator with premium OwnHammer captures of vintage British cabs, selectable via a three-way switch per channel. The Tone King Editor software unlocks deeper control: load your own IRs, adjust filtering, manage up to 128 MIDI-presets, and configure the stereo effects loop .
Connectivity is comprehensive: dual balanced XLR outputs with ground lift, headphone out, stereo FX loop, 5-pin MIDI, USB-C, and jacks for integrating with your existing amp via the 4-cable method. Power comes from a universal 12V adapter (included), drawing 800mA .
The Royalist isn’t a digital emulation—it’s a living, breathing tube preamp that brings the soul of British rock royalty to any rig, at any volume. Whether you’re chasing sparkling JTM45 cleans, Plexi crunch, or Super Lead roar, it delivers the real thing in a pedalboard-ready package.
