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King of Tone vs Throne of Tone – Is the King Still King?


With all of the overdrive and distortion pedals that have come and gone from my pedalboard over the years, there are only three that have truly stood the test of time:


About 10 years ago, my brother-in-law gave me a King of Tone. At the time, there was something like a four-year waiting list, and used ones were going for around $1000.


It’s not something I ever would have bought for myself.


But once it hit my pedalboard, it never really left.


Recently, though, the footswitch on my King of Tone started acting up. So I began looking for something in the same vein that would be a little more road-worthy and easier to replace if needed.


Two pedals caught my eye:

When I found a used Throne of Tone locally for about $200 CAD, I grabbed it. And since I had both pedals in my possession, it only made sense to compare them side by side.


So… can the Throne of Tone dethrone the King?


Let’s talk about it.


How I Use the King of Tone

My primary use for the King of Tone is as an always-on clean boost.


It thickens and brightens my base clean tone and adds a certain chewyness to the feel that I haven’t experienced with any other pedal. There’s something about the low mids combined with the sparkle on top that just makes it feel magical under the fingers.


King of Tone – Pros & Cons

Pros

  • That magical low-mid warmth with sparkle on top

  • Incredible feel and touch response

  • Smaller and lighter footprint


Cons

  • Not as versatile as some modern alternatives

  • Internal dip switches require removing the back (on many versions)

  • The King does its thing beautifully — but it doesn’t try to do everything.


Throne of Tone – Pros & Cons

The Warm Audio Throne of Tone brings a slightly different philosophy.


Pros

  • More versatile overall

  • Wider range of gain and distortion

  • Dedicated presence control

  • External toggle switches

  • Includes a Bluesbreaker-style mode


Cons

  • Bigger and heavier

  • Doesn’t quite nail the “chewy clean boost” magic


Where the King of Tone excels at subtle enhancement, the Throne of Tone offers flexibility.


I actually found myself drawn to the higher gain settings on the Throne. Having the extra gain and presence was genuinely fun. And I really appreciated having all the toggle switches on the outside of the pedal.


No screwdriver required.


So… Is the King Still King?

After spending real time with both pedals, here’s where I land:


If I didn’t already own a King of Tone, I would not pay $1000 for a used one.


The Throne of Tone (or the Pantheon Deluxe) would absolutely get the job done.


However…


I would put myself on the waiting list for a King of Tone and use something like the Throne of Tone in the meantime.


Because while the Throne gets very close — and I probably wouldn’t notice much difference if I wasn’t comparing them side by side — the King still has that slightly more refined, chewy clean boost feel that I love.


That said, I think Warm Audio did a marvelous job here. A lot of this ultimately comes down to personal preference and what your ears are used to after years of playing a certain pedal.


Final Thoughts

  • Want versatility and availability? Throne of Tone.

  • Want that specific chewy clean boost magic? King of Tone.

  • Don’t want a multi-year waitlist? Throne of Tone wins.

  • Want to wait it out for “the original”? The King may still be worth it.


At the end of the day, both are excellent pedals.


Now I’d love to hear from you:


  • Which pedal did you prefer in the sound samples?

  • Have you tried either of these?

  • What’s your favorite Bluesbreaker-style pedal?


Let me know in the comments on the video.

Thanks, Nate

 
 
 

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