Joyo King of Kings dual overdrive profiled as budget King of Tone alternative
May 23, 2022 · 3 sources
Joyo's R20 King of Kings is a dual-channel overdrive pedal that Delicious Audio described on May 23, 2022 as a more affordable alternative to the Analogman King of Tone, the pedal it says the Joyo inherits its dual-channel configuration from1.
Delicious Audio put the price at "just about $99"1. Guitar.No US list price appears in the October 2021 reports.
According to the builder's notes quoted by Delicious Audio, the circuit "adopts 1+1 dual channel design, can be used alone or connected in series," and the two channels "have separate footswitches and can be run separately or stacked on top of each other"1. Each channel has an independent diode clipping circuit and a feedback switch, plus independent volume and tone controls; the pedal runs on 9V1.
Guitar.com described each side as carrying controls for volume, drive and tone, with two clipping switches per side performing a similar function to the internal dip switches on the Analog Man King of Tone V4, and the overdrive circuits running in series2. Gearnews likewise reported two mini-switches on the front panel to vary diode clipping and feedback of each section3.
Delicious Audio noted that documentation about the pedal is scant, and that if it maintains the design of the pedal it is inspired by, the two circuits should be identical overdrives with two toggle switches each for internal gain levels and diode configuration1.
"At just about $99, this overdrive pedal sounds tempting no matter whether it actually sounds like the King of Tone, from which it inherits the dual-channel configuration and tweakable essence."
The reports differ on the wait for an original King of Tone. Delicious Audio said orders have a waiting list of about five years1; Guitar.com said around four years2; Gearnews said around three years3.