Where the circuit comes from
The Storm King is a pedal version of a sound Aguilar players already knew from the company's amps. Aguilar's own description is direct about the lineage: the pedal is "Born out of the Drive circuit of our Tone Hammer amp"1. The announcement echoed that, with Aguilar saying the pedal draws "inspiration from our beloved Tone Hammer amp, and in particular its drive circuit"2. Guitar World reported that the brief, as Aguilar told them, was to replicate the saturation channel of the Tone Hammer head3.
Bass Gear Mag's reviewer Dan Veall put the result plainly:
"this pedal captures the saturated tube-like tones of Aguilar's popular Tone Hammer amp in pedal form."
The Tone Hammer name also exists as a preamp/DI pedal in Aguilar's line, which Premier Guitar's reviewers noted can serve as a preamp or DI5. The Storm King is a different animal: a dedicated distortion and fuzz pedal rather than a preamp, aimed at players who want the amp's saturation character on its own.
The controls: Shape and Kick
The Storm King keeps its control set small, which fits its micro-pedal format. Two controls do the work132:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| SHAPE | Sets the character of the distorted signal, sweeping from light tube-like saturation to heavier, more aggressive tones12 |
| KICK | A button that adds presence and punch to the distorted tone, delivering a frequency boost12 |
The Shape control is the heart of the pedal. Aguilar calls it a unique control that lets you set the character of your distorted signal1, and the launch announcement described it as providing "a wide sweep of tones from a light tube-like saturation" upward2.
The Kick button is a preset midrange push rather than a second gain stage. Aguilar says it adds presence and punch1; the announcement described it as delivering "a frequency boost for an extra bump in presence and punch"2. Dan Veall's review in Bass Gear Mag characterized it as a tailored midrange bump to add presence and boost to distorted tones4, which is useful for a bass player whose distorted tone needs to cut through a band rather than disappear into a wash of low end.
Power and connections
The Storm King runs on a nine-volt DC supply1. Guitar World noted that batteries will not fit inside the pedal, so a 9V DC power supply is required to run it3. It has one 1/4" input jack and one 1/4" output jack1, and the enclosure is heavy duty steel1.
No battery option: the Storm King's micro enclosure leaves no room for one, so plan on a 9V DC supply on your bass pedalboard.
What reviewers said
Bass Gear Mag published Dan Veall's review in March 2024. His overall finding was positive, with one caveat about extremes4:
"the Storm King delivered rich, musical distortion textures that enhanced the upper mids until things went too far and subdued the fundamental notes a little."
In other words, at moderate settings the pedal favored the upper mids in a way he found musical, while the heaviest settings pulled back some of the low fundamental and distortion character. His review also confirmed the analog circuit topology and the three year limited warranty4.
Videos
Andertons Music Co
Aguilar Amplification
Bass Bonedo
Questions
Is the Aguilar Storm King analog?
Yes. Aguilar describes the Storm King as an all-analog distortion and fuzz micro pedal, and Bass Gear Mag's review lists its circuit topology as analog14.
Does the Aguilar Storm King use the Tone Hammer circuit?
Yes. Aguilar says the Storm King is born out of the Drive circuit of the Tone Hammer amp, and the press announcement drew inspiration from that amp's drive circuit12.
Is the Aguilar Storm King made in the USA?
Yes. Aguilar's product page lists the Storm King as made in USA1.
What warranty does the Storm King have?
Aguilar covers its products with a three year limited warranty to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship1.
What does the Kick button do on the Storm King?
The Kick button adds presence and punch to the distorted tone. Aguilar describes it as a frequency boost, and Bass Gear Mag's reviewer Dan Veall found it provides a tailored midrange bump that adds presence and boost to distorted tones.
What power does the Aguilar Storm King take?
It runs on a nine-volt DC power supply. Guitar World noted that batteries will not fit inside the pedal, so a 9V DC supply is required rather than optional.
Sources (5)
- Storm King Distortion Bass Pedal, Aguilar Shop (aguilaramp.com)
- Aguilar Musical Instruments Introduces Storm King Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2022-10-26
- Aguilar debuts new micro drive pedal, the long-awaited Storm King, Guitar World, 2022-10-26
- Bassic Review, Bass Gear Mag (bassgearmag.com), 2024-03-01
- Stomp on This! 28 Stompboxes Reviewed, Premier Guitar, 2008-10-15
