The AnalogMan Prince of Tone is an overdrive pedal from Analog Man Guitar Effects of Bethel, Connecticut. It is, in the maker's own words, "the same as half of the King of Tone, with an external MODE switch standard"1: one channel of the celebrated Analogman King Of Tone in a smaller, single-pedal housing, with a three-way toggle that switches it between Boost, Overdrive and Distortion modes.
For a player, that means one box covers three jobs. Analog Man describes the Overdrive mode as the standard King of Tone sound, "a little less drive than a tube screamer" that "can get much louder than a tube screamer"1. Reviewers have treated it as the practical route into the King of Tone sound: JHS Pedals calls it "same sound, just half the size"2, and Gearnews notes it "takes far less time to build, for people who cannot wait for a fully-fledged dual version"3.
What it is and where it came from
The Prince of Tone exists because the King of Tone has a long waiting list. Analog Man's idea, as JHS Pedals tells it, was "a unit which only utilized the yellow side of the King of Tone," basically half of the original dual pedal2. Pedal of the Day describes the result as "the single-channel version of the King of Tone Overdrive"4, and MusicRadar calls it "the single-channel version of the hallowed King Of Tone Overdrive"7. Guitar World notes the Prince "is just as highly regarded and features on many a pro player's board"8.
Its circuit sits in the Marshall Blues Breaker family: Vertex Effects ranked it third in a top five of Blues Breaker clones9, and Delicious Audio calls it "a take on the Marshall Blues Breaker"10. Guitar Pedal X notes it runs "a touch higher gain than the King of Tone overall"5.
The controls and the three modes
The front panel is three knobs and a toggle:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Volume | Sets the output level |
| Tone | Rolls off or opens up the top end |
| Drive | Sets the amount of gain |
| 3-way toggle | Selects Boost, Overdrive or Distortion mode156 |
- Boost mode runs the pedal as a clean-ish level booster.
- OD mode is the standard King of Tone sound, the mode most players buy it for1.
- Distortion mode pushes into higher gain territory.
Inside the box are two further adjustments. The TREBLE trimpot, "just like the KOT," lets you fine-tune the brightness to your amp and guitar1. DIP1 is a LO-MID lift switch: "the tone from your lower strings will be enhanced a little"1. That Pedal Show covered these internal controls in its Prince of Tone versus King of Tone comparison11.
How it compares with a Tube Screamer
Analog Man's manual frames the Overdrive mode against the Tube Screamer: slightly less drive, but much more available volume1. Delicious Audio goes further, calling it "a Tube Screamer-style overdrive with more drive and a much wider sonic range"12. Pedal of the Day's reviewer, Eddie H, found in the Overdrive mode "a more even tone than a TS, in my opinion, and retains its clarity while remaining a very usable overdrive," and overall found the sound "rich and has a nice even tonality to it"6. Eddie uses the Prince on the road with Radney Foster and on sessions6.
"Honestly, I prefer the Prince of Tone, just because it's simple, it's easy-ish to find, and it's more affordable."
Where it is made
On That Pedal Show in 2025, Dan said Mike "had these made in Japan"13. Earlier press says otherwise: a 2022 JHS Pedals video states "the Prince of Tone is made in China"14, guitar.com's 2022 review describes "a Chinese-made Prince Of Tone"15, and a 2020 Guitar Pedal X guide calls it "hand-made in China with the same key components that go into its bigger brother"5. The production location may have changed over time; the newest dated statement, from April 2025, says Japan13.
Waiting list and availability
Like the King of Tone, the Prince has a queue of its own: Premier Guitar referred to "a lot of impatient Prince-customers-in-waiting"16. The wait is shorter than for the dual King of Tone, which is a large part of the pedal's reason for existing3. Players who want the King of Tone sound without any wait have another option: the MXR Duke of Tone, a mass-produced take on the circuit. MusicRadar notes that "while it's true, The Prince Of Tone is the true comparison to the Duke"17, and guitar.com describes the Duke as effectively "one side of a KOT with switchable clean, overdrive and distortion modes"15.
Videos
Reverb
Jackson Brooksby
Curtis Kent
Questions
Is the Prince of Tone the same as one side of the King of Tone?
Yes. Analog Man's own manual says the Prince of Tone is the same as half of the King of Tone, with an external mode switch fitted as standard. Reviewers describe it as the single-channel version of the King of Tone, giving the same sound in a smaller housing.
Where is the Analogman Prince of Tone made?
Sources disagree. On That Pedal Show in 2025, Dan said Mike has them made in Japan, while a 2022 JHS Pedals video and a 2022 guitar.com review both describe the Prince of Tone as made in China, and a 2020 Guitar Pedal X guide calls it hand-made in China with the same key components as the King of Tone.
Prince of Tone vs Tube Screamer: how is it different?
Analog Man's manual says the standard King of Tone sound, which the Prince shares, has a little less drive than a Tube Screamer but can get much louder. Delicious Audio describes it as a Tube Screamer-style overdrive with more drive and a much wider sonic range, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it more even-toned than a TS with better clarity.
Is the Prince of Tone a Blues Breaker clone?
Reviewers place it in the Blues Breaker family. Vertex Effects ranked it third in a top five of Blues Breaker clones, and Delicious Audio calls it a take on the Marshall Blues Breaker. Guitar Pedal X notes it runs a touch higher gain than the King of Tone overall.
What does the internal treble trimpot do on the Prince of Tone?
Inside the pedal is a TREBLE trimpot, just like the King of Tone, that lets you trim the top end to suit your amp and guitar. There is also an internal DIP switch labeled DIP1, a LO-MID lift that slightly enhances the tone of your lower strings.
Does the Prince of Tone have a waiting list like the King of Tone?
Yes, but it moves faster. Premier Guitar referred to a lot of impatient Prince-customers-in-waiting, and Gearnews notes the Prince takes far less time to build than the dual King of Tone, which is part of why it exists: it serves players who cannot wait for the fully-fledged dual version.
Sources (17)
- Prince of Tone Manual0820.pdf, Analog Man Guitar Effects, 2020-09
- ANALOG MAN'S BEST PEDALS, JHS Pedals
- Could the Joyo R 20 King Of Kings be a poor man's Analog Man King Of Tone?, www.gearnews.com, 2021-10-27
- MXR / Analog Man Duke of Tone Overdrive Distortion Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2025-05-13
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2020-03-29
- Analogman Prince Of Tone Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2014-10-24
- The pedal release of 2022? MXR officially announces The Duke Of Tone overdrive in partnership with Analog Man, MusicRadar, 2022-09-01
- Best mini-pedals for guitarists: top space-saving stomps, Guitar World, 2020-09-25
- OGorwannabe-bluesbreaker, vertexeffects.com, 2021-03-26
- DemonFX Prince Of Sound, Delicious Audio, 2022-07-15
- 2 x Prince Of Tone Vs King Of Tone +High Gain & Standard KOT Comparison, That Pedal Show, 2021-05-14
- MXR Duke Of Tone (with Analogman), Delicious Audio, 2022-10-21
- The New King Of Tone? Chase Bliss x Analog Man Brothers AM Plus Prince Of Tone & MXR Duke of Tone, That Pedal Show (YouTube), 2025-04-24
- How The MXR Duke Of Tone and Timmy Pedals Are A Big Deal For Boutique Pedals, JHS Pedals (YouTube channel), 2022-09-19
- MXR Duke of Tone Review, guitar.com, 2022-11-11
- MXR Duke of Tone Guitar Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2022-09-01
- MXR Duke Of Tone Vs Analog Man King Of Tone overdrive pedal, MusicRadar, 2022-09-05
Mike Piera
