The Greer Amps Royal Velvet is a Class-A British drive and preamp pedal, part of the company's XFR line. Greer describes it as something truly unique in the space of drive pedals today, and it is built around a steel core transformer, the same transformer as the previously released, award winning SOMA63.1
What it does to your sound
Greer positions the Royal Velvet as a British-flavored drive and preamp, the kind of circuit that sits between an overdrive pedal and a preamp pedal on a board. The maker says it nails the feel and tone of two of Nick Greer's favorite amps, which is the design brief behind it.1
The voltage you feed it changes the character. Greer's own description: at 9 volts, you'll get some grind and slight compression with the gain up and moderate output pickups. 18 volts provides more of a stiff feel, and more clean headroom with that British sparkle. That makes the supply choice a real tonal decision, not just a power detail.1
Power and setup
The Royal Velvet runs on 9 to 18 volts with a negative center pin only, and it takes a 9-volt battery or a standard negative center 2.1mm power supply. Current draw is 15mA at 9 volts, light enough for most pedalboard supplies.1
The polarity matters here: negative center pin ONLY, per Greer Amps. A positive center adapter will not suit this pedal, and running it above 9 volts changes both the feel and the headroom as described above.1
Where it sits in the Greer range
The Royal Velvet expands the XFR line, and it shares its transformer with the SOMA63, Greer's earlier award winning release. Players looking at Greer's preamp designs will also find the Moonshot and the Moonshot Germanium Pre in the company's catalog.1
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Questions
Is the Greer Amps Royal Velvet true bypass?
Yes. Greer Amps lists the Royal Velvet as true bypass, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes straight through without any buffering or tone shaping from the circuit. That matters if you run long cable runs or a large pedalboard, since a true bypass pedal adds nothing to the chain when switched out.
Can the Royal Velvet run on a battery?
Yes. Greer Amps says the Royal Velvet uses a 9-volt battery or a standard negative center, 2.1mm power supply. Current draw is 15mA at 9 volts, which is light enough that most standard supplies can handle it alongside other pedals.
Who designed the Greer Amps Royal Velvet?
The Royal Velvet comes from Greer Amps, and the maker's product page ties it directly to Nick Greer, saying the pedal nails the feel and tone of two of Nick Greer's favorite amps. It is part of the company's XFR line of pedals.
What is the warranty on Greer Amps pedals?
Greer Amps gives the Royal Velvet a 5 year warranty to the original owner. That covers the pedal as bought new from the maker, so if you buy it secondhand the original-owner terms are worth keeping in mind.
What polarity does the Royal Velvet need?
The Royal Velvet needs a 9 to 18 volt supply with a negative center pin only, per Greer Amps. The connector is the standard 2.1mm negative center type. A positive center supply will not work, so check your adapter before plugging in.
Sources (1)
- Royal Velvet, Greer Amps
