The Harby Pedals Noble Tone is a compact overdrive, boost and distortion pedal built in the USA with high-quality components. It takes its inspiration from Analog Man's Prince of Tone overdrive and is based on the same schematic, so the gain modes work just like they do on the Prince of Tone, including a Distortion mode. Pedal of the Day reviewed it in May 2023 and found it covered boost, breakup overdrive and distortion in one purple enclosure.1
Where the circuit comes from
The Noble Tone sits in the same family as Analog Man's King of Tone and Prince of Tone. Pedal of the Day wrote that "the Noble Tone shares the rich sound that makes both the King and Prince of Tone so desirable."1 The one departure from the original circuit is the clipping diode: the MA856 silicon through-hole diodes in the original Prince of Tone are no longer available or in production, so Harby uses a BAS33 silicon through-hole diode instead, which clips at approximately 0.82v.1
Controls and internal switches
The pedal's gain modes cover overdrive, boost and distortion, working the same way as on the Prince of Tone.1 Inside, there are two DIP switches and a trimpot that shape the response:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Internal Gain DIP switch (Turbo switch) | Doubles the gain ratio of the second op-amp stage so the diodes clip more easily1 |
| Internal Mids DIP switch | Adds low-mids by increasing the filter frequency of the first op-amp gain stage1 |
| Internal treble trimpot | Adds high-end; the default position is turned completely counter-clockwise1 |
The Turbo and Mids switches and the treble trimpot are internal, so you will need to open the pedal to reach them. The treble trimpot ships turned completely counter-clockwise as its default position.1
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's review was emphatic about the sound:
"Let us just say this: the Noble Tone Overdrive Boost Distortion sounds INCREDIBLE."
The same review called the pedal responsive and said it lends itself to a wide variety of sounds and applications: it can be stacked with other pedals or used alone to create smooth harmonics. The reviewer went as far as to suggest it may be Harby's best pedal they had tried overall.1
Harby Pedals also makes other dirt pedals covered elsewhere on the site, including the BMF Distortion Sustainer Fuzz, a recreation of the green Sovtek Big Muff, and the Pi-7C* Modified Distortion Sustainer Fuzz. For more in this territory, see the site's pages on overdrive pedals, boost pedals and distortion pedals.
Videos
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Pedal of the Day
Eric Merrow
Questions
Is the Harby Noble Tone a Prince of Tone clone?
Pedal of the Day describes the Noble Tone as taking inspiration from Analog Man's Prince of Tone overdrive and being based on the same schematic. The gain modes work just like they do on the Prince of Tone, including a Distortion mode, and the pedal shares the rich sound that makes both the King and Prince of Tone desirable, according to the review.
What does the Turbo switch do on the Noble Tone?
The Turbo switch is an internal Gain DIP switch. Pedal of the Day explains that it doubles the gain ratio of the second op-amp stage so that the diodes clip more easily, giving you more distortion from the same circuit.
What diodes does the Harby Noble Tone use?
The Noble Tone uses a BAS33 silicon through-hole clipping diode, which clips at approximately 0.82v. Pedal of the Day reports it was chosen because the MA856 silicon through-hole clipping diodes found in the original Prince of Tone are no longer available or in production.
Does the Noble Tone have a distortion mode?
Yes. Pedal of the Day states that the gain modes work just like they do on the Prince of Tone, including a Distortion mode, alongside the pedal's overdrive and boost functions.
Can you stack the Noble Tone with other pedals?
Yes. According to Pedal of the Day, the Noble Tone is responsive and lends itself to a wide variety of sounds and applications, and it can be stacked with other pedals or used alone to create smooth harmonics.
Sources (1)
- Harby Pedals Noble Tone Overdrive Boost Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2023-05-11
