The NUX Ace of Tone is a dual overdrive pedal from NUX that stacks two of the company's mini-pedal circuits in one enclosure: the Tubeman MKII and the Morning Star1. Each channel has its own on/off footswitch and its own set of controls, and a dip switch in the middle of the pedal lets you choose which circuit comes first in the chain2. It was announced in October 2021 and reported as available by January 2022, priced at $119 in the US and £99 in the UK342.
The two sides come from different lineages. The Tubeman side is a tube-like overdrive that NUX says "offers way more clarity and gain than any classic Tubescreamer"1. The Morning Star side is "based on legendary Bluesbreaker circuit: very transparent, low gain drive"1, the same circuit NUX also sells as the standalone Nux Morning Star.
The controls
Both drive circuits use the same complement of controls, with dials for Drive, Tone and Level on each side of the pedal4. The Drive knob on the left side controls the gain of the Tubeman circuit1. Each channel has its own on/off footswitch2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive knob (each side) | Sets the gain of that channel's circuit14 |
| Tone knob (each side) | Shapes the frequency response of that channel5 |
| Level knob (each side) | Sets the output volume of that channel4 |
| Footswitch (each side) | Turns that channel on and off; hold it to engage Fat or Shine mode2 |
| Dip switch (middle) | Changes the routing, placing either circuit first in the chain2 |
| BF/TB switch (rear) | Selects buffered bypass or true bypass5 |
| 9V/18V switch (rear) | Switches to 18V internal double voltage for wider dynamic range5 |
The routing dip switch is the feature that sets the pedal apart from simply buying two mini pedals. You can adjust the order as Tubeman into Morning Star, or Morning Star into Tubeman, so the same two drives can be stacked either way depending on which character you want in front5.
Fat and Shine modes
Each channel carries a secondary tone-sculpting mode, engaged by holding its footswitch rather than tapping it265.
- Fat mode (Tubeman side): NUX says holding the footswitch "cranks way more bass response to enhance the low-end yet makes the tone warmer"1. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described it as beefing up "your low-end response for a fatter, rounder tone," accessed by holding down the footswitch for a second4.
- Shine mode (Morning Star side): engaged the same way, it gives "way more treble for a crystal-clear tone"654. Horsley described it as adding "extra presence to brighten things up"4.
The two modes can be configured independently for the two channels, so you can run Fat on one side and Shine on the other, or neither2.
Power and connections
The pedal runs on 9V DC with a negative tip, and NUX specifies a current draw of less than 100mA1. A rear toggle switch lets you run the pedal at 9V or 18V, with the 18V setting using internal voltage doubling for a wider dynamic range45.
Connections are straightforward: the guitar goes into the input jack, and the output jack feeds the amp side1. There is also an extra 1/4" input for controlling the pedal remotely via a foot controller4.
NUX specifies 9V negative tip power only. The 18V setting is internal voltage doubling selected by a switch, not an 18V power supply at the jack15.
What reviewers said
Reviewers found the pedal easy to use and praised its tone. Pedal of the Day wrote that "easy controls, lots of routing and bypass options and incredible tone are what you find here"5. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley focused on value:
"Not only is the Ace Of Tune super affordable, it is super simple to get the hang off"4
Delicious Audio, covering the pedal at announcement, described the two channels as "respectively a tube-like overdrive and a Blues Breaker clone with improved highs"2. Premier Guitar noted the pedal's "variety of modes and routing design to enhance tone options" as it joined NUX's Verdugo line3.
Ace of Tone and the Verdugo line
The Ace of Tone sits in NUX's Verdugo series of compact pedals3. Its closest sibling is the NUX Queen Of Tone, another dual overdrive with the same routing and bypass switching but a different pairing: the NUX Horseman and Morning Star circuits, with Gold, Silver and Shine modes on its channels. Players who want only one half of the Ace of Tone can find the same circuits in the standalone NUX Tube Man and Nux Morning Star minis.
Videos
NUX
Mike Hermans
The Pedal Guy
Questions
Is the NUX Ace of Tone a Tube Screamer and a Bluesbreaker?
It is two circuits in one box. The Tubeman side is NUX's take on a tube-like overdrive that the maker says offers more clarity and gain than any classic Tube Screamer. The Morning Star side is based on the legendary Bluesbreaker circuit, which NUX describes as a very transparent, low gain drive.
How do you engage Fat and Shine modes on the Ace of Tone?
Hold down the footswitch for the channel you want to change. Holding the Tubeman footswitch engages Fat mode, which cranks more bass response and makes the tone warmer. Holding the Morning Star footswitch engages Shine mode, which adds more treble for a crystal-clear tone. The two modes can be configured independently.
Can you change the order of the two drives on the NUX Ace of Tone?
Yes. A dip switch in the middle of the pedal changes the routing, placing either circuit first in the chain depending on its position. You can run the signal Tubeman into Morning Star, or Morning Star into Tubeman.
Is the NUX Ace of Tone true bypass?
It can be. A BF/TB toggle switch on the rear lets you choose between true bypass and buffered bypass, so you can set it to suit the rest of your pedalboard.
What is the difference between the NUX Ace of Tone and Queen of Tone?
Both are dual overdrives in NUX's Verdugo line with the same routing and bypass switching, but they stack different circuits. The Ace of Tone pairs the Tubeman MKII and Morning Star, while the Queen of Tone pairs the Horseman and Morning Star, with Gold, Silver and Shine modes on its channels.
Sources (6)
- Ace of Tone, Nux, 2026-05-11
- NUX Ace Of Tone Dual Overdrive, Delicious Audio, 2021-10-08
- Nu-X Introduces the Ace of Tone Dual Overdrive, Premier Guitar, 2022-01-11
- Does NUX's Ace Of Tone offer more value than any other dual overdrive pedal in the world right now?, MusicRadar, 2022-01-21
- NUX NDO-5 Ace of Tone Dual Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2024-08-22
- Ace of Tone by NUX, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
