The Radial Engineering Tonebone Classic is a tube distortion pedal built around a 12AX7 vacuum tube. Radial describes it as a high performance 12AX7 tube distortion pedal designed to deliver the tone, feel and dynamics of a cranked tube amp, and inside it combines two gain stages to create the distortion, with the 12AX7 tube drive delivering added warmth and harmonic content1. Tonebone pedals are used by Jake Cinninger of Umphrey's McGee2.
The pedal is discontinued: Radial's product page states it is no longer shipping1, and a 2017 Pedal of the Day review calls it "the now-discontinued Tonebone Classic Tube Distortion"2. It was replaced in 2016 by the compact, tubeless Tonebone Classic V9.
What it is and what it does
The Classic is a distortion pedal whose range runs from a light crunch to severe overdrive, with what Pedal of the Day described as natural, even-harmonic distortion from a real tube2. Radial says the design follows the vision set by Leo Fender in the 1950s and is based on the modified vintage overdrive sounds that emerged in the 1970s1.
Vintage Guitar's reviewers noted the Classic and its sibling Hot-British both use a 12AX7 tube to drive the circuit3. On the used market, the original Classic has found its way onto some notable pedalboards: MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen notes it was used by Eric Johnson, among others42, and Pedal of the Day reports Jake Cinninger of Umphrey's McGee as a user2.
The controls
The Classic front-loads its gain shaping into three-position switches, then lets you fine-tune with knobs. Radial describes the starting point as a 3-position gain switch and drive control that lets you dial in anything from slight overdrive to high gain saturation, followed by ultra sensitive passive-interactive tone controls to contour the sound1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive Gain switch | Three positions (Low, Medium, High) that set the distortion range2 |
| Drive knob | Adjusts the input level for optimum distortion2 |
| High and Low knobs | A tone-shaping EQ section2 |
| Filter knob | A gentle roll-off for extra-bright amps2 |
| Top End switch | Bright, Flat, and Dark modes to shape the feel and overall tone2 |
| Mid Boost switch | A 7dB or 12dB boost for lead runs and solos2 |
The two voicing switches are where much of the pedal's character lives. The Mid Boost "harkens back to classic amp sounds, giving you a 7dB or 12dB boost for lead runs and solos," as Pedal of the Day put it2. The Top End switch's Bright, Flat, and Dark modes shape the feel and overall tone, while the Filter knob tames amps that are already too bright2. Vintage Guitar's reviewers confirmed the same three-position switches for Top End, Mid Boost, and Drive Gain3.
Later versions: Classic V9 and Hot-British V9
In October 2016 Radial released the Tonebone Classic V9 at $169.9956. The V9 is a "next generation" version of the original Classic that is both smaller and easier to power: it runs on a standard 9V supply and accepts batteries, where the original needed 15-volt power to drive the valve and had a larger footprint that MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen said put it out of kilter with recent stompbox trends4.
The big change is under the hood. The V9 is said to offer the same sound as the original via FET and IC circuitry instead of the 12AX7 tube4. Its control set carries over the idea of the original: a 3-position GAIN switch that Radial says focuses the distortion range so it responds more accurately to the player's picking and style, a fully adjustable DRIVE control, a 3-position MID BOOST to fatten single coil tones or enhance solos, a TOP END switch to compensate for overly bright amps like early Marshalls, and a post-distortion EQ with high and low controls to carve the tone to match the amplifier5. The V9 drops the original's Filter knob7.
If you want the tube, you need the original Classic, not the V9. Gearnews's Jef wrote of the V9: "I am surprised that Radial have dropped the tube for the sake of adding battery power. It almost feels like a step backwards, but the author will wait to hear one before judging"7.
The same treatment came to the rest of the Tonebone distortion line. The Classic V9 is a next generation version of the original Classic that is both smaller and easier to power, and it is said to offer the same sound via FET and IC circuitry in a smaller, more pedalboard-friendly format54. It also carries a post distortion EQ that lets you carve out the tone to best match the amplifier5.
What reviewers said
Opinions on the original Classic were mixed but generally positive. Pedal of the Day found it "extremely versatile, and capable of emulating almost any overdrive and distortion tone you can think of," and noted that since it went out of production, used units are relatively easy to find with a super-affordable price tag2. Vintage Guitar's reviewers found it solidly made3.
Gearnews's Jef, writing from his own experience with the original, was more reserved7:
"It was solidly made and sounded pretty 'Marshall-like' in tone. It didn't have much character of its own compared to my Mesa V-Twin pedal or my Marshall JMP rack, for example."7
Guitar Interactive Magazine's Jonathan Graham was more effusive about the original's reputation, calling it "likely the best tube distortion pedal ever made"5. On the V9, MusicRadar's Trevor Curwen concluded that it delivers "valve-like overdrive and distortion delivered across a marvellously versatile range with bulletproof build quality"4.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Reverb
gearmanndude
Questions
Is the Radial Tonebone Classic discontinued?
Yes. Radial Engineering's own product page states the Tonebone Classic has been discontinued and is no longer shipping, and a 2017 Pedal of the Day review also describes it as out of production. Used units are relatively easy to find and were described in 2017 as carrying a super-affordable price tag.
What does the Mid Boost switch do on the Tonebone Classic?
The Mid Boost switch is a three-position control that gives a 7dB or 12dB midrange boost for lead runs and solos, harkening back to classic amp sounds. On the V9 version Radial describes it as a way to fatten up the tone of single coil pickups or enhance solos for more sustain.
What does the Top End switch do?
The Top End switch offers Bright, Flat, and Dark modes to shape the feel and overall tone. Radial describes the V9's version of the switch as a way to compensate for overly bright amps, like early Marshalls, or to enhance harmonics when working with more distorted tones.
Does the Tonebone Classic use a real tube?
Yes. The original Tonebone Classic is built around a 12AX7 vacuum tube, combining two gain stages to create the distortion with a 12AX7 tube drive for added warmth and harmonic content. The later Classic V9 replaces the tube with FET and IC circuitry.
What replaced the Tonebone Classic?
The Radial Tonebone Classic V9, released in October 2016 for $169.99. It is a smaller, 9V-powered version that Radial says offers the same sound as the original via FET and IC circuitry instead of the 12AX7 tube. A Hot-British V9 followed in 2017.
How much does a used Tonebone Classic cost?
The original listed at $299 retail when reviewed by Vintage Guitar in 2004. After it went out of production, Pedal of the Day reported in 2017 that used units are relatively easy to find and come with a super-affordable price tag, though no specific used price was given.
Sources (7)
- Classic - Radial Engineering, Radial Engineering, 2021-03-17
- Radial Engineering Tonebone Classic Tube Distortion, Pedal of the Day, 2017-10-13
- Radial Engineering Tonebone Classic, Hot British, and Switchbone, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2006-02-23
- Radial Engineering Tonebone Classic V9 review, MusicRadar, 2017-05-27
- Radial's Updated Tonebone Pedal, the Classic V9 Now Shipping, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2016-10-17
- Radial releases "next-generation" Tonebone distortion pedal, the Classic V9, MusicRadar, 2016-10-12
- Radial Tonebone Classic V9: What, no tube?, gearnews.com, 2016-10-13
Eric Johnson
