The Radial Tonebone PZ-Deluxe is a studio-quality acoustic instrument preamp and DI built into a pedal-style enclosure for live and recording use. Radial classifies it as a booster and DI: it conditions the signal from an acoustic pickup, shapes tone with a semi-parametric three-band EQ and low-cut filter, and feeds both a stage amp and the PA from one box1. MusicRadar's Dave Burrluck describes it as "the sort of signal conditioning that should ensure your out-front and backline sound is maximised"2.
The controls
The PZ-Deluxe is built around input conditioning and tone shaping. To the left of the output control sit four rotary EQ knobs for low, mid, mid frequency and high, which Burrluck found feel extremely tough; the mid-frequency control sweeps a very wide range, which is what makes the EQ semi-parametric2. A three-position Lo-Cut slide switch offers flat, low-mid cut and low-cut positions, useful for taming the low-end boom a piezo pickup can produce2.
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Low, Mid, Mid Frequency, High | Rotary knobs | Three-band EQ with a semi-parametric midrange12 |
| Lo-Cut | 3-position slide switch | Flat, low-mid cut or low-cut2 |
| Boost level | Recessed screwdriver control | Set-and-forget boost level, 13dB of gain, won't get moved in transit2 |
| Output | Rotary control | Sets level for both the XLR and jack amp outputs2 |
| Ground lift | Slide switch | One of four slide switches, for isolating ground loops2 |
Two footswitches handle stage duties: one engages the boost, the other mutes the output for tuning or instrument changes1. The boost level is deliberately hidden away: "The boost level is a recessed control that you can set with a cross-head screwdriver, which won't get moved in transit"2.
Power and connections
The PZ-Deluxe is built into a pedal-style enclosure for live and recording use, with boost and mute footswitches to shape tone and control stage output1. Guitarist magazine describes the housing as a smaller but weighty, bomb-proof rugged metal enclosure, measuring 145mm wide by 95mm deep and approximately 45mm tall, and notes that input is a single jack2.
The PZ-Deluxe is a pedal-style unit rather than a compact stompbox, at 145mm wide by 95mm deep and approximately 45mm tall, so plan board space accordingly2.
On the output side, separate 1/4" outputs feed a stage amp and a tuner, while a balanced XLR DI drives long cable runs to the PA1. A single 1/4" jack is the input2, and the right-hand rotary control sets output level for both the XLR and the amp jack together2. The ground lift slide switch helps with hum when the DI and amp outputs are connected to different power circuits2.
PZ-Deluxe and PZ-Pre
The PZ-Deluxe is a variant of Radial's Tonebone PZ-Pre. Burrluck calls the PZ-Pre "pretty much the most feature-laden dual-input acoustic guitar/instrument preamp we've encountered" and describes the PZ-Deluxe as stripping it down "to a more focused, single-input design"2. Where the PZ-Pre carries two inputs, the PZ-Deluxe takes one instrument and keeps the core toolkit: input conditioning, three-band EQ with semi-parametric midrange, boost and mute switching, and jack outs for a stage amp and tuner plus an XLR for the PA2. It sits in the wider field of acoustic preamp and DI pedals such as the Boss AD-2 Acoustic Preamp and LR Baggs Session DI, and among acoustic pedals generally it is positioned as a preamp and DI rather than an effects unit.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review, by Dave Burrluck, praises the build and the result: the electronics are housed in "a smaller but weighty, bomb-proof rugged metal enclosure"2, and his overall verdict was:
"It's not cheap, but neither does it feel or sound it. An eminent road hog!"
Videos
Sweetwater
Fabian Holland
FOX17 Rock & Review
Questions
Is the Radial Tonebone PZ-Deluxe analog?
Yes. Radial lists the PZ-Deluxe as an analog circuit, built into a pedal-style enclosure for live and recording use. It is an acoustic instrument preamp and DI, so your signal stays in the analog domain from the input jack through the EQ and boost stages to the jack outputs and the balanced XLR.
Does the PZ-Deluxe come with a power supply?
Yes. MusicRadar's review notes that the PZ-Deluxe is powered by an included 15-volt, 400mA external power supply. Because it needs 15V DC at 400mA, center negative, it is not a pedal you can run from a standard 9V daisy-chain output, so plan your board power accordingly.
How much boost does the PZ-Deluxe provide?
The PZ-Deluxe's boost footswitch engages a set-and-forget level boost with 13dB of gain, according to MusicRadar's review. The boost level itself is set with a recessed control that takes a cross-head screwdriver, so it will not be knocked or moved in transit once you have dialed it in.
What is the difference between the PZ-Deluxe and the PZ-Pre?
The PZ-Deluxe is a variant of Radial's long-running PZ-Pre, stripped down to a more focused, single-input design. MusicRadar describes the PZ-Pre as pretty much the most feature-laden dual-input acoustic guitar and instrument preamp it has encountered, while the PZ-Deluxe carries one input and keeps the input conditioning, three-band EQ with semi-parametric midrange, boost and DI outputs.
Sources (2)
- Tonebone PZ-Deluxe by Radial Engineering, RockBoard (PedalPedia), 2026
- Radial Tonebone PZ-Deluxe review, MusicRadar, 2016-03-11
