The StewMac Two Kings Boost Pedal Kit is a buildable boost and overdrive pedal: a 2-in-1 box you solder and assemble yourself. It is inspired by the Analog Man King of Tone, the boutique dual overdrive famous for its waitlist, and Premier Guitar described it as a way to "build this incredible pedal without breaking the bank"1. The kit was listed at $129.991.
The two sides of the pedal are completely independent, each capable of anything from a simple clean boost through gritty overdrive to distortion, depending on how the controls are set1. Premier Guitar characterized the sound as "transparent but still warm and gritty, with a full range of frequencies available without completely overtaking your tone"1.
As of November 2025, StewMac also sells the Two Kings as a pre-built pedal, part of a lineup of pre-built versions of its kits that includes the Sun Fuzz, Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive and Lightcycle Phasor II Optical Phaser2. That version is covered on its own page: StewMac Two Kings Pre-Built DIY Dual Boost Overdrive.
Two independent boost and drive sides
The core idea of the Two Kings is two channels in one enclosure, each capable of clean boost or warm, touch-sensitive drive2. Because the sides are completely independent1, a player can dedicate one to a transparent volume lift for solos and the other to a set-and-forget overdrive, or run both together for more gain staging options than a single boost pedal allows.
The original boutique pedal this circuit traces to carried years-long waitlists and used prices climbing into the high hundreds2, which is the gap the kit and the pre-built version were built to fill. Pedal of the Day describes the result as "that Centaur tone without the five-figure collector's budget"2.
The controls and internal settings
The external knobs cover the three basics a boost or drive pedal needs1:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | How much the signal hits the clipping stage2 |
| Volume | Overall output level, clockwise louder, counterclockwise quieter2 |
| Tone | Top-end brightness, clockwise brighter, counterclockwise darker2 |
Inside the pedal there are two internal controls and DIP switches that "let you get deep to shape the sound"1. The internal trim pot adjusts the brightness of the signal, counterclockwise for a brighter tone and clockwise for a darker tone2.
The DIP switches select the clipping character. With switches 1 and 3 up, the pedal is in Overdrive Mode with soft clipping2. One thing to know when dialing in a setting: more clipping results in lower output volume2, so a heavier clipping mode may need the Volume control turned up to match level.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Max input level | -10 dBm2 |
| Noise floor | -72 dBm2 |
What reviewers said
Pedal of the Day's reviewer found the pre-built version to be a practical long-term board piece rather than a novelty:
"It's the kind of pedal that doesn't just sit on your board, it stays there."
Pedal of the Day, November 20252
Videos
Premier Guitar
Premier Guitar
Bill's Guitar Garage - Bill Taylor
Questions
What circuit is the StewMac Two Kings based on?
The kit is inspired by the Analog Man King of Tone, the dual boost/overdrive pedal known for its years-long waitlist. Pedal of the Day also describes the resulting tone as Centaur-like, meaning it sits in the same transparent, touch-sensitive family as those sought-after boutique overdrives, without the collector price.
Does the StewMac Two Kings come pre-built?
The Two Kings was originally offered as a buildable kit. As of November 2025, StewMac also sells it as a pre-built pedal, part of a lineup of pre-built versions of its pedal kits that includes the Sun Fuzz, Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive and Lightcycle Phasor II Optical Phaser.
Can the two sides of the Two Kings be used independently?
Yes. The two sides of the pedal are completely independent, and each channel is capable of clean boost or warm, touch-sensitive drive. That lets a player set one side as a simple volume lift and the other for grittier overdrive or distortion.
What enclosure does the Two Kings kit come in?
The kit lets you choose a white or a bare enclosure, and it includes custom labels. The bare option leaves the finish to the builder, which is part of the appeal of a kit build for players who want a pedal that looks like their own work.
How much is the StewMac Two Kings kit?
Premier Guitar listed the Two Kings Boost Pedal Kit at $129.99 when it covered the kit in May 2023. That price is for the buildable kit version; check StewMac's current pricing for the kit and the pre-built version, as prices can change.
What are the DIP switches on the Two Kings for?
The internal DIP switches select clipping character. With switches 1 and 3 up, the pedal is in Overdrive Mode with soft clipping. More clipping lowers the output volume, so switch settings and the Volume control work together to set the final level.
Sources (2)
- StewMac Two Kings Boost Pedal Demo, Premier Guitar, 2023-05-09
- StewMac Two Kings Pre-Built DIY Dual Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2025-11-02
