The StewMac Two Kings Pre-Built DIY Dual Boost Overdrive is a dual boost and overdrive pedal: two independent channels in one box, each capable of clean boost or warm, touch-sensitive drive1. It comes from StewMac, the tool and kit maker, and sits in a lineup of pre-built pedals derived from the company's DIY kit designs, alongside the Sun Fuzz, Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive and Lightcycle Phasor II1.
What makes it notable is its lineage. The circuit is based on the Centaur, the boutique overdrive whose original versions carried years-long waitlists and used prices climbing into the high hundreds1. Pedal of the Day's reviewer framed the pedal's whole purpose around that history:
"to deliver this legendary sound without the waitlist or the crazy price tag"
Pedal of the Day, 2 November 20251
Two independent channels of boost or drive
Each of the Two Kings' two channels can be set up as a clean boost or as a drive, which is what separates it from a single-channel overdrive. Pedal of the Day describes the range as running from clean boost to rich overdrive, always responsive to your touch and true to your guitar and amp1. In practice that means one channel can push your amp harder while the other adds grit, or both can be stacked for more saturation.
The reviewer's overall verdict was about staying power rather than any single sound:
"It's the kind of pedal that doesn't just sit on your board, it stays there."
Pedal of the Day, 2 November 20251
The controls and clipping modes
Each channel carries three knobs, plus internal shaping controls inside the enclosure.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Drive | Controls how much the signal hits the clipping stage1 |
| Volume | Sets overall output level (clockwise louder, counterclockwise quieter)1 |
| Tone | Adjusts top-end brightness (clockwise brighter, counterclockwise darker)1 |
| Internal trim pot | Adjusts brightness of the signal; counterclockwise brighter, clockwise darker1 |
The clipping character itself is set by internal DIP switches, giving three distinct modes:
| DIP switch setting | Mode | Clipping |
|---|---|---|
| Switches 1 & 3 up | Overdrive Mode | Soft clipping1 |
| Switches 2 & 4 up | Distortion Mode | Hard clipping1 |
| All switches down | Clean Mode | None1 |
More clipping results in lower output volume, so switching from Clean Mode into Overdrive or Distortion Mode will cost you level. Compensate with the Volume knob after changing modes1.
Soft clipping in Overdrive Mode is the same approach used by most overdrive pedals, where the signal is gently rounded off for a smoother, more amp-like breakup. Hard clipping in Distortion Mode flattens the wave more aggressively, pushing the channel toward distortion territory. Clean Mode leaves the channel as a straight boost.
Power and specifications
The Two Kings runs on 9VDC through a standard 2.1mm negative center input, drawing 33.7mA1. There is no battery option, so it needs a pedalboard power supply or adapter1.
Do not exceed 9VDC. Higher voltage can damage the pedal1.
Other measured specifications from Pedal of the Day:
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Max input level | -10 dBm1 |
| Noise floor | -72 dBm1 |
| Input impedance | 1MΩ1 |
| Output impedance | 600Ω1 |
| Enclosure size | 120.5mm × 94.5mm × 34.25mm1 |
From Centaur-style boutique pedal to StewMac kit
The Two Kings did not start life as a StewMac product. It was originally a rare boutique pedal, with builders' waitlists stretching for years and used prices climbing into the high hundreds, and it is now available as a pre-built DIY pedal from StewMac1.
StewMac's route to the pre-built pedal ran through its Two Kings Boost Pedal Kit, offered as a buildable kit. Premier Guitar described the kit's pitch in 2023:
"StewMac made this kit so anyone can build this incredible pedal without breaking the bank."
StewMac's new lineup of pre-made pedal kit effects also includes the Sun Fuzz, the Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive and the Lightcycle Phasor II Optical Phaser, with the Two Kings Dual Boost Overdrive offered as a 2-in-1 pre-built pedal123.
The kit ships with full color detailed step-by-step instructions written for the beginner, and StewMac is there to help if you get stuck4.
In September 2025, StewMac launched a lineup of pre-built versions of its kit effects, including the Sun Fuzz, Ghost Drive Transparent Overdrive, Two Kings Dual Boost Overdrive and Lightcycle Phasor II Optical Phaser123. The Two Kings pre-built pedal followed in November 2025, delivering the Centaur-style circuit without the collector price or the soldering1. For players who want to build it themselves, the kit version remains a separate product.
Videos
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Questions
Can the StewMac Two Kings run on a battery?
No. The pedal has no battery option. It runs on a 9VDC power supply with a standard 2.1mm negative center input, and StewMac warns not to exceed 9VDC. You will need a pedalboard power supply or a dedicated 9V adapter to run it.
Is the Two Kings a Klon Centaur clone?
Its circuit is based on the Centaur. Pedal of the Day describes it as giving you that Centaur tone without the five-figure collector's budget. The original boutique pedal carried years-long waitlists and used prices climbing into the high hundreds, which is the market the StewMac version addresses.
Is the StewMac Two Kings true bypass?
Yes. Pedal of the Day lists the bypass type as True Bypass, so with the pedal disengaged your signal passes through without active buffering. Input impedance is 1MΩ and output impedance is 600Ω when engaged.
What do the DIP switches on the Two Kings do?
They select the clipping character. Switches 1 and 3 up gives Overdrive Mode with soft clipping. Switches 2 and 4 up gives Distortion Mode with hard clipping. All switches down gives Clean Mode. Note that more clipping results in lower output volume.
Can I build the Two Kings myself from a kit?
Yes. StewMac offers the Two Kings as a buildable kit with full color step-by-step instructions written for the beginner, plus build support from StewMac. The kit has knobs for gain, volume and tone, and internal controls and DIP switches for shaping the sound.
Sources (4)
- StewMac Two Kings Pre-Built DIY Dual Boost Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2025-11-02
- StewMac Lightcycle Phasor II Pre-Built DIY Optical Phaser, Pedal of the Day, 2025-11-22
- StewMac Ghost Drive Pre-Built DIY Transparent Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2025-10-18
- StewMac Two Kings Boost Pedal Demo, Premier Guitar, 2023-05-09
