The Tone City Kaffir Lime is an overdrive/boost pedal built on the classic 808 voicing, the mid-humped circuit family that includes the Tube Screamer. Tone City describes its character as mid-boosted, working well when run into an already driven amp, where it adds extra saturation and sustain, and producing a bluesy crunch into a clean amp1. Like all Tone City pedals, it comes in a small micro format that the maker says retains all the features and functionality of its full-sized counterparts1.
The controls: gain, volume, bass and treble
The Kaffir Lime carries four knobs, arranged as a standard gain and volume pair plus a 2-band EQ with bass and treble controls1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Sets the amount of gain1 |
| Volume | Sets the output level1 |
| Bass | Can be cranked for a smooth overdrive sound through a thin-sounding amplifier1 |
| Treble | Part of the 2-band EQ, shaping the high end1 |
What separates it from a straight 808-style drive is that the EQ works beyond the usual mid-focused voicing. On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan noted that the pedal "has got high and low control," so it "should start off fairly TS sounding" but can be rolled toward something else2. Dan described it as a pedal that "perfectly illustrates the kind of, if you define them as such, the shortcomings of the classic 808," and said that with lows and highs rolled on it goes back towards a more wide range overdrive2. Mick introduced it as Tone City's "more cost effective offering" on the episode2.
For players comparing drives in this territory, the Kaffir Lime sits alongside other Tone City overdrives such as the Tone City Sweet Cream, Tone City King Of Blues and Tone City Bad Horse, and the wider field is covered on the Overdrive Pedals page.
Power and size
The Kaffir Lime is powered by a DC 9V power supply and draws 10 mA1. Its input impedance is 500K and its output impedance is 10K1. The low current draw means it sits easily on a pedalboard supply alongside other mini pedals.
Tone City specifies a DC 9V adapter for this pedal. The maker's page does not list battery operation, so plan your power around a 9V DC supply.
The pedal measures 9.4 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 4.8 cm high, and weighs 0.26 kg1. That is genuinely small: it takes up little more room than the jacks and knob spacing demand, which is the point of the micro format.
Videos
Andertons Music Co
intheblues
EytschPi42
Questions
Is the Tone City Kaffir Lime true bypass?
Yes. Tone City lists the Kaffir Lime as true bypass, so when the pedal is off your guitar's signal passes through without the overdrive circuit loading it. Like all Tone City pedals, it is built as a small micro pedal that keeps the features and functionality of the company's full-sized counterparts.
Does the Tone City Kaffir Lime take a battery?
Tone City specifies a DC 9V adapter as the power supply for the Kaffir Lime, drawing 10 mA. The maker's product page does not list battery operation, so plan on a 9V DC power supply rather than expecting a battery compartment.
How big is the Tone City Kaffir Lime?
Tone City gives the Kaffir Lime's dimensions as 9.4 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 4.8 cm high, with a weight of 0.26 kg. That makes it a micro pedal that takes up little room on a pedalboard.
Is the Kaffir Lime a Tube Screamer clone?
It starts from the 808 voicing but goes further. Tone City describes its character as mid-boosted, adding saturation and sustain into a driven amp and a bluesy crunch into a clean amp. On That Pedal Show, Mick and Dan noted it has high and low controls that roll on highs and lows beyond the classic 808, and Dan called it a pedal that illustrates the shortcomings of the classic 808.
Sources (2)
- Kaffir Lime-Excellent Overdrive/Boost Pedal Mid-boosted Character & Works Brilliantly With Clean Amp-TONE CITY ▏Analog Pedals & Power supplies, Tone City Audio, 2026
- Because The World Needs Another Tube Screamer Video Is Mick’s TS808 Still King?, That Pedal Show (youtube.com), 2022-12-16
