Tone King Royalist Tube Preamp Pedal
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Description
The Royalist Tube Preamp Pedal captures the soul of Tone King's beloved Royalist MKIII amplifier - the company's most authentic take on the golden age of British tone. From the sweet, singing JTM45, through the unmistakable Plexi crunch, to the searing drive of the Super Lead, this high-voltage tri-tube preamp pedal delivers the full spectrum of British rock attitude in a compact, pedalboard-friendly format.
Running on three 12AX7 tubes at proper high voltages, the Royalist Preamp brings the complete touch sensitivity, harmonic bloom, and dynamic punch of the Royalist MKIII amp to your pedalboard. Each of its two independent channels features the amp's FAT switch and three-way 1964/1967/1970 voicing selector, faithfully reproducing the gain structure, tone stack, and feel of the original circuits. Whether you're chasing sparkling cleans, punchy crunch, or molten roar, the Royalist Preamp delivers the unmistakable voice of British rock, anywhere, at any volume.
Three Eras of Iconic British Tone
Each channel of the Royalist Preamp offers its own three-position voicing switch, mirroring the evolution of the British amp sound across decades:
1964 - Smooth top end, lower gain, and a balanced, vintage warmth inspired by early British blues amps.
1967 - Crisp treble response, bold midrange, and the aggressive bite that defined rock's formative years.
1970 - Increased gain and tightness for that unmistakable, high-energy crunch of arena-ready hard rock.
Pair these voicings with each channel's FAT switch option to add body and low-end warmth to single-coil guitars or enhance sustain and punch with humbuckers.
Era Accurate Tone Stacks
The Royalist features two identical channels, each voiced with its own distinct tone stack. The top channel uses a vintage-accurate JTM45 / Bassman / Super Bass inspired EQ. The bottom channel reflects a later-era British Lead tone stack.
While the two channels can be dialed remarkably close, their subtle differences give players two authentic British flavors-one tight and articulate, the other more mid forward.
Built-In Zero Watt Power Amp - Phase Inverter
The Royalist Preamp includes Tone King's "Zero Watt Power Amp," a genuine phase inverter circuit powered by one of its three 12AX7 tubes. This design captures the Royalist's harmonic depth and dynamic interaction between preamp and power stage - a key ingredient of true British tone that most preamp pedals can't replicate. The result is the full experience of an overdriven Royalist power section, without the ear-splitting volume.
Impulse Response (IR) Cabinet & Power Amp Sim
The Royalist Preamp Pedal features Tone King's low-latency IR and power amp simulation engine, offering direct output to FOH, recording interfaces, or headphones with stunning realism. Preloaded with a curated selection of OwnHammer IRs listed below, each channel includes a 3-way IR selector for instant tonal changes.
OH 412 Pinstripe H25: Celestion G12H-25's from 1967 captured in a pinstripe 1982B 4x12 cabinet by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57, Telefunken MD421, and Royer 121 microphones through mid-late 1970's API 312 preamps.
OH 112 Imperial TK1660: Tone King 1660 captured in a Tone King Imperial 1x12 combo by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57, Neumann U87, and Royer 121 microphones through mid-late 1970's API 312 preamps.
OH 412 M75BB: 16-ohm, 1777 cone Celestion "black back" G12M-75's from 1975 captured in a 412 cabinet by Kevin Rowe of OwnHammer using Shure SM57 and Sennheiser MD421 microphones through mid-late 1970's API 312 preamps.
There are 20 IRs to choose from in the included Tone King Editor software (powered by Synergy) which are easy to swap in and out of the pedal's six available slots. You can also disengage the onboard IR loader entirely to use the preamp with an external IR loader or powered cabinet.
Tone King Editor Software - Deep Control, Modern Flexibility
The included Tone King Editor software unlocks deep editing capabilities for digital parameters. Save and recall up to 128 presets via MIDI, assign IRs per channel, fine-tune HF and LP filters, and configure reverb, or FX loop assignments - all in one intuitive interface.
Expanding Your Rig
The Royalist Preamp Pedal is equally at home on stage, in the studio, or integrated with your favorite amp.
Add Channels to Your Amp
Use the 3-cable method with any amp that has a series effects loop to instantly add two channels of British tube tone to your existing rig.
Combine with Other Preamps
Link multiple effects-loop-equipped preamp pedals to build an ultimate hybrid system. Assign the Royalist's IRs and power amp emulation to other preamps, or route its reactive output into a separate power amp and cabinet for the real-air experience.
The Sound of British Heritage, Reborn for the Modern Player
From the club stages of the '60s to the arenas of the '70s, the sound of British rock has defined generations of guitar tone. Now, with the Royalist Tube Preamp Pedal, that legacy lives on - delivering the roar, chime, and harmonic richness of those legendary amplifiers in a compact, high-voltage, pedalboard-ready design.
Features
• Two Channel High-Voltage preamp - DI• 3 x 12AX7 preamp tubes running at proper high voltages
• Built-In zero-watt power amp - phase inverter circuit
• Three-way 1964/1967/1970 voicing switch per channel
• Reverb control (assignable to each channel)
• Stereo, Series FX loop (bypassable)
• MIDI programmable
• Save up to 128 presets for instant recall via an external MIDI switcher
• Onboard Impulse Response (IR) Technology
• Power amp simulation with software editable HF Comp, Low-Pass and High-Pass filters (per channel)
Q & A
Reviews
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
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- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: Starting at 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. Starting at 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
Reserve in Store
| Product | SKU | Qty |
|---|---|---|
| Royalist Tube Preamp Pedal | 837795 |
