MXR Duke of Tone
MXR (based on Analog Man King of Tone) · 2022
What It Is
The MXR Duke of Tone is a collaboration between MXR and Analog Man, bringing a single-sided version of the famously difficult-to-obtain Analog Man King of Tone to mass production. The King of Tone (KOT) has arguably the longest waiting list in guitar pedal history — at its peak, several years. The Duke of Tone captures one channel of the KOT: a smooth, warm overdrive based around a soft-clipping circuit that mimics the behavior of a pushed tube amp. Three internal mode switches shift the character between clean boost, overdrive, and distortion.
Tonal Character
Warm, full, and harmonically rich. The overdrive mode has a softness that comes from the asymmetrical clipping circuit — the same approach as a Tube Screamer but tuned differently. Unlike the Tube Screamer, the Duke of Tone doesn't impose a heavy midrange hump; it's more balanced. The clean boost mode is genuinely clean, adding volume without coloration. In distortion mode it becomes more aggressive.
Found In
| Platform | Model Names |
|---|---|
| HeadRush | Palace OD |
Videos
Manual
View ManualFamous Uses
- →Analog Man King of Tone (the source circuit) used by John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Eric Johnson, and many others
Best For
Controls Explained
Descriptions reflect the real-world gear these models are inspired by. Your modeler's implementation may vary. Use as a starting point — always trust your ears.
Volume
Output level. In clean boost mode, volume is the primary control — dial it above unity to push your amp model harder without adding obvious coloring. In overdrive mode, volume above unity creates a natural-sounding amp-boost combination. Because the Duke of Tone is voiced more neutrally than a Tube Screamer, volume boosts from this pedal tend to feel more open and transparent.
Drive
Gain amount. In clean boost mode, drive has relatively little effect on distortion character but does affect overall level. In overdrive mode, drive settings in the 30–70% range produce the sweet-spot crunch the King of Tone is known for — warm, even saturation that retains chord clarity. Higher drive settings approach heavier crunch. In distortion mode, the drive range produces more aggressive clipping.
Tone
Treble control centered around a neutral position. Unlike the Tube Screamer's tone control (which works against a fixed midrange hump), the Duke of Tone's tone control has a more balanced character — it genuinely brightens or warms the signal without a fixed mid-emphasis. Center position is neutral. Rolling back produces a warm, rounded tone. Pushing toward maximum adds brightness and cut. For most applications, keeping tone close to center and shaping with the amp model's own EQ produces the best results.
Mode (internal dip switches)
Three internal DIP switches select between Clean Boost, Overdrive, and Distortion voicings. Changing modes requires opening the battery compartment and adjusting the switches. Clean Boost: minimal coloration, transparent volume boost. Overdrive: the classic KOT warm crunch. Distortion: more aggressive, harder clipping. Most players use the Overdrive mode — if you're not getting the tone you expect from this pedal, verify which mode is engaged, as the factory default may be Overdrive.
Sample Configurations
Starting points for common tones — dial in from here.
| Name | Volume | Drive | Tone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Boost | 7 | 2 | 5 | Low drive, level above unity. Adds warmth and pushes the amp naturally. |
| KOT Crunch | 5 | 5 | 5 | The classic King of Tone mid-gain crunch. Warm, even, chord-friendly. |
| Pushed Rhythm | 5 | 7 | 6 | Higher drive for more saturation. Tone slightly bright for cut. |