King of Tone vs. Fulldrive 2

[Charlie Bernstein]

Have an Analogman King of Tone on order. Have also heard good things about the Fulltone Fulldrive 2.

Right now, I have two overdrives: a Bennett Brown Sound and a Barber LTD. They sound good. I could happily stick with them, but if another stomp box could replace them and sound even better, I'd go for it.

I'm not into heavy distortion. I'm looking for something that ranges from smooth sustain to a fistful of gravel in the crankcase.

So I'm wondering: Stand pat with the Bennett and LTD, switch to the King of Tone, or switch to the Fulldrive?

Thoughts? Thanks!

[Mumphrey]

Don't know a ton about them, but here's what I do know.

KOT is based on the Marshall Blues Breaker (v1) which is a lower gain pedal.
The FD2 (which I do have personal experience with) is very gainy, and is a smoother sort of tube screamery sort of affair. At least that's what it sounded like to my ears.

If the KOT is anything like its parent pedal, it will be lower gain, more open and 'cleaner' sounding. The FD sounds a bit muddy and rather disappears on stage with a band. Didn't really cut through.

Perhaps someone with experience with the KOT could chime in.

[ibobunot]

Isn't it two tweaked Marshall Bluesbreaker pedals in a box vs two tweaked Tube Screamers in a box...

[RomanS]

Depends on what you're looking for - when you need a low gain OD (you know, for sound right on the edge of clean and dirty), the Barber LTD is one of the best around, no need to look elsewhere; BTW, I compared the Fulltone FD2 to the LTD, and while the FD2 sounds great on mid-gain solo stuff, the LTD is sooo much better on lower gain stuff (less grainy, less nasally, less compressed) it is not even funny...

[DMace]

I have the KoT, and owned the FF2 Mosfet for about 15 minutes. The KoT decimates it. Much more transparent, richer sounding pedal. FF2 sounded like a transistor radio by comparison. I sold the FF2 immediately. ymmv.

[ruger9]

I've owned both, and I kept the FD2. Mumphrey is pretty close, but the KOT can easily have as much gain as the FD2- all you have to do is stack the 2 channels. Basically, the 2 differences are:

1) FD2 is an overdrive with an "additional gain stage".
KOT is TWO overdrives in 1 box, each side can be used independently, or they can be used together. Each channel has it's own gain, vol, and tone controls. It's the PERFECT overdrive box, design-wise.

2) the FD2 is more compressed, smoother, and has a slightly different midrange signature. I personally prefer the TONE of the FD2, but it's just a personal preference. I WISH the FD2 was made like the KOT tho....

in other words, if the KOT sounded like the FD2, it would be MY "holy grail overdrive". It'd be like 2 FD2s in 1 box.

[mortenw]

A bit off-topic, but still: Have you checked out the Klon Centaur? Anyways, the King of Tone is very tempting as well... How about a review of it eventually?

[mlweidl]

would think about a KoT if it wasnt a two year wait... i have a fulldrive two and use it for medium gain and a V4 OCD for lower gain..... Personaly i think they are almost the same pedal (OCD and FD2) but thats another topic....... fulldrive is awesome but i find it sounds much better with the boost on

[DMace]

Originally Posted by ruger9

I've owned both, and I kept the FD2. Mumphrey is pretty close, but the KOT can easily have as much gain as the FD2- all you have to do is stack the 2 channels. Basically, the 2 differences are:

1) FD2 is an overdrive with an "additional gain stage".
KOT is TWO overdrives in 1 box, each side can be used independently, or they can be used together. Each channel has it's own gain, vol, and tone controls. It's the PERFECT overdrive box, design-wise.

2) the FD2 is more compressed, smoother, and has a slightly different midrange signature. I personally prefer the TONE of the FD2, but it's just a personal preference. I WISH the FD2 was made like the KOT tho....

in other words, if the KOT sounded like the FD2, it would be MY "holy grail overdrive". It'd be like 2 FD2s in 1 box.

I think your post and mine show just how subjective something like this is. To me, the KOT was hands-down the better pedal. But I'm sure there are scores of great players with great ears who think the opposite. If there's one thing you can depend on in this world it's that guitarists will disagree.

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by mortenw

A bit off-topic, but still: Have you checked out the Klon Centaur? Anyways, the King of Tone is very tempting as well... How about a review of it eventually?

No. My understanding is that a) they cost a lot more, and b) they don't make them anymore.

Correct me if I'm wrong!

=O[


PS - Review fer sher!

[Charlie Bernstein]

Originally Posted by RomanS

Depends on what you're looking for - when you need a low gain OD (you know, for sound right on the edge of clean and dirty), the Barber LTD is one of the best around, no need to look elsewhere; BTW, I compared the Fulltone FD2 to the LTD, and while the FD2 sounds great on mid-gain solo stuff, the LTD is sooo much better on lower gain stuff (less grainy, less nasally, less compressed) it is not even funny...

Hm. Tempting to get the KoT but keep the LTD in the chain....on one side of the KoT or the other...

You guys always get me into trouble!

[Mumphrey]

Okay, so the KOT is two Blues Breakers in a single box.
Well, I DO know this. Having had a V1 BB once upon a time, it was the finest
low gain OD I've ever had. It really was quite brilliant.

Anything based on the Marshall BB is a no brainer for me.

[Dry Rub]

I've owned the FD2 Mosfet, Barber LTD, and currently use the KOT. Going from my first OD- a Boss Blues Driver, to the FD2 I realized a big jump in quality of sound. After a while though I realized the FD2 was still too artificial sounding and compressed. I picked up the Barber and it was a lot more organic sounding and gave better string definition. I think it safely fits the bill as a "smooth" overdrive if that means anything. After a 2 year wait, I received a KOT and it's my favorite of the three. I'm not a huge fan of the 2nd OD channel on it. The 1st OD channel is great. I dial it in to add just some extra texture and overdrive to my Blackface VR tone and set the guitar so I can roll up the volume for the solo. That's just me though. I know loads there are loads of guitarists who could make a FD2 sound great. It all depends on your style.

People complain a little too much about the wait with the KOT. It's a great pedal and I don't have any issue with it's cost. Is it worth waiting 2 years? Certainly not. With a little investigation, you can find other well made OD's that sound as good or probably better than the KOT with no wait. With that said, I enjoyed the wait actually. It was something silly to look forward to and it didn't hurt that I was buying something that I could flip for a profit if I didn't like it.

[DMace]

Originally Posted by Dry Rub

People complain a little too much about the wait with the KOT. It's a great pedal and I don't have any issue with it's cost. Is it worth waiting 2 years? Certainly not. With a little investigation, you can find other well made OD's that sound as good or probably better than the KOT with no wait. With that said, I enjoyed the wait actually. It was something silly to look forward to and it didn't hurt that I was buying something that I could flip for a profit if I didn't like it.

That's the way I looked at it. I got on 'the list' as a goof. Then when my number came up a year and a half later I bought the KOT thinking that if it was a lemon I could sell the pedal for at least what I paid. But it fast became my only OD. The left side is the best clean boost I've ever heard. The right side is great as well, but it took a bit of experimenting to get 'my settings' for it. Great pedal.

[ibobunot]

Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein

Hm. Tempting to get the KoT but keep the LTD in the chain....on one side of the KoT or the other...

You guys always get me into trouble!

The Dude - Barber Half Gainer...

[nic'o'caster]

King of Tone vs. Fulldrive 2 : I own both, the FDII being the first boutique OD I bought, years ago, and the KOT being the latest, in between some other fine OD have come and go. I've kept both because they are classics. The FDII is sleeping in my drawer though. For the comparison let's see it this way : the FDII works as an effect you put before your amp (some love it, some don't) while the KOT works like an extension of it. The only reason you might prefer the Fulldrive is because it's smoother or more compressed, the KOT is just more versatile, like adding 2 channels to your amp.

On a realistic note, buy both, play the FDII while you wait for the KOT and then when the KOT arrives, sell the Fulldrive ;)

[csapo]

Originally Posted by DMace

I have the KoT, and owned the FF2 Mosfet for about 15 minutes. The KoT decimates it. Much more transparent, richer sounding pedal. FF2 sounded like a transistor radio by comparison. I sold the FF2 immediately. ymmv.

Same here. KOT is now my #1 OD. I also have a TS based box which I love far more than my former Fulltone. I've had a few of his pedals and sorry to say that I am not a Mike Fuller fan...

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by DMace

I think your post and mine show just how subjective something like this is. To me, the KOT was hands-down the better pedal. But I'm sure there are scores of great players with great ears who think the opposite. If there's one thing you can depend on in this world it's that guitarists will disagree.

Neither is "better"... you LIKED the KOT better, I LIKED the FD2 better. There is no "right" answer. Both are GREAT overdrives, both are legendary, and for good reason.

Yes, I've had a Klon, and it's OK, didn[t nearly live up to the hype. It does one thing really well. The FD2 & KOT will do what the Klon does, and they are more versatile as well.

[ruger9]

Originally Posted by nic'o'caster

King of Tone vs. Fulldrive 2 : I own both, the FDII being the first boutique OD I bought, years ago, and the KOT being the latest, in between some other fine OD have come and go. I've kept both because they are classics. The FDII is sleeping in my drawer though. For the comparison let's see it this way : the FDII works as an effect you put before your amp (some love it, some don't) while the KOT works like an extension of it. The only reason you might prefer the Fulldrive is because it's smoother or more compressed, the KOT is just more versatile, like adding 2 channels to your amp.

Exactly. That IS why I prefer the FD2: it's smoother & more compressed. To ME, it feels more tube-amp like. When I dig in, it "pushes" back. The KOT doesn't do this, it's a "harder" pedal. When used properly, neither sounds like a pedal and both can sound like an extension of your amp. But with the amps I'vr owned, the FD2 sounded more like an extension of the amp than the KOT did.

The KOT has the better design hands down... I rarely use the "boost" on the FD2. If the FD2 were built like the KOT (2 independent channels), it'd be a better comparison, design-function wise. I WISH Fulldrive would make something like their GT-500, but with 2 overdrive sides of the FD2. That'd be my holy grail.

[vanguard]

DMace-

isn't your KOT for sale in the TDPRI classified's? maybe it was someone else's...

anyway, i found the KOT to be very "hard" sounding as well. it sounded like a mediocre modeling amp trying to do the expensive, boutique dumble thing or something.

i found the FDII not particularly impressive either. fuller's pedals all seem very safe and blah to me.

the maxon OD808 is the natural, tubey OD to beat IMO. it slayed both the aforementioned pedals, and the klon as well. i think it gets overlooked because maxon is a quiet company without waitlists or boutique hype.