Tone King Royalist MKIII Combo

The Sovereign Sound of Vintage British Amplification

Packing three legendary British tube-amp voices packed into a single combo, the Tone King Royalist MKIII is a 40-watt powerhouse of boutique tube tone. This Celestion-equipped 2-channel 1 x 12-inch combo amp marshals three distinct British-style tube-amp voicings from the 1960s and early 1970s, ranging from a low-gain blues classic to all-out full-stack crunch, all accessed by two channel-specific 3-way switches. In addition, each channel also boasts its own dedicated Iron Man II attenuator for whisper-quiet true tube saturation, as well as two pull fat controls to beef up your bass response. You also get a classic British amplifier global control section, including a 3-band EQ and a Presence knob to tweak your tone to taste. Tone King rounds out this amp’s vintage aesthetic with a host of modern utility functions, including a rear-panel line-out and a selectable impedance control.

Two channel-specific Iron Man II attenuators

The Tone King Royalist MKIII comes equipped with a pair of EL34 power tubes and three 12AX7A preamp tubes, a potent tube combo found in scores of golden-age British amplifier designs. Moreover, the Royalist MKIII sports a 5AR4 in the rectifier section, supplying you with the warm and compressed sound of the tube “sag” favored by vintage amp enthusiasts.

Now, the Royalist MKIII’s 40-watt design is no slouch in the volume department, and cranking a tube amp of this size up to the point of breakup likely isn’t feasible for many guitarists. For this reason, the Tone King Royalist MKIII boasts two built-in Iron Man III attenuators (one for each channel), allowing you to achieve rich preamp saturation, power tube distortion, and raw tube sag at bedroom-appropriate volumes. What’s more, Tone King tells Sweetwater that Iron Man II attenuators utilize a tuned reactive load circuit to emulate the frequency-dependent impedance curve of a speaker. More succinctly, this impressive feat offers a remarkably transparent tone, even when your signal is heavily attenuated.

A trio of classic British-style tube amp voicings

As a throwback to legendary British tube amps of yore, the Tone King Royalist MKIII features a straightforward 2-channel design with a versatile 3-band EQ and Presence knob. It’s a simple, intuitive setup that any British amplifier fanatic will be familiar with; however, the Tone King Royalist MKIII ups the ante with pull fat controls located on each channel’s volume knob. By activating the pull fat control, you can modify the Royalist MKIII’s feel with enhanced bass frequencies on the first gain stage — perfect for massive-sounding cleans or a thicker overdriven tone. You also get a pair of channel-specific 3-way voicing switches that capture a trio preamp, negative feedback, and tone stack voicings inspired by Britain’s most iconic tube amps:

1964: This setting captures the vibe of the amp that broke the British blues sound in the early 1960s, providing a medium level of gain, balanced trebles, and a slightly less aggressive tone overall.
1967: The sound of the rock revolution, 1967 unlocks a raw, aggressive bite with plenty of gain on tap.
1970: Lastly, 1970 grants you the highest level of gain, all but guaranteed to result in particularly super-sounding leads.

Vintage tone meets modern utility

While the Tone King Royalist MKIII is clearly inspired by the British designs of the past, this amplifier is no slouch when it comes to modern utility! Flip the Royalist MKIII around to be greeted by a line-out with a dedicated level control, allowing for roaring tube tones at home without raising a ruckus. Plus, you also get a selectable impedance control (4/8/16 ohms) that makes it a breeze to pair your Royalist MKIII with just about any extension cab or alternate speaker out there.

Tone King Royalist MKIII 40W 1 x 12-inch Tube Combo Amplifier Features:

• Inspired by the legendary British amplifier designs of the 1960s and early 1970s
• 2-channel design, with included footswitch and cable
• Custom-voiced Tone King Celestion 1660 12-inch speaker delivers a full-throttle response, beaming with rich overtones, forward midrange, ultra-defined highs, and enveloping low end
• 2 EL34 power tubes, a trio of 12AX7A preamp tubes, and a 5AR4 tube rectifier unlock harmonic-rich, dynamic, and organic-sounding breakup tones
• Global 3-band EQ and Presence knob to fine-tune your tone
• Channel-specific pull fat control bolsters your low end for massive cleans and a thicker overdriven sound
• Per-channel 3-way voicing switches that offer distinct preamp, tone stack, and negative feedback voices from 3 iconic British tube amps
• 2 channel-specific Iron Man II attenuators allow you to pump out roaring tube saturation at home-appropriate volumes, all without coloring your tone
• High-frequency switch to tame an overly bright instrument
• Line-out with a dedicated level knob for silent recording and cab-less performing
• 3-way impedance knob (4/8/16 ohms) allows you to pair your amp with almost any extension or alternate speaker
• Top-quality tongue and groove Baltic birch cab construction