Sound King


The Sound King is a super responsive and lively guitar tube amplifier with the natural presence and musical resonance of an acoustic instrument.
The pure joy of experiencing the electric guitar in this way is enhanced by an unusual range of clean and distorted sounds,
a wide frequency spectrum and inspiring tone voicing options, while retaining lively dynamics across the entire output volume.




Innovative and unique circuit design

Adjustable Resonance

'True Bypass' Reverb

EQ bypass for extra pure signal flow

Unique custom made Transformers
by Mercury Magnetics

Highest quality components

Handwired point to point wiring

Optional Field Coil speaker with variable power

Optional 'Magic Eye' Signal indicator





Class A push/pull 30Watts
300B mesh plate output tubes
6K7G mesh plate, 2x 6SL7, 6SN7 preamp tubes
83 mercury vapor rectifier tube
Adjustable resonance
Xfrmr-less tube driver reverb
Low impedance FX Loop
Preamp/line out - poweramp in
Spraque TVA filters
Spraque Vitamin Q paper/oil tone capacitors
Allen Bradley carbon composition resistors
Point to point terminal cloth wiring

100,120,220,240VAC 50/60Hz
Handmade in USA




The Sound King power/output section uses the same technology introduced with the Diamond amplifier.
No capacitors or resistors are used to shape the tone, which restrict the signal's original, pure and dynamic qualities.
The sound created by the preamp is influenced only by the quality and design of the tubes, transformers and the speaker.
Part of the output section is the unique Voice control: A 5-way switch that allows variable intensity of resonance.
Harmonics are tightened or released, creating an acoustic instrument-like natural response.





Laser engraved figured birdseye maple front panel with gold striping and vintage bakelite knobs


click to enlarge




The popular Midnight Special preamp with octal tubes enhances the Sound King with its lively and musical response.
Both the transformer-less Reverb and 3-band EQ can be bypassed for an ultra pure and flat-EQ signal response,
revealing the raw quality of the guitar pickups at the input.









The Sound King does not require a power attenuator to get a lively and musical response at lower output levels.
The unique interaction of the amp with the signal creates a variable tension that allows for the same lively response
at very low wattage levels as with higher output around the breakup point and beyond.

This amplifier produces the purest and richest cleans from the classic 300B tubes and with the preamp in overdrive
sounds like a nasty, yet smooth vintage blues amp. All with the turn of one knob, either on the amplifier or the guitar itself.









The Sound King can be used with 8 and 16 ohm speaker cabinets. Both ohm outputs deliver the signal without loss, unlike conventional multi-tap ohm selectors.
A field coil speaker option is also available with a switch that influences the magnetic field and efficiency in two ways:
Compression - the magnetic strength compresses as the power supply demand goes up with volume, enhancing class A compression of the output section.
Expansion - the magnetic strength increases with the strength of the signal, lending the same resonating effect to the speaker that the output section produces.
This setting produces the most unique and inspiring guitar amplifier sound experience made available for guitar players to date.
It is literally unheard of outside of the Sound King realm and the best words to describe it are: Fun, excitement and surprise!





The Sound King head cabinet pictured is one possible version with other designs also available.

A vinyl/tolex covered version is also available.




The 'Magic Eye' is watching you...



The 'Magic Eye' is an optional output signal strength indicator that can also be incorporated into the head cabinet.

Magic Eye video clip



Sound Samples:

played by Ryan Fergon - Soulajar
recorded by Brian Boozer - Aum Studio Productions

Brian's comment: If one thing can be said here, and I think Ryan mentioned this when playing, is that the tone of the actual guitars are coming through in a big way.
Each sound clip sounds 100% different from the other. Yet, it was being played through the same amp. And all of my EQ settings are exactly the same across the board.
I guess what I'm getting at is that the amp is so transparent, you're hearing all the tone the guitar has to offer, for better or worse.
Maybe one sound clip sounds better than another and it seems that's completely attributed to which guitar was being played. Pretty wild!

Recording signal path:
Shure SM57, Beyer M88, AKG C414 (blended in a close mic position) --> Focusrite ISA828 Preamp --> Black Lion Audio/Digidesign 002 A/D Converter Interface
--> Pro Tools Software

You are hearing the pure, natural sound of the Sound King amplifier. There was no processing, effects, or studio tricks used in recording these audio clips.


CLIP 1 - Fender USA 1962 reissue - Amp settings: max. clean Volume (no bright switch), 1/4 Reverb, 2/3 tone controls, max. Master, max. Voice, FC expansion
CLIP 2 - Amp settings same as Clip 1 with EQ bypassed
CLIP 3 - Siegmund Suspense with P90 pickup - Amp settings: Volume set to Overdrive, rest of controls as before
CLIP 4 - Siegmund Suspense with Lipstick pickup - Amp settings: Volume set to Distortion, rest of controls as before, after 30sec EQ bypass
CLIP 5 - Siegmund Custom Walnut with Unbucker pickup - Reverb demo: starts out with Reverb bypassed, then slowly increased
CLIP 6 - Siegmund Custom Walnut with P90 pickup - EQ demo: starts with all Tone controls in center position
0-18sec: Treble sweep to roll-off then boost to max. then back to center
18-30sec: Middle sweep to roll-off then boost to max. then back to center
30-50sec: Bass sweep to roll-off then boost to max. then back to center
50sec: EQ bypass
1:02min: Bright switch On
CLIP 7 - Siegmund Custom Walnut with Unbucker pickup - Voice demo: Knob is switched higher every 5 seconds, showing all 5 settings from low to high.
CLIP 8 - Fender USA 1962 reissue - Field Coil modes: First half shows the speaker in compression mode - after 30sec expansion mode.
CLIP 9 - Gibson ES335 with Seymour Duncan 59 PAF pickups - Speaker demo: Amp settings same as Clip 1 with JBL D130 speaker.
CLIP 10 - Amp setttings same as Clip 1 with 2x12 Tone Tubby Alnico H1 cone speakers.
CLIP 11 - Amp setttings same as Clip 1 with Volume set to Overdrive.