Best Kingsley for Rawk \m/

Vintage-T · August 2023

Been exploring the wonderful world of tube drives and boosts. Managed to get a Kingsley Peasant which has utterly blown me away. Driving an AC15 it's a glorious noise. Which has peeked my interest in adding another of Kingsley's pedals more in a tweakable overdrive style.

I have a one major requirement which will rule out some of the pedals, must run on 9v (I have an Effectrode Tube Drive which needs 12v and I don't want to run an external supply or change my power supply on my board - Strymon Zuma). Had a look on the Kingsley site, but it's a disaster of a website IMHO.

My line of thinking currently is that I can either stack the Peasant with a Page or Page TS, or opt for something like the Minstrel or Harlot.

Anyone got any real experience of these for a good rocky rhythm tone.

\m/

Brad · August 2023

Depends on how dirty you want your rhythm tone… have you got any references in mind?

For what it’s worth, they’re all brilliant pedals and are the mainstay of my drive needs, so you can’t go wrong with any IMO. However they do have different shades so to speak. Here’s my experience with the drives I’ve owned.

Page - Light OD, can get a bit more drive using humbuckers. I use this as a cleanish boost at the end of the drives or first to push everything after it.

Minstrel V2 and V3 - Loads of gain on tap, slightly mid-focussed but in a very musical way. Modes 1 + 2 are a softer, spongier OD. Mode 3 is the tightest with a bit more top end. V3 has the sizzle dial to move it more into Harlot range.

Harlot V2 - tightest of the lot and possibly the most suited to what I think you might be after. The 3 modes are the most distinct from one another compared to the others I’ve owned. Mode one is like a Page on steroids, mode 2 is softer, similar to the Minstrel just more aggressive. Mode 3 is the hardest, the top end can feel quite abrasive if playing alone, but cuts through the mix really well. Took me a little while to er… tame the Harlot.

Jester V2 - Similar to the Minstrel but is the smoothest of the lot. V3 has the sizzle dial, so that’s something to consider.

Jouster V2 - kind of like a Harlot and Jester combined. Discontinued, so if you find one, jump on it. I stupidly sold mine…

There is a fair amount of crossover, I think more so with the V3 versions of the pedals and each one can reasonably approximate the sounds of the others. These pedals do appreciate volume too, so application can make a big difference.

I’d probably recommend the Harlot for your needs (whatever they are), but I use the various combinations of the Page, Minstrel and Jester quite happily for rock rhythm tones.

smudge_lad · August 2023

Harlot by a mile!

I preferred the V2 to the V3. I’d definitely have another one at some point.

I also have a Jester, Page and a Constable and they are all stunning. The Page or the boost on the Jester into the Constable is absolutely sublime!

Your issue will be running on 9v. I can’t recall if the Harlot does

Brad · August 2023

smudge_lad said:

Your issue will be running on 9v. I can’t recall if the Harlot does

It does indeed

Wazmeister · August 2023

The Page is much more subtle, and as been noted, great as a boost.

Harlot vote from me too.

stickyfiddle · August 2023

I only have a Page and have only had it a couple of weeks but it'll do a mean Beat It rhythm sound with a Jan Ray in front.

Gassage · August 2023

Constable for me.

Vintage-T · August 2023

Gassage said:

Constable for me.

Looks great but 12v so a non starter for my current board needs.

Vintage-T · August 2023

Pretty sure the Harlot will work out, just need to find one now. Don't really fancy importing one.

Gassage · August 2023

Vintage-T said:

Gassage said:

Constable for me.

Looks great but 12v so a non starter for my current board needs.

Ah yes.

Re 9v, don't forget they need 500mA.

Vintage-T · August 2023

Gassage said:

Vintage-T said:

Gassage said:

Constable for me.

Looks great but 12v so a non starter for my current board needs.

Ah yes.

Re 9v, don't forget they need 500mA.

My Zuma will power it fine, doens't have a problem with the Peasant and that's the same I think.

Brad · August 2023

Vintage-T said:

Pretty sure the Harlot will work out, just need to find one now. Don't really fancy importing one.

You can hold out for one used, there’s always something that pops up at some point.

This is going back a few years and I can’t speak for other people’s experience, but the pedals I’ve bought direct have arrived quickly, all in one piece and without any additional stings in the tail

Wazmeister · August 2023

Brad said:

Vintage-T said:

Pretty sure the Harlot will work out, just need to find one now. Don't really fancy importing one.

You can hold out for one used, there’s always something that pops up at some point.

This is going back a few years and I can’t speak for other people’s experience, but the pedals I’ve bought direct have arrived quickly, all in one piece and without any additional stings in the tail

And the wait is quite short at the moment

StuartMac290 · September 2023

Why are used prices on Kingsley pedals so high?? It's a three week wait for everything except the Jouster, and postage is really quick. Folk can't wait three weeks??

smudge_lad · September 2023

Is it really only 3 weeks now? When I ordered my Constable a couple of years back it was 7 months

stickyfiddle · September 2023

It was 6-8 weeks for my Page that arrived a couple of weeks ago. Worth every second!

StuartMac290 · September 2023

smudge_lad said:

Is it really only 3 weeks now? When I ordered my Constable a couple of years back it was 7 months

I got a Harlot last month that took three weeks, they said that was the turnaround for everything now, except the Jouster. Cost me about £380 inc postage.

smudge_lad · September 2023

That’s great to know!

Fancy the Artisan fuzz

Vintage-T · September 2023

StuartMac290 said:

smudge_lad said:

Is it really only 3 weeks now? When I ordered my Constable a couple of years back it was 7 months

I got a Harlot last month that took three weeks, they said that was the turnaround for everything now, except the Jouster. Cost me about £380 inc postage.

I just assumed with the shipping and import charges it'd end up being more to buy direct than picking up a second hand unit. What do they charge for shipping out of interest?

StuartMac290 · September 2023

I think it was about $55

monkey42 · September 2023

https://reverb.com/uk/item/73136704-kingsley-harlot-v3

No affiliation

Vintage-T · September 2023

StuartMac290 said:

I think it was about $55

It's a risk, works out about £370 shipped, but if you're stung for import and vat, it's going to push into the £500 + range.

StuartMac290 · September 2023

monkey42 said:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/73136704-kingsley-harlot-v3

No affiliation

There's a case in hand - that's £85 more than I paid for a new one!

Vintage-T · September 2023

StuartMac290 said:

monkey42 said:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/73136704-kingsley-harlot-v3

No affiliation

There's a case in hand - that's £85 than I paid for a new one!

Did you just get lucky with no import charges, or is that the norm for Kingsley imports?

StuartMac290 · September 2023

I haven't been charged any import and duties on any Kingsley pedal I've bought. Three times, no fees. Delivered in about 5 days, I think

StuartMac290 · September 2023

Vintage-T said:

StuartMac290 said:

I think it was about $55

It's a risk, works out about £370 shipped, but if you're stung for import and vat, it's going to push into the £500 + range.

£370 + import, vat and fees is about £460 - £470. Not cheap, but still cheaper than a used one!

Plus...well, I've never paid fees on them. See above

theterracat · September 2023

Hmmm, I've been patiently waiting about four weeks on a Constable I ordered from Simon at the beginning of August. Am hopeful for a shipment email soon! This thread is a bastion of good intel ... (FWIW, I'm initially planning to run it straight into my PS-2A like in one of the vids.)

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Best Kingsley for Rawk \m/

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