Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Flattley unveils its Joker Valve Tone FET Tube Emulator at NAMM - a beautifully dynamic and vibrant amp-like gain stage / saturator / overdrive and distortion with myriad uses
I must start by congratulating Phoebe on her excellent artwork here - which is one of her best works to date. Where that all-green metallic flake finish looks so fabulous ’in the flesh’ and is beautifully accentuated by a matching green Halo LED.
This is my second favourite looking Flattley pedal after the recent all-red Outlaw. I’m really loving these tone-on-tone designs.
And as for the core voicing of this device - it really is one of the most vibrant and amp-like experiences I have encountered - both in sound and feel. I have several Tube preamps currently on the board - including the recent ZEQD-Pre from EarthQuaker. And the Joker Valve Tone pedal delivers a pretty similar experience to that. Of course the phrase ’amp-like’ has been over-used through the years, and somewhat diminished in its potency. Hopefully the Joker will help reaffirm and rehabilitate that phrase.
Where the Joker genuinely comes across as a proper livewire tube preamp - it every way has that sound and feel - with an incredible organic attack of saturation.
Controls - Volume, Tone, Gain, Saturation : Dirt (Boost / Overdrive) / Filth (Distortion).
The Joker can both be used as a pedalboard auxiliary - to add saturation and texture to other pedals - make them sound bigger, livelier and more dynamic. It's also an excellent sounding overdrive when dialled up a little in 'Dirt' Mode. While 'Filth' gives it quite a bit more weight and punch - with a really nicely rounded Distortion voicing.
I really like both the voicings - and use the pedal more as an Overdrive / Distortion generally - but still quite broadly. The Dirt mode is slightly more open and less compressed - and probably my default for this pedal. I believe the Joker shares some of the same FET architecture / DNA as its excellent Outlaw sibling.
The Joker Valve Tone came about when Paul had the idea of 'What happens if you add controlled distortion to a normally clean booster?'. To achieve this Paul added an FET based 12AX7 valve simulation to the clean boost - with the aim of sounding similar to an overdriven single valve combo.
This simple pedal is something of a triumph really - as it is incredibly vibrant - and very much has that amp-like attack. It's actually really crisp to and so naturally organically musical - really perfectly balanced with all dials at Noon.
I thought the Flattley Ace Tone Boost was the MVP of the range in its dynamics and versatility - while it may just have been pipped by this new Joker Valve Tone. Close your eyes - and it sounds like you're properly playing though a killer simple valve amp.
This one hits the high watermark with the Outlaw Plexi and the Ace Tone Boost - what a Trifecta!
I only have the Ace Tone Boost as the second channel of the Outlaw - I really must get the stand-alone edition too!
The Joker Valve Tone goes for £259 / $319 and equivalent on the Flattley Webstore - and its launch is devised to coincide with the current 2026 NAMM show. A fantastic Boost, Saturator, Overdrive and Distortion - which will enhanced all and any of your gain pedals and add further PreAmp warmth to your delays and modulations. This is both the main act, and the supporting cast - depending on how you wish to deploy it. It's designed with a similar purpose to the ZEQD-Pre - and is every bit as great as that - but for me with a slightly more appealing, more open output profile!
Flattley is definitely on a roll here with its recent releases!
Demos
