The Klon Centaur is a Bill Finnegan-designed, hand-made boost/overdrive pedal with almost mythical proportions. Now perhaps as legendary as the Ibanez TubeScreamer, this pedal came on the market at the end of 1994.
The Klon is an overdrive that was personally made by Bill with the best available parts at the kitchen table. In total, he has manufactured about 8,000 (!) in 15 years. The Klon Centaur was one of the first boutique pedals – unique guitar effects made by a small company or loner and focused on a niche market.
Origins of the Klon Centaur
The idea for the Klon Centaur originated sometime in the 1980s. Bill performed on the Boston club circuit at the time with a Telecaster and Twin Reverb and he found out that the sound from his amp at booth 6/7 was at its best. On a big stage this is not a problem, on small stages a Twin Reverb at stand 6/7 produces so much sound that the other band members can no longer be heard. This gave rise to the idea of a bold, large sound but at a low volume. This sound formed the basis for the Klon Centaur. At the time, Bill described it as the sound that occurs when a good tube amplifier just (isn’t) upset: a bold, open and large sound, with little compression and with a hint of tube overcontrol. Later this was also called a ‘transparent overdrive’.
Immense success Klon
It took about 4.5 years to develop the Klon Centaur. However, after the introduction of the pedal in 1994, it was an immense success. As a result, waiting times of 12 to 14 weeks were quite normal and certainly no exception. The sale price was about $225 at the time, which at the time was a considerable amount for such a pedal. In the end, the Klon cost as much as $329 in the last year of production. However, the price did not hinder many from buying one. Despite the high price, bill’s profit margin was extremely small, so he certainly didn’t get rich. In the meantime, amounts of EUR 2,000 on the second-hand market are no exception.
Under the hood
With only three buttons: gain, treble and output, a Klon looks like many other overdrives. Internally, however, the pedal differs on a number of parts from most others. First of all, there is the gain button. This is a double pot meter that lets you turn both bass and midtones into it as you turn the button more to the right. Some claim that this pot meter also adds more clean guitar sound to the mix. Furthermore, the pedal operates internally at 18 volts, so there is more headroom than in other pedals. And finally, the Klon Centaur buffer ensures that your guitar signal is significantly improved, even when the pedal is off.
Klon KTR
We are now a few years on and the original Klon Centaur is no longer made. The development of the klon’s official successor began in 2008 and was launched in 2012: the Klon KTR. This is a mass-produced pedal according to exact specifications of Bill. Like the original, the KTR also uses the same NOS (New Old Stock) Germanium Diodes. These diodes provide the distinctive block waves of an oversteered signal (‘waveform clipping’). In relation to silicon diodes ‘clippen’ Germanium ‘softer’ making them sound more natural according to Bill and many others. The sound is often described as dynamic, rich in overtones and spongy.
Use of a Klon Centaur
In practice, the Klon Centaur is used in two ways: as a (Clean) Boost or as Overdrive. A Boost in combination with an almost transmitting tube amplifier ensures that the amplifier just gives off a step more overcontrol. You can also use the Klon as a Boost before another overdrive pedal, giving this pedal an extra edge. Or you can use it as a boost in combination with an amplifier with lots of headroom and after any other overdrives. This creates extra volume in your solos. As far as I’m concerned, the pedal comes into its own as a light overdrive in combination with a clean tube amplifier. You get an extra dimension of sound.
Klon klones
Besides the original and the KTR, a lot of Klon clones have been made, but it’s very against Bill’s sore leg. In the overview below there are more than forty. By clicking on a pedal you get to the creator of the pedal, but some pedals are no longer made. All prices are based on the recommended prices without taking into account any shipping costs. If I missed another one, please let us know in the comments. I also sell a few myself: Anasounds Savage MKII, Electro Harmonix Soul Food, J Rockett Archer Ikon, J Rockett Archer, J Rockett Rockaway Archer, Keeley Oxblood, Wampler Tumnus, Wampler Tumnus Deluxe. and Warm Audio Centavo.
Overview Klon klones
Effect | Manufacturer | Name | Still made | Country | Price (eur) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anasounds | Savage MKII | Yes | Fra | 199 | |
Arc Effects | Klone V2 | Yes | Usa | 210 | |
Barber Electronics | Direct Drive Compact | Yes | Usa | 169 | |
Caline | CP-43 Pegasus Overdrive | Yes | Chin | 55 | |
Ceriatone | Centura | Yes | Mal | 185 | |
Chellee | Pony Boy Overdrive V3 | Yes | Usa | 119 | |
Decibelics | Golden Horse | Yes | Spa | 185 | |
Decibelics | Golden Royale | Yes | Spa | 385 | |
Electro-Harmonix | Soul Food | Yes | Usa | 89 | |
Foxpedal | Kingdom Combo V2 | Yes | Usa | 229 | |
GOLD Professional Overdrive | Klon Centaur | Yes | Chin | 60 | |
Greenchild | Effects K818 | Yes | Usa | 249 | |
Greer Amps | Lightspeed | Yes | Usa | 249 | |
Idiotbox Effects | Han-Taun | Yes | Usa | 129 | |
J Rockett | Archer Ikon | Yes | Usa | 229 | |
J Rockett | Archer Overdrive/Boost | Yes | Usa | 229 | |
J Rockett | Rockaway Archer | Yes | Usa | 299 | |
JHS | Klon Replica | No | Usa | 239 | |
Joyo | Tauren | No | Chin | 50 | |
Keeley | Oxblood | Yes | Usa | 219 | |
ManticoreFX | Clontarf Lapith ’94 | Yes | Usa | 175 | |
ManticoreFX | Hylonome Klone | Yes | Usa | 175 | |
Matthews Effects | Architect V2 | Yes | Usa | 189 | |
MojoHand | FX Sacred Cow | Yes | Usa | 179 | |
Mojopedals | Klon Klone K2 | No | Usa | 225 | |
Monsterpiece | Stud Overdrive | Yes | Usa | 200 | |
MXR | Sugar Drive Mini | Yes | Usa | 110 | |
Pedal Monsters | The Klone | Yes | Usa | 150 | |
Pedal Projects | Klone Drive | No | Ice | 125 | |
Piedmont Custom Electronics | Aluminum Falcon | Yes | Usa | 199 | |
Pro Analog Devices | Manticore | Yes | Usa | 299 | |
Rawkworks | Klone | No | Usa | 125 | |
Rimrock | Mythical Overdrive | Yes | Usa | 160 | |
Rimrock | Lil Mo | Yes | Usa | 165 | |
RYRA | The Klone | Yes | Usa | 249 | |
Stigtronics | Tone Vitamin | Yes | Usa | 189 | |
The Bondi Effects | Sick As Overdrive | Yes | Aus | 245 | |
Tone Bakery | Creme de la creme | Yes | Usa | 149 | |
Tone City | Bad Horse | Yes | Chin | 45 | |
ToneMonk | Phoenix Gold Professional Overdrive | No | Usa | 175 | |
Velvet | Minotaur | Yes | Gre | 140 | |
VFE Pedals | Merman | No | Usa | 175 | |
Wampler | Tumnus Deluxe Overdrive | Yes | Usa | 210 | |
Wampler | Tumnus Overdrive | Yes | Usa | 149 | |
Warm Audio | Centavo | Yes | Usa | 209 | |
XinSound | Pro Vintage RM-10 Drive Centaur | Yes | Chin | 40 |
You’re missing Decibelics Golden Royale and Decibelics Golden Horse. It’s pretty staggering to see just how many Klones exist. Your list of 40 is about as extensive as I’ve seen, yet you’re missing the one I consider the best and ultimately purchased without placing any budgetary restrictions (i.e. this wasn’t a compromise, it’s the one I really wanted).
Thanks for your reaction, I will add them to the list.
The TC Electronics “Zeus” is another klone. Beefy housing and it sounds great too, unfortunately I found it only usable as an always-on pedal (not really what I do with a klon) because it came with a strange sort of switch which only engaged the pedal when I *released* my foot.
Thanks Alan!
Hi, worth double checking the Joyo Sweet Baby. I read that it is a clone of the Mad Professor Sweet Honey, so maybe that should be on the list too
Hi Chris, thanks! The Sweet Baby is not a Klon clone. I think we were confused with the Joyo Tauren. We will adjust accordingly.
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