The 40+ best Klon Centaur klones

Klon Centaur

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

Germanium Diodes
Germanium diodes

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 Anasounds Savage MKII Yes Fra 199
arc effects klone v2 Arc Effects Klone V2 Yes Usa 210
barber direct drive Barber Electronics Direct Drive Compact Yes Usa 169
Caline Pegasus Caline CP-43 Pegasus Overdrive Yes Chin 55
Ceriatone centura Ceriatone Centura Yes Mal 185
Chellee Ponyboy Chellee Pony Boy Overdrive V3 Yes Usa 119
Decibelics Golden Horse Decibelics Golden Horse Yes Spa 185
Decibelics Golden Royal Decibelics Golden Royale Yes Spa 385
EHX Soul Food Electro-Harmonix Soul Food Yes Usa 89
foxpedal kingdom combo Foxpedal Kingdom Combo V2 Yes Usa 229
Gold Professional Overdrive Klon GOLD Professional Overdrive Klon Centaur Yes Chin 60
Greenchild K818 Greenchild Effects K818 Yes Usa 249
Greer Amps Lightspeed Greer Amps Lightspeed Yes Usa 249
Idiotbox Effects Han Taun Idiotbox Effects Han-Taun Yes Usa 129
J Rockett Archer Ikon J Rockett Archer Ikon Yes Usa 229
J Rockett Archer J Rockett Archer Overdrive/Boost Yes Usa 229
J Rockett Rockway Archer J Rockett Rockaway Archer Yes Usa 299
JHS Klone Replica JHS Klon Replica No Usa 239
Joyo Sweet Baby Joyo Tauren No Chin 50
Keeley Oxblood Overdrive Keeley Oxblood Yes Usa 219
Clontarf Lapith 94 ManticoreFX Clontarf Lapith ’94 Yes Usa 175
Hylonome Klone ManticoreFX Hylonome Klone Yes Usa 175
Matthew Effects The Architect V2 Matthews Effects Architect V2 Yes Usa 189
Mojo Hand FX Sacred Cow MojoHand FX Sacred Cow Yes Usa 179
Mojopedals Klon K2 Mojopedals Klon Klone K2 No Usa 225
Monsterpiece Stud Overdrive Monsterpiece Stud Overdrive Yes Usa 200
MXR Sugar Drive MXR Sugar Drive Mini Yes Usa 110
I Love Pedalmonsters Klon Klone Pedal Monsters The Klone Yes Usa 150
Pedal Projects Klone Overdrive Pedal Projects Klone Drive No Ice 125
Piedmont Custom Effects Aluminum Falcon Piedmont Custom Electronics Aluminum Falcon Yes Usa 199
ProAnalog Devices Manticore Overdrive Pro Analog Devices Manticore Yes Usa 299
Rawkworks Klone Rawkworks Klone No Usa 125
Rimrock Mythical Overdrive Rimrock Mythical Overdrive Yes Usa 160
Rimrock Lil Mo Rimrock Lil Mo Yes Usa 165
Ryra The Klone RYRA The Klone Yes Usa 249
Stigtronics Tone Vitamin Stigtronics Tone Vitamin Yes Usa 189
Bondi Sick As Overdrive The Bondi Effects Sick As Overdrive Yes Aus 245
Tone Backery Creme De La Creme Tone Bakery Creme de la creme Yes Usa 149
Tone City Bad Horse Tone City Bad Horse Yes Chin 45
Tone Monk Phoenix Gold Professional Overdrive ToneMonk Phoenix Gold Professional Overdrive No Usa 175
Velvet Minotaur Velvet Minotaur Yes Gre 140
VFE Pedals Merman VFE Pedals Merman No Usa 175
Wampler Tumnus Deluxe Wampler Tumnus Deluxe Overdrive Yes Usa 210
Wampler Tumnus Wampler Tumnus Overdrive Yes Usa 149
Warm Audio Centavo Warm Audio Centavo Yes Usa 209
Xinsound Sky Overdrive XinSound Pro Vintage RM-10 Drive Centaur Yes Chin 40

7 thoughts on “The 40+ best Klon Centaur klones

  1. 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).

    1. Thanks for your reaction, I will add them to the list.

  2. 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.

    1. Thanks Alan!

  3. 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

    1. Hi Chris, thanks! The Sweet Baby is not a Klon clone. I think we were confused with the Joyo Tauren. We will adjust accordingly.

  4. Stew Mac’s Ghost Drive

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