Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

The quote you said this about mentions two pedals...

My bad, I stopped reading after the J Rocket Archer. ADD I guess.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

My favorite clone is the Klon KTR.

I've owned three PCE Aluminum Falcon 1's, one Soul Food and one Klon KTR.

I find the Klon KTR to be smoother sounding and more tubular/vocal sounding than the AF-1 and Soul Food.

I don't mean tubular like a 12ax7 or EL34 tube. I mean like a hollow tube.

The Soul Food sounded very good, but compared to the AF-1 and KTR it had less of a sense of spaciousness. It sounded flatter and more dense. Not as much "air" or "space" in the tone.

So of the three I'd put the KTR at the top, next the AF-1 and then the Soul Food.

My advice? Get a Klon KTR. It's nice knowing you have the best and the money goes to the designer Bill Finnegan rather than someone ripping him off for his hard work.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Blueman, I should add that although the Klon works fine with humbuckers, IMO, what it does best is add gain to and fatten up a Strat pickup so that it sounds big, bold and gainy, and overdrives your amp like a humbucker or super hot humbucker...or beyond.

Since you don't like Strats I'm not sure you'll get the most out of a Klon with your Epiphones.

[superpete]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Someone on this forum (can't remember who) said a while back that they thought it was a "gateway Klone," and I totally agree.

That might have been me. I a/b'ed a soul food, a rimrock mythical overdrive, and an archer with a gold klon, and I ended up buying the mythical overdrive. It's the best.

[Matt42]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Blueman, I should add that although the Klon works fine with humbuckers, IMO, what it does best is add gain to and fatten up a Strat pickup so that it sounds big, bold and gainy, and overdrives your amp like a humbucker or super hot humbucker...or beyond.

Since you don't like Strats I'm not sure you'll get the most out of a Klon with your Epiphones.

I've seen/heard them used quite effectively with humbuckers. Warren Haynes and Jason Isbell both use an original Klon primarily with humbuckers. One of my favorite uses is the way Warren Haynes uses a Klon to fatten up his already driven tone.

They are extremely versatile drives.

[Lewguitar]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

I've seen/heard them used quite effectively with humbuckers. Warren Haynes and Jason Isbell both use an original Klon primarily with humbuckers. One of my favorite uses is the way Warren Haynes uses a Klon to fatten up his already driven tone.

They are extremely versatile drives.

Yep. It's also a superb clean boost...with either single coils or humbuckers.

Here's a nice interview with Bill that I posted here several years ago: http://www.premierguitar.com/article...-bill-finnegan

[ant_riv]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Is it accurate to say that the differences in these are noticeable when two are A/B'ed, but not as much if one is being used to capture that "Klon-type" of tone?

The reason I ask is that sometimes I obsess over details like this, but when I ask band mates or friends of the band, they don't recognize I made a change, as the overall tone remains very similar and differences in sound are sometimes attributed to the difference in the room we're playing in.

As an FYI, I've been using a Soul Food for about six months, because I had a chance to try one and I really like the saturated sustain I get from it. As a result, when I see posts referencing the SF I check them out and that is how I learned it is a "Klon-type" pedal. So now the gear-obsessed voice in my head wants to try every single version to make sure I have "the best".

The practical voice tells me "once the drummer kicks in, who is going to notice?"

Due to the cost of a real Klon, the practical voice is winning!

[Lewguitar]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Is it accurate to say that the differences in these are noticeable when two are A/B'ed, but not as much if one is being used to capture that "Klon-type" of tone?

The reason I ask is that sometimes I obsess over details like this, but when I ask band mates or friends of the band, they don't recognize I made a change, as the overall tone remains very similar and differences in sound are sometimes attributed to the difference in the room we're playing in.

As an FYI, I've been using a Soul Food for about six months, because I had a chance to try one and I really like the saturated sustain I get from it. As a result, when I see posts referencing the SF I check them out and that is how I learned it is a "Klon-type" pedal. So now the gear-obsessed voice in my head wants to try every single version to make sure I have "the best".

The practical voice tells me "once the drummer kicks in, who is going to notice?"

Due to the cost of a real Klon, the practical voice is winning!

Good is good. And they all sound really good.

Don't sweat it.

I like the Klon KTR better than the Soul Food or AF-1 and I think at $279 the KTR was worth the extra coin.

But the difference is not huge.

If it's saturation you're after the Soul Food might even be the better choice for you since I found it to be the least transparent and the most dense of the three.

[Aceman]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

The Ibanez Tube Screamer - because it does everything I want at a fraction of the price and none of the hype.

[marcello252]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

I had for years a Tube Screamer in my pedalboard, I will always love mine and thank him for the hours passed together, but lately the Soul Food kicked it out. It's less compressed and in band situation cuts better through the mix without being muddy, it also sounds good with humbucker AND single coils, where the TS works superb with SC but not so super with HBs...

[Lewguitar]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

The Ibanez Tube Screamer - because it does everything I want at a fraction of the price and none of the hype.

None of the hype comes from Bill Finnegan. It's all from players who love the pedal.

Not that you did, but I wish people would stop perpetuating the myth that the Klon is similar to a Tubescreamer.

I like Tubescreamers but they don't sound the same as a Klon and don't do what a Klon can do.

The Klon cleans up for chords (not just power V chords but triads) when I turn my guitar's volume control down and the TS doesn't.

The Klon can be used as an always on pedal and the TS really is a stomp on for solos, stomp off for rhythm pedal.

The Klon is also a great clean boost and the TS isn't.

The Klon doesn't lose bass the way a TS does either.

And at $279 the Klon KTR is only $100 more than a new TS808 at $179.

[superpete]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Not that you did, but I wish people would stop perpetuating the myth that the Klon is similar to a Tubescreamer.

I like Tubescreamers but they don't sound the same as a Klon and don't do what a Klon can do.

Exactly. I have a mythical overdrive and a tube screamer. They are nothing alike, nor do I use them for the same purpose.

[frankfalbo]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Is it accurate to say that the differences in these are noticeable when two are A/B'ed, but not as much if one is being used to capture that "Klon-type" of tone?

...I've been using a Soul Food...now the gear-obsessed voice in my head wants to try every single version to make sure I have "the best".

...Due to the cost of a real Klon, the practical voice is winning!

From my perspective, the jump from a Soul Food to the Tunmus or Archer is instantly noticeable and more than worth the money, as they are each less than $200. Then, I don't consider it worth the month to jump up over $1-2000 for a real Klon. The clones are so good that the real one is now just a luxury item in my opinion for those who have the money. Or an investment, like if you can afford it so you want to play it for awhile and know that it should hold its value as an asset.

[Scott_F]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

Gear as assets. Wish I had been thinking that way when I sold my original Klon years ago.

[Aceman]

Re: Klon Centaur Copies - What Do You Like and Why?

I in no way believe that a TS9 is the same thing as a Klon. Not even close. Not my thing, that's all.

And as Frank said - Klones are Kool. I'm a price performance guy at heart. But IMO - most of what the Klon does is actually handled by a 2 channel tube amp that works right and almost any < 100 boost.