What's the appeal of a Klon(e)?

['59]

Like if you want a transparent overdrive, just overdrive your amp and cut down the master volume? Or maybe your amp has a gain knob?

[beaubrummels]

The Klon circuit is the one that makes it so you can switch from a Les Paul to a Strat on the same amp. Just use the Klon on the Strat only. But yeah, they aren't for everybody.

[Rex_Rocker]

I like them for boosting amps into metal territory that are loose, but not very bassy. Or that don't have enough gain on their own. Like a JCM800.

It's kinda like a Tube Screamer, but not really. It's got a mid hump as well, but it retains more bass, and the attack is very different. Not as squishy. It also has A LOT of output volume to boost things.

I have the TC Electronic Zeus and the J Rocker Archer. Not a real one, mind you. It's a cool design. A cool alternative to a Tube Screamer. I just think it's kinda overblown. It's not a miraculous pedal. Nor is it all that transparent, IMO. And TBH, I prefer a cheapy Boss SD-1 most of the time.

[GuitarStv]

Klon isn't transparent, there's an upper mid thing that it does that helps your guitar cut through. TS is more compressed, more low mid push, and less bass . . . but they both push the mids to let your guitar stick through better for lead.

[jeremy]

i dont hear a klon pedal as sounding as transparent as a timmy for example. if you are playing live and want a gain boost, a klon is a fine option. your statement of turning up the gain and the mv down maybe gets you the lead tone you want but 90% of my playing is rhythm, so i need that to be on point too. the easiest way to get those two things, is set your amp for rhythm, and step on a box for leads. in the studio, you can do whatever sounds best. live, you usually have to compromise at least a bit to make things easy.

[ArtieToo]

I didn't think a Klon(e) was supposed to be transparent. I thought it was supposed to have some subtle dirt. "Woman tone-ish" so to speak.

[Chistopher]

I tried a EHX Soul Food, and I didn't care too much for using it as it was intended. It does, however do a good job of boosting the drum machine I use as a metronome to unity with all my other instruments as well as give them a dark lofi sound.

[Mincer]

I really like the drive sound from a Klon (I built one from BYOC), and I use it as the only source of drive into a clean amp.

[maug2122]

Problem solved ....

[jeremy]

i got one of those too, but thats a different thing. ive been tempted to get an archer, loved them when ive used em, but i need another dirt box like a hole in my leg

[Rex_Rocker]

i got one of those too, but thats a different thing. ive been tempted to get an archer, loved them when ive used em, but i need another dirt box like a hole in my leg

It's a cool pedal. I've got one of the gold ones, but I realize I should've gotten the silver one. I think I'd like it more.

Buf also consider the Zeus by TC Electronic. It's a little bit more compressed-sounding and has a bit less output volume (still plenty, though), but mine actually has Germanium diodes as opposed to the Archer's Silicon, and it's like less that half the cost. And it has a mode where it actually boosts bass. I like it more, TBH.

[jeremy]

can you use zeus on a battery or only power supply? i dont need to boost bass, though its easy to not use that feature. the gold vs silver archer... si vs germanium, but what does that mean tonally? the si is brighter and doesnt have temperature issues? ive mostly played the silver archers and liked the sound and feel of em

[Rex_Rocker]

can you use zeus on a battery or only power supply? i dont need to boost bass, though its easy to not use that feature. the gold vs silver archer... si vs germanium, but what does that mean tonally? the si is brighter and doesnt have temperature issues? ive mostly played the silver archers and liked the sound and feel of em

The Zeus only runs on a power supply because it's so tiny.

About the Archer, I've heard the gold comes with Germanium diodes and the Icon with Silicone, correct? Or is it the other way around? The site claims both have Ge diodes, but I've opened my Archer, and they look like Si (they have a blue stripe). I've also read they go on and off depending on what run you get with the Archer.

I believe Si has more headroom (less distortion, higher output volume). And GE has a rougher/fuzzier texture. And yeah, less sensitive to temperature changes.

The Archer does sound more "high-end". Very slightly more detail up top, very slightly less compression, and A LOT of output volume to boost things. To reach unity gain with high output pickups like the Black Winter, I have to keep the Archer at like 10:00 and the Zeus at like 1:00. But like I said, for like half the cost, the Zeus sounds VERY competitive. For what I want it to do (boost high-gain amps without squashing them as much as a TS), I like the Zeus better. The bass boost thing I don't use either, but it's nice to have it if you need it with single coils or something.

I think the reason why I like the Zeus is because it sounds just a notch more TS-ish, and I'm more familiar with those. But it sill sounds very Klone-y.

[Demanic]

Big fan of the Keeley Katana. It is transparent in standard mode. Or you can get top boost out of it. Love the thing. It cost me ~$200US about 15 years ago.
Lately, I've been digging this little jewel.
A Horse Zip amp I purchased second hand for $20US.
This thing can be dialed in to add to any guitar's tone.
Here's them both. Katanas's the white pedal.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[Flores_68]

I loved the Wampler Tumulus Deluxe, but when I used it in a band situation, it either sounded too thin or too loud. I went back to my Ibanez ts9 for a clean boost.