Klon, and it's many Klones

SirJackdeFuzz

SirJackdeFuzz

New member
I see about 80% of the guys over at TGP swear by the Klon.

With so many 'decent' klones out there . . . is it still worth getting the original ?

Also, what is the Klon designed for originally ?

As a boost or more as a 'stand-alone' overdrive ?

In other words . . . where will the Klon excel the most ?

Boosting a slightly dirty/gritty Marshall, or as a full-on dirt channel on a '59 Bassman LTD RI ?


Some clips ;










One more thought . . . is the Klon really the ultimate OD, or has internet-hype contributed to the mystique of this pedal?


Lets hear what you think !
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

I think that if interested in one, I'd build it for about 40-50$ parts and an hour of soldering:

Klon+Centaur+-+Smaller.png
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

I own a couple of Peidmont Custom Electronics AF1 Klon clones. I've never played a real Klon, but the AF1 is the best clean boost and overdrive unit I've ever owned and I sold my old TS808's, my King of Tone and the last of my old Rats not long after acquiring my first AF1. I highly recommend the PCE AF1. You can find them on Ebay for around $250. I can set it up as a clean boost for the type of boost I get from my Xotic EP1 or I can set it up for the kind of overdrive Jeff Beck gets from his Klon. Here's a cool shot of the instruction sheet that came with the original Klon Centaur. And then some shots of my AF1's both outside and inside.









 
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Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

i have a few friends with originals and a few with the ktr and some with klones. they all say the original is the best and basically because of the buffer. the tone is very similar on all of them but the feel is slightly different
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

Built one. Like it but it's nothing spectacular. Its low-overdriven tones are quite good. Clean boost: Folks rave about it but to me a clean boost is a clean boost.

BTW Guitarstv: that layout right there is like 5$ of parts. Add the enclosure (8-9$ for a 1590BB from taiwan), jacks, pots, switches: you can build it for <30$ total. Great layout by a great guy too!
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

SirJackdeFuzz said:
One more thought . . . is the Klon really the ultimate OD, or has internet-hype contributed to the mystique of this pedal?


Lets hear what you think !
Click to expand...

I say "Believe the hype!" If it's good enough for Jeff Beck it should be good enough for anyone.
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

I've played originals as well as a few klones...

Cool boost...sure

Cool OD...sure

Worth the money hype or attention...not at all.

That said it's pretty lame at low volumes IMO and really lame into a dead clean amp IMO.

As a boost into a cooking amp and at stage volumes it does a cool thing but it's not like there are not a half a million other boxes that do the same or similar things.
 
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Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

the switch on the side is the buffer switch, the almost always better is the buffer on
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

Surgeon said:
Built one. Like it but it's nothing spectacular. Its low-overdriven tones are quite good. Clean boost: Folks rave about it but to me a clean boost is a clean boost.

BTW Guitarstv: that layout right there is like 5$ of parts. Add the enclosure (8-9$ for a 1590BB from taiwan), jacks, pots, switches: you can build it for <30$ total. Great layout by a great guy too!
Click to expand...

Shipping to Canada is usually a *****!
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

Every once in awhile, someone builds a better mousetrap than everyone else.
There's lot's of good mixing boards - only one Neve console.
There's lot's of good pistols - only one Colt 1911.
Lot's of good cars - but they're not Ferrari's.

Bill Finnegan hit the nail on the head when he produced the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive. It's made to take a slightly overdriven amp, enrich it's tone, and add natural sounding gain on any amp you put it in front of. It does it better than all the rest, unless they've directly copied the circuit and components 100%. So unless it's an EXACT clone, it may have some good qualities of the Klon, but not all of them. It's usually the feel under the fingers that separates the original from the copies.

I bought mine mint/used for $240 in 1999, and it's still the best at what it does. I've owned a lot of drive pedals since then, many of which I really like, but I'm holding onto the Klon. I still can't believe mine is worth $2000 now. I see auctions ending for ones in worn condition for that kind of money. Who would have known? $240 is the most I've ever paid for an OD pedal. I certainly wouldn't pay $1500+ for a pedal.
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

It's a good pedal, but it's not worth all the hype IMHO. It's not a transparent pedal and it has a certain imparted midrange character that works great with some rigs and not so stellar with others. I've found it pairs well with my Fenders, but it's not my favorite pedal and I prefer it with humbuckers over single coils. Bill created something new - so kudos to him for reinventing the wheel rather than cloning someone else. I'm not sure I really "get" why he can't find people to manufacture pedals for him (since others are doing it so well), but I can respect a guy that shuts down shop verses empty promises and stealing money.
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

Little Pigbacon said:
Would you at least put it in an awesome case, though?
Click to expand...
Tagboard's done some good layouts, including pulling out the buffer and the charge pump from these and giving them their own little builds. I have a loooooong list of stuff I want to do from them. Mostly verbs, the Tremulus Lune layout and, of course, every friggin fuzz I can try.
 
Re: Klon, and it's many Klones

Play a basic I IV V . Stomp for solo. Yup.
Save your money. Play more.
jm.02
PC
 
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