Some people love it, some people think its overrated, and some people hate it because its an expensive boutique pedal theyve never heard and cant afford, and it just couldnt be that much better than their boss sd1 or bad monkey. Its a great time to upgrade your home music studio gear with the largest. It was developed in the early 1990s by bill finnegan, and a few thousand units were produced in that decade before production ceased. Here are some things to think about before buying your od pedal. Tube screamer overdrive boost overdrive guitar effect pedal lm308 chip ibanez ts9 tube screamer guitar effects clean boost overdrive klon centaur boss blues driver ts9 tube screamer guitar effects pedal tubescreamer overdrive rat 2. This is my quick showcase of the most expensive guitar overdrive. New diecast aluminum overdrive effects pedal project box enclosed case for diy klon centaur pedal. Coda effects klon centaur clone and mods aion refractor. We encourage you to leave behind all the hype and forget about everything good or bad that youve heard about the pedal and treat this kit project as the overdrive that it is. A number of other pedals have been recommended as the poor mans klon over the years.
About 8,000 units were built between 1994 and 2000. The klon centaur is a guitar overdrive pedal developed by bill finnegan between 1990 and 1994. Klon centaur overdrive diy project pcb aion electronics. There is some component offboard wiring in this project. The klon centaurs reputation and high market prices have inspired many players to seek cheaper alternatives. The circuit had unique characteristics, most noticeably the use of an ic max1044 voltage converter. What are the best klon centaur clones on the market you play people.
Arguably, its inception around 1994 was one of the first droplets in the flood of highend boutique overdrive pedals that exist today. The kloned centaur is our take on the iconic transparent overdrive. Its creamy and dynamic overdrive is appreciated and loved by countless professionals and it is also often used as a clean boost for warming up the signal. This discontinued pedal is fully functional with no issues at all. The klon was one of the first boutique overdrive pedals that started this whole premium hand built pedal craze.
The klon centaur in an overdrive guitar pedal designed by bill finnegan with the help of 2 mit electronic engineers between 1990 and 1994. It can produce transparent boost to warm rich overdrive tones. The introduction of the klon back in the early to mid. The original klon centaur put out some of the best and most coveted overdrive sounds in the world. Gibson les paul r9 through klon through marshall jcm800 4010 through marshall 1936 jcm800 with celestion g12h100. All go search hello select your address todays deals christmas shop vouchers amazonbasics best sellers gift ideas new releases gift. And dont miss your opportunity to ride the golden horsie. Find great deals on ebay for klon pedal and overdrive pedal. This item is sold asdescribed and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Find great deals on ebay for klon centaur and klon centaur clone.
Heres a spec list before we serve our first helping. The klon centaur overdrive is a hand made guitar effect pedal built one at a time by the inventor. This is a replica of the famous klon centaur sometimes referred to as kc in these documents. The klon ktr captures all the magic of the legendary klon centaur boostod. The klon centaur has gone on to inspire many of todays boutique guitar effects companies and their product lines. When guitarist suke cerulo took a leap of faith on an exceedingly expensive, unknown overdrive pedal nearly two and a. Very few pedals can match the levels of mystery, hype and drama that surround the klon centaur professional overdrive, but then, very few pedals can match its tone, either. Its a great time to upgrade your home music studio gear with the largest selection at. Use a 390n film capacitor for c1 if youre going to use it as an overdrive for bass. Klon centaur overdrive replica general guitar gadgets. Its groundbreaking transparent overdrive circuit, its use by such players as john mayer, nels cline and joe perry to name just a few and its relative scarcity on the used market have propelled prices to unprecedented levels.
Ive tried several other klonstyle pedals and so far my favorites are the ryra klone, and the soul food if youre on a budget. The legendary klon centaur overdrive pedal, a onceobscure unit developed by one bill finnegan and discontinued in 2009, is now available once again. Bills fender twin sounded like crap on 4 but great on 7. How to shop for an overdrive pedal a beginners guide gc riffs.
Includes all the parts and materials you need to build a klon centaur replica, including the pcb. Boss od 1, klon centaur and more, overdrive pedals have provided a key. The klon centaur is arguably the most hyped and lauded pedal ever we recently covered a similarly hyped pedal in our history of the timmy overdrive, but its nowhere near this level. Use the project documents provided, starting with the general build instructions. The soul food is a klon centaur style of overdrive pedal that any budgetstrapped guitarist can afford. Klon centaur clone professional overdrive guitar effect. It was used by many guitarists, including jeff beck for instance. Klone centaur build aion refractor klon centaur circuit analysis. Klon centaur news newspapers books scholar jstor august 2018 learn how and when to remove.
Centaur klon greatest overdrive pedal ever youtube. The zink minotaur had a slightly smoother overdrive sound germanium responsible for that, i suspect, but it was still way too much midbump by the time the overdrive shows up around 11 or noon on the gain dual pot. Click here for more general information about the kits. Its groundbreaking transparent overdrive circuit, its use by such players as john mayer, nels cline and joe perry to name just a few and its. Compact format, fits perfectly in a 125b enclosure. The klon centaur may be the most heavily sought after pedal in the history of rock and roll and with good reason. Under the username klondirectsales, finnegan will sell the new run direct from ebay as he makes them by hand.
Klones include the same lineage are wamplers tumnus, mythos pedals mjolnir, electroharmonixs soul food, and rockett audio designs archer. The initial idea was to improve the tubescreamer transient response and the midrangebass frequencies in order to create a big open sound with a hint of tube clipping. The centaur is a really unique overdrive pedal, an original design not based on a. The legend of the klon centaur, which debuted in the mid90s, has taken on a life of its own as one of the most collectible effects pedals of all time. For those who do not know the klon centaur yet, it is an overdrive created in the 90s by bill finnegan and mit engineers yes. Its groundbreaking transparent overdrive circuit, its use by such players as john mayer, nels cline and joe perry to name just a few and its relative scarcity on the used market have. Apparently the original unit has been discontinued in favor of a new version housed in a smaller chassis. This is the complete kit for the klon centaur replica. It was designed by bill and some mit engineers between 1990.
First released for sale in 1994, the centaur was the product of four years research and development time. Originally designed and built by bill finnegan between 1994 and 2000, this simple 3 knob overdrive has garnered a legacy that has elevated it to the level of. The klon centaur is a guitar overdrive pedal developed by bill finnegan between 1990 and. I dont recommend the klon ktr even though it is supposed to be the same as a klon and made by the original inventor. Perhaps the most legendary and expensive guitar pedal of all times, the klon centaur was one of the first boutique stompboxes, and proved that an overdrive could be much more than just distortion. The short story is he first looked for a ad back that sound the ts 808 was the best but not good enough for bill. Although this pedal isnt an official clone of the original klon centaur, the sound it produces, the level of control youll receive, and the effects built into the device are basically the same, which is unlike a treble booster pedal. Items must be returned in original, asshipped condition with all original packaging.
Before we jump into the history of overdrive, lets have a quick look at what. The best klon centaur clones when the klon centaur was released in 1994, it became the first transparent overdrive pedal available on the market the price point for most players could afford, expensive a lot. The original klone centaur by bill finnegan is one of the most soughtafter effects pedals ever. The original klon centaurs put out some of the best and most coveted overdrive sounds in the world. A few famous people gushed over them, and the hype train got completely out of control. The klon centaur phenomenon berklee online take note. I am an experienced ebayer with a ten year history. Diy clone klon centaur overdrive effect pedal kit for sale. The new klonjr is slated for release sometime this year. This is true of the soul food, and seemingly of klones in. Klon centaur professional overdrive nonhorsie reverb. Rockett audio designs archer tour series overdrive and boost pedal. The klon centaur professional overdrive is a controversial legend.