Is the klon circuit really all that magical? And why is the SD-1 overlooked?

[edro]

In my opinion, both. Jank up JUST output and it just shoves. Boost, Overdrive, whatever you want to call it. If stomp has an output knob AND a dirt knob, independently controllable, it is technically both.

Play with just dirt knobbery and it is distortion.

I have the overall output of my Digitech RP500 jacked on my patches (modeling OFF, EQ flat) with none of kick buttons activated. Doing same thing as Klon/CHlon,whatever you want to call it. Kick the dirt button, it is BOTH...independently controllable....

Still, no magic...

 

[captdan61]

.

A $28 Mosky Golden Horse works just fine ...
... And that $3,000 Klon is now running $5,000 (maybe more now that a few channels are promoting it).
Tear-downs of many import mini pedals show they are using the same circuit boards by NUX and branding the cases differently. Perhaps different sellers or a seller that has figured out there are ten thousand review channels on youtube who will buy a new pedal to show and tell in front of the class. So they can sell the same pedal a dozen times.

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I've never played a real KLON. But like everyone else I have heard countless comparisons between the flavor of the month pedal have the Quan and not all clowns that I've heard seem to have something special about them but some of them to some of them seem to have something going on in the mid-range and the amount so you can press the signal that makes them slightly different not a $4,000 difference but different and not Oaklawn sound as good as one another like anything else. But if you find one and you think you really sounds better than anything else you've ever used and you have the money go with God my son or or daughter. Something about beauty being in the eye of the beholder or listener

 

[hisasahisasaki]

Not sure if this has already been posted, if it has then disregard. In reply to the OP The SD1 is a distortion pedal (Super Distortion actually) the Centaur is an overdrive pedal. Different.

Looking at the schematic, there is no huge difference in the gain stage structure of Centaur and MXR Distortion+. Also, both use germanium diodes for clipping. But Centaur mixes clean (direct) signals.

 

[Wise Guy]

Owned/sold a silver Klon years ago. I oddly enough still prefer my Bad Monkey over all.

 

[jdiego]

SD-1 is the pedal I use more often. I know it's supposed to be an overdrive, but I use it more like a low/medium gain distortion, with a lot of mids. Sounds like GNR or Aerosmith.

The tube screamer it's not for this, nor the Klon.

The tube screamer is about high boost and low gain, very bluesy. Also works well for fatten up an already distorted signal. But their dirt is crap.

The klon is not so fat and mid heavy... it has an open, crispy and very responsive or dynamic sound. On the other half, SD-1 is very compressed. SD-1 is good for classic rock power chords and riffs. Klon for not losing the character of the amp.

Soul food is on the worst side of the klon clones... it's OK, but it suffers from harsh overtones.

I've been looking for a klon clone, but I haven't found something that sounds like the Archer or KTR at a low price... there's a thin line between bright and harsh, and many of the clones are harsh.

Is there any inexpensive DIY kit out there of the same quality of Klon / Archer / KTR ?

 

[jsrfo]

The Klon Centaur circuit has been duplicated enough and accurately over the years that there are many "low cost" alternatives, as mentioned above.

What people are willing to pay for is the Klon mystique or mojo surrounding it, and so be it. If it wasn't good, no one would know what it isn or dedicate entire threads to it, right?

Bill Finnegan made his money with the Centaur, but no where near the secondary market prices. Not everyone gets to create a legend. Hats off. To his credit, one of my favorite pedal artworks is the simple text he put on the KTR.

I build my own gear, OD's vibes, etc. Whether a Klon or clone, it's more or less than $100 in parts. Parts properly selected and properly assembled yield uniform results.

Beyond that, it's emotional, and while difficult for some to understand, having the original in hand sometimes means more. I'm not that guy, but I get why at times emotion takes precedence.

 

[goodguy]

"Worth" is all relative based upon factors like supply/demand & timing ... A Klon COULD be worth $1Million if someones willing to pay it (in a timeframe that works for the seller). Just because YOU think something is overpriced, doesn't mean everyone will.

 

[radiomatts]

No pedal is worth $3000. No pedal is even worth $300

Amen, brother. That’s ridiculous.

 

[gkelm]

I’ve owned two or three real Klons...one ordered from Bill. It was really highly praised even back then, but I was never totally enamored with it. I recall loading up my pedalboard with a bunch of overdrives for band practice years ago. Among them a Klon, Landgraff, etc...and my fav was my G2D (and surprisingly the fulltone plimsoul!). I was running late 70s deluxe reverb silver face, and loved my tone.

It boils down to context—your rig and personal taste (at any given time). That said, I have been revisiting and trading out various klones the past few years, many great ones (mythical, arc, ali falcon).

I recently got a new/used amp for the first time in quite a while (naylor), and using the gain channel I find that the archer works great for boosting (as does my old timmy). Neither of those worked into my lightly over driving Marshall as well as other ODs, but for this purpose they are nailing it.

 

[soggybag]

I made 6 overdrives and the Klon is not my favorite. It really depends on the sound you’re looking for. These really span the range of light OD (honey bee) through OD (Klon, Zen Drive, to OD Distortion (Vulcan, BSIAB II).

 

[soggybag]

No pedal is worth $3000. No pedal is even worth $300

+1 I built the 6 pedalsin my demo and it cost about $35 to build each one. That’s $210 for all which makes it worth while to do if you’re not sure what you want.

 

[soggybag]

Ah I see...well, still not worth 3k.

totally not worth 3k (unless you’re an investor or collector)

 

[soggybag]

Not sure if this has already been posted, if it has then disregard. In reply to the OP The SD1 is a distortion pedal (Super Distortion actually) the Centaur is an overdrive pedal. Different.

I look at Overdrive and distortion as a spectrum. The border between the two can be pretty wide and blurry colored by personal opinions and expectation. There’s some overlap.

 

[soggybag]

Looking at the schematic, there is no huge difference in the gain stage structure of Centaur and MXR Distortion+. Also, both use germanium diodes for clipping. But Centaur mixes clean (direct) signals.

‘the big difference is the Distortion + is running on 9 volts the Klon has a charge pump and runs at 18 volts which gives it more headroom. The input and clipping stage run on 9v. The output and tone section is running on 18v.

While this sounds significant I don’t know how much difference it makes since the clipping section uses diodes the signal can’t get above or below the output of the stage before which is 0 to 9v. That said I’m an amateur and people really like the Klon. So there is something going on there. I guess you’re sure not to clip the output section.

Here is an expert analysi: https://www.electrosmash.com/klon-centaur-analysis

 

[Oddball667]

Id rather have a hovercraft head , seems they already have enough over drive/fuzz built in.

 

[nortally]

Another solid vote for the BOSS SD-1. I have a Rat 2, a Fulltone Plimsoul, a Joyo Ultimate Overdrive (OCD clone) and a Joyo Vintage Overdrive (TS9 clone). The SD-1 is the only dirt pedal that has never left my board. Usually set to just a smidge of distortion and just a hair over unity gain.

I'm prepared to believe that the Klon is a great pedal, but I've never heard one. Never will hear a real one probably -- I buy my pedals used mostly and never for more than 60% of retail price.

 

[Steve58]

Nothing wrong with an SD1. It gets overlooked because it's cheap, it's cheap because they sell loads of them, and they sell loads of them because they're awesome.

Tumnus and Archer do a good Klon job for sensible money. KoT style pedals also amazing for lower gain drive sounds (if you can't wait 3 years for a real one, Rafferty's Raff of Tone is dang near the exact sound).

Also check out the Nobels ODR-1, which is about 100 bucks and brings nothing but complete joy.

 

[sputnik]

Its hard to believe you can find these 35 or 40 dollars.

What REALLY sounds good is a fender twin pushed to overdrive (yes the head room is sky high on a twin but they WILL overdrive.) Dime the twin then step on the SD-1 to kick it in the ass harder.

This pedal is SO under-rated!

I did a mod to my SD1 about a month after i got it. Its a resistor or capacitor you clip from the circuit. I did the mod and it made it TOO transparent. I played it for 10 minutes and opened the pedal back up and put it back stock.

Have actually dimed your Twin?

 

[Alligatorbling]

Have actually dimed your Twin?

Yes. Volume rolled 100% of the way up. It has a really cool overdriven tone. Its not heavy but its enough for rock and roll. Its deathly loud. I dime it every now and again for fun. One day I called my girlfriend into the music room and let hear me strum an A chord while standing about 10 feet away from it facing it. Her eyes got as big as saucers. You can feel the soundwaves hitting you.

 

[Brek]

What’s an SD-1 mommy?
Pedalsschmedals, the only one I think is really interesting right now for me is the Timmy v1 circuit, really have a I=unique something I have not had with the 3 other pedals.