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

[sputnik]

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.

I bet your neighbors hate you.

 

[BanditPanda]

Negative. Google boss sd1

i stand corrected. SD = Super Drive ?
BP

 

[ReWind James]

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.

Love it! It's quite a feeling!

You have the silverface Twin reissue, right? I bet it's a real beauty with your Tele. I've got a Tele with pickups just like yours that I love into my 69 Twin.

 

[MissingSomethin]

No, it's not magical.
That's why the maker coats the entire inside with TAR.
So, you can't see the basic obvious circuitry.

 

[GermHerm]

Had a Klon years ago. Sold it in the late '90s for 200 German Marks or so. Today I would be rich .
My 2 cents regarding the Klon are as follows. Its a good pedal, best working as a booster with a little gurth (gain at 11 o'clock) into a mid overdriven valve/tube amp (edge of break-up). The todays clones are mainly as good as the original in my opinion (have tested many over the years). I prefer the combination of Timmy and Lightspeed most of the time. I use also a combination of Timmy and a clone Klon (J. Rockett Archer) for Strat with Maple neck (more mids) into a edge-of-break-up-Victory-V40 amp.
However, this is all a matter of personal taste.....

 

[Dr. Arkam]

I’ve had a few Klones (two Archers, Soul Food, a mini pedal I can’t remember) and didn’t love any of them. Also, I haven’t liked any Tubescreamer variations I’ve owned either and I’ve had a bunch of those. Didn’t get along with the SD-1 either, different strokes for different folks I guess. I’ve always preferred Bluesbreaker style OD’s.

 

[David Garner]

I have both. The Klone (a Tumnus Deluxe) is on the board. I love the SD-1, especially with a Marshall, but the Tumnus has something that sets it apart for me. It has a clarity and transparency that just works for me.

 

[red_house356]

I love the Klon Centaur circuit and feel like it gets unwarranted hate from people who dislike the hype behind them. Not the pedal or what it sounds like, they hate the hype. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a clean boost (how I set mine) to push an amp over the edge, they’re just awesome. The Tumnus and Proanalog Devices Manticore v1 get my vote for affordable klones. Lovepedal Kalamazoo Silver get a nod as well.

That being said, this is why people hate the pedal. No way is a klon worth $3,000-5,000. There’s 1-3 on Reverb going for $10,000. Can’t make it this up. I got my 1953 Gibson Les Paul for a couple hundred dollars more. Absolutely wild.

Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive (Non-Horsie) | Reverb

The legend of the Klon Centaur, which debuted in the mid-'90s, has taken on a life of its own as one of the most collectible effects pedals of all time. Its ground-breaking transparent overdrive circuit, its use by such players as John Mayer, Nels Cline and Joe Perry (to name just a few) and its ...

reverb.com

 

[bildozr]

I don't know if Mr. Scott was trolling, or being serious. I know there's some private collectors out there that probably would have gone for it. Knowing Josh's public persona, I'd say he's doing it for the laughs.

 

[KStopper65]

I don't know if Mr. Scott was trolling, or being serious. I know there's some private collectors out there that probably would have gone for it. Knowing Josh's public persona, I'd say he's doing it for the laughs.
View attachment 507681

Hold up. he would never sell that

 

[KStopper65]

I don't know if Mr. Scott was trolling, or being serious. I know there's some private collectors out there that probably would have gone for it. Knowing Josh's public persona, I'd say he's doing it for the laughs.
View attachment 507681

its purchasable now. i cant believe he's selling it
Also he's gonna hand deliver, anywhere on earth
He's gotta be kidding

 

[red_house356]

I don't know if Mr. Scott was trolling, or being serious. I know there's some private collectors out there that probably would have gone for it. Knowing Josh's public persona, I'd say he's doing it for the laughs.
View attachment 507681

I feel like he was half trolling and half serious. He said he wanted to ”help” reverb out by putting some rare stuff for sale. I honestly doubt he would sell a pedal that rare tho. I was following the listing to seek if it would sell. 58 people had the pedal in their carts. I feel like they were trolling too, but who knows with these things.

 

[Lester]

Ohhh you better believe it is!

Now that they are somehow "Holy Grail" status, and ridiculously priced, I fear that many who purchase them are doing it as a status symbol rather than for a specific sound.

 

[Lester]

Huh....

 

[moreles]

One more pointless Klone shootout and I'm going postal. Unless you're there live, forget it. Most people talking about the Klon have never played through one for any length of time, in their own rig, and playing their own stuff, so sorry, but who cares? For those who have, whatever your opinion may be is obviously legit for you. I've owned an original gold horsie Klon, a KTR, an SD-1, and a bunch of other ODs. The 3 I mention have all been great - for me. I sold the Klon at a huge profit because the KTR, in my rig, was/is really fine. The SD-1 is the only pedal I have played heavily forever and which has never left my board. I have an old Keeley-modded version, and it is pure money. I don't know if the gods just smiled on mine or what, but as much as I love swapping pedals in and out, that one stays welded in place. The stock SD-1 is terrific, but the mods in this one make it priceless to me. From tone to responsiveness, I've just never found anything better. I use my KTR for cleanish boost, not OD, because the Boss is better. And better than my Sun Face, and better than...

 

[MCT]

Never have I ever played an original Klon, but Nels Cline is on record as saying the Sarno Earth Drive is very comparable at a much lower price point.

Apologies if this doesn’t fit with the “dump on the Klon” theme here.

 

[cybermgk]

The only pedal I own that I paid over 150 dollars for is my Friedman dirty Shirley. Now THAT is a good pedal! Great for high gain British overdrive.

I'll never pay over 200 dollars for a pedal unless its something i fall in love with.

This post right here, explains why YOU, don't understand a Klon, or Klone, or likely a Timmy, or even a Tube Screamer, basically all the low drive, 'transparent' Overdrives. I'm sure the Friedman pedal is a fine pedal. But, it falls completely into the "amp in a box" distortion pedal. By that, the Friedman seeks to create the distortion tone and sound. In this case, it was designed to make your amp sound like a Dirty Shirley.

That is a lot of coloring of the tone, almost a replacement.

It is meant to CREATE a tone, that the amp then amplifies

Even, the SD-1, and yes, it is underrated. It is the only OD that uses asymmetrical clipping (patented). And this does give a lot of harmonics in it;s produced distortion. But, it definitely colors the tone, though not like above. It's this unique clipping that is it's forte. It also, at it's best, does the above, creates a tone to be amplified. But, it does straddle the above 'purpose', and below.

Not to say there is a damn thing wrong with any of that. There isn't, it is just a different tool.

What the Klon, Klones, Timmy s and similar of the world are meant to, for lack of a better term, enhance the amp's tone, and/or drive the front of the amp harder. The Timmy (those that use a bass and treble cut) are also useful in decoloring pedals In front of it. But, at their best, they are all about getting and.or enhancing the amps distortion tone and character.

These are meant to be a dynamic tool that works in combination with your guitar sound, guitar level, amp sound, amp level, and the relationships between your master volume and volume to assist the amp in making it;s tone, to amplify.

It's a different tool.

Last but, not least, the Klon circuit (and other 'transparent') drives sound good with almost any amp and any guitar combo.

The Tube Screamer, like the SD-1, straddles the two purposes. THOUGH , I think it does slightly less so than the SD-1, though it definitely colors the tone. But, where it gets it's 'fame' , is more in the drive the front end harder, and thus push the amp into it's distortion use. That, and it scoops parts of the tone, while boosting Mid, which tightens up the bottom end, so the guitar stands out better.

Tube screamer, really ahines with a Strat into a fender amp, providing those mids that are lacking. Yes, it can be used with a Les Paul, and a Marshall amp, but in a more limited capacity, imho.

And, yes an SD-1 can do similar work. It is a little more versatile than a TS, imho.

Well that's my $0.02 on the topic, YMMV.

And, I do NOT 'get' paying thousands for an original Klon

I also don't get the need to 'promote' one thing, by trying to tear down another.

 

[cybermgk]

Yes but actually no.
Its different. It has asymetrical clipping meaning that it has only one clipping diode.
Therefore IMHO it sounds far better than the tube screamers

Actually, it means that it produces both odd and even harmonics in it's clipping (patented, so noone else does it, legally). Others like the TS just produce symmetrical clipping, i.e. mostly odd harmonics.s

 

[KStopper65]

Even, the SD-1, and yes, it is underrated. It is the only OD that uses asymmetrical clipping (patented).

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the OD-3 have this too

 

[Lester]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the OD-3 have this too

There's quite a few asymmetrical clipping pedals... whether they're considered "OD" pedals or not I can't say.