So, the whole Klon thing

pima1234

pima1234

Fractal Fanatic
Not to resurrect this whole thing or beat a dead horse, but, after having played a real Klon Centaur Gold recently, I get it. There is something really unique. Are the various clones close? Maybe so, but I haven't played all of them. Can I get really close to it on the Axe FX? Yes, but it's not quite the same. There is something special about what the various settings on that pedal do. It would be nice to have it in the Axe FX. I know I'm not missing anything without it, of course, and maybe it's still up to me to continue working on the settings, but the real thing was a lot of fun to play. It felt great under my fingers and really perked up my ears.
 
I think that @FractalAudio should model his favorite Klon clone... there are probably over 100 to pick from.
The wingnut who spends over $1K on an overdrive pedal will never be happy with the modeled version anyway.
 
SoProg said:
I think that @FractalAudio should model his favorite Klon clone... there are probably over 100 to pick from.
The wingnut who spends over $1K on an overdrive pedal will never be happy with the modeled version anyway.
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I just sold my gold horseie basically teadedevenup for a fx8 n 2 pedals. 1500. Was it nice. Yep. 1500 nice? Nope. Guy, clone builder, brought his version over to compare. He got close. The timmy clone in recent release is awesome. So i used the klon to replace a clyde ts9 ds1 mxr eq
Mxr chorus line6m9 nova delay tce vortex n tce hall of fame.
Fx8 vs klon NO CONTEST.
 
Four more points, in addition to the caveat that I'm already completely pleased with what I can achieve using my AX8 (the drives are much better now with the recent update):

I want to try more clones.

Did it magically become my favorite drive pedal? Definitely not, and I've been through a ton of great ones.

If you haven't tried the real thing, give it a shot if you ever get the opportunity. In other words, don't hate until you've tried it, because that's exactly what I did in my mind.

I would never spend that kind of mulah on one!!! And, I do not feel it's worth what they go for now, because that's just ridiculous.
 
The one drive pedal that was permanently on my board before I switched to a digital rig was a Klone built by Anarchy Audio here in Western Australia. As a boost in front of an already driven amp it did exactly what I'd always wanted a TS style pedal to do.

With all the different ways to get more gain in the Axe-Fx/AX8 now I haven't really missed it, but it is great at what it does. Worth $1k? Yeah, nah.
 
Ptodd said:
I just sold my gold horseie basically teadedevenup for a fx8 n 2 pedals. 1500. Was it nice. Yep. 1500 nice? Nope. Guy, clone builder, brought his version over to compare. He got close. The timmy clone in recent release is awesome. So i used the klon to replace a clyde ts9 ds1 mxr eq
Mxr chorus line6m9 nova delay tce vortex n tce hall of fame.
Fx8 vs klon NO CONTEST.
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Thing is, no Klon probably sounds the same, there being component intolerances, maybe the odd component change over the years. The circuit has been well traced, with or without the Buildyourownclone revision. There seem to be plenty who like both. So the question becomes, if the clones get it there 95% if not more to an original, is it worth 1500 just to bridge those few remaining percentages? On the risk that even an original may not sound 100% to each other.
 
I feel the originals are overpriced, but it is a desirable pedal.

It shows up on many pedal boards of guitar players that have tone I admire.
 
Ah, the Klon.. I have never played one, but had a brief discussion with an artist who owns one. He was showing me some of his huge pedal collection in the studio and says to me, "Hey, have you ever tried a real Klon?" I was like, "Nope, but I hear tons of great things about them. What's the main difference in the originals verses the newer remade versions and clones?" He turned around laughing and says to me, "About $1,500 or so." :D
 
Certainly mostly true. There is something different about the KTR when compared to the Gold Centaur. I actually liked both pedals, with one not being better (subjective) than the other. Still, the Centaur did something to make the notes sing a little more. It seemed to compress the low mids (don't rely on my memory, as this was a few weeks ago now... meaning I have to go back), and helped the high notes to sound full and sustain, but yet chords were not mushy. We're talking very minimal differences here, and like most pedals, it definitely depends on the amp (and the player).

ChrisMetal86 said:
Ah, the Klon.. I have never played one, but had a brief discussion with an artist who owns one. He was showing me some of his huge pedal collection in the studio and says to me, "Hey, have you ever tried a real Klon?" I was like, "Nope, but I hear tons of great things about them. What's the main difference in the originals verses the newer remade versions and clones?" He turned around laughing and says to me, "About $1,500 or so." :D
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I have a KTR and an unmodified Soul Food. Call me crazy, but I dig the "flavor" of the $80 Soul Food just a bit more. I've heard the Archer as well, but never an actual Klon.

Either way, I would love to see a K circuit in the Axe/AX8. It adds something as unique as the Timmy (which I also still have and use).

The hype surrounding the Klon, as well as the negativity around here, is truly baffling. This is the tamest thread on the subject I've yet to encounter. Yay!
 
So here's my really deep question: what's the correct pronunciation of Klon? I've heard it rhymed with bone and rhymed with dawn.
 
There is something about outboard gear, real or not is debateable. Thousands of dollars for an old pedal with a handfull of parts costing just a few dollars is not really the point, it goes to what it does for the sounds you are getting. Of course we are all guilty of thinking we are getting better tones than we are or we are playing better than we actually can, that ego thing comes into play. However, to the same end I recently purchased a D.W. Fearn VT-3 DI something I did not really need but I swear to you it makes a difference. I just can't prove it.
 
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