Somebody explain Klon to me.

[Deep South]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Klon-Centaur...item43aae1f765

$1500 on ebay. Seriously?

I went to you tube are listened to a bunch of clips. Its not a bad pedal and if it was $200 or less I might get one. But $999 new??!

Is this a case were somebody thinks if they charge a stupid price for something players will just assume it must be the best? I don't know what else it can be.

[telepath]

My understanding is that the Klon's magic is an indefinable, but notable 'presence' that it brings in loud, live situation particularly.

Youtube clips could not really help illustrate whether that magic is there, or not.

It could easily be concluded that if one does not have the ears to pick up the subtleties (audience likely wont), nor regularly play loud stages, one may risk wasting money and chasing shadows.

Equally, some will say it is worth its weight in gold, which is nearly the current market price.

I'd say, if a Klon's uber-superiority were really that obvious, it would be .. that obvious. And thus more obviously worth the very silly money.

[Deep South]

If I did get one I would be scared to take it to the average bar gig.

Opps! hey man sorry I spilled beer on your $1000 Overdrive Pedal, says my singer as a puff of smoke rises from the pedal board.

[uriah1]

Originally Posted by Deep South

If I did get one I would be scared to take it to the average bar gig.

Opps! hey man sorry I spilled beer on your $1000 Overdrive Pedal, says my singer as a puff of smoke rises from the pedal board.

yep...and lol...

[SiennaBurst50]

Never messed with a real Klon....

After much getting used to, the Tone Vitamin is a pretty impressive little device. It's a Klon Klone....but there is a sparkle there not found in my other overdrives. It's something different, but no effect is worth that kind of $ to me.

[telepath]

I'd worry just as much at being seen with an obviously thousand dollar overdrive.
I'd have to be sure of it - and me - sounding stellar enough to justify the moolah/hype. ;)

And also the fear of someone making a grab for it.

Jim Campilongo uses one for dirt / presence - or so I gather.
JC's tone sounds great.
I suspect he always did sound great and always would - Before Klon, with Klon and without.
Maybe that is the level of mastery that is required before that small percentage of Klon advantage truly shows up and makes itself notable.

[smoss469]

I'd be curious to try it out, but not at that price. In fact, I thought Bills retail price (when they were in production) was too high as is.

[Teleworshipkid]

My friend bought one back when they were commercially available. He still has it and says it's his favorite overdrive. However, he said he would never buy one at current eBay prices...

[hotrodkid]

I have the Klon Klone from JHS. Supose to be a 1:1 clone. It's not my favorite overdrive pedal. But it is my favorite with a cleaner sound when using the middle and bridge position of my Strat's singles. It has a very different Presence almost 3D effect, kinda hard to explain. It has a sweet spot with the Level maxed and the Gain just set around the 8 - 9 1/2. You can hear that unique Presence kick in. Again hard to explain. I wanna sell it but none of my other pedals can come close, so it stays on my board. There was a time I was using it soley as a boost but I couldn't justify a $300 boost! It is very different.

I recommend this JHS pedal if you can't pass the GAS. I think JHS only makes it when the real Klon is not being produced. Some secret deal. I compare the whole Klon thing to the Mason's. It's the mystique that makes it. Obviously I didn't and wouldn't buy an original.

[smoss469]

There are multiple people selling "Klones", but they're all close to $200. Bill says no one has perfected it yet because of... I forget which part, diodes, transistors something or other is basically impossible to get. He bought up all the supply he could find and the ones people use in the repros aren't the same. He could be telling the truth, or just trying to discredit the people making them by telling everyone they have it wrong.

No idea.

[surfoverb]

bad monkey=$20 used

[hotrodkid]

Originally Posted by smoss469

There are multiple people selling "Klones", but they're all close to $200. Bill says no one has perfected it yet because of... I forget which part, diodes, transistors something or other is basically impossible to get. He bought up all the supply he could find and the ones people use in the repros aren't the same. He could be telling the truth, or just trying to discredit the people making them by telling everyone they have it wrong.

No idea.

Not a flame but I heard that too,,????????????? The JHS Klone is the only one that is not made when Bill is up and running????? Why???? Something more to that. Maybe, maybe not?

FWIW , back in 09 .011 Guage spoke highly of the builder (JHS) and expected a true clone..... IMO he was right. That's why I bought it. All the other Klon clones I heard were too bright or heavier sounding. The JHS has the sweetness of the original. I was hesitant at first but many other pedals that sound like many other pedals cost more so I went for it.

I have many dirt boxes that I can set up to almost mimic each other. I can not do that with the JHS Klone. I'm not claiming it's the greatest. The thing is if you like it - it's very hard to mimic it. JMO, YMMV

[smoss469]

I don't know what you mean by "only one that isn't made when Bill is up and running". The Klon hasn't been made in a long time now. I don't think any clones popped up in any real quantity until months after he stopped. JHS had it first IIRC but caught a LOT of flak from the TGP community. He removed it from his site last I checked but still sold it. There are a few more people here and there that sell it. A few places, I think Madbean and... maybe GuitarPCB (theirs is a variant) sold the boards complete with schematics etc.

There used to be a guy selling them on eBay a while back. He'd post 1 or 2 every so often for like $150 or so.

[blargfromspace]

That Bad Monkey vid is fantastic comparison. They sound virtually the same to me.

[hotrodkid]

Apparently JHS and Bill have some type of verbal agreement. JHS does not build their Klone whenever Bill is making, selling, etc.. his pedal. It's in place in case production starts up again I guess. FWIW, I just went to the JHS website and the Klone is not listed. So I guess you can not get one of them now too. The saga continues...

[smoss469]

Email him and ask. I'm pretty sure he'll quote you a price. Just for kicks, give it a shot

[hotrodkid]

That's interesting. I had my Klone for a while now so my info is a little stale. My research started while I was shopping for it and ended the day it arrived and plugged it in. Search over.

I think the Klon and it's true 1:1 clones have a few things going for it. It's not the best OD as far as maxing the Gain. But love it or hate it, it does have a unique sound. With the Gain knob just turned enough until the tone changes and that 3D presence kicks in until right around ten o'clock before it then starts distrorting more is the bomb. IMO, it's the low drive area on the Gain knob where all the magic is, anything else - I have better choices on tap.

But if you gave $1,200 to buy an original Klon I'd take the money, run the other way and buy four vintage TS9's. Why?

1) Becuase I would use them more.
2) IMO, They would be an easier sell down the road.
3) They're bright green, look cool.
4) Sound good to me (live)
5) Everybody knows what they are!
6) They have the mojo.

All in all I'm glad I bought the JHS Klone. It stopped the G.A.S!!! Plus I don't have to start a thread like this one. Now, with all this chatter I will play it tomorrow a little more than usual.

[bloodbeard]

I agree with those who say to buy a klone. I've got one from Arc Effects that is fantastic. I hear good things about the one built by monsterpiece as well.

[Maxwell Street]

Originally Posted by Deep South

If I did get one I would be scared to take it to the average bar gig.

Opps! hey man sorry I spilled beer on your $1000 Overdrive Pedal, says my singer as a puff of smoke rises from the pedal board.

Hissssss...zap

[Dave_O]

"...Programmer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) has been swindled. When he was employed at the ENCOM Corporation his former colleague Ed Dillinger (David Warner) stole the ideas for several popular arcade games that Flynn had written. Flynn is sure that if he can get inside ENCOM, he can successfully crack..."

Oh, hang on. I thought you wrote "TRON"...

$1500 stompbox? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!