Klon Effects: The Legendary Transparent Overdrive

The Klon Centaur, created by Bill Finnegan between 1994 and 2008 (or until present, depending on how you count...), is a boutique overdrive pedal that achieved near-mythical status thanks to its uniquely transparent tone and limited production. Finnegan’s goal was to replicate the harmonically rich breakup of an amp at high volume, without masking your guitar’s voice. His design used germanium diodes for hard clipping and a built-in voltage-doubling circuit to increase headroom—key to its signature clarity and dynamic response.

With only about 8,000 handmade units produced, each coated in epoxy to conceal the circuit, the Klon became a rare and prized collector’s item. Its user list reads like a who’s who of modern guitar heroes—including Jeff Beck, John Mayer, and Joe Perry—and its resale value has skyrocketed, reaching up to $10,000+ on the secondhand market.

In 2014, Finnegan released the Klon KTR, a simplified, more reliably manufactured version that retained the original tone and performance. The KTR featured a note from Finnegan’s: “Kindly remember: The ridiculous hype that offends so many is not of my making”.

The Klon remains revered as a touchstone for “transparent overdrive”—a pedal that boosts and sustains without losing the guitar’s natural character. Its influence persists through countless clones and continues to shape modern overdrive pedal design.

Trust that the legend is reality - there is only one Klon!

More info from the Web:

Wikipedia - Klon

Anatomy of Tone - Klon Centaur

Decibelics Klon Guide