The Current KLON Situation?

[se7en]

I know that a year or two back, the KTR was a successful re-release of the Klon from the original inventor, but what are the options nowadays? Is there any plans for Bill Finnegan to build more? If not, is there another Klon(e) option that is pretty much spot-on?

 

[se7en]

Anyone?

 

[lester]

I don't blame you for not venturing or even wanting to venture over to TGP to figure this one out.

Bill's supposedly working on a design with a new builder. Whatever...grab an ARC or a Mojopedals and move on. I'm not crazy about someone ripping him off, but if he don't want to build em

 

[Docster]

a little long winded, but should help...http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/20210-builder-profile-klons-bill-finnegan

 

[se7en]

Thanks for the replies.

Hmm, the Premier Guitar article was a great read. He says the KTR should be available at the time the interview is published, but he also says he is only building Klon pedals for a single mom to sell on eBay. I assume the latter is true and the KTR's are out of production...

Lester: Yes, I've heard good things about the Arc Klone. It makes me wonder how Arc can offer it for $190 and Bill said he was making very little profit at $329.

 

[jlbaxe]

Thanks for the replies.

Hmm, the Premier Guitar article was a great read. He says the KTR should be available at the time the interview is published, but he also says he is only building Klon pedals for a single mom to sell on eBay. I assume the latter is true and the KTR's are out of production...

Lester: Yes, I've heard good things about the Arc Klone. It makes me wonder how Arc can offer it for $190 and Bill said he was making very little profit at $329.

Depends on overhead. If he is paying for shop space and the other guy is building them at his home in his basement, that would make sense.

I charge less for my work because I really do not have any overhead. The only payment I have is $75 a month on a enclosed trailer loan and insurances/taxes.

 

[blackba]

a little long winded, but should help...http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/20210-builder-profile-klons-bill-finnegan

Great article. I have read about the Klon for years on the forums and still learned a lot from the article.

 

[JMMP]

EHX soul food. 62$ klone. JHS is offering a mod for it too, adding a bass knob and a toggle switch for gain character. Full features klone for less than the other klones

Word on TGP was that the KTR's would be in stock last Friday or so. I don't think that materialized.

 

[glip22]

Had the ARC, Illuminated, two others, Monsterpiece Stud for the win

 

[se7en]

Had the ARC, Illuminated, two others, Monsterpiece Stud for the win

I've seen a lot of people mention that if you love Klon's that the STUD's a great choice. It seems perhaps a bit more versatile in the sense that you can crank the gain and get a lot more of an angry edge to the tone as well...'Sagittarian Ultimate Drive' implies it's an overdrive as well.

 

[Eco 7077]

just get a EHX Soul food. 62 dollars and sounds as shitty as the Klon, but for 62 dollars is all right.

 

[Doughboy]

just get a EHX Soul food. 62 dollars and sounds as shitty as the Klon, but for 62 dollars is all right.

+1

 

[se7en]

just get a EHX Soul food. 62 dollars and sounds as shitty as the Klon, but for 62 dollars is all right.

I think a Klon can sound shitty if it's boosting a clean amp. It's not meant for that. EHX is an amazing value no doubt. I think it sounds a bit more compressed to my ear than the typical Klon/Klone. Once again, great price...something about EHX pedals seem great to me at the onset, but aren't quite there in my experience. To each their own.

 

[se7en]

Had the ARC, Illuminated, two others, Monsterpiece Stud for the win

Gary, just curious, what do you like better about the Stud?

 

[blackba]

just get a EHX Soul food. 62 dollars and sounds as shitty as the Klon, but for 62 dollars is all right.

I think a Klon can sound shitty if it's boosting a clean amp. It's not meant for that. EHX is an amazing value no doubt. I think it sounds a bit more compressed to my ear than the typical Klon/Klone. Once again, great price...something about EHX pedals seem great to me at the onset, but aren't quite there in my experience. To each their own.

How are the Klons at boosting a gain channel? I know it was originally intended to goose a single channel amp on the verge of breakup and not really be used into a clean amp.

 

[rupe]

Most overrated, over-hyped pedal ever made. It's a good sounding "always on" pedal but is far too open sounding to be an effective boost IMO...it has none of the mid-push that makes a tube screamer a great lead boost. It's more about effecting your overall tone than something you kick on for a solo.
There are plenty of other pedals that serve a similar function for a fraction of the price. I had one of the originals and it couldn't even make the cut for a spot in my live rig...unfortunately I sold it before the prices went from stupid to completely insane.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, the pedal isn't built for many applications, which makes its price pretty ridiculous for a one-trick-pony. Either way, I would grab the Centaur, test it in the context it was designed for and decide if it's worth keeping it or reselling it for a profit to some TGP nut.

 

[Reiep]

I played a golden one, that's a good pedal... but I compared it to a DIY clone that was around 1/20 of the price and sounded, overall, maybe 95% the same. And I'm not sure that in a blind test I would have known which one is which.

My very own personal conclusion is that a $1000 Klon is more of an eye candy than a pedal. And I think that the best part of the pedal is... its buffer, I liked it better bypassed

 

[glip22]

Had the ARC, Illuminated, two others, Monsterpiece Stud for the win

I've seen a lot of people mention that if you love Klon's that the STUD's a great choice. It seems perhaps a bit more versatile in the sense that you can crank the gain and get a lot more of an angry edge to the tone as well...'Sagittarian Ultimate Drive' implies it's an overdrive as well.

For a higher gain boost it's my favorite for awhile now. It adds the edge but still has a great feel to it. I really like what it does for the mids. Thickens them like the Klon. Just a great pedal. The others were decent but not as good in the sense of being more natural sounding.

 

[RSRD]

I spoke to Bill on Monday in regards to something I was trying with my KTR. After the conversation I asked him how things were going in the Klon world. He wouldnt divulge what he was doing but he said he was 'super busy these days'

You never know with Bill though. He's a very nice but 'interesting' fellow.

As far as Klones go, I found the Arc to be the best. The EHX was not a good klone. it's cheap and easy to flip right now though. So never hurts to try it out.

here is my take on the arc:

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/showth ... ?t=1276214