From mythical tone to mass-market copies — the story of the Klon Centaur is one of boutique brilliance, tone-chasing obsession, and circuit-masked mystery.
The Birth of a Legend: The Klon Centaur Origins
In 1994, Bill Finnegan, a former Harvard student and guitarist, released a pedal that would reshape the boutique gear world forever — the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive.
Finnegan’s mission? To craft a transparent overdrive that retained the natural voice of an amp and guitar, but enhanced it subtly with increased sustain, clarity, and harmonic content.
Key to the Klon’s sonic magic:
- Internal voltage boost (9V to ~18V) for added headroom
- Germanium diode clipping for smooth, musical saturation
- Dual-gang gain control that subtly rebalances EQ as gain increases
- “Gooped” circuit board — epoxy-coated to prevent reverse-engineering
Every pedal was hand-assembled in small batches. With only around 8,000 units produced between 1994 and 2008, demand quickly overwhelmed supply — and thus, the Klon myth began.
Why the Klon Centaur Became a Cult Classic
✨ Transparent Tone
The Klon doesn’t sound like a typical “pedal” — it feels like your amp, but better. Players use it as a clean boost, a mid-gain drive, or even to stack with other pedals. It enhances rather than overwhelms.
🧪 Design Secrecy
With epoxy covering the circuit, the Klon’s internals remained a mystery for years. Builders couldn’t easily clone or tweak it — increasing the air of mystique.
🏆 Boutique Bragging Rights
Before boutique pedals were common, the Klon helped define what a premium, hand-built pedal could be. Its scarcity and quality pushed it into the realm of collectors and tone obsessives.
💰 Skyrocketing Prices
Original Centaurs, once $329 new, now fetch £3,000–£6,000+ on the used market. Some rare units have sold for over £10,000, cementing the Klon as the world’s most expensive overdrive pedal.
Famous Users of the Klon Centaur
Over the years, the Klon has quietly (and sometimes loudly) made its way onto famous pedalboards, including:
- 🎸 Jeff Beck
- 🎸 John Mayer
- 🎸 Joe Perry (Aerosmith)
- 🎸 Nels Cline (Wilco)
- 🎸 Matt Schofield
- 🎸 Ed O’Brien (Radiohead)
- 🎸 Warren Haynes, Phillip Sayce, and many more
Its reputation as a “secret sauce” for tone-conscious players only added to the mystique.
The Klon Clone Craze
As demand soared and originals became unobtainable, the Klon clone wars began.
Notable Klon-Inspired Pedals:
- Wampler Tumnus
- J. Rockett Archer
- Mythos Mjolnir
- RYRA The Klone
- Electro-Harmonix Soul Food
- JHS Klon clones and shootouts
- Behringer Centaur (£69)
Some brands went for faithful recreations, others added features, and some outright copied the aesthetics and internals — sparking heated legal and ethical debates.
Behringer vs Finnegan: Clone Culture Reaches Court
In 2023, Finnegan filed a lawsuit against Behringer, alleging trademark infringement and false advertising over their “Centaur” pedal. The move highlighted the growing tension between original creators and mass-market replicators.
While clone culture has democratized access to “Klon-like” tone, it also challenges the value of innovation in pedal design.
From Centaur to KTR: Finnegan’s Modern Answer
In 2014, Finnegan released the Klon KTR — a more affordable, modernized version of the Centaur with the now-iconic backplate message:
“Kindly remember: the ridiculous hype that offends so many is not of my making.”
Though factory-built, the KTR retains much of the original circuit’s spirit — and remains in high demand today.
Is the Klon Worth It?
That depends.
🎧 Can you hear the difference?
To many, yes — especially with clean amps or as a stacked boost.
💰 Is it worth the price?
Objectively? Likely not — unless you’re a collector, tone completist, or gear historian.
🧪 Does it matter?
Absolutely. The Klon isn’t just a pedal — it’s a moment in guitar culture. A spark that lit the boutique boom.
Final Thoughts: The Tone, The Myth, The Centaur
The Klon Centaur is more than a pedal — it’s a cultural artifact. It represents:
- Innovation born from obsession
- A tone quest elevated to legend
- The clash between boutique craft and corporate cloning
Whether you’re chasing Klon tone on a budget, hunting for an original, or just curious — the Centaur story is a wild ride through sound, scarcity, and the soul of guitar gear.
