Klon Centaur
Klon (Bill Finnegan) · 1994
What It Is
The Klon Centaur is an overdrive pedal built by Bill Finnegan in Boston between 1994 and 2009. Fewer than 8,000 were made. It achieved legendary status through its unusually transparent, amp-like overdrive character. Originals now sell for $1,500–$4,000+. Its circuit runs at a higher internal voltage than most pedals, which gives it more headroom and a livelier, more dynamic feel. Finnegan eventually stopped making them — the market for clones, licensed versions (KTR), and derivatives is now enormous.
Tonal Character
At lower gain settings the Centaur acts more like a clean boost with subtle harmonic enhancement — your guitar still sounds like itself, just more present and alive. As gain increases, a smooth, warm overdrive emerges that never becomes harsh or aggressive. The internal blend of clean and overdriven signal is the Centaur's secret: you always hear some of your direct tone underneath the drive, which contributes to the feeling that the pedal is 'part of the amp.' It does not do heavy gain.
Found In
| Platform | Model Names |
|---|---|
| HeadRush | K Drive |
| Line 6 Helix | Heir Apparent (KTR) |
Videos
Manual
View ManualFamous Uses
- →John Mayer — primary live and studio use
- →Jeff Beck — reported use
- →The Centaur defined a market category — most of what is sold as 'transparent overdrive' is trying to approximate it
Best For
Controls Explained
Descriptions reflect the real-world gear these models are inspired by. Your modeler's implementation may vary. Use as a starting point — always trust your ears.
Gain
Controls the drive amount, but the Centaur's gain range is different from most overdrives. At low gain settings (minimum to about 30%), the pedal functions almost entirely as a clean boost — the overdriven signal is so low in the blend that the character is nearly transparent. As gain increases, the blended overdrive becomes more prominent, adding a warm, smooth saturation that the circuit is known for. At maximum gain, the Centaur is still in light-overdrive territory — it will not produce heavy distortion. The most celebrated Centaur tones use gain in the 20–60% range, relying on the Output control to boost the signal and push the amp model.
Treble
A gentle treble control. Because the Centaur has a naturally balanced frequency response (unlike the mid-focused Tube Screamer), the treble control shapes the top end in a fairly natural way. At center position, the frequency response is close to flat. Rolling back produces a warmer, rounder character. Adding treble brightens the tone without imposing a fixed character. On a modeler, the Centaur's treble control interacts with the amp model — start at center and adjust based on the brightness of your amp and cab combination.
Output
Output volume level. This is arguably the most important control on the Centaur — running it above unity is the standard use case. A significant portion of what makes the Centaur special is the combination of low-to-moderate gain with a strong output boost, which pushes the downstream amp model harder in a natural-feeling way. Most users set Output in the 60–100% range to achieve the full effect. At lower output settings, the Centaur functions as a mild drive pedal; at higher settings, the dynamics feel more immediate and responsive.
Sample Configurations
Starting points for common tones — dial in from here.
| Name | Gain | Treble | Output | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transparent Boost | 2 | 5 | 8 | The Klon's signature low-gain, high-output application. Pushes the amp without obvious pedal coloring. |
| Light Drive | 5 | 5 | 6 | Gain increased until the overdrive blend becomes audible. Warm and smooth. |
| Lead Boost | 4 | 6 | 9 | Higher output for solo presence. Gain kept moderate to preserve clarity. |