Discover the absolute best Klon clones for your guitar rig. Our comprehensive 2026 buyer’s guide uses an analytical framework to evaluate premium, mid-tier, budget, and dual-channel “Klone” pedals.
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Perhaps the most legendary (and absurdly expensive) guitar pedal of all time, the Klon Centaur was a foundational boutique “dirt box.” Released in the mid-90s, it fundamentally shifted how guitarists approached dirt, proving that an overdrive could act as an organic extension of a tube amplifier rather than just a saturation effects.
Created by Bill Finnegan in 1994, the original unit’s innovative topology—combining an internal voltage-doubling charge pump with hand-selected germanium clipping diodes—redefined touch-responsiveness and harmonic bloom. Today, an original vintage gold or silver Klon Centaur fetches anywhere from $2,000 to north of $5,000 on the used market. Because most players can’t afford the real thing but value that sound, an entire industry of Klon clones (affectionately dubbed “Klones”) has risen to fill the void.
Whether you are looking for a component-for-component vintage recreation or a modern multi-channel evolution that addresses the classic circuit’s inherent limitations, this guide breaks down the best options available today.
The Klon Centaur Overdrive History and Circuit Design
With an initial price tag of $225 in 1994, the original Klon Centaur delivered what players came to call “transparent overdrive.” Instead of reshaping your entire signal, it added a glassy, rich harmonic layer while preserving the core character of your guitar and amp.
Under the hood, the Klon functions uniquely by using a dual-ganged gain potentiometer. As you turn the gain up, it simultaneously blends the overdriven signal with your dry clean signal. This design is the secret to why the pedal maintains its low-end fullness, avoiding the muddy bass loss common to traditional overdrives. Internally, a charge pump steps up standard 9V power to 18V internal headroom, giving the pedal its massive dynamic range and open transient response.
Here’s a demo of the original.
A second-hand original Klon Centaur can sell for a small fortune on Reverb.com.
Finnegan hand-wired approximately 5,400 units before halting production in 2009. Because the circuit boards were famously covered in thick black epoxy (“goop”) to prevent reverse-engineering, an entire mythology formed around the specific choice of clipping diodes, defining decades of gear-forum debates. (You can find a more comprehensive history of the Klon here.)
Circuit geeks interested in knowing more about the Klon circuit and its cloning history must watch this video by The Living Room Demos or this one by JHS.
The Official Successor: The Klon KTR
Click image for video. Check for price on eBay, Reverb.com and Thomann.
For players who want an official unit without paying collectors’ premiums, the Klon KTR is the direct successor. Designed by Bill Finnegan himself and transitioned to modern surface-mount technology (SMT) production lines, the KTR shrinks the massive footprint of the vintage enclosure down to a pedalboard-friendly size.
The KTR features an external slide switch allowing players to choose between the original’s legendary buffered bypass or modern true bypass. Despite the aesthetic makeover, Finnegan maintains that the KTR sounds identical to a vintage gold or silver Centaur, making it the closest logical reference point for the pure circuit.
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Our Editorial Framework & Evaluation Methodology
To cut through the internet hype, this guide organizes the vast world of Klones by balancing long-term marketplace durability across major platforms (like Sweetwater, Reverb, and Amazon) with hands-on evaluation. We grade these pedals on circuit integrity, component selection, dynamic touch-responsiveness, and real-world gigging utility.
Considering the variety of devices inspired by the Klon Centaur, we decided to organize our content in the following categories – click to jump to the one you are interested in:
Premium Market Staples (Above $150)
Best Klon Clones Between $99 and $130
Best Klon Centaur Clones Under $99
Best Klon Centaur Evolutions
Klon Pretenders
Klon Clone Kits
Obscure Klons
Clicking/Tapping on the images in the galleries below will open a pedal description and a demo video!
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Premium Market Staples ($150+)
While an original Klon Centaur can fetch a king’s ransom on the used market, there are a variety of much more affordable options that try to stay true to the original design. This list of Klon-style overdrives comprises several of what are widely considered the best Klon pedal clones. They faithfully recreate the original’s tone, response and 3-knob layout.
Wampler Tumnus / Tumnus Deluxe
$149-199 | The Verdict: The absolute benchmark for compact Klones in mass-market retail. Brian Wampler’s engineering replicates the signature, gentle mid-hump and touch-responsiveness within an incredibly compact format. The Deluxe version adds an active 3-band EQ for players who want to manually sculpt the fixed voice stack.
J Rockett Archer Ikon
$199 | The Verdict: A perennial marketplace favorite built into a heavy, bulletproof enclosure. The silver Archer utilizes silicon diodes for pristine clean-boost clarity, while the gold Archer Ikon uses rare NOS germanium diodes for a warmer, softer transient compression. You can hear a comparison video here.
Warm Audio Centavo
$179 | The Verdict: The most popular large-box vintage replica at major retail outlets. It features a rear-panel “Mod” toggle inspired by Jeff Beck’s personal Klon, which expands the lower-frequency threshold when the standard mid-hump feels too restrictive.
Way Huge Smalls Conspiracy Theory
$159 | The Verdict: A massive retail standout noted for its ultra-smooth midrange transition. It masterfully captures the subtle sweetening of the original circuit in a single-wide chassis that manages pedalboard real estate efficiently.
Ceriatone Centura
$215/250 | The Verdict: The undisputed favorite for vintage purists. It serves as an exact mechanical and electronic mirror of the original large-case Centaur. While its size causes pedalboard friction, its tonal accuracy is unparalleled.
RYRA The Klone
$190 | The Verdict: A long-standing boutique staple with a dedicated following. It offers a meticulous, component-for-component recreation handmade in the USA with clean aesthetics and premium tolerances.
Harby Pedals Centauri MkII | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$169 | The Verdict: A rising contender that refines the layout under the hood while maintaining a clean, ultra-low-noise 1:1 functional execution of the traditional 3-knob interface.
Decibelics Golden Horse| Support our site, buy it on Reverb |
~$270 | The Verdict: An elite, micro-sized artisan clone built to order in Spain. It commands a premium on the aftermarket because every single unit is benchmarked directly against a specific vintage 2001 Klon Centaur (#2505) using identical internal voltage rails.
Interstellar Audio Machines Octonaut Hyperdrive
$275 – a high-end Klon clone that replicates the original’s expressive and transparent tone. The circuit features hand-picked rare germanium diodes, true buffered bypass and a double ganged gain pot. In true Klone fashion, it employs a “natural crossover” circuit to blend the overdrive with the clean signal.
Mythos Mjolnir Overdrive MK IV
$199 – A Klone very close to the original, with tweaks only intended to improve consistency and deliver a smoother overdrive sound. Also available is a Germanium Mod that features hand-matched Germanium Clipping diodes, featuring softer clipping that is more compressed with less overall gain.
Rimrock Effects Mythical Overdrive | Support our site, buy it on Reverb |
$150+ – One of the designs that most closely resembles the original Centaur, this unit uses only the highest-quality components.
ARC Effects Klone V2 | Support our site, buy it on Reverb |
$155+ Used – This is the pedal that coined the term “Klone” (as in “clone of the Klon,” get it?). The Arc Effects’ stompbox is a recreation that replicates all components from the original design, at around… 10% of the cost or so!
All-Pedal Alcmene | Support our site, buy it on Reverb |
$149 – Featuring the classic Klon 3-knob layout and Germanium clipping diodes, this is an authentic-sounding, quality pedal offering higher headroom and dynamic response thanks to an integrated charge pump delivering higher internal voltage rails.
Bowman Audio Endeavors The Bowman | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$200 – A faithful, hand-built take on the Klon circuit using quality components hailing from New Jersey.
Handy FX Minotaur | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$200 – A hand-built Klon that shares the simple 3-knob layout of the original, but allows for more flexibility thanks to two under-the-hood side sliders: one sets the circuit to True or Buffered Bypass, the other one provides a CENT mode tuned after the original and a higher gain and fatter bass mode labeled as MINO.
Studio Daydream HMP: KCM-OD | Support our site, buy it on Reverb |
$239+ – Available in Silver the more expensive Gold edition, this is a high-end authentic recreation of the original Klon with the exact same controls, delivering the famous transparent boost to low gain overdrive. The circuit employs a 27V booster circuit utilizing a charge pump IC, while careful selection of parts and design results in extremely low noise.
Music Box Pedals Klone | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$189 – A high end Klon clone built in NJ, USA, with top mount jacks using quality components that comes in three different case/knob combinations.
Daddy Daughter My Little Klony | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$125/135 – A pedal hand-built by a father-daughter small enterprise that replicates the sound of the Klon using an in-house designed circuit board with NOS D9E clipping diodes matched to the original specs.
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Mid-Tier Standouts ($99-$130)
The $99–$130 price bracket is a notoriously tricky sweet spot for the Klon circuit. Because an authentic build requires specialized components, most boutique recreations naturally land north of $150. Meanwhile, mass-produced import lines often plummet straight into the budget basement under $70.
This tier balances industrial durability with classic circuit topology, stripping away boutique cosmetic premiums without sacrificing build quality or headroom.
MXR Sugar Drive
$120 | The Verdict: The clear leader in the mid-priced category also due to widespread global distribution. It features an internal voltage doubler and a selectable true/buffered bypass switch, expertly handling the complex clean-to-overdrive crossfade.
Critter Electronics CFR Klone
$119-$129 | The Verdict: Moving past ultra-niche, irregular bench runs, Critter has established a highly stable, widely praised production line based in the US. Hand-built using robust through-hole components, an authentic internal charge pump, and classic clipping options, this pedal gives you the uncompromised mojo of a premium artisan build at a working-musician price.
Tone Bakery Creme Brulee | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$99 | The Verdict: a standout budget choice, delivering a remarkably faithful recreation of the classic Centaur topology. It shines as an always-on harmonic enhancer, serving up signature glassy clarity and touch-sensitive midrange warmth. It pushes tube amplifiers into a creamy, organic clip without breaking the bank.
IdiotBox Han-Taun Overdrive | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$129 | The Verdict: Wrapped in sci-fi-inspired artwork, this circuit delivers an exceptionally accurate take on the classic clean-blend topology but brings a bit more low-end muscle and a tighter top end to the table than a traditional vintage spec.
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Top Entry-Level Value Picks (Under $99)
For guitarists testing the waters of the signature midrange bump without making a heavy financial commitment, these budget-friendly entries offer the core functionality of the circuit.
Electro-Harmonix Soul Food
$89 | The Verdict: By sheer volume, it is the most popular Klone ever made. While it leans slightly brighter and more aggressive in the high-mids than a vintage unit, its value and clean-boost utility are historically significant.
TC Electronic ZEUS
~$69 | The Verdict: A massive budget hit featuring a compact layout with an internal step-up charge pump and selected germanium diodes, easily outperforming its entry-level price tag.
NUX Horseman
$69 | A top-selling budget mini-Klone. It offers two modes via a foot-switch hold: “Gold mode” mimics the standard transparent boost, while “Silver mode” accesses a higher-gain version of the circuit.
Tone City Bad Horse
$48 – An under $50 mini overdrive pedal that recreates the tone of a Klon with slightly more spiky, less smooth and warm results.
Mosky Golden Horse
$30-$40 | An ultra-affordable micro-pedal that uses basic surface-mount architecture to deliver the core frequency curves of the circuit for absolute bargain hunters.
Joyo Tauren
$54 – Very popular on Amazon, this incredibly affordable three-knob Chinese pedal delivers an acceptable Klon tone and gets remarkable reviews for it from buyers (4.6 stars out of 5).
Caline Pegasus
$49 – A super-affordable, straightforward “Klone” that gets mixed reviews on Amazon but sells quite well. It gets thumbs up in the in the blues video review.
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Best Klon Centaur Evolutions
Of course, perfection doesn’t exist in the realm of audio engineering, and even a successful circuit like the one of the Klon has been the object of reinterpretation and attempted improvements.
Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
$199.97 – This other Wampler Klon clone is an evolution of the original Tumnus (see “Authentic “Klones” list) in a bigger enclosure, with optional true bypass switch and tonal flexibility through a three-way EQ section. A toggle switch in the middle of the pedal gives you higher gain options for extra flexibility.
Origin Effects Halcyon Gold
$309 | a Klon evolution sporting signature features and expanded voicing. The Adapt switch toggles two modes of a circuit that responds in real-time to the input to deliver more consistency to the resulting overdriven tone and its dynamics. A Dry knob allows control of the clean signal’s level, while a MOD switch gives you a standard voice and another one with a mid hump and a softer, more compressed clipping character.
Bondi Effects Sick As Mk3
$250+ – A popular Klone with a toggle switch that controls the amount of headroom and character of the drive, and an extra Bass knob for added versatility. Both EQ knobs allow 15dB of boost or cut. Mk3 keeps the same tone and look but adds 18v internal voltage for extra headroom, better input protection, optimized power delivery network, reduced noise floor, and quieter true-bypass switching.
J. Rockett Archer Select
$349 – A multi-voice klon clone including the stock circuit of the original Archer plus 6 more voices, 2 based on Archer variations and 4 new ones. The alternate voices can be selected through the Clipping rotary knob and activated via the Clipping footswitch. It features a DI output with cab sim that allows direct connection to PAs or recording rigs.
Walrus Audio Voyager MkII
$249 – A 5-mode Klone with a separate mid boost/cut footswitch featuring a parametric section to select the amount of boost and midrange frequency (250Hz-2kHz). The 5 voices include an authentic Klon mode based on 1N34A Germanium diodes and more dynamic and/or low-end-richer tones, some of which are based on symmetrical and asymmetrical Silicon diodes.
ThorpyFX Peacekeeper
$285 – A Klon-inspired drive by a reputable UK builder that places an active treble and bass EQ after the overdrive and a Mids/presence control before the overdrive. While the latter can change the overall character of the saturation from smooth to crunchy, the former controls allow “around the edges” sculpting of the driven tone without affecting the crucial character of the mids.
J Rockett Rockaway Archer
$249 – A version of the popular Archer with six graphic EQ sliders instead of a tone knob, developed by guitarist Steve Stevens. Each slider controls 18dB of cut or boost at 6 different frequencies.
Decibelics Golden Royale
$522 – A dual version of the company’s popular Golden Horse circuit, with two separate channels that can be used either individually or stacked. It solves the eternal dilemma of using a single Klon/Golden Horse either as a Clean Boost or as an Overdrive.
Mojo Hand FX Sacred Cow
$179 – A Klone with two twists: an ironic one (the legendary Centaur image is replaced by the culinary icon of a cow), and a tonal one, thanks to the added flexibility of the appropriately named “Fatty/Lean” Toggle. The first setting adds a touch of extra girth, very useful for quieter pickups. Like the original, it converts the signal internally to 18v.
Lovepedal Kalamazoo
$250 – Although this is not presented as a Klon clone, this transparent overdrive by a very reputable builder presents uncanny similarities in tone and response. A glass knob controls the treble without affecting the bass frequencies and coexists with a tone knob.
Jackson Audio The Optimist
$379 – A 2-channel overdrive with OD1 based on the Klon (transparent and dynamic with sparkly higher mids) and OD2 perfectly flat across the frequency spectrum. The drives can be played separately or stacked, and each features independent controls for Volume, Tone, and Gain. At the end of the chain, there’s a 3-way EQ switchable by stomping on both footswitches at once. This adds a third layer of tone to this pedal’s sonic arsenal.
Matthews Effects The Architect V3
$190 – An evolution of the Klon that adds flexibility with a three-way clipping toggle and a full 3-band active EQ.
Nordvang Wingman V2 | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$319 – Nordvang offers three dual-channel overdrives in which at least one side is a Klon-style circuit. The Wingman has two of them, so it’s technically a dual Klone. The three classic knobs (Gain, Tone, Volume) are integrated by a Ratio toggle switch that adjusts the OD’s maximum gain range. Internally a set of dip switches for each side allows you to extend the bass response. V2 introduces a TRS split function to use with pedal looper systems enabled via three internal dip switches.
Fredric Effects King of Klone
~$275 – A UK-built, dual klone that combines two identical, cascaded circuits (charge pump, buffer intact) so that you can use one channel for boost and one for overdrive – or use it however else you prefer.
Foxpedal Kingdom V3 | Support our site, buy it on eBay or Reverb.com |
$229 – A Klone that attempts to enhance the original with higher voltage spread for more headroom, and two switches affecting the signal’s clipping. V3 adds an independent boost circuit and two diode flavor options: Silicon or Mosfet.
Wilson Effects Lusus Naturae | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$195 – This non-true-bypass Klone features a 6-position rotary clipping switch that opens up a variety of options in the overdrive’s clipping stages, allowing the player to fine-tune the pedal to his or her amp. Like the real thing, it works great as a boost or overdrive in adding pleasing harmonics to an already dirty amp.
Mojo Hand FX Sericon
A tweakable Klon evolution that splits the signal into its two op-amp stages (Gain and Drive controls), featuring different voicings for a variety of harmonic content. The two signals meet again at the third gain stage, aka “Blaze,” which is a low-pass filter that, at higher Gain/Drive settings, tightens the low end when turned counterclockwise, or adds more beef and thick saturation when turned clockwise.
ProAnalog Devices Manticore V2 | Support our site, buy it on ebay or Reverb.com |
$239 – A re-engineered but authentic-sounding version of the now rare original, the Manticore V2 gives the Klon tone a fresh look, introducing an extra gain stage at the input level and a Savage knob that fattens up your guitar signal through a unique low pass filter.
Anasound Savage MkII
$250 – Inspired by the Klon Centaur, this pedal features a mahogany enclosure and several trim pots inside the case to control tone, OD bass, EQ and clipping.
LPD Pedals Embers | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$225 – A Klon-inspired overdrive with a broader gain range and an extra Bass knob that’s particularly effective in fattening up or thinning down the overdriven tone.
Norvdang No.1 Signature | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
An “as close as we can get” simulation of the Klone, it adds a lo-gain Pre Drive toggle with a mid-frequency bump and asymmetrical soft-clipping that widens the tonal options. A 3-way toggle labeled “Clipping” lets you also select between Germanium diodes, Schottky diodes or no diodes in the overdrive stage for extra dynamic and tonal flavors.
Greenchild K818 | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$225 – Dual overdrive preamp with a Klon and Tube Screamer circuit in parallel.
Noise Space Audio Klone | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$219 – A Ukrainian hand-built reinterpretation of the Klon, featuring the original NOS USSR ?9? diodes, but replacing the Electrolytic capacitors in the audio path with high-quality film capacitors and audio-grade electrolytic capacitors. It also adds two toggles for extra tonal options: a 3-way low-frequency one and a 2-way gain one.
DS Custom T.E.O. | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
A tweakable take on the Klon circuit using NOS Soviet diodes. It features a Blend knob, EQ controls for Treble and Bass, and an extra “Mod” voicing, which delivers richer bass frequencies. All visible components can be customized, including case and LED color.
Hagermann Tubeklon| Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
A unique variation of the Klon Centaur with a tube in it, harnessing the power of five transistors, two triodes, and no opamps. The resulting tonality faithfully mirrors the original, with a notable exception at high gain, where authentic tube breakup and sag are achieved.
Greenchild Kursk | Support our site, buy it on Reverb.com |
$199 – A variation on the Klone with an improved tone stack (Baxandall Bass and Treble knobs) and active volume boost for extra versatility.
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Klon Pretenders
A couple of manufacturers, ironically and mischievously, used the Klon’s popularity to promote completely different circuits!
Keeley Ox Blood
$199 – Here’s a description coming directly from Robert Keeley in this page’s comment section: “The Oxblood is not a Klone or a mod of one. We designed it on Instagram over a three-day period where you can see our schematic and circuit development. The design’s goal was to use a voltage doubler, a clean blend path, and a different style clipping, while offering much more gain, and more EQ possibilities. I did however want it to be confused as a Klone, so I’ve always marketed it as Not A Klon.”
Pelican Noiseworks Pelitaur
$190 – Perfectly camouflaged as a Klone, this is actually a double fuzz. Don’t miss the manufacturer’s criptic introduction to the pedal, aimed at confusing and then surprising the Klone seeker.
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Best Klone Clone Kits
Follow the link for a full article about the Best Klon Clone Kits. For those guitarists interested in getting more “intimate” with this notorious circuit, there are several Klon Clone kits that are fairly easy to build and are likely to teach you a thing or two about how pedals work. The noteworthy savings will be mitigated by the need of some gear and time investment. More about this in our Beginners’ Guide to Modding and Building Guitar Pedals.
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Obscure/Discontinued Klones
The world of “Kloners” is ripe with more or less successful attempts and experiments by emerging manufacturers. Here’s a list of some of the less popular or discontinued models.
JHS Klone | Find it used (if you can) on Reverb.com or eBay|
$350+ used – A discontinued point-for-point rendition which ended up inspiring the 2023 NOTAKLON DIY Kit, the JHS Klon Clone is extremely hard to find and very sought after. They fetch upwards of $600 on the used market. The good news is that JHS offers an EHX Soul Food mod that is widely praised, a lot cheaper, and a little easier to find – but was also recently discontinued.
Piedmont Effects Aluminum Falcon
$179 – A faithful, quite affordable reproduction of the classic Klon Centaur circuit with a very similar look as well. It gets good reviews and can still be found in the used market.
Tone Monk Phoenix
A highly sought-after Klone that has been off of the market for quite a while.
Dan Zink Minotaur
A Klon emulation but in a smaller enclosure. 9v DC, buffered output just like the original.
Ham Fist Fancy Lad
Hard to find, but reputable Klone.
Matthews Effects Klone
True to the original except for being true bypass, now discontinued and replaced by the Architect.
Yellowcake Pedals Blackbox
The Blackbox’s unique features are the knobs on the top side of the enclosure.
LoneWolf FX Minotaur
$199 – A pedal inspired by the Klon but with some mods (more about it here).
Soulsonic FX – Illuminated Overdrive (No Video)
$170 Used – Not liking to be considered just a “Klone,” the Illuminated Overdrive includes a nice added features: a 3 way toggle switch lets you select the type of clipping.
Shootout Videos and Other Links
If the pedal demos we linked to in the galleries above weren’t enough to sway you one way or another, there are a series of videos where the various Klon inspired pedals get compared directly through shootouts: we’ve embedded here some of them to better inform your choice.
• 10 Klones Blindfolded Shootout by The Andertones
• Klon Centaur vs KTR vs Aluminum Falcon vs EHX Soul Food
• Arc Klone vs EHX Soul Food vs Mosky Golden Horse vs Wampler Tumnus Deluxe
• KTR vs Rockett Archer vs EHX Soul Food
• Klon Centaur vs a heck of a lot of Klones
Klon Centaur Vs. Tube Screamer
And if you are wondering how different the Klon sounds compared to another legendarily influential pedal, the Ibanez Tube Screamer, you may want to check this video out:
• Klon Centaur vs Tube Screamer.
There are dozens of musicians’ forums about Klones, rather than pasting them all here we’ll just defer to Google… they are pretty good at it! And if you like the sound of the Klon you may want to look also at this list of Dumble Style Overdrives, the second most hyped clone pedals these days.
P.S. Did we forget something or posted incorrect information? Please post a comment and we’ll look into it!
