KLON
You knew this
would be on here,
and
you
knew
it would be the
first entry—sorry to
come up so predictable.
However, the hype on
the Klon is simply too
gargantuan to ignore. There are two
separate iterations of the Klon—silver and
gold—both with centaurs and without,
and both are silly expensive. The mystique
of the Klon has persevered in light of
several hitches that have incrementally set
the pedal community, and thus, en masse
cloning, back.
Let’s look at some Klon facts: Nothing in
the circuit is a rare, obsolete part. There
are two TL072 op-amps—an extremely
common part—and the “magical” diodes
identity didn’t last very long. The identity
of the circuit was quickly discovered when
DIY-ers systematically removed the epoxy
from an original and traced it. Recently,
someone discovered that this schematic
(known in DIY circles as the Chittum
schematic, named after the original tracer)
had one or two incorrect part values. This
is the schematic most Klones are based
upon, and it was promptly rectified. Most
“v2” versions of Klon-type pedals use the
updated schematic.
That said, it’s only a matter time until
exact-replica Klons are produced by the
thousands, and we’re perhaps already
there with pedals like the Rockett Archer
Ikon, Bondi Sick As and Wampler Tumnus.
These pedals are routinely sold, even
brand new, for fractions of the price of
an original, and—especially in the case
of the Tumnus—are all far smaller than
an original Klon.
ToneReport.com
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