This pedal is an exact circuit copy of the Klon Centaur, with switches for various components. Inspired by Beavis Audio's Screamer Lab. This thing has a ton of different options and tweakability. I'm selling it because it doesn't really get a lot of use due to its size.
- 6 clipping options (diodes) - 1994/Post-'94 spec switch - Bass boost switch - Separate Gain and Clean controls - Sockets for the ICs
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Diodes
From left to right on the knob, the clipping options are:
- THE Klon Diodes - These are the same brand and part # used in the Centaur.
- Red Band "1N34A"s - I'm pretty sure these are not actually 1N34As, but that's what they were sold to me as. They sound different, but good.
- 1N34As - These are more typical of what go into most klones.
- D9Es - These became popular last year, with people claiming they were THE diodes. This isn't possible, as they wouldn't have been available to the creator of the Centaur back in the early '90s, and they're the wrong color, but they sound great and are a popular choice for klones.
- 1N60P - These are silicon work-a-likes for a germanium diode with the same part #.
- Socket - You can try whatever diodes you like in the socket. If you don't put anything in, you can hear the op-amp clipping without any of the clipping you'd get from the diodes.
1994 Specs
In 1994, the creator of the Centaur redesigned the PCB to add two resistors that help eliminate popping noise, and ground pour, and another resistor to give the pedal "a very small amount of additional low-mid response". Honestly, I don't hear much of a difference with my rig, so if you do I'd like to know. I've left the noise-eliminating resistors in place, and put the one that should give more low mids on a switch.
Middle is '94, down is post-'94 (most Klons). All the way up is an extra bass boost in the overdrive portion of the circuit.
Bass Boost
This gives the pedal some more low end in the clean blend portion of the circuit. Up for the bass-boost, down for stock.
Gain and Clean Knobs
Stock, the Klon circuit makes use of a dual-ganged pot for the Gain control. As you turn the Gain up, you're also turning the mix of clean signal down. The Klone Lab has both controls separated into individual controls so you can play with the mix.
For stock Gain settings, both knobs need to be set the same. The Gain knob is intuitive, with all the way left being 0 and all the way right being 10. The Clean knob is wired backwards, so being turned all the way left it's max setting.
IC Sockets
Both op-amps and the charge pump are installed in sockets so you can audition other ICs. It might be interesting to try clipping setting #6 (no diodes) and see how different op-amps distort. You can also experiment with hetereodyning in different charge pump models.
