dartfever
Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 17
Sunnyvale, California
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Posted on Jul 08 2012 01:36 AM
Hello!
Years ago, I owned an original Klon Centaur, which was a terrific clean boost pedal. I sold it after deciding I really did not need it with the higher gain available on my amplifier, but wondered ever since if I should have hung on to it. Even with current prices for pre-owned original pedals exceeding $1000 on eBay, decent Klon clones hovering around $250, and the announcement from Bill Finnegan that an updated Klon in a smaller package is coming soon, I was still determined to find a reasonably-priced way to try one out with my current setup. After much research, I found the [http://www.buildyourowntone.com/boutiquepedalkits.html] site, which offered a Klon clone kit for $65 + $23 shipping. I questioned the Canadian owner Raymond Goncalves regarding the originality of the circuit and parts, and after several messages back and forth, I convinced myself that the end result would sound close to the original Centaur pedal.
Rather than complete the build in a generic enclosure, I decided to try the impossible; I wanted to see if I could put the unit together inside a stock Boss pedal. I ended up selecting the lowly SD-1 Super Overdrive as the donor pedal. Besides being inexpensive and readily available, the nice thing about the SD-1 enclosure is that many of the original components can be used; this includes the input/output jacks, the control knobs, the battery connector and cable, the L.E.D. assembly, and the power input jack. These parts are not provided as part of the BYOT kit, which includes the printed-circuit board and related electronic components only. Since I already had a Boss pedal on hand to molest, I only needed to purchase the three potentiometers and the on/off switch.
The most difficult tasks were aligning the on/off switch so it would work with the Boss housing, and routing the wiring so the printed-circuit board would swing 90-degrees into the enclosure for final assembly. Bending the terminals on the on/off switch was necessary for clearance with the bottom cover. I did have to change the terminations of a few point-to-point wiring connections to accommodate the Boss positioning of the jacks and switch relative to the PCB assembly, plus mount some of the individual printed-circuit board components in such a way as to minimize height. There were no modifications whatsoever needed to the Boss enclosure. Although I would do a couple of things differently should I ever be tempted build another, I am still very happy with both the performance of the circuit and the overall appearance of the build. From the outside, there is absolutely nothing to distinguish the pedal as being different from a stock SD-1; even the L.E.D. is the same Boss device as original, using the tiny circuit board mounting arrangement.
It has been quite a long time since having the original Klon pedal at my feet, but this clone sounds pretty close to what I remember hearing years ago. As has been pointed out by many reviewers of the Klon, the pedal requires amplifier volume to come alive; once you reach the point of starting to really drive the amp and speakers, the Klon fattens the tone and gives it a rich, smooth edge. I am pleased with the end result, and feel that for less than $120 that I invested in the time-consuming project, I satisfied in my gear quest without feeling regret that I overspent!
Best regards, Dana
Last edited: Jul 08, 2012 01:45:52
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bamboozer
Joined: Jan 18, 2010
Posts: 672
Delaware
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Posted on Jul 08 2012 08:02 AM
Beautiful work, very neat and well done.
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Ruhar
Joined: Jun 21, 2007
Posts: 3909
San Diego, CA
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Posted on Jul 08 2012 10:12 AM
Cool! I sold my Klon years ago as well. I also regret that.
— Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook
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dubtrub
Joined: Sep 22, 2007
Posts: 245
Bakersfield CA.
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Posted on Jul 08 2012 10:58 AM
Great Job, looks like a fun project!
— Danny Ellison aka dubtrub
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dartfever
Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 17
Sunnyvale, California
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Posted on Jul 08 2012 01:05 PM
Hey there! Thanks for the nice comments, I do appreciate them very much.
It was a fun project, but being a Mechanical Engineer in my past life, figuring out all the correct input/output/power interconnects was quite a chore; unfortunately, the kit provider did not include every detail, assuming that the build would typically be done by those who were familiar with effect pedal operation and electronics. I had successfully performed several Boss pedal modifications in the past, but never a complete build like this one; even the very dense printed-circuit board assembly was a real challenge for me!
Best regards, Dana
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dartfever
Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 17
Sunnyvale, California
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 01:36 AM
Hello, again! Recently, I purchased a JHS Klon Clone, just to see if it would sound different from the one I built. I also wanted to add a Klon to my main pedalboard, just to provide another overdrive option. I don't hear any difference between the JHS version and mine, although the JHS model may be slightly less noisy at medium settings. I do like the way these pedals make a solid-state amp sound very tube-like, and really let the guitar cut through the band mix. In a tube amp, the effect seems more subtle, but still a significant improvement to my ears.
Even though the JHS version is about two-thirds the size of an original Klon Centaur, it is still too big to fit comfortably on my pedalboard. Either the JHS folks were not mechanically-minded enough to figure out how to fit it into a smaller box, or they were simply trying to preserve the visual magnitude of the original design; whatever their reasoning, I am going to remove the parts from their enclosure, and rebuild it into a smaller MXR-style housing. Thankfully, they did not encapsulate the electronics with resin like the original Klon Centaur; otherwise, I would be stuck with the existing form factor. Another project to add to the ever-growing list!
Best regards, Dana
Last edited: Aug 19, 2012 01:38:38
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LeeVanCleef
Joined: Oct 05, 2011
Posts: 744
France
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 04:57 AM
I'd never have thought someone could squeeze a Klon circuit inside a Boss enclosure... and you still have extra room. And such neat wiring too, very impressive.
What next? A 1590A Klon? 
— Old punks never die... They just become surf rockers.
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dartfever
Joined: Jun 21, 2012
Posts: 17
Sunnyvale, California
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Posted on Aug 19 2012 12:51 PM
Hey, LVC; thanks for the gracious comments and encouragement!
Actually, I am planning to fit the JHS circuitry inside a Hammond 1590B box (4.41 x 2.38 x 1.22-Inches, outside dimensions), which is going to be a real challenge because of the larger PCB. I wanted a smaller exterior form-factor this time around, plus personalize the outside surfaces with paint and graphics. If it works out, I will be happy to post pictures for those who may have an interest.
Best regards, Dana
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