🎛️ Pedal settings · Overdrive / Boost

Klon Centaur settings

The legendary transparent overdrive — makes an amp bigger and fatter without changing its voice.

Recommended starting point
Gain
3
clean-to-light push
Treble
5
flat
Output
6
above unity to drive the amp
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What each knob does

GainAmount of overdrive, from a clean boost to a medium drive.
TrebleA high-frequency tilt to brighten or warm the boosted signal.
OutputOverall volume — often set well above unity as an always-on push.

Tips

As an always-on transparent boost: Gain low (1–3), Output high, Treble to taste — it fattens without colouring.
It cleans up beautifully with your guitar volume, so set it a little dirtier than you think and roll back on the guitar.

Famous uses

John Mayer, Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, and pedalboards everywhere as the "always-on" drive.

Compare the Centaur

Tube Screamer Vs Klon →

More overdrive pedals

All overdrive pedals & tones →

Klon Centaur settings — FAQ

What are good Klon settings?

For a transparent always-on boost set Gain low (2–3), Output above unity, and Treble around 5 (flat). The Klon is designed to keep your amp's character, so let the Output do the pushing and use the Gain sparingly.

Is a Klon a boost or an overdrive?

Both — at low Gain it is a clean/transparent boost that just makes your amp bigger, and as you raise the Gain it becomes a medium overdrive. It stays largely transparent throughout, unlike a mid-humped Tube Screamer.

Recommended starting points are community-researched estimates — every pedal, amp and guitar is different. Dial from here, then GuitarToneAdapt helps you match a target tone on your own rig. Pedal comparisons · Amp settings · All tones