The two most-loved transparent overdrives. Both aim to boost your amp without a Tube-Screamer mid-hump, but they get there differently: the Klon adds a signature clarity and treble sheen; the Timmy is famously flat and neutral, with powerful bass and treble cut controls to shape it however you like.
| Klon Centaur | Paul Cochrane Timmy | |
|---|---|---|
| Transparency | Transparent-ish, but with a recognisable clarity and top-end sheen of its own. | About as transparent as an overdrive gets — designed to add gain and almost nothing else. |
| EQ / controls | Gain, tone, output — one treble-leaning tone control. | Gain, volume, plus separate Bass and Treble that <em>cut</em> — very shapeable, kills flub or fizz. |
| Low end | Kept full and slightly fattened. | Full by default; the Bass cut lets you tighten it as much as you want. |
| Gain range | Low–medium; a clean-ish boost that stacks well. | Low–medium; similar range, arguably a touch more gain on tap. |
| Reputation | Legendary (and expensive); the "magic" always-on boost. | The affordable boutique favourite — a transparent-OD benchmark. |
Both are transparent overdrives that boost your amp without a Tube-Screamer mid-hump. The Klon Centaur adds a recognisable clarity and treble sheen and keeps your low end full. The Paul Cochrane Timmy is more neutral still, with separate Bass and Treble controls that cut — letting you tighten the low end and tame fizz. The Klon has a signature voice; the Timmy is a highly shapeable blank canvas.