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J. Rockett Audio Designs, the pedal company behind one of the most iconic Klon clones, The Archer, just released their latest pedal – the Archer Select.
Since its release in 1994, the Klon Centaur, and its now-astronomical price tag, has sparked a world of different Klon clones. And with those clones comes debate – a lot of which is centered around which clipping diodes make the best ‘Klon’ sound.
The J. Rockett Audio Designs team has decided to put that question to rest with the release of the Archer Select – which features seven different clipping modes (6 NOS germanium diodes plus a red LED clipping option).
WHERE TO BUY
Check out our demo of the Archer Select here:
The Archer Select features a “Clipping” footswitch, which allows you to select one of the 6 additional clipping modes you’ve selected on the “Clipping” knob. When the “Clipping” footswitch is not engaged, the Archer Select uses OA10 diodes.
The other 6 clipping diode options on the “Clipping” knob are:
- 1N270 NOS germanium diodes (The same diodes found in the original Archer)
- 1N695 NOS germanium diodes (The same diodes found in the Jeff Mod Archer)
- 1N34A NOS germanium diodes (The same diodes found in the original Klon Centaur)
- D9B NOS germanium diodes
- D9E NOS germanium diodes (The same diodes found in the Archer iKon)
- Red LEDs
Although the differences between all of these clipping modes are quite subtle at low-to-medium gain settings, you start to hear how these clipping modes affect the compression and mid-range frequencies once you get into the higher gain settings.
Aside from the clipping options, the Archer Select features all the knobs you would expect on a k-style overdrive pedal – Output (volume), Gain, and Treble (Controls the high end).
If the clipping options aren’t enough, the J. Rockett team has also implemented a 1/4″ D.I. output on the side of the pedal equipped with an onboard speaker simulator for monitoring and/or direct-in recording. The toggle switch on the front of the Archer Select is a ground lift for the D.I. output.
Overall, the Archer Select is an incredibly versatile drive pedal that delivers that sweet Klon-like tone right out of the box. The addition of the various clipping options makes it seem right at home for any pedalboard or studio setup.
WHERE TO BUY
For more information, head over to the J. Rockett Audio Designs website.