The Conspiracy Theory Overdrive is Way Huge's take on theclassic-sounding transparent overdrive. Widely seen as a near-perfect replica of the legendary Klon pedal, it remains one of Way Huge's most popular stompboxes to date! Ultimate Klon Centaur tones Finnegan then set out to create an overdrive pedal that would bring the richness and dynamics of a cranked amp at lower volumes. Together with MIT graduate Fred Fenning, he sought to invent a new type of overdrive, completely different from the Tube Screamer. After several years in development, in 1994 he released the Klon Centaur Professional Overdrive, and was met with instant critical success.

The top conspiracy theories are often very difficult to dislodge. In part, that's because they fulfill a psychological need, Douglas said. That may be the social need to feel good about the group they belong to, the need to know the truth and have certainty, or the existential need to feel safe or feel a sense of control over what happens to us. Wampler also loaned us their newer Tumnus Deluxe pedal. We don't have space for a standalone review, but we can summarize what it brings to the party: The control layout on the relatively large 125B-sized enclosure retains the usual treble-cut tone control (which functions just as it does on the original) but adds active bass and midrange controls. There's also a buffer bypass switch and a “hot" switch that boosts gain. Karen Douglas is a Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Kent in the U.K.Her research focuses on the antecedents and consequences of belief in conspiracy theories. She has published widely on these topics and her research regularly features in the media. Karen is currently working on a European Research Council Advanced Grant to study the consequences of conspiracy theories for individuals, groups, and societies. The original Klon klone, The Archer was the first 100% part for part remake of the fabled Centaur and remains one of the best. The Ikon is a slight variant on the standard Archer, which has slightly more midrange compression and less presence for a smoother, less bright sound. Way Huge Conspiracy TheoryHave the photos and videos been taken out of context? Or might they have been faked or Photoshopped? Are the experts’ credentials as impressive as they claim, and do they have proven knowledge in the relevant field? And do they cite surveys or reports created by a credible academic organisation? The peddlers of conspiracy theories often varnish their claims with a veneer of authority by using false experts and made-up institutions. Probably no event since 9/11 has spawned more conspiratorial thinking than the COVID-19 pandemic. There are conspiracies about the origin of the virus as well as basically every government's reactions. Many people even believe doctors are lying about COVID-related deaths, blaming the virus for deaths with other causes. A distrust of "Big Pharma," fomented for years by "alternative medicine" advocates like Kevin Trudeau (bestselling author of "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About" — a textbook conspiratorial title if there ever was one), have also fed into conspiracies about medical treatment and vaccination. So what’s special about the original Klon? This much lusted-after, gold-boxed, mid-gain overdrive pedal is the talk of every guitar forum and has collectors and tone aficionados arguing over the relative merits of the Klon. I’ve owned a few originals and they are very nice, but I’m not sure I’d drop USD 2000 on one. But I think the original circuit is very useful. When used with a good valve amp, the Klon pedal acts in such a way as to complement your guitar’s tone, but gives it a nice boost. Various psychological studies show that we are more likely to fall for conspiracy theories when we already feel anxious – and this is often surprisingly simple to prime. Dutch researchers, for example, found that simply asking someone to recall a time when they had felt disempowered and helpless was enough to encourage conspiratorial beliefs about a local political controversy. On September 5, 1982, Johnny Gosch, 12, vanished without a trace from Des Moines, Iowa, while on his morning newspaper run. Without any evidence or leads, the case went cold and has remained unsolved, but there have been a number of conspiracy theories about what happened to him.

Finnegan’s other great contention with the Tube Screamer was its very distinctive midrange characteristic. His aim for the Klon was that when a guitarist found their sound in their guitar and amp, it “wouldn’t mess up what they already had and liked”. The Centaur is often described as a “transparent overdrive”, meaning that it doesn’t alter the characteristic tone of the amp. Although in truth it does have a slight mid-hump which will cut through the mix, not unlike a Tube Screamer. But in retaining the bass and increasing the headroom, the Klon has a far more natural and “open” sound, perfect for those who never got on with the Tube Screamer. The electronics layout is interesting, with two circuit boards facing in toward each other. Silicon Schottky diodes replace the original's germanium parts. Compared to the Klon, the Horseman's tones are marginally less sparkly and a bit boomier below 200 Hz. Transients are slightly less crisp. But even if this pedal's sound is the easiest to differentiate from the vintage Klon, it's still awfully close. I'd have no qualms gigging with this bargain-priced burner. When you say those things, there's a fringe of society that believe you, that are actually dangerous," Lewis said in her testimony, per NPR.It is no coincidence that conspiracy theories are most likely to emerge and spread during times of great uncertainty – brought on, for example, by an economic recession, war, or a global pandemic. These unsettling events often have complex causes that are hard to comprehend and they threaten our feelings of control over our lives – and so we look for ways to find sense in the chaos. All in all for the price, tiny pedalboard area and quality of tone, a real winner. I like it, gets a recommend for me. The experiment revealed that conspiracies sometimes grow by credulity: Local media sometimes reported on Birds Aren't Real as if it was something young people really believed rather than an elaborate joke. Birds Aren't Real organizers hope the joke will become a force for good by exposing all the ways misinformation thrives. Admittedly, it sounds terminally wimpy to conclude with, “Gosh, they all sound great." But it just happens to be true. (Well, they are clones!) I'd use any of these onstage or in the studio without hesitation. Your choice may be more about price and pedal size than any minor tonal discrepancies.

Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered. Another unusual feature of the Centaur is that it contains a “hard clipping” circuit, rather than “soft clipping”. Most overdrive pedals such as the Tube Screamer and the Boss Blues Driver are soft clippers, whilst hard clipping is usually used in high gain distortion pedals like the ProCo RAT or Boss DS-1 Distortion to achieve more distortion and harmonics. Because of this, the Klon has plenty of gain on tap but because of the blended clean signal, it never gets too harsh. Denver International Airport is thought to be the secret headquarters of the Reptilians by some. (Image credit: John Madere/Getty Images) The Roswell Daily Record from July 9, 1947, details the Roswell UFO incident. (Image credit: Roswell Daily Record) There is one fact that almost all skeptics and believers agree on: Something crashed on a remote ranch outside of Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. The government at first claimed it was some sort of saucer, then retracted the statement and claimed it was really a weather balloon. Yet the best evidence suggests that it was neither a flying saucer nor a weather balloon, but instead a high-altitude, top-secret military balloon dubbed Project Mogul.

Let’s begin by confronting the myth that belief in conspiracy theories is simply a sign of low intelligence: surveys show that people with higher education are surprisingly susceptible to misinformation. (Even the chess grandmaster, Garry Kasparov, has apparently entertained the bizarre “new chronology” conspiracy, which claims that our accounts of Ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome have been fabricated to hide the true history of the world.) The truth is that many conspiracy theories are designed to play on our brain’s biases when we are feeling particularly vulnerable, and a stellar academic record provides little protection. It sounds brilliant going into a tube amp to either push the front-end and provide you with a 'boosted' tone or to simply drive your sound into a clean amp. Brian Wampler is one of the best pedal builders in the industry, and his Tumnus brings the magic of the Klon with an affordable price tag and a pedalboard friendly miniature pedal. Or if you’re looking for ultimate tone shaping, the Tumnus Deluxe trades the traditional treble control for an independent 3 band EQ for limitless tonal possibilities. Ceriatone Centura

This mystical little device infuses your guitar signal with rich harmonics for smooth, transparent overdrive, with Gain, Volume, and Treble controls making for a super straightforward command center. No, this is not a history of the half-human half-horse from Greek mythology, but the pedal made by Klon Siberia’s Bill Finnegan (but probably with equally mythological status among guitar forums). President John Kennedy rides in a motorcade from the Dallas airport into the city with his wife Jacqueline and Texas Governor John Connally. (Image credit: Bettmann / Getty Images)The Birds Aren't Real conspiracy is a movement developed by Peter McIndoe, 23, who started spreading the idea in 2017. Until a December 2021 interview in the New York Times, McIndoe stayed in-character as a true believer, insisting in media interviews and online that birds aren't real, but rather they are surveillance drones made by the U.S. government. Birds Aren't Real has a staff; it has organized real-life protests; it bought real-life billboards; and it emblazoned vans with their claim. The goal, says McIndoe, is to parody the misinformation that Gen Z finds itself stewing in. When you hear the phrase 'transparent overdrive', there's a chance you're thinking of the universally-lauded Klon pedal. For decades, guitarists and manufacturers have sought to replicate this rich and responsive sound, to varying degrees of success. The pinnacle was Geraldo Rivera's infamous NBC special "Devil Worship: Exposing Satan's Underground," which aired on Oct. 28, 1988. Rivera relied on self-proclaimed "Satanism experts," misleading and inaccurate statistics, crimes with only tenuous links to Satanism, and sensationalized media reports. It was the most-viewed documentary in television history. "There are over one million Satanists in this country," Rivera said, adding that "The odds are, [they] are in your town." Don’t be ashamed if you have ever fallen for a conspiracy theory in the past: the scientific research consistently shows that we are all vulnerable to misinformation. Critical thinking involves learnable skills that improve through practice, so you can continue to build your bullshit detection kit throughout your life – whatever your initial starting point. The important point is to avoid making the same mistakes again. With these sharpened critical faculties, you will be well equipped to sidestep many intellectual potholes – including those that had led some to see the LHC as the road to hell.