Analogman Manufacturing

DinoMikeSr

I have the box
I got on the list for shits and giggles to see how it moves. I was 6 years out when I got on it. Been about 8 months and I checked today and I’m 7 years out. Do you think he is actually still making them or said screw it?
 
Wait, who is this person? Is Finnegan making them again or something? He should just have them hand soldered in China by whoever builds Wang amps.
 
I don’t have an answer for you. I happen to own a KOT. I got on the list in 2005 and received an email in 2008 that I was up. I paid $269. It’s crazy what has happened with the list and used prices.

When I bought my KOT, the Chinese knockoffs did not exist. The knockoffs sound very close in comparison videos. You can even get one painted to look like a KOT if status is important. Honestly, if those knockoffs had been available in 2005, I would’ve just bought one of those instead. Who wants to wait for years?

It’s a great circuit but it makes your amp sound like your amp. These days, there are lots of great dirt pedals.
 
If it just makes your amp sound like your amp then what’s the point? Why not just use a two channel amp with a foot switch? Is it to get a dirt sound out of an amp that doesn’t break up?
 
Yeah, they're still building them. As of last year, they were making 50-60 KOTs a week with 20-30 people getting on the wait list daily.
 
If it just makes your amp sound like your amp then what’s the point? Why not just use a two channel amp with a foot switch? Is it to get a dirt sound out of an amp that doesn’t break up?
It’s an overdrive. So, it pushes your amp harder. It increases the drive output of your amp. It adds a bit of compression that feels natural, not overly compressed. It changes the eq, as if your amp has a new tone stack. It’s just a really good overdrive and boost with a wide sweet spot. Or, if your KOT has the high gain option, it’s a great OD and Distortion in one box.

Lots of overdrive pedals compress so much that they change the dynamic response to the extreme. That’s fine if that’s what you want. IME the KOT still keeps the natural dynamic feel.

it’s not the only great overdrive, dual overdrive, dist, or boost. It’s simply one of the great dual drives.

If you’re curious, buy a 68 Pedals King Of Clone.

Schnobel does a decent demo of the KOT with High Gain option. His Daily Driver sounds pretty good as well.

 
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Generally, it seems like every effect category has offerings that appeal to the demographic that is very selective about that category and/or the general hype machine pedal with great secondary market potential. The KOT has always seemed to hit the mark in both cases.
When I lived on the east coast, I'd see and chat w/ Mike P at the regular guitar shows. He is a super nice dude who is all about the details. A friend of mine has done the KOT a few times so I've had the chance to play it through a signal chain I'm familiar with. It's nice but I'm not obsessive about OD so the nuances (wait and cost) of pedal is lost on me to a degree.
 
68 Pedals King Of Clone vs Analogman KOT




-I think the Ly Rock King of Clone is the same thing as the 68 Pedals KOC.
 
I can’t hear a difference between those two.
I agree.

In my experience, YT is not the final word on sound, i.e., things can sound different in person. However, I trust the opinions of multiple people who’ve compared them. I’m confident that a Ly Rock, or 68 Pedals, King Of Clone, will sound nearly identical to a KOT. The only variables will be pot and part tolerances.

In the 2nd video, the guy only had to move the volume and tone slightly different on the 68 Pedals KOC to get the scope to read them nearly identical on the graph. He noticed that the KOC became slightly hotter on the gain as the volume was increased.

Like I posted earlier, Ly Rock, or 68 Pedals, will even silk screen it identical to a KOT. That’s a bridge too far for me. Then, it’s counterfeit instead of simply a clone. Some unsuspecting person could overpay for a lookalike. But, it is easy to tell them apart by removing the back plate. The clones look different inside.
 
Got on the list 12/7/18. Finally got the email it’s my time to buy, 2 days ago.
Congrats! More than 6 years. I hope you’re not disappointed. Worse case, you turn around and sell it for more than you paid.

————————————————————-

I want to add to this discussion that I understand some people find clones immoral. I understand because that’s how I used to feel about all clones. I tend to look at things a bit differently now.

Trade Dress, obviously, violates a company’s trademark. Also, it could fool a buyer into thinking they are getting the same thing, same quality, etc.

Everything Mike Piera at Analogman makes is based on classic circuits, tweaked to perfection. So, it does become a bit ironic when people get upset that one of his pedals gets cloned.

In the case of KOT clones, like the KOC, I see no harm since Mike cannot even keep up with his own demand. The clones are not cutting into his business, nor affecting his ability to employ people.

/rant
 
Congrats! More than 6 years. I hope you’re not disappointed. Worse case, you turn around and sell it for more than you paid.

————————————————————-

I want to add to this discussion that I understand some people find clones immoral. I understand because that’s how I used to feel about all clones. I tend to look at things a bit differently now.

Trade Dress, obviously, violates a company’s trademark. Also, it could fool a buyer into thinking they are getting the same thing, same quality, etc.

Everything Mike Piera at Analogman makes is based on classic circuits, tweaked to perfection. So, it does become a bit ironic when people get upset that one of his pedals gets cloned.

In the case of KOT clones, like the KOC, I see no harm since Mike cannot even keep up with his own demand. The clones are not cutting into his business, nor affecting his ability to employ people.

/rant
It’s really a no risk purchase. You either get a pedal you like or sell it for double what it cost you.
 
Congrats! More than 6 years. I hope you’re not disappointed. Worse case, you turn around and sell it for more than you paid.

————————————————————-

I want to add to this discussion that I understand some people find clones immoral. I understand because that’s how I used to feel about all clones. I tend to look at things a bit differently now.

Trade Dress, obviously, violates a company’s trademark. Also, it could fool a buyer into thinking they are getting the same thing, same quality, etc.

Everything Mike Piera at Analogman makes is based on classic circuits, tweaked to perfection. So, it does become a bit ironic when people get upset that one of his pedals gets cloned.

In the case of KOT clones, like the KOC, I see no harm since Mike cannot even keep up with his own demand. The clones are not cutting into his business, nor affecting his ability to employ people.

/rant
I concluded a long time back that some people do not make pedals for me. I am just not their customer. There’s a cost I won’t cross for pedals for types of pedals. Distortion and Overdrives have to be under $100. I’m not complaining they cost to much I understand why they have charge what they do.

When my date rolls around I’ll be 69 years old so in reality, I won’t be buying and will end up passing.
 
I concluded a long time back that some people do not make pedals for me. I am just not their customer. There’s a cost I won’t cross for pedals for types of pedals. Distortion and Overdrives have to be under $100. I’m not complaining they cost to much I understand why they have charge what they do.

When my date rolls around I’ll be 69 years old so in reality, I won’t be buying and will end up passing.
I don’t blame you for limiting yourself. There are some great dirt pedals for $100 or less, especially in the used market. Lots of my overdrive’s were less than $100 including, a new Chicago Stomp works Grey Spec (DOD 250 clone) $60, a new Joyo AC Tone ($40), a new Mooer Black Secret (Pro Co Rat clone) $40, etc. Yet, some of my more expensive dirt stomps are worth more than I paid new.

I bought a new Klon KTR directly from Bill Finnegan in 2018. IIRC I paid $279. I should be able to sell it for about $500 or more. My AM KOT cost $269 new and should be able to sell for $700 or more.

The base price for a new AM KOT, once your name comes to the top of the list, is $325. Certain features will add $50+ to that price. But, you can turn around and sell for $700+.
 
I had a KOT. Didn't like it. Sold it.

The first run of Tim's is a better pedal as is the grey box DOD 250. Also check out the Menatone eight knob Kar Krash on the the "Comet" side. Its pretty amazing. And if you can find a Matchless HotBox you are golden. The Badcat version is nice too...
 
I had a KOT. Didn't like it. Sold it.

The first run of Tim's is a better pedal as is the grey box DOD 250. Also check out the Menatone eight knob Kar Krash on the the "Comet" side. Its pretty amazing. And if you can find a Matchless HotBox you are golden. The Badcat version is nice too...
Fun fact: There's no such thing as a "real specification" for a grey box DOD 250. At that time they were using surplus parts from IBM and the biggest tonal difference seems to be value of the input capacitor, but even then they didn't all have the same op-amps. At least they mostly all have the same pot values, but notice I said "mostly". :messedup: The only difference between a grey and a yellow box is the paint because they were all pretty much inconsistent until the cusp of the mid-'80s.
 
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