Bondi Effects announces Sick As MK3 overdrive

June 4, 2022 · 2 sources

Bondi Effects announced the Sick As MK3, a refresh of its Klon Centaur-inspired overdrive, on June 4, 2022, at NAMM 2022¹. The pedal was scheduled for release on June 17¹.

The MK3 keeps the circuit and look of earlier versions, which the maker describes as "taking its basic structure from the Klon Centaur® but with some major improvements for the modern player"². The gain control serves a dual purpose: as gain increases, so does the ratio of gain to clean tone, which the maker says keeps the tone from becoming muddy when gain is rolled off². A toggle switch sets the amount of headroom and the character of the drive, offering "a more compressed, mid-range focused tone or an open, transparent, rhythm tone"². The two-band active EQ can boost or cut bass and treble by up to 15dB². The pedal runs as a clean boost, an overdrive or a blend of the two².

Changes in the MK3 include internal voltage boosted to 18V for increased clarity and headroom, robust power input protection, an optimized power delivery network, and soft touch true-bypass switching that the maker calls "Our quietest ever true-bypass switching"². Bondi cites a 20dB improvement to the signal-to-noise ratio compared with the Sick As Overdrive mk2².

The two sources give different prices: Bondi's product page lists the pedal at $249.00², while Guitar.com reported it at $229, not including tax and shipping¹. Bondi's page states that US orders ship from a US warehouse via USPS Priority Mail within 1 to 5 business days, Australian orders ship via Australia Post within 1 to 3 business days, and international orders ship from Sydney via DHL Express². Guitar.com reported delivery outside Australia can normally take four to eight business days, and within Australia four business days¹.