Klon sues Music Tribe over Behringer Centaur Overdrive
May 30, 2025 · 3 sources
Klon LLC filed a lawsuit against Music Tribe, Behringer's parent company, in Massachusetts federal court on 30 May 2025, alleging that the Behringer Centaur Overdrive is a "blatant counterfeit" of the Klon Centaur12. The suit accuses Music Tribe of "wilful trademark counterfeiting, trademark and trade dress infringement, false designation of origin, passing off, and unfair competition," and seeks damages as well as injunctive relief12.
Behringer released the Centaur Overdrive in November 2024 at $6913. Klon's complaint points to the pedal's gold metal casing, centaur logo and prominent "CENTAUR" wordmark in what it describes as an identical font and color, with no Behringer branding on the faceplate12. The suit also alleges Music Tribe used Klon founder Bill Finnegan's "name and likeness" in promotional materials without consent, and that a Behringer YouTube video "extensively discusses" the original Centaur while "deceptively and continuously" showing the Behringer pedal12.
According to the complaint, "consumers expressed extensive actual confusion… with many rushing to purchase Defendants' counterfeit pedal believing Defendants are delivering on a mass scale a discounted product licensed or endorsed by Plaintiffs"12. The suit states that "Defendants' conduct goes far beyond the line of permissible inspiration versus unlawful copying, and it has all been done for a quick and easy buck, the very opposite of what Plaintiffs and their famous Centaur pedal are all about"12.
Finnegan confirmed the lawsuit in a statement shared through Klon LLC's Instagram12:
"I have never been consulted in any way about this pedal, it has never been authorised by me, and I have never had any involvement whatsoever in its design, production, or marketing."
Finnegan added that he would not comment further during the litigation, and that authentic Centaur units are still being sold through Klon's official eBay channel under the seller ID "klondirectsales"1. At the time of the reports, neither Behringer nor Music Tribe had publicly responded to the suit12.
GuitarPlayer reported that Finnegan hand-built some 8,000 Centaur units during a 15-year production run that ended in 2009, and that original units can sell for up to $5,0002. Guitar.com described the original as a pedal that routinely fetches thousands on the resale market1.