The All-Pedal Alcmene Overdrive is a mini overdrive pedal from AllPedal, built on a Klon-style circuit and fitted with NOS germanium clipping diodes. The maker bills it as a "Mini Klon-Style Overdrive with NOS Germanium Bite", and says it was painstakingly created and hand-built in the USA1. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in August 2023, described it as a mini overdrive pedal carrying "one of the most popular and mythical circuits ever created down in its belly"2.
The Klon connection
The circuit the Alcmene draws on is the Klon Centaur, the overdrive whose reputation has rested in large part on its germanium diodes. AllPedal says the Alcmene "features Germanium clipping diodes like the original Klon Centaur"1. Writing about the Klon topology in another context, Paolo De Gregorio of Delicious Audio described it as "based on a germanium diodes-based design that delivers a wide palette of tones ranging from transparent boost to high headroom overdrive"3, and gearnews.com has noted that these "unobtanium" diodes "have been the heart and soul of the Klon-mystique ever since the first pedals arrived"4.
The Alcmene is not a bare copy. Pedal of the Day describes it as "fully loaded with authentic Klon style features", naming the germanium clipping diodes, gold-plated circuit board, active treble control, charge pump and buffered bypass among them2.
Controls and features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Turn it up, AllPedal says, and "you turn up True Germanium Distortion"1 |
| Active treble control | Boost or decrease top-end frequencies with precision, per the maker1 |
| NOS 1N34A germanium diodes | The clipping stage, new-old-stock vintage-type parts12 |
| Charge pump | Klon-style feature listed by Pedal of the Day2 |
| Gold-plated circuit board | AllPedal says it ensures "perfect signal integrity and top performance"1 |
| Buffered bypass | Klon-style buffering rather than true bypass2 |
The active treble control is worth a note for players used to simple two-knob overdrives: because it is active, it can both boost and cut the top end, which AllPedal says lets you sculpt high frequencies precisely1.
How it sounds
AllPedal describes the Alcmene's range as spanning "a gentle, transparent overdrive to a full-fledged Germanium saturation, making it ideal for a more rock-oriented sound"1. Pedal of the Day's reviewer found it "a cinch to conjure gorgeous breakup and boost in an instant", and confirmed the maker's claim at the top of the gain range: "If you really crank the Gain, you get right into True Germanium Distortion territory as well"2. The reviewer's verdict on the package as a whole was that the Alcmene is "right up your alley for tone, pedalboard real estate and price tag", a view that speaks to the appeal of a Klon-style circuit in a mini enclosure2.
For context on how the Alcmene sits among overdrives generally, see the site's page on Overdrive Pedals.
Videos
All-Pedal
All-Pedal
Kyle Bull
Questions
Is the All-Pedal Alcmene a Klon clone?
The Alcmene is a mini overdrive built on a Klon-style circuit. AllPedal describes it as a K-Style overdrive with germanium clipping diodes like the original Klon Centaur, and Pedal of the Day noted it carries one of the most popular and mythical circuits ever created in its belly. It is a Klon-style design rather than a copy sold under the Klon name.
What clipping diodes does the Alcmene use?
AllPedal says it used only NOS 1N34A germanium clipping diodes in the circuit, the same kind of new-old-stock vintage germanium diodes associated with the original Klon Centaur. Pedal of the Day's review confirms the same specification.
Is the Alcmene true bypass or buffered?
The Alcmene uses buffered bypass, one of the authentic Klon-style features Pedal of the Day lists in its review, alongside the germanium clipping diodes, gold-plated circuit board, active treble control and charge pump.
Who makes the All-Pedal Alcmene Overdrive?
The Alcmene is made by AllPedal. The company says the pedal was painstakingly created in the USA and is hand-built there.
How does the Alcmene sound at high gain?
AllPedal says turning up the Gain control takes the pedal into true germanium distortion, and Pedal of the Day agreed that cranking the Gain puts it right into True Germanium Distortion territory. At lower settings the maker describes a gentle, transparent overdrive, with full-fledged germanium saturation suited to a more rock-oriented sound at the top of the range.
Sources (4)
- Alcmene® Mini Pedal: Authentic Klon Tone, Legendary Sound, AllPedal (allpedal.com)
- All-Pedal Alcmene® Overdrive, Pedal of the Day, 2023-08-03
- Crazy Tube Circuits Unobtanium Dual Drive, Delicious Audio, 2022-12-06
- Bill Finnegan, gearnews.com, 2021-09-08
