The PastFx RetiKlon is a limited-run overdrive pedal from PastFX that takes its starting point from a famous overdrive circuit, the Klon, and reworks it. PastFX calls it a Klone, a take on the Klon, and the maker's stated goal was to design a circuit that "captures all the nuances of the original, while omitting this component", meaning the surge pump and voltage doubler chips that the original uses and that PastFx describes as sometimes noisy. In their place the RetiKlon uses germanium clipping diodes, and it adds a two-band EQ and a Presence switch on top of the classic control set12.
What it does differently from a standard Klone
Two changes set the RetiKlon apart from the many Klon-style overdrives on the market. First, PastFx removed a number of previously core circuit elements that can otherwise generate excess noise, including the surge pump, voltage doubler and buck converter chips. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson described this as removing noise-prone Klon circuit elements, then enhancing the circuit further with a 2-band EQ and an extra Presence switch2.
Second, the clipping is done with germanium diodes rather than the silicon diodes the original uses. Germanium clipping is a common way builders put a softer, rounder edge on an overdrive, and here it is part of how the RetiKlon reworks the Klon formula rather than copying it1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Drive amount |
| Treble | High EQ |
| Bass | Low EQ, part of the added 2-band EQ |
| Presence toggle | Red Mode (toggle up) = stock voicing; Blue Mode (down) = additional high frequencies |
| Output | Level |
| Bypass pushbutton | Switches between true bypass and buffered bypass |
The Presence switch is the pedal's signature extra control. Up gives the stock voicing; down opens up additional high frequencies. The two modes also draw different current, which matters for power planning12.
The buffered bypass switch is an unmarked push-button, so it is easy to miss on a dark stage. True bypass is the unpressed state12.
Power
The RetiKlon needs more voltage than most pedals:
- 18 to 24V DC operation
- 2.1mm Boss-style jack, negative tip
- Current draw: approximately 55mA in Red LED mode, approximately 25mA in Blue mode1
That rules out a standard pedalboard supply output and a daisy chain. Use an isolated supply output rated for the pedal's requirements, and budget for the Red mode figure if you want headroom. PastFx states the pedal contains no voltage doubler of its own, so it cannot make its own higher rail from a lower-voltage feed1.
Availability and price
PastFx describes the RetiKlon as a design that "captures all the nuances of the original, while omitting this component", referring to the surgepump/voltage doubler stage of the circuit it revisits1.
For where the RetiKlon sits among drive pedals generally, see Overdrive Pedals, or the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison for two mainstream overdrive voicings.
Videos
Vik The Synth Guy | Viktims of Violence 🂿
Questions
Is the PastFx RetiKlon true bypass?
Yes, but with a twist. The pedal is true bypass by default, and it carries a second, unmarked pushbutton that switches it to buffered bypass. PastFx describes the arrangement as True Bypass with a pushbutton buffered bypass switch, where the true bypass position is the unpressed state. Guitar Pedal X notes it as the usual buffered bypass switch, here as an unmarked push-button.
What power supply does the RetiKlon need?
The RetiKlon runs on 18 to 24V DC through a 2.1mm Boss-style negative tip jack. Current draw is approximately 55mA in Red LED mode and approximately 25mA in Blue mode, so a standard 9V daisy-chain output will not run it. Use an isolated supply output set to 18V or higher, or a dedicated 18V or 24V output.
Does the RetiKlon have a voltage doubler?
No. PastFx states the pedal has no surge pump, voltage doubler or buck converter chips. That is a deliberate design choice: the original pedal the RetiKlon is based on contains a sometimes noisy surge pump and voltage doubler circuit, and PastFx designed the RetiKlon to capture the original's nuances while leaving that component out.
What do the Red and Blue modes do on the RetiKlon?
The Presence toggle switch selects between the two. Red Mode, with the toggle up, is the stock voicing. Blue Mode, with the toggle down, adds additional high frequencies. The Blue mode also draws less current, approximately 25mA against approximately 55mA in Red mode.
How much does the PastFx RetiKlon cost?
PastFx lists the RetiKlon at $399 AUD on its product page. Guitar Pedal X, covering the release in March 2026, listed the Retiklon Super-Klone as $POA, price on application, which fits with the pedal being largely invitation only rather than a standard catalogue item.
Is the PastFx RetiKlon a limited edition?
Yes. PastFx describes the RetiKlon as a limited run pedal. According to Guitar Pedal X's March 2026 report, the Retiklon and the OG-1 are largely available on invitation only, while a tiny number may eventually appear on the All Things Strings! Reverb.com store aimed at American buyers.
Sources (2)
- RetiKlon, PastFx, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2026-03-04
