Klon duplication by Behringer faces modifications following Bill Finnegan's legal action against the company.
Straight Talk: Behringer, infamous for their economical hardware replicas, has found itself in a legal pickle with Klon Centaur creator, Bill Finnegan. Following Finnegan's lawsuit, Behringer's $69 "Centaur Overdrive" - a Klon Centaur clone - has sparked controversy for its close resemblance to the original, with concerns over trade dress and reputation exploitation.
Back in November 2024, Behringer launched the Centaur Overdrive, mimicking the renowned overdrive flavors of the Klon Centaur. Finnegan, the brainchild behind the Centaur, filed suit against the pedal manufacturer earlier this month, slamming the clone as more than just an inspired copy – a blatant counterfeit.
The overdrive pedal market is awash with Klon copies, but Finnegan believed Behringer's Centaur was a bridge too far. Oddly, Behringer has a reputation for copying high-end gear, which earned them some heat from the team at Musicronics last year after they replicated their signature stompbox. Yet, no legal action was taken.
With Finnegan's pedal marked with the Centaur logo and gold coloring, the Behringer pedal's absence of Behringer's own logo added fuel to the counterfeit claims. Not to mention, the pedal's price hike on the secondary market, with listings nearing $2,000, showed the demand was off the charts.
Post-lawsuit, Behringer took action and changed a few things. They added their logo to the Centara Overdrive, revamped the artwork, and even reduced the price to $59.90. However, the new design still bears the Centaur's gold colorway and features a similarly posed centaur figure. The question remains, is this enough to appease the original creator or will we see more developments in the case?
The Lowdown: Finnegan, who personally manufactures his pedals using costly custom parts, accused Behringer of unfairly taking advantage of his reputation and illegally using the Klon Centaur's distinct trade dress, which is protected by a U.S. federal trademark. Behringer responded with design changes aimed at addressing IP issues, but further developments are yet to be seen.
- Finnegan, unhappy with Behringer's close replication of his legendary Klon Centaur, filed a lawsuit against the pedal manufacturer, accusing them of producing a blatant counterfeit, not just an inspired copy.
- The guitar effects market is filled with Klon Centaur copies, but Finnegan firmly believed Behringer's Centaur Overdrive was an unacceptable imitation.
- The music and entertainment technology realm has seen Behringer's reputation take a hit, due to their repeated practice of copying high-end gadgets such as the Fender pedal, which incited backlash from manufacturers like Musicronics.
- Post-lawsuit, Behringer attempted to address IP concerns by adding their logo to the Centara Overdrive, revamping the artwork, and reducing the price, but the new design still features the Centaur's iconic gold coloring and figurine.
- As this legal case unfolds, questions about the legitimacy of Behringer's Centara Overdrive persist, with concerns over trade dress and reputation exploitation weighing heavily on the minds of industry professionals and music enthusiasts alike.
