Unapologetically Vintage

The Warm Audio Centavo is an accurate recreation of one of the most unattainable overdrive pedals in guitar history. Known by its lauded boost and overdriven tones, the craze for this uber-popular pedal continues today, long after its original production from 1994 to 2009. With prices soaring into unthinkable prices for a three-knob overdrive, it’s no wonder that guitar players like Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, John Mayer, and Josh Homme have found all the mythical magic of the original pedals to be worth the hype. The Warm Audio Centavo is a true-to-original overdrive pedal that authentically recreates the legendary experience and adored tones of the original, legendary box.

Legacy At Your Feet

Whether you’re after the fabled boost tones, edge-of-breakup overdrive, or you want to push your rhythm channel to true grit – the Centavo has all of the adored tones of the original pedal. The Centavo is comfortable acting as a boost pedal, but the saturation in the higher gain settings provide a platform for true “transparent” overdriven rhythm tones. The addition of the “MOD” switch on the back – famously requested by Jeff Beck on the original pedal- allows players to extend the bass response, impacting the lower strings to get added low end drive tones.

Pedal Settings & Controls

The Centavo has three basic controls on the top – Gain, Treble, & Output. The gain on Centavo breaks up fairly late, with edge-of-breakup hitting after 50% and real clipping occurring late in the gain stage. The treble control is useful for dialing in more top-end for muddier guitars, like dual-humbucker models or all-mahogany instruments. The Centavo is loaded with output and can easily deliver clean boost, or create natural distortion if the tubes on your amplifier are already being pushed. Engaging the MOD switch on the back is a great tool to have at your disposal if the overdrive initially sounds “thin” in the lower register.