Warm Audio Centavo

A Cult Overdrive Reinterpreted for Modern Pedalboards

The Centavo follows in the footsteps of the most coveted boutique overdrives, to the point of becoming nearly unaffordable on the second-hand market. Warm Audio offers a faithful recreation, designed to capture that unique behavior: a gain that "arrives" progressively, a very musical boost feel, and saturation that remains clear. Guitarists like Jeff Beck, Joe Perry, John Mayer, and Josh Homme have greatly contributed to popularizing this sonic signature, which has become a standard for thickening a sound without crushing it.

Who Is the Centavo For, and In Which Styles Does It Make a Difference?

This electric guitar effects pedal is aimed both at beginners who want a simple-to-adjust overdrive and at seasoned musicians seeking a premium boost. It excels in blues, rock, pop, fusion, indie, stoner, and any context where you want to preserve pick attack and guitar personality. Live, it serves as a discreet and effective "second channel"; in the studio, it helps place the guitar in the mix with clean and controlled saturation.

Controls, "MOD" Switch, and Daily Use

The Centavo keeps it simple with three front-panel potentiometers: Gain (breakup occurs relatively late, with an edge of breakup after halfway), Treble (very useful for brightening humbuckers or all-mahogany guitars), and Output (ample headroom for strong boosts). At the rear, the MOD switch adds a well-known modification that enhances bass response by adjusting the high-pass filter, handy for restoring body to the low strings depending on your amp and speaker cabinet.

Sound Character

The Centavo's sonic character is distinguished by an "open" overdrive: it respects dynamics, responds finely to guitar volume, and maintains excellent chord definition. In boost mode, it thickens the sound and drives the amp; at higher gain, it offers a singing and precise saturation, ideal for tight rhythms or leads that remain present. The MOD switch perfectly complements this voicing by adding more bottom end when needed.

Technical specifications

Effects	Overdrive	Type	sector
Format	Pedal	Use	electric guitar
EQ	Treble	Color	Gold

"MOD" switch	additional, on the rear, modifies the high-pass filter value and boosts the bass response	Weight	900 g
Controls	Gain, Treble, Output	Power supply included	no
Status LED	Effect On	Battery power	9V
Footswitch	Effect Bypass	Required power supply	9 V DC (2.1 x 5.5 mm barrel connector, negative polarity inside)
Input/output	6.35 mm jack	Current consumption	40 mA
Dimensions (W x D x H)	171 x 127 x 57 mm	Suitable 9 V DC power supply	optional, not included (item number 409939)