2204 and Timmy

[Bardagh]

I have the MXR Timmy. I primarily picked it up because I wanted a more flexible boost/drive pedal to run into my Deluxe Reverb, particularly with my Telecaster. It can go from a totally clean and transparent boost to a variety of drive tones.

I would probably never use it in place of a tubescreamer doing the 10-5-0 level-tone-boost high gain thing, but I do like it with amps where I feel the tubescreamer is too much but the raw guitar > amp signal still needs just a little something. For instance I don’t really like boosting my JJ-100 with a tubescreamer, but sometimes I do feel like I need just a LITTLE tweak, and you can really dial that in on the Timmy.

As has been said, the bass and treble knobs are cut only, but also the bass is pre-gain, so it effects the direct guitar signal, but the treble is post-gain, so with the gain knob all the way down it does nothing, and the more gain you dial in, it sounds like it does more. The three clipping modes sound very different. All the way to the left is a very open, less compressed sound and louder. All the way to the right is most compressed with more upper mids and quieter. In the middle is, well, in the middle.

 

[Philhouse]

I'm not sure either. I haven't opened it up but I'm wondering if someone has twiddled with some trim pots (if there are any in this pedal?)
Mine is a V2 with the pretty Blue swirl, looks great but not sounding best for me yet.
I'll def give it another try today on good faith of others experience's in this thread. I was trying it into a clean channel to get some nice overdrive, perhaps I need to look at from a boost angle. Always happy to learn.

Update: I tried it again and really like it into a Marshall style circuit. Still can't gel with it into a totally clean channel though.

Happy I gave it another go because of this thread.

 

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have the MXR Timmy. I primarily picked it up because I wanted a more flexible boost/drive pedal to run into my Deluxe Reverb, particularly with my Telecaster. It can go from a totally clean and transparent boost to a variety of drive tones.

I would probably never use it in place of a tubescreamer doing the 10-5-0 level-tone-boost high gain thing, but I do like it with amps where I feel the tubescreamer is too much but the raw guitar > amp signal still needs just a little something. For instance I don’t really like boosting my JJ-100 with a tubescreamer, but sometimes I do feel like I need just a LITTLE tweak, and you can really dial that in on the Timmy.

As has been said, the bass and treble knobs are cut only, but also the bass is pre-gain, so it effects the direct guitar signal, but the treble is post-gain, so with the gain knob all the way down it does nothing, and the more gain you dial in, it sounds like it does more. The three clipping modes sound very different. All the way to the left is a very open, less compressed sound and louder. All the way to the right is most compressed with more upper mids and quieter. In the middle is, well, in the middle.

Good info. I have the TC Spark (big one) & like it a lot. Can add or subtract bass & I usually use it as a TS-style mid boost.

I may give the MXR Timmy a shot. Cheers.

 

[7704A]

@LPMojoGL your (22/41)04 + Timmy videos are a GAS hazard. Just placed a Reverb order for one of the MXR pedals.

 

[LPMojoGL]

@LPMojoGL your (22/41)04 + Timmy videos are a GAS hazard. Just placed a Reverb order for one of the MXR pedals.

Haven't played the MXR version, but I bet it's close enough to do what I like about the Timmy.

The Timmy is hands down the most versatile overdrive I've owned, out of way too many. I have a TS, SD1, Fulldrive, KOT, + many others.

What's so good about the Timmy is, you can precisely dial in the bass, gain, treble, huge amount of volume, as well as compression/feel with the 3 way switch.
*It can be a stand alone overdrive for crunchy tones into a clean channel. Great for blues, slightly poking out a solo over clean parts, mild rock rhythm, etc.
*It can be a boost that tightens up the attack and adds more gain to a dirty sound. This is how I mostly use it. Perfect to take any dirty amp to the next level. It's like an extra gain channel. Think HBE vs BE on a Friedman. Or, basically what everyone used with a Plexi or JCM for killer rock tones.
*It can be a clean, transparent boost behind any other dirt pedal to add more volume to that pedal. Say you like the tone of a TS or SD1, but they fall short in the volume dept. Boom, same tone with as much volume as you want.
*It can be a transparent boost in your effects loop, or at the end of your pedal chain into a clean amp, to raise the overall volume, for a solo or just to make certain parts stand out.
It's the highest quality Swiss Army knife of overdrives.
Essential, imo.

The only other overdrive that I use as often as the Timmy is a klone. I went thru a slew of those, including a KTR, to arrive at the Mesa Cleo. Highly recommended, especially if you can find a new one on clearance at GC for $50-75. I've bought 2 in that price range.
The Klon doesn't have a separate bass knob, to precisely dial in the bass. Rather, you use the gain knob to set the bass where you want it (bass goes away as the gain knob goes up, making it more middy), dial in your highs with the tone knob, and use the volume knob to add the desired amount of push/gain, into a dirty amp. It's also a fantastic stand alone drive for blues and classic rock.

 

[Killcrop]

What tubes are in the Marshall?

I’ve had a number of Tim and Timmy’s. They all work great. What’s with all the Timmy’s on reverb for $800 and up? What a bunch of fucking idiots.

 

[LPMojoGL]

What tubes are in the Marshall?

I’ve had a number of Tim and Timmy’s. They all work great. What’s with all the Timmy’s on reverb for $800 and up? What a bunch of fucking idiots.

Not sure which EL34s it had in it.
Are they really going for that much?
I bought my V2 new for something like $130. And the new Tim for $260, can be had right now for $200:
http://www.humbuckermusic.com/products/paul-cochrane-tim-v3-overdrive-pedal

I've had a couple of Tim's and Timmys. I liked some better than others, and think it's all down to the chip. The new Tim, and I assume V3 Timmy, seem brighter at the same settings. Just gotta roll the treble back more.

 

[JLR]

Never tried a Timmy. The cheap ass SD1 pushing my 800 or 2204 JMP is enough for me as well as many others. It's a popular pairing. Ive spent 3x on OD's and went back to this yellow box. Just bought a 2nd one for $50 yesterday. Maxon 808's are another favorite however my input jack shit the bed and trying to figure out a replacement part.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Never tried a Timmy. The cheap ass SD1 pushing my 800 or 2204 JMP is enough for me as well as many others. It's a popular pairing. Ive spent 3x on OD's and went back to this yellow box. Just bought a 2nd one for $50 yesterday. Maxon 808's are another favorite however my input jack shit the bed and trying to figure out a replacement part.

I may as well get rid of my SD1 and TS. They don't see much use with the Timmy and klone around.
Of course, that could also be said about most of my dirt pedals.
But I'm not gonna.

 

[7704A]

*It can be a boost that tightens up the attack and adds more gain to a dirty sound. This is how I mostly use it. Perfect to take any dirty amp to the next level. It's like an extra gain channel. Think HBE vs BE on a Friedman. Or, basically what everyone used with a Plexi or JCM for killer rock tones.

Yup, that's what I intend to do. I've been using an EQ boost pedal so far since I don't like the TS coloration, but it provides less output than the Timmy can and it doesn't have the diode clipping, which I think is adding some mojo. Seeing as how the Timmy is pretty transparent with just some high and low shaping along the lines of what I already do with the EQ, it makes sense. Not to mention that your videos with it into a Marshall sound amazing.

The only other overdrive that I use as often as the Timmy is a klone. I went thru a slew of those, including a KTR, to arrive at the Mesa Cleo. Highly recommended, especially if you can find a new one on clearance at GC for $50-75. I've bought 2 in that price range.
The Klon doesn't have a separate bass knob, to precisely dial in the bass. Rather, you use the gain knob to set the bass where you want it (bass goes away as the gain knob goes up, making it more middy), dial in your highs with the tone knob, and use the volume knob to add the desired amount of push/gain, into a dirty amp. It's also a fantastic stand alone drive for blues and classic rock.

Thanks for the heads up and pointers!