MXR Timmy Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal (CSP027), Blue

Product Information

While you can definitely get late 60s fuzz tones reminiscent of a Fuzz Face, the pedal takes it a step further by adding a two-way gain toggle switch, which gives you two very unique sounds. Overdrive pedals, like bottles of fine wine, are produced plentifully, with many makers describing what they offer as being the ultimate collection of tonal ingredients to deliver the perfect sonic experience. The pedal’s right-side booster derives from the Dane’s clean boost circuit, employing a ‘lows’ knob for thinning or fattening up signals as needed. This all functions the same on the left side booster, with the only exception being that the left boost equips germanium diodes for added grit.

It has two independent drives with independent controls, easily accessible via the front panel. The left-hand side sports a germanium diode-based drive, which is similar to some models of the OCD; a Tube Screamer-style drive and a treble boost, while the right side has a more complex two-stage drive, a hard-clipping distortion that's somewhat akin to a ProCo RAT, and the analog JFET boost. The TIM overdrive, designed and built by Paul Cochrane, has been successful because of it’s sheer handiness. It offered (past tense, it’s no longer made) a very malleable, adaptable overdrive that seemed to just fit into your sound and dirty it up a little, without overtly altering your hard-earned tone! Prized tonal properties like touch and dynamics were left unscathed, making this a valuable tool for players looking to retain the individual personality. Finally, the MXR design team worked with Paul to select an op-amp that perfectly complements his expertly crafted design. They chose the LF353, a component well-respected by Dunlop engineers for providing high output, high gain, and hi-fi signal delivery. The resulting MXR Timmy Overdrive is a professional-grade must-have for players who want sweet, harmonic breakup that responds to playing dynamics and maintains a rig's personality at a fraction of the standard pedal size. I put this line-up against any for having a LEGIT guitar tone that covers many genres. I find that, even at low volumes - I can get into MESA territory.....Marshall tones can be dialed-in to cover different era Marshall heads. The Octavio pedal is a part of a really cool all mini-pedal line showcasing the most popular effects used by Jimi Hendrix. Other great mini effects in this series include two limited edition Fuzz Faces and a Univibe, so you can effectively get your Hendrix on with a fully miniature pedalboard! 9. JHS Mini Foot FuzzThe Timmy is one of those utility pedals it’s great to have. You might not use it all the time, but when you need it, nothing else quite does the job. The “blue” silicon model features a more aggressive and treble-heavy drive sound based on models from the late 60s and early 70s. The TS-mini also features true bypass switching (unlike original and re-issue TS808s), which makes it the perfect overdrive pedal to put on your board without taking up any real estate. Xotic has been in the mini pedal market for years, making great-sounding pedals that typically fall into the utility category, such as their EP booster and SP compressor.

If you’re looking to drive a tube amp without colouring your sound, then this could be one of the best overdrive pedals for you. The EQ has been designed in a clever way too - the bass and treble are cut-only, so you’re not adding in frequencies but keeping your tone ‘truer’, plus the controls are wired pre- and post-overdrive to help maintain your low end, and smooth out the top.

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The right (minus) mode gives you splatty, glitchy, and almost gated fuzz tones. It’s somewhat reminiscent of using a dying battery in a guitar pedal, but without the inherent fear that the pedal will actually die on you! So even though the Mini Foot is small, it’s definitely got some versatile sounds built-in. What I love most, though, is that it’s absolutely perfect in front of my Marshall Origin 20H. Since I got the MXR Timmy, I’ve started playing this amp again on a regular basis. The two together have given me something I didn’t quite have before – or, at least, something that I wasn’t really doing before. The Riot mini features the classic three-knob controls you know and love but also features a two-position voicing switch. This changes the clipping styles from a vintage high gain sound to a more modern clipping sound. Some overdrive pedals thrive when they’re playing with a tube amp that’s already on the edge of breakup. With the right settings, the best overdrive pedals can really get your amp singing. Some also pair incredibly well with other pedals – for example, a Tubescreamer feeding into a Klon style OD is a classic pedal combo. What is a transparent overdrive? By doing this, you can get Super Lead-esque tones or Super Bass sounds, which makes this pedal a versatile overdrive option for bass guitar as well.

The three-way clipping switch provides you with even more options and different headroom settings. Overall, the MXR Timmy Mini is a really good take on a classic pedal - it keeps everything that players love about the original, and houses it in a smaller casing. It just doesn’t make sense for me to chase another Timmy v2. Not when this pedal from MXR is widely available. What Is A Timmy Pedal?Its ability to bring the best out of your amp, while retaining the voice of your guitar is the envy of many a stomp box. I would say the Tim/Timmy IS the most "transparent" drive available.

Overdrive pedals vary so much, and there’s a bit of crossover with boost, distortion and fuzz pedals. However, without going too much into the technical side of things, an overdrive pedal essentially helps add some gain to your signal. The other control is called “pulse width,” which essentially changes the type of fuzz that is applied to the clean signal, ranging from a splatty and gated fuzz tone all the way to smooth and creamy fuzzy goodness.Not a transparent drive, but a classic nonetheless that'll beef your midrange up and make your amp sing. The sound is fantastic. I put it at the end of my drives and use it primarily as a distortion boost. It sounds best with the bass and treble close to max (the eq is passive, so it cuts, not boosts). The best overdrive pedal for one person might be something that pushes their tube amp into a more natural overdrive and retains all the tonal characteristics of the guitar, however, someone with a solid-state amp might prefer something that adds a bit more ‘something’ to their existing sound. You can even get overdrive pedals that offer the breakup sound of some classic tube amps. Overdrive can be a great effect to always have on, or it can be used to boost a clean sound for solos, or it can be paired with other pedals – there are seemingly limitless ways they can be used. It goes waaaaay beyond preferring buffered or true-bypass switching. You begin to develop a taste, and a set of preferences and expectations. I’m somewhat surprised that more boutique pedal makers haven’t really jumped onto the mini pedal game. The Mini Foot Fuzz from JHS is one of only a few mini pedals in their lineup. But while it looks small and unassuming, the tone is absolutely massive.