2023 May Pedal-Chain Update - Episode V - Team Timmons
So May started with my posting the last of the NAMM Show stragglers, followed by an initial eclectic mix of different pedal types - while gradually leaning into ’Andy Timmons’ Month. I’ve always thought Andy to be a wonderful human being and a particularly fine journeyman guitarist. While it’s only in fairly recent years that he’s become somewhat more elevated in my affections as one of my all-time favourite guitar heroes. You will note that he did not feature in my last article on personal Guitar Heroes - as those were in the main the ones that were the most influential in my youth and formative years - while Andy has been a somewhat latter-day hero for me and would most definitely feature in a further update.
The more I get into Andy - the more I understand the genius of his tone generation and careful selections of ’tone components’ - that is to say pedals and devices that fully serve the dynamics of his sound. Every single one of the pedals on his board is so cleverly and precisely selected - and each underlined by his ingenious always-on Halo Dual Echo algorithm - which in early days was created with Memory Man Delays and some extensive pedal trickery. But more recently and with the help of Robert Keeley - that magical tone enhancer now sits in Andy’s signature Keeley-designed Halo Dual Echo pedal.
I picked up a lot of variations of Andy’s signature pedals this month - where the only one that has still to arrive is the much delayed Bending Light Special Transparent Edition of his Halo Echo Unit - which has been somewhat beset by production delays and did not make this month’s deadline.
The more I’ve delved into Andy’s sound - the more I realise that every single one of his pedals is essential to the tone and timbre, and dynamics of his playing. It’s not just the more obvious ones - there are facets of each of those that are distinct and unique. In yesterday’s Andy Timmons Tone Components article it became very evident the more that I studies his methodology - that the more vital each of those pedals really is in recreating those sounds. I did an ’Alternative Arrangement’ suggestion for fun - where I recommend a few more practical and more feature-rich pedals to be subbed in for some of Andy’s favourites. While I’ve determined that I so value Andy’s tonal guidance - that I will eventually be picking up all of his favourites - bar the slightly too large Wah pedal probably.
A big part of this month was spent on delays - as I had 3 new ones in this month - the Boss SDE-3000EVH, Fjord Fuzz Loke, and Red Panda Raster 2 - all digital delays actually, but all very different with entirely different strengths and advantages - meaning that it’s not at all strange to deploy all 3 in the same pedalboard arrangement. I spent the longest time this month getting to grips with the SDE-3000 and Loke - where the Raster had to take a bit of a back seat - that was supposed to be part of a collaboration that didn’t quite work out - so I’ve yet to decided what follow-up to do there. The collaboration partner just stopped responding to messages - and you get the hint after a few weeks of radio silence!
I also got weirdly cut loose from another collaboration partner which I thought I had a good rapport with - triggered by a change in personnel. In fact this has been a really weird sort of ’Ghosting’ month where I’ve been ghosted more than my usual fair share. A lot of this work is often like getting blood out of a stone - while May has been particularly ponderous at times. There’s a fair amount of disingenuousness that I experience too which I will never understand - if I’m enthusiastic about something I will always follow though and hold true to my integrity. While too many people nowadays seemingly make empty promises and assurances,
As always the bad is balanced out by some genuine warm communication and support from the larger community. I made friends with Effects Database’s Bart Provoost for the first time - and am so proud of what he has achieved in 20 years - you should all support him on Patreon if you can! In fact I will likely be appearing on Patreon too some day - a step-change is coming - and I will be consulting with all of you on the future direction and evolution of Guitar Pedal X.
I also made friends with virtuouso guitarist and effects genius Henry Kaiser - who has his own signature sort of ’Frippertronics’ effects trickery - including his celebrated square wave clock modulation technique. I collaborated on an article with him - which should be up on Friday. So I hope you enjoy that!
This has been another really busy month for me - as you can see by the volume and depth of output - so I hope you’re still enjoying the ride - there’s lots of new ideas coming to the surface in the coming weeks - so hopefully some really exciting times ahead!
May has been a somewhat mixed month for me - with an unusual amount of disappointments - but plenty to lift the spirts too! I hope all of your are still having fun and that life is mostly treating you well!
May Acquisitions Update
So a busy month as mentioned - with 21 new pedal arrivals for May.
- 8 Boosts & Overdrvies
- 6 Distortions
- 3 Time Based Effects
- 2 Fuzzes
- 1 Modulation
- 1 Utility
I had expected the Keeley Light Bending Halo to land also - but that is hopeful not too far away now - and as always there were a few stragglers - which will feature in next month's update. The current arrangement of the pedal-chain settled in relatively quickly - when it became obvious that it was going to be an Andy Timmons month.
As mentioned in the intro - most of my time was taken up getting fully to grips with two of my new delays - well two and half really as I did spend a fair amount of time on the Red Panda Raster 2 too - but the lion's share went on the Boss SDE-3000 and the Fjord Fuzz Loke - both very distinct and incredibly versatile devices - but each with its own learning curve.
All these months are largely still inspirational and I discover new tones and tricks nearly every day - and better come to understand the subtle nuances of various devices. Learning to get to grips with everything that the Loke offers was particularly formative - in understanding how those tape-style delay modulation effects work - the Loke is a supremely versatile Dual Delay-LIne Manipulator but also an excellent learning / teaching tool - I certainly picked up a lot.
Both the Red Panda Raster 2 and Subdecay Prometheus 3 demand more of my time - which means I will spending some considerable time with those devices over the coming months - I feel those are going to be on the board for a while!
8 Boosts & Overdrives
I never do things by half - so when I finally get in an OD-3 you can be sure that it's going to be a full bells-and-whistles edition - offering a little bit more than the standard edition - and yes that Twin Drive Modded edition doesn't disappoint. Neither does the new CKK SHXC Super Overdrive which is one of the very best Klons I've witnessed - it has a somewhat magical quality about it with a greater depth of soundstage and 'dimensionality'. I had hoped to have an article out already on that - but no demos have materialised yet. If you're a Klon fan - then that's definitely one bandwagon worth jumping on!
My Greer Capsule Collection is really coming on too - where I have just 2 more to get from my 9 favourites selection pictured - just the Sucker Punch and Soma Preamp to go! Obviously there are a lot of Andy Timmons inspired pedals here too - and at last the superb Tubesteader EggNog - which I recommended in my recent 16 Iconic Amps / Preamps feature.
- Boss OD-3 OverDrive Twin Drive Mods
- CKK Scream Honey SHXC
- Greer Amps Little Samson Overdrive
- Keeley Electronics Andy Timmons Signature Super AT MOD Full Range Overdrive
- Tubesteader Eggnog Tube Tweed Overdrive / Preamp
- Xotic BB Preamp Custom
- Xotic RC Booster V2 Transparent Boost
- Xotic Soul Driven Overdrive
6 Distortions
I finally picked up a pristine Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal too - it was just a matter of biding my time for the best condition one available for the very best price. My Boss High Gain collection is now entirely complete - I'm delighted to have all those classics - some in duplicate even!
I was also delighted to land the Drunk Beaver Kharkiv CMOStortion which sounds superb - as does another one of my 16 Ionic Amps article pedals - the Hoopla Tinnitus MESA MKV style Distortion. I also finally landed my preferred black edition of JHS @+ and I very quickly snapped up the new Yvette Young Edition of Zvex's Box of Rock.
The only disappointment thing here - and not at all the actual new pedal which sounds great but appears here somewhat sans branding - is the not at all mysterious Xxxxxxxx HM Compact Hight Gain distortion - where I was unceremoniously untethered from said brand without warning. I'm not opposed to change - but it's always nicer when someone explains what's happening before it impacts - instead of having to find out second hand and after the fact. So there will be another brand that will now be sporting my own particular take on the Star Wars Rebel Alliance Jedi insignia! If anyone treats me badly and discourteously they will loose my support! To date there are just 3 brands on the naughty step - there is still time for them to apologise and make amends - I never say never, but for now they are largely benched as far as I'm concerned.
- Boss HM-3 Hyper Metal Distortion
- Drunk Beaver Kharkiv CMOStortion
- Hoopla Pedals Tinnitus MB Mark V Preamp
- JHS Pedals AT+ Andy Timmons Signature Overdrive Black Edition
- Xxxxxxx Heavy Menace Distortion
- Zvex Box of Rock Yvette Young Edition
2 Fuzzes
A rare month of only 2 new fuzzes in - I guess there have been a lot in already this year - and in truth there are sill a fair number on the wishlist - while only so much budget to go around. Otherwise I would have also picked up the EHX Satisfaction Plus and Vahlbruch Octavia 2. As it was - the Champion Leccy Dunsh and the EHX Lizard Queen Compact Octave Fuzz were all the fuzz I needed this month - as I also had the Fjord Fuzz Hedda from Daniel Thornhill's recent UK visit!
- Champion Leccy Dunsh Fuzz / Distortion
- EHX Lizard Queen Octave Fuzz
1 Modulation
Just the one modulation this month - but what a killer pedal - I've only just scratched the surface with it so far - but I'm loving everything I'm hearing out of it. Surely the smartest filter pedal on the market now!
- Subdecay Prometheus 3 Dual Super Filter
3 Time Based Effects
Apart from the Andy Timmons quotient for the month - Delays was the most significant area - and there were supposed to be 4 this month - while the Light Bending Halo Edition is still delayed ironically! Each of these 3 delay units is genius - all different takes on Modulated Digital Delays - each unique and special in its own way - and you can easily justify having all simultaneously on your board - providing of course that you have space for them!
- Boss SDE-3000EVH Dual Digital Delay
- Fjord Fuzz Loke Dual Delay Line Manipulator
- Red Panda Lab Raster 2 Digital Delay / Multi-FX
1 Utility
And finally one of my favourite ever utilities - further enhanced and improved in this latest Pro edition - the new voicings just sound superb and this totally does what I need it to!
- Keyztone EXchanger Pro Advanced Pickup Modeller
May Infinite Wishlist Additions!
I've been so good at getting things in this month - that there aren't too many I did not get around to. I could have picked up any and all of these this month - but there's only so much budget and time, and pedalboard / pedal-chain space to go around so some of these acquisitions will inevitably have to happen later.
The Satisfaction Plus and Tru-Fi Ghost Vibe should happen quite quickly - just waiting for the batch to land at Joe's Pedal for the Ghost Vibe. And the Luminous Phaser and Northern Mauler Distortion will be more opportunistic buys - nice-to-haves mostly!
- Alexander Pedals Luminous Phaseshifter
- Electro-Harmonix Satisfaction Plus Fuzz
- Expandora Forbidden Fuzz
- REVV Northern Mauler 2-in-1 Distortion
- Tru-Fi Ghost-Vibe Uni-Vibe (Soon)
May Pedal Chain Status
16 Slots Updated this month - a couple of move-arounds for sake of necessity - and the Tubesteader takes up the #17 slot for a while (normally the Top Boosted Vox slot) as that one has the right power connection to power that pedal - so a needs must really..
Obviously very much an Andy Timmons slant to the chain this month - while also a little EVH with the SDE-3000EVH and the return of the Rainger FX X-Flanger. Oh and the new and improved Keyztone EXchanger Pro, and Subdecay Prometheus 3 - just another really strong selection - no weak spots this month at all - each one of those new placements is wholly worthy and compelling!
Updated Slots : #1, #4, #5, #10, #11, #12, #15a, #17, #19, #21, #23, #24, #27, #36, #38, #40, Actually 15b too really - but a minor move!
Slot #01 : Pickup Enhancer / Remodeler / Tweaker Looper
Hopefully you've read my review by now - as this pedal still needs a killer demo to show just how amazing it really is. The latest edition is better than ever - and gives me pretty amazing Strat and Tele style tones - it's just a delight to deploy and a real boon to those of thus who mostly use just one main guitar!
Slot #04 : Envelope Filter / Auto-Wah / Fixed Wah / WAH
Sure the new Subdecay Prometheus 3 Dual Super Filter is the best filter style pedal currently out there - so many different and fantastic sounding algorithms onboard. I've only really scratched the surface on this one so far - but it's already proving itself to be immense!
Slot #05 : Germanium / Sensitive Fuzz
Really cool Fjord Fuzz Hedda Bias Fuzz - I personally don't have to much use for the Second Feedback Footswitch - but this Fuzz Face adjacent fuzz is super dynamic and sounds really rich and complex!
SLOT #10 : Mid Gain / Dynamic / Blues Breaker / Harmonic Overdrive / JTM45 / Screamer
First of the Xotics - the RC Booster V2 Dual Clean Boost is a killer clean boost - with EQ - it's not quite the same as the Thorpy FX Hard Water - so this one will be more of a bit player - sounds fantastic though!
Slot #11 : Mid Gain / Blues Driver
The Xotic Custom Shop BB Preamp Mid Boost Edition kind of reminds me of a cross between a BD-2 and a Spaceman Aphelion - really cool harmonic booster / overdrive with amazing texture.
Slot #12 : Mid Gain / Dumble / Expandora / Fuzzy-Drive / Mostortion / OCD / TrainWreck
The Xotic Soul Driven Transparent Creamy Overdrive performs exactly as you would expect - a wonderful creamy overdrive still with plenty of dynamics - a worthy corner of the Xotic Compact Pedals Trifecta.
Slot #15 (a) : Main Multi-Drive - Oversize
The Keeley Andy Timmons Super AT Mod is kind of like a cleaned up and more focused version of the Phat-Modded BD-2 Blues Driver. Totally understand why Andy would prefer this slightly more - while I quite like the added 'fuzziness' of the Phat BD-2.
Slot #17 : Top Boosted Distortion / Vox - Typically
The Tubesteader EggNog Tweed style Overdrive / Preamp featured in my 16 Iconic Amps feature as the Ambassador pedal for the Tweed style of Preamp - just a superb achievement in a really neat form factor - I'm hoping that Olly rolls out a lot more varieties in this format - which he has already hinted at!
Slot #19 : Multi-Fuzz / Fuzzy-Drive
The Bispell Proxy Vox-in-a-box moves to this slot while the Tubesteader EggNog is on the board - as that power-supply will support that pedals current draw - while the Proxy can operate on any of the slots. Fantastic Vox style pedal.
Slot #21 : High Gain Fuzz 1 / Fuzzstortion
The Champion Leccy Dunsh Fuzz is a great sounding fuzz / distortion with smart EQ and gating. Took me a while to figure out the circuit as such - while dialling this in is a breeze - the 'Dunsh' Boost mostly delivers extra saturation and depth for me as I like the default settings fairly impactful too! A cool and unique fuzz - with fantastic graphics!
Slot #23 : High Gain Fuzz 2 / Modern Metal 1 / Mid-Pushed High Gain
I have featured the JHS Andy Timmons @+ Overdrive / Distortion as much as half a dozen times on this site - so it was about time I added it to the collection - sounds great, and stacks well for that Andy Timmons liquid distortion sound!
Slot #24 : Brown Sound / EVH / JCM800 / Liquid Distortion
There's much to like about the Hoopla Pedals Tinnitus Preamp / Distortion - it really delivers that MESA character and voicing - and sounds pretty fantastic when cranked - could do with a little more output volume though as already noted.
Slot #27 : Modern Metal 4 / High Gain Metal 3 / Extreme Saturating Distortion / Rectifier / Diezel / Orange
A very unique pedal from Fjord Fuzz - the Loke Dual Delay-Line Manipulate / Reel-to-Reel style Tape Effect / Delay / Modulator / Multi-FX - it does so many things well. Of course sounds great as 'just' a Modulated Delay - while the fun for me is finding all those cool modulation Easter Eggs - like the 'Steel Drums'!
Slot #36 : Stereo Delay Workstation 1
I spent so much time with the Boss SDE-3000 and Fjord Fuzz Loke - that I've only really just scratched the surface with this one. It was inspired by a great recent Emily Hopkins demo - featured above. I suggested doing a collaboration with Emily and Russ - but after positive initial overtures I was somewhat ghosted for weeks - so that doesn't look like it's going to happen - which is a shame really!
Slot #38 : Stereo Rotary / Multi-FX 3 / Modulation Workstation 2 / Harmonizer / Delay Workstation 2 / Reverb Workstation 2
The Light Bending Edition of Andy Timmons Halo Dual Echo was due to be in by the end of this month - but has been set by production difficulties and delay. We had a 48hour delay warning on the supposed dispatch day - 18th of May, while as of writing this the pedal has still to be shipped - hopefully it will be in soon!
Slot #40 : Stereo Tape Style Delay / Delay Workstation 2
The Boss SDE-3000EVH Dual Digital Delay was the pedal I spent the most time with this month. It has so many hidden depths - that there was a bit of a learning curve to it - while after some useful help from Matt Knight everything snapped into place and is all second nature now - even though some settings aren't necessarily where you would expect to find them. And the display lights up great even during the brightest of sunniest days. A really distinct, powerful and versatile Digital Delay - where you can run 4 Delay Lines together across full stereo, or Wet-Dry-Wet output via Series of Parallel staging.
Final Thoughts
I had hoped to hit 9,000 Instagram followers - while we're not too far off that - should happen within a week - and then onto the major milestone of 10K followers - which is really just the first proper step on that ladder. I'm very aware that my peers Effects Database are at 85K, and That Pedal Show is all the way up at 124K - so those are the longer-term targets.
I will be scaling up operations over the next few months, and once I hit 10K - I will actually start publicising and promoting the site - which up until now I wanted people to find wholly organically and under their own steam. But needs must and all that - we need to make some changes and power up a few gears for sure.
I will be consulting with you all on where to take all of this next. I have some lofty ambitions for a variety of events - culminating in some sort of festival. I will also be looking to open myself more up to access - so more people can talk to me direct through various means. And I have some equally lofty ambitions in the nature and scope of features and articles I will be creating. Those will involve a lot more onsite visits and mini-summits.
In terms of the Pedal Acquisitions - I'm only just partway through the Andy Timmons phase. I thought I would pick off all the obvlous ones first - and those that made most sense for my chain. While as I now feel that I really need them all - just to fully get to grips with how Andy optimally deploys them for his various different song structures. I love every single variation of his gain staging - from the lightest of touches to that full-blown gorgeous liquid lead distortion. So that will remain a focus for a while.
I have all the ingredients in place for my next Compact Pedals 12 Degreses of Saturation article - following the same format as the recent Mini Enclosure one - just waiting on the launch date for the final pedal for that selection - which I already have for testing - but it's nowhere near official yet.
I'm also really looking forward to finally get my Audiostorm Grand Classic Distortion NMB edition - which should be with me next month. In any case I'm at 2 guitar shows in July - Doug Tolley's Witney Pedal Party on July 1st, and of course the Brighton Guitar Show and FX Expo on July 15th so will hopefully see some of you out and about - articles on both of those events coming soon. I will be making more of an effort to attend various Guitar Shows beyond the usual big ones - so your'e more likely to bump into me over the coming months. I will start arranging some merch too so I should be more visible and spot-able than before - where I've always quite enjoyed a stealthy presence.
This week sees 3 sizeable articles appearing on the blog - obviously yesterday's Andy Timmons Tone Components one, this Monthly Update overview and a cool collaboration which will be revealed on Friday. Some serious work has gone into each of those - I do hope you enjoy them all.
Someone recommended that I do a piece on pedals with Parametric Mids - so I will do my own spin on that. As always - if you have some areas that you would like me to cover or revisit - do let me know! Comments as usual in the box below!
