Choosing new overdrives! Timmy vs Kalamazoo?

WillEdmunds

I've been obsessing about overdrive pedals recently (again). Generally speaking I like low-medium gain transparent stuff but don't feel like I've quite found "the one" yet. I've been looking at a few options at the moment. I'm really tempted to get a Timmy, and the Lovepedal Kalamazoo also sounds great in demos. I'm trying to decide between the two....

I currently have a Tchula, which I love (hence the interest in the Kalamazoo), as well as an AC Booster and Providence Stampede. The Stampede is killer and is staying on my Nano board (alongside a Katana mini). The AC is great but louder and more gainy than I really need.

The Tchula is awesome but not really tweakable enough to be my main OD. I tend to keep a battery in it and use it for jam nights and sitting in, when I can't be arsed to bring a pedalboard! There is something very cool about it though.

I'm flogging my King Of Tone mainly because I don't really need a double OD. Also, it sounds great but I feel like it changes my tone a bit too much. I've always stuck with my RC Booster for clean boost stuff and am looking for something that will work really nicely with it.

So... Kalamazoo or Timmy? Or other suggestions welcome! Thanks.

(Amps I'm using are Carr Rambler and Morgan SW22R).

pmg

Kalamazoo isn't a transparent od -it has a mid push.  Timmy is a flatter eq, I personally prefer the Tim.  Both great but different.  Sound great stacked too!

Sassafras

Give the Pork Loin a whirl.

BBBlues

The Timmy is pretty flat sounding, into the Carr Rambler or other blackface style amps I found it didn't really cut through well in a band setting on its own, but stacks great with other pedals. KOT into Rambler sounds great to my ears. Never had the Kalamazoo.

mark_jwedge

For low to medium gain how about a ThorpyFX peacekeeper?

I have had one for a while and it is an ever present on my otherwise frequently changing board. The EQ is very powerful meaning it can be tweaked to fill many roles e.g. Always on tone sweetener, clean or dirty boost, main drive into a clean amp or to stack with other drives/boosts

darcym

@WillEdmunds pick a date as you're local to me, I'll bring you a vast collection of Timmy's with 3 different chips in, and some other over drives which you may not have thought about in the same style/vain but with variation and you can play them through your gear back to back and decide if one of them is something you want to hunt for (FYI: I'm not selling) but you can get some real time with your gear to get a feel for them. Doing such a nice deal on that custom shop strat, I feel I owe you one.

rico

Mad Professor Sweet Honey

timbuk02

MI Effects Crossover Drive - am sure saw a vid with Capt Anderton saying it was very like the Kalamazoo.
Does beautiful low gain chimey and then well beyond, very sensitive to playing and vol. Sounds amazing with a TS style in front of it too.

Lebarque

If you like low/medium gain transparent drive, you owe it to yourself to try a Tim/Timmy. It's the benchmark.

RiftAmps

OKKO Diablo or Thorpy Peacekeeper

WillEdmunds

@RiftAmps ;; @timbuk02 @rico @BBBlues @mark_jwedge @Sassafras @pmg ;;Thanks all for your comments. The Peacekeeper is getting a lot of love in this cetegory so must be a corker. Looks like a very well built pedal indeed. I'll keep an eye out for a used one to try in future. For now I think I'm just going to get myself a used Timmy as it seems to fit the bill the most. As @Lebarque says, it is the benchmark!

@darcym thanks for the kind offer mate but as I said I'm going to just pull the trigger on the Timmy and hopefully it'll be a keeper. Sounds like you have an epic collection over overdrives though! Glad you're digging that Strat. I found one with a slightly chunkier neck that I prefer, but that sunburst one has something special about it.

PS - anyone tried a Strymon Sunset yet? Wondering whether their overdrives are as good as my Flint!

WillEdmunds

Purchase fell through on the Timmy, so I went for the Peacekeeper that was for sale on here. Should arrive next week. @RiftAmps @mark_jwedge will let you know how I get on!

mark_jwedge

@WillEdmunds good choice! Make sure you spend time experimenting with different settings as the controls on the peacekeeper are very powerful, which in turn makes it so versatile 

velvetsky01

Yeah PK a killer pedal

The TIM is also a wonderful pedal and both work very well together (i find anyway)

pmg

velvetsky01 said:

Yeah PK a killer pedal

The TIM is also a wonderful pedal and both work very well together (i find anyway)

I was thinking of subbing my Tim out For my PK but may try this instead

BluesyDave

You might want to give the Brothers a go as well.  Pricey but very good.

failed_astronaut

Sassafras said:

Give the Pork Loin a whirl.

I agree entirely but it's not transparent in the slightest!

Ro_S

a very goof alternative to the Timmy is the Magnetic Effects Satellitte aka Sandare.