Tim vs Timmy

[HamishR]

I've played and built various versions of Timmy over the years and it's never really been my idea of the "perfect" OD. I like it, but it's always been a bit polite sounding to me.

But recently a friend lent me his Tim pedal and wow - it sounds so much better! Why? I don't really need an FX loop on my pedal or even the boost (although it's pretty good too). How can I make my Timmy sound like a Tim?

 

[Sturdag Lagernathy]

Don't worry! Nature will take its course eventually. With puberty, the voice will change.

Sorry couldn't resist

 

[HamishR]

Oh excellent!

 

[Feral Feline]

Then there's ...

and ...

 

[HamishR]

It's all hilarious.

 

[Feral Feline]

Seriously though, HamishR, why not build yourself one?

Paul Cochrane Tim

Collection of vero (stripboard) & tagboard layouts for 100s of popular guitar effects, with over 1000 verified designs. DIY your own boutique effects!

tagboardeffects.blogspot.com

 

[HamishR]

Funny you should say that! I opened up my friend's Tim and found several places where the Tagboardeffects layout is wrong. I'm not bothering with the pull function on the boost gain or the FX loop. Once I've finished my Tim I will post my layout here if anyone is interested.

I'm really surprised at how much I like the Tim. I've used Timmys before and they're good but to me the Tim sounds better.

 

[fig]

Ironic that my name is Tim and I don't have either pedal.

Once I've finished my Tim I will post my layout here if anyone is interested.

Thanks in advance sir.

 

[HamishR]

Where I live so many guys rave about the Timmy. I've always been put off the Tim by the size of the enclosure, which is possibly a really dumb reason not to try a pedal! But this one of my friend's is a great sounding pedal - it has a lot more character than the Timmy.

 

[HamishR]

Ok, here's the layout. I based it on the layout on Tagboardeffects but their's is different from the Tim I have here so my drawing reflects exactly what I have seen with my own two eyes. I have left out the pull-boost thing because i don't like how it sounds and the FX loop because I will never use it. This fits easily into a 1590BB with two rows of three knob. In mine I used slightly different diodes and a TL072 but really it sounds the same.

The boost sounds ok but doesn't work how you would expect it to. I don't mind it - maybe it will be useful one day. It's the main OD that I really like. Oh, and I used C50K pots and wired them the normal way around, so no reverse tone knobs here! If you want it stock, use A50K pots and reverse pins 1 & 3.

 

[Matmosphere]

Odd, I always thought the Timmy was just that without the boost. I made a Timmy several years back using a 4558 instead of a 4599 and have been pretty happy with it.

Thanks for putting in the work and sharing the layout.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Flipping sweet @HamishR I used to own a Tim which I stupidly sold years ago. I've built a few timmys on various pcbs amd a Tim on the layout from tagboard effects and none of them sounded as good as my old Tim pedal. I thought I must have been imagining it because of the tagboard layout. It's nice to know they ARE different. I'll be building this asap.

Cheers dude that's awesome.

 

[HamishR]

Well I'm pleased that the layout will be used! I think the 4n7 on pins 6 & 7 must make a significant difference to the sound. The way the treble pot is wired is slightly different from the layout at Tagboardeffects.

And the weird boost is strangely growing on me. It doesn't really boost as much as it adds thickness and I think it's worth having. Building it into a 1590BB makes it a lot easier to fit onto a board too. Mine has top-mounted jacks so is quite board-friendly.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

And the weird boost is strangely growing on me. It doesn't really boost as much as it adds thickness and I think it's worth having.

That's basically how I've always described it. I never understood the hate for the boost tbh

 

[HamishR]

I didn't know there was hate for the boost! It's possibly more of an engorger than a boost...

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I didn't know there was hate for the boost! It's possibly more of an engorger than a boost...

Hate was probably the wrong word to use. Mostly just friends comparing it to a spark mini or SHO and saying how they didn't get the point. I think the fattening/boosting of the mids is more apparent and just works better at gig volume.

 

[phi1]

Well I'm pleased that the layout will be used! I think the 4n7 on pins 6 & 7 must make a significant difference to the sound. The way the treble pot is wired is slightly different from the layout at Tagboardeffects.

Could you try it with and without the 4.7nF? (I’m not sure if you’ve built the layout yet or just playing with the original). According to the freq calc, that cap is rolling off treble around 10kHz. That’d be a pretty scientific way to test Tim vs Timmy I think, that’s the only audible difference I see in your layout.

The wiring of the treble pot should have very little effect (very slightly changes the overall resistance taper).

 

[HamishR]

I have built one already to test my layout and it sounds just like my friend's original. I will be building another soon so I can test that then. I agree - that 4n7 has to be the main difference. And it makes quite a difference.