Cast Iron

[manfesto]

This is one of those “god dammit. Gotta give credit where credit is due” posts, because this circuit is “just” a Timmy with an active mids control.

And it sounds *fantastic*.

Yeah, it sounds like a Timmy, but with little nips and tucks to the tone shaping that make it sound a bit more open overall and a bit fuller and bassier at the bottom (possibly too much; the bass control was the only one that I thought didn’t have as much useable range).

It’s dethroned the Blues Power as my favorite Timmy-based overdrive, mostly because I didn’t find the “glass” and “edge” settings useful (too much clang for my tastes) and I appreciate the lack of DIP switches and addition of the mids control. I prefer both to the actual Timmy for sure - little nips and tucks go a long way with me.

So, yeah. Credit where credit is due - this sounds awesome. I have no interest in fancy cast-iron enclosures or artificially limiting supply to create hype, but end of the day, I can’t help but recommend giving this circuit a try.

 

[steviejr92]

Im glad I clicked on this because I know what circuit I want now. Beautiful execution all around.

The “little nips” description has me crying laughing btw

 

[HamishR]

You have me intrigued now. All the demos I've heard have sounded terrible!

 

[manfesto]

You have me intrigued now. All the demos I've heard have sounded terrible!

Agreed! I mean I guess if you’re only making 100 of them and you know you’re gonna sell them out before anyone even has a chance to watch a demo, no sense in sending one to Andy or Mike Hermans, but still.

Anyway, if ya love Timmies, I can’t imagine *not* loving this one.

 

[DailyDovetails]

It’s hard to tell in the picture did you put a 4558 for the OP? I’m thinking of building one of these and have a pile of 4558 and no 4559. I’m thinking it probably sounds the same with either.

Nice build by the way. Sounds like a cool pedal. I had a Timmy in my cart but I think you have me sold on this instead.

 

[manfesto]

It’s hard to tell in the picture did you put a 4558 for the OP? I’m thinking of building one of these and have a pile of 4558 and no 4559. I’m thinking it probably sounds the same with either.

Nice build by the way. Sounds like a cool pedal. I had a Timmy in my cart but I think you have me sold on this instead.

4559

 

[Vicious C]

It’s hard to tell in the picture did you put a 4558 for the OP? I’m thinking of building one of these and have a pile of 4558 and no 4559. I’m thinking it probably sounds the same with either.

Nice build by the way. Sounds like a cool pedal. I had a Timmy in my cart but I think you have me sold on this instead.

I made one recently with 4558 and sounds good to my ears

 

[DailyDovetails]

I have one of these coming my way now. Between this build and the 15% off coupon I couldn't help myself.

 

[HamishR]

I strongly suspect you won't hear a difference between a 4558 and a 4559.

 

[Giorfida]

I strongly suspect you won't hear a difference between a 4558 and a 4559.

Would you hear a difference between a 4558 and tl072?

 

[HamishR]

Maybe but it's extremely subtle. Once you start playing it makes little difference. I often use a TLC272 because I have a lot of them and I can't hear a difference with those either! Maybe if you really got into the minutiae you might hear some differences but the other variables in a pedal mean that if you made two "identical" pedals but used a 4558 in one and a TL072 in the other you would never pick which was which in a blind test.

 

[Giorfida]

Maybe but it's extremely subtle. Once you start playing it makes little difference. I often use a TLC272 because I have a lot of them and I can't hear a difference with those either! Maybe if you really got into the minutiae you might hear some differences but the other variables in a pedal mean that if you made two "identical" pedals but used a 4558 in one and a TL072 in the other you would never pick which was which in a blind test.

figures as much. But has to ask, since my days of being able to hear minutiae are long past lol.

 

[HamishR]

FWIW I just built my Cast Iron pedal. It does sound a helluva lot better than any demo I've heard. The mids are a bit odd to me - they're not in a particularly vocal part of the spectrum - raising mids can sound a bit hard rather than sweet or vocal. Overall it's a cool pedal but through my rig it lacks a bit of sparkle. I might try reducing the value of C5 a bit.