Grateful Dead Music Forum

I just ordered my earth drive pedal and I wanted to know what your thoughts and takeaways on the pedal are? I’ve heard that you can get some sweet early 68-73 Jerry tone on it so if someone can give me a further explanation that would be great!
-Dean

I’ve had my Earth Drive about seven years now. Love the pedal. To me, it’s basically a clean boost on which I can dial in just the right amount of distortion to get a full organic singing tone without venturing into hard rock/metal territory. I just pulled the trigger on the new mini version yesterday.

Bill, tgo

Dean Simonsen wrote: ↑Tue May 14, 2024 9:07 am I just ordered my earth drive pedal and I wanted to know what your thoughts and takeaways on the pedal are? I’ve heard that you can get some sweet early 68-73 Jerry tone on it so if someone can give me a further explanation that would be great!
-Dean

it sounds a lot like my pushed twin, it's my favourite drive. Nels Cline swapped his Klon for an Earth Drive and Klons are supposed to sound like pushed twins. I know the circuit is very different from a Klon but it gets me where I want, in the pushed bf fender territory at lower volumes

How does the Earth Drive compare to the Timmy overdrive?

The ED is perfect for that slight gain thing. I feel at low gain, it emulates breakup similar to a pushed Mac. The Timmy has more gain on tap, and a broader tonal pallet. However, it does not sound as good at low gain settings as the ED. I own both.

Regarding the Timmy, it does kinda depend on what version / year one has on hand as there are differences from what I understand.

I have a Timmy V2 and to my ears it's the ideal transparent boost meets overdrive. On low settings it gives that boost and just a bit of extra hair to it. You can get it cranking though.

The Earth Drive to my ears is more like a transparent Tubescreamer. It has a bit more of that honky mid-range boost although not to the extent of a Tubescreamer. Not a bad thing, but different from a purely transparent overdrive.

I use both the Timmy and ED often enough and continually swap things out depending on my mood.

Which device provides a purely transparent boost? Looking to replace my tube screamer.

ace

Searing75 wrote: ↑Sat May 18, 2024 11:18 pm The ED is perfect for that slight gain thing. I feel at low gain, it emulates breakup similar to a pushed Mac. The Timmy has more gain on tap, and a broader tonal pallet. However, it does not sound as good at low gain settings as the ED. I own both.

Interesting, what do you mean by low gain?

Slewfoot2000 wrote: ↑Tue May 21, 2024 6:50 am Regarding the Timmy, it does kinda depend on what version / year one has on hand as there are differences from what I understand.

I have a Timmy V2 and to my ears it's the ideal transparent boost meets overdrive. On low settings it gives that boost and just a bit of extra hair to it. You can get it cranking though.

The Earth Drive to my ears is more like a transparent Tubescreamer. It has a bit more of that honky mid-range boost although not to the extent of a Tubescreamer. Not a bad thing, but different from a purely transparent overdrive.

I use both the Timmy and ED often enough and continually swap things out depending on my mood.

I read someone on reddit describing the circuit and I'll quote what he says

"It's a Timmy with a couple mods"
"Definitely not a Rat tone stack, and it's similar to a Tube Screamer in that there's soft clipping diodes in the feedback loop of the gain stage, but that's super common in the majority of OD pedals. Tube Screamers are known for their mid hump prominent tone stack, which this schematic lacks. And saying it's a Klon derivative is just completely off base and makes the least sense."

So yea it's a bit timmy, a bit klon, a bit ts, but at the same time it's own thing

mkaufman wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 4:59 am Which device provides a purely transparent boost? Looking to replace my tube screamer.

ace

I like both my Timmy V2 and also the current Nordland ODR-C...the Timmy is a little more transparent, but the Nordland adds this wonderful bit of oomph around the edge...I currently have the Nordland on my board, but swap them on occasion.

mkaufman wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 4:59 am Which device provides a purely transparent boost? Looking to replace my tube screamer.

ace

Hate to say it, but get a Klon (klone unless you want to blow 5K!)
Get the way huge conspiracy theory (smalls version is excellent) or a J Rockett Archer.
I resisted for god knows how long. So much hype. But hot damn they’re amazing. IMO “the” transparent OD. Loves volume. And loves pushing another drive pedal.

The way huge can be found for a reasonable price too. And easily sold again if you don’t bond with it.

My 2 cents. I love my earth drive. I use it, like others have said, for low gain. But I don’t find it particularly “transparent”. I think it has a TS-like mid hump.

Cumtax wrote:[quote=Searing75 post_id=175581 time=<a href="tel:1716099493" data-original-title="" title="">1716099493</a> user_id=15315]
The ED is perfect for that slight gain thing. I feel at low gain, it emulates breakup similar to a pushed Mac. The Timmy has more gain on tap, and a broader tonal pallet. However, it does not sound as good at low gain settings as the ED. I own both.

Interesting, what do you mean by low gain?[/quote]

Low on the gain knob with volume to taste.

Searing75 wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 11:39 pm

Cumtax wrote:[quote=Searing75 post_id=175581 time=<a href="tel:1716099493" data-original-title="" title="">1716099493</a> user_id=15315]
The ED is perfect for that slight gain thing. I feel at low gain, it emulates breakup similar to a pushed Mac. The Timmy has more gain on tap, and a broader tonal pallet. However, it does not sound as good at low gain settings as the ED. I own both.

Interesting, what do you mean by low gain?

Low on the gain knob with volume to taste.
[/quote]

with low gain, mine doesn't give any grind

It nails 68 to 74 for me. I use an SG and tele into lots of fender style amps. It definitely doesn't have a mid hump.

If you get a chance try out the Dire Wolf

https://stompunderfoot.com/shop-1/ols/products/direwolf

I use this pedal as a boost/lil bit of OD. I use my guitars volume pot between 7 for clean clean and 9-10 for more OD. Keep the Gain know very very low and i can get some amazing Jerry tones.

I have the original black unit when it first came out, i have no idea if this newer one is the same exact circuit or not. Maybe someone on here knows the answer to that.