Another dirt/boost order thread

[SebC]

Just for fun, given this options, what order would you choose? Also, there are many more options I might not be considering, for instance, that mini fuzz has a buffer that is supposed to let me place it elsewhere, would you place it somewhere else? I still don't have all these pedals (on their way, though), and I'm certainly going to enjoy experimenting all variations, but I'm curious what other people's reasoning would be in choosing any order.
Other variables are: timmy as clean boost? As low gain, as high gain? Same options for the Archer.

Without having had a chance to test, my gut is to go for option A) with timmy as a low gain boost, and Archer with higher gain and always on, and control cleaness with guitar's volume knob. Engage timmy for more overdriven sound, and kick the katana as solo boost.

Does anyone see it completely different? Very curios to learn other people's approaches.

Here you can visualize the options in the full signal chain context:

A) Timmy into Archer, boost after dirt

B) Archer into Timmy, boost after dirt

C) Archer into Timmy, boost before dirt

D) Timmy into Archer, boost before dirt

 

[Gris]

I like the dirt with best ‘tone’ last and a clean boost after everything as a true clean boost. Whatever sounds best for you tho.

 

[northernguitar]

Just try both and see what you like best.

 

[0ct0Pr0n]

I'd say it depends just as much on the settings as the pedal. I've always ordered my gain pedals from hardest to softest clipping. I find that brings out the color of each circuit the best when stacking. If you're going to have an on/off (as opposed to always on) boost, I'd put it at the beginning of the dirt chain, that way you hit the input of both dirt circuits a little harder -- it should create some nice overtones. Play around with it.

My klone is always on, so I'd go with option D (and I know that it's TECHNICALLY a hard clipper but that's a different discussion).

 

[D_Malone]

Just try both and see what you like best.

This. Who cares what others say? There’s no right or wrong, only what works for you.

 

[Killing Floor]

No bad choice. Use your ears because what I like is probably awful and what you like is better. I'd personally boost early because in my really dumb opinion most of the dirt pedals I own sound less awesome the lower the input signal.

Speaking of dirt pedal orders, there's one in my "cart" right now haha.

 

[SebC]

Of course I'm going to listen and try stuff and choose what I like and no one can tell me it's wrong. That's why I stated "just for fun." I learn from reading other's thoughts and maybe even discover an alternative that I didn't think of. So I would love to hear from whoever finds the exercise fun!

 

[Brek01]

A wiser man than I once said, 'Once the drummer comes in does it matter?'

 

[Maguchi]

Never heard of either Timmy or Archer. I don't run one boost into another. That's my vote.

 

[cousinpaul]

I wouldn't put them next to each other. Try one last in your chain for clean volume boost and the other first in chain for light gain, dirty boost, whatever...

 

[Tele-friend]

There is no right or wrong, depends on what do you want.
The only advice when stacking boost and dirt would be that:
- boost AFTER the dirt is used for boosting the volume
- boost BEFORE the dirt will boost the gain.

 

[Edgar Allan Presley]

For me, Timmy into Archer, with the wah between them. I tend to like wah after fuzz and any harmonically rich drives. It allows the wah better to manipulate feedback. It might be worth a try, anyway.

Disclaimer: I like skronk and terrible, broken sounds, and I've never tried any kind of Timmy pedal.

 

[markal]

A wiser man than I once said, 'Once the drummer comes in does it matter?'

But what would we talk about? Music?

 

[markal]

I run a klon (Soul Food) before my Timmy, with another low gain drive after the Timmy. But I have not experimented much to be honest, and I did not have the Timmy when I was in a gigging band. I’d experiment a few times to see if you develop a preference.

 

[bigben55]

I run a Fulltone Fat Boost 3 INTO a Matthews Effects Architectv2(which is a Klone). The amp is set just to the clean side of the edge of breakup, where you really have to dig in for some grit, use the Architect as my "base dirty tone" and use the FB3 as my lead boost, either alone or into the Architect.

I have a mini Timmy on another board. It's my 3rd Timmy. Love it as a low gainer or clean boost, don't like it as a standalone overdrive. And I'm one of the few who prefer a Klone as an overdrive over a clean boost.

 

[uriah1]

Yep

 

[65 Champ Amp]

Did anyone say “My fingers into guitar volume knob into amp preamp tubes”?

That’s the best way to stack.

 

[SebC]

I'd say it depends just as much on the settings as the pedal. I've always ordered my gain pedals from hardest to softest clipping. I find that brings out the color of each circuit the best when stacking. If you're going to have an on/off (as opposed to always on) boost, I'd put it at the beginning of the dirt chain, that way you hit the input of both dirt circuits a little harder -- it should create some nice overtones. Play around with it.

My klone is always on, so I'd go with option D (and I know that it's TECHNICALLY a hard clipper but that's a different discussion).

So far this is what I'm liking best in terms of Archer and Timmy. I have to say that the difference isn't dramatic the way I'm using them (in terms of order) which is subtle, but I did prefer the Archer into the timmy, and the archer with more gain, but as an always on with guit volume rolled off for the "clean" sound.
From there, there should be 3 levels of "more":
1) Guit volume up
2) engage Timmy, and
3) engage Katana

Just bringing the volume up (Archer alone) was often enough for a lovely natural, organic sound for solos.

The katana arrives today, so more experimentation ahead, though I suspect all will really start to make sense at gig volumes!

 

[11 Gauge]

Since I tend to know the particulars of the circuit inside the box, I try to use that as a sort of rough way to at least initially determine chain order.

So, for me, I tend to have the lighter gain stuff first with heavier gain stuff subsequent to it, and I also tend to have stuff with the most restricted frequency response first (e.g. TS or treble booster), with the most full frequency response stuff afterwards.

There's also an argument to be made for putting soft clipping before hard clipping, because that's kind of what you have happening when an amp is pushed into clipping - the initial gain stage isn't really capable of clipping hard - it's only the subsequent stages that further clip the initial stage's clean or softly clipped signal.

In the case of the two specific pedals mentioned in this thread, I would say that you could potentially order them either way, depending on how high or low you set the gain of each one. A Klon is actually a hard clipper design, but many folks don't use it that way. That said, it has a fairly full frequency response, so I'd have it second in the chain. The Timmy is a soft clipper design, and its bass cut and treble cut controls are great for restricting the frequency response (especially rolling off lots of bass), which would potentially make it great for putting first in the chain.

 

[SebC]

Since I tend to know the particulars of the circuit inside the box, I try to use that as a sort of rough way to at least initially determine chain order.

So, for me, I tend to have the lighter gain stuff first with heavier gain stuff subsequent to it, and I also tend to have stuff with the most restricted frequency response first (e.g. TS or treble booster), with the most full frequency response stuff afterwards.

There's also an argument to be made for putting soft clipping before hard clipping, because that's kind of what you have happening when an amp is pushed into clipping - the initial gain stage isn't really capable of clipping hard - it's only the subsequent stages that further clip the initial stage's clean or softly clipped signal.

In the case of the two specific pedals mentioned in this thread, I would say that you could potentially order them either way, depending on how high or low you set the gain of each one. A Klon is actually a hard clipper design, but many folks don't use it that way. That said, it has a fairly full frequency response, so I'd have it second in the chain. The Timmy is a soft clipper design, and its bass cut and treble cut controls are great for restricting the frequency response (especially rolling off lots of bass), which would potentially make it great for putting first in the chain.

This is a great and informative answer!