New releases today: Studio Equipment

Notes: A couple of years back, Frequency Central developed Cosmic Background as a standalone percussion voice. The concept was to bundle all required sub-modules behind one panel, pre-patched, yet also fully modular, with each sub-module having its own inputs and outputs. This proved to be a very popular product, but Frequency Central decided to replace Cosmic Background's noise generator with a VCO (and do a few other tweaks), creating a cute little fully modular synth voice ripe for sequencing - and that's how Dark Star was born!

Dark Star consists of 4 sections:

Voltage Controlled Oscillator based on AS3340 with sawtooth, triangle and pulse waveforms
Voltage Controlled Filter with lowpass and highpass options, Drive control, Sweep control which attenuates amount of Release CV
Release generator with CV input for voltage control of release time. Option for sustain via jumper on rear panel.
Voltage Controlled Amplifier
Together they form a pre-patched super versatile analogue synthesiser voice.

Additionally, each section is fully modular in it's own right, so there are patch points for:

1V/oct CV input
PWM CV input - attenuator doubles as manual pulse width when no external signal is present
Gate input for Release or Sustain/Release
Release CV input for voltage control of Release time
VCF audio input with attenuator, for introducing external audio
VCF CV input with attenuator (1V/oct CV is normalised to this input)
VCA audio input (VCF is normalised to this input)
VCA CV input (Release CV is normalised to this input)
Release CV output
VCO audio output
VCF audio output
VCA audio output

Here are some useful patches to try:

Release CV output to PWM CV input, for swept PWM
VCF OUT to VCF IN, thickens and further overdrives the filtering
VCO OUT to VCF CV input, for fizzy FM of the filter
Use a multiple to patch 1V/oct to Release CV input, lower notes will have longer release, higher notes will have shorter release

Product Specifications

12V draw: 28mA
5V draw: 0mA
-12V draw: 28mA

Depth: 35mm
Width: 16HP

Notes: Your eyes are not deceiving you! This incredible overdrive used to go by another playful bard-esque name. The new Mk3 Driver - Andy Timmons Full Range Overdrive is an overdrive workstation that allows you to orchestrate everything from a clean boost to a treble supercharger, a chimey tube-amp overdrive to a square-wave, germanium fuzz generator and more.

This Pedal combines a three-control blues driver circuit with two switches for the voicing of Drive and Tone characteristics. Robert and Andy developed these switches to give players a broad range of drive tones. The Drive toggle engages two germanium diodes for a smoother, slightly compressed drive. Switch to Andy's clipping style for a brighter and more articulate attack.

Every part of the circuit has been optimized for tone and the demanding needs of a recording and touring artist such as Andy Timmons. Simply adding the Mk3 Driver to your pedalboard will make your rig sound better. This professional grade overdrive can be switched between true-bypass and buffered bypass at any time.

Andy Timmons - Tone Switch

The Mk3 Driver gives you two tone control circuits to choose from. When the Tone Switch is up and in the AT Position the tone control features Andy's preferred voicing and low-end response. Each note in a chord is clear and articulate. If the Tone Switch is down and in the RK Position that features the legendary Phat Boost providing more low-end frequency response, perfect for pushing up vintage or single coil pickups.

Full Range Overdrive - Germanium Toggle Switch

This pedal's circuit combines JFET saturation, diode clipping, and op-amp clipping in order to create its harmonically rich tone. Drive Switch UP for AT Clipping - this mode features asymmetrical LED and silicon diode clipping and is Andy's Super AT Mod sound. Drive Switch Down for RK Clipping - now the circuit features two germanium diodes for clipping. This mode can sound a bit like a vintage fuzz pedal with a softer, smoother feel.

Buffered Bypass or True Bypass

The Mk3 Driver features our industry leading buffer for noise-free switching. We have developed a buffer which not only makes your rig sound better, it gives you silent switching with no tone loss. Switch between true-bypass and buffered on the fly. Simply press and hold the foot switch for two seconds and the pedal will switch between true-bypass and buffered bypass! You decide what works best in your rig.

Made In The USA

Keeley design, engineer, and manufacture the Keeley Electronics/Andy Timmons Mk3 Driver in Oklahoma City. Everything about the Mk3 Driver is geared towards the professional musician and their quest for an inspiring tone when performance demands it. From the meticulously built circuit boards to the newly fabricated aluminium enclosure; we make guitar effect pedals like finely crafted musical instruments.

Note From Andy Timmons:

'The Mk3 Driver is the ultimate expression of the clean/slightly broken-up tone I've been going for over the last several years. Robert Keeley and his incredible team have once again knocked it out of the park!

The AT/AT setting is exactly my Super AT Mod tone: just the right amount of breakup available at your dynamic command. Every note and nuance is clear as a bell. The crazy thing about this mode is that it also sounds great with the gain turned up, providing an incredibly cool Marshall-esque crunch tone.

Having the original RK modded BD-2 circuit is sheer luxury as that's the circuit that I fell in love with years ago! It still inspires me! The real hidden gem here is Robert's new modification that utilises germanium diodes instead of the original silicon for a new kind of clipping that works insanely well on its own OR as a boost for my lead tone. It has a lovely way of further taming the low-end that I really love.

With the Mk3 Driver and the Halo, I'm in Tone Heaven!'