UPDATE Polish Zendrive + Timmy Double Clone?

blowin

I'm really tempted by this – two pedals I'd like to try in one box for a modest price.

The reviews seem good but I'm a bit wary.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183487355967?ViewItem=&item=183487355967

Has anyone tried one – or had any dealings with the guy?

Winny_Pooh

Its Ebay, so with Paypal you have a fair amout of protection. Should be fine, or look for a UK made dope fx "lotus"? version.

Matt_McG

The internals are cleaner and better put together than a lot of 'boutique' high end pedals I've seen.

blowin

True – but PayPal only covers you if it doesn't turn up or work. I was hoping that someone might have tried one and have an opinion on whether they're any good.

blowin

Matt_McG said:

The internals are cleaner and better put together than a lot of 'boutique' high end pedals I've seen.

Thanks – that helps. Anyone out there know what a Timmy and/or Zen circuit should look like?!

Matt_McG

The Zen Drive is a very simple circuit. Two mosfet transistors, 4 schottky diodes for clipping [those are the little blue and black ones on the board], an opamp (AD712 in the original, which is also what seems to be on that board), etc. The left hand side of the circuit from the internals looks like a Zendrive. Same sparse part count, same opamp, same clipping diodes, etc.

I've built a Zendrive clone (from an existing PCB, I don't have the expertise to design my own). The board looks like it has a Zendrive on it, to me.

I don't know about the Timmy, though. I've never built one or looked at the circuit. But everything looks like what he says it is.

blowin

That's great. Thank you, Matt.

DesVegas

Drop Matt a wisdom if you want, he sounded very wise to me.

I had a zendrive and it was delightful. Just enough grit in there to sound, well gritty and also a Timmy clone (the caline pure sky) and that was beautifully transparent and clean. Ended up giving it to my old band mate and he still uses it as his main overdive

blowin

Done - new-ish on here so a bit slow on the uptake with protocol!

I'm getting ever more tempted...

DesVegas

Good man, that's the way we like to do it here.

The best thing about this place is you can usually sell on the things that don't quite work for you, especially pedals as we all love trying out new sounds. Especially if they are  pretty colours

Adam_MD

Looking at the parts used and the quality of the build at about £100 there’s no way he’s making enough money.  I don’t think you could go far wrong for that kind of money.  The gutshots not high enough res for real detail but it looks pretty decent at the detail I can see.  

Wazmeister

I actually think that 8n reality, the Timmy and Zendrive are quite similar sounding...

My advice is to try the ‘real’thing; you wont go wrong with either

blowin

I got lucky and found one secondhand on eBay – so I bought it. The guy selling it seemed genuine – good seller reviews anda few other guitar bits listed. He said he waited ages for it (they're built to order), used it for a bit but is now having a bit of a cull.

Will update when it arrives.

blowin

Arrived today and I like it - the two sounds are similar although distinct enough to make a difference. I currently have the Zen (first in chain) set up fairly low gain, the Timmy a bit hotter and then both buttons down for full rawk.

Will it stay? I dunno. I’m looking for ‘better’ than Soul Food > Rat > Zoom Multi thing but so far I’m not sure I’ve achieved anything more than ‘a bit different’!

Winny_Pooh

The timmy has useful EQ. Try the Timmy as a low gain "more" drive and switch the zen on into it for more crunch.