The Keeley Electronics Andy Timmons Muse Driver is a signature overdrive pedal developed with the Texas guitarist Andy Timmons, announced at NAMM 2024. It is built on a Keeley-modded, three-control Blues Driver circuit with two germanium diodes on board, and it carries switches that select between Andy Timmons and Robert Keeley voicings for both tone and clipping. Guitar World describes it as orchestrating a suite of overdrive functionality, from clean boosts to tube amp-pushing and square-wave, germanium fuzz tones1.
Controls and voicing switches
The front panel carries tone and drive controls, accompanied by switches to activate either Andy Timmons or Robert Keeley voicings. Guitar Pedal X lists the full control set as Tone, Tone Mods (AT low-cut / RK low boost or phat), Drive, Drive Clipping Mods (AT asymmetrical LED plus silicon diodes / RK dual germanium diodes), and Level2.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tone | Shapes the treble response1 |
| Tone Mod switch: AT | Cuts out lows for greater clarity, beneath the tone dial1 |
| Tone Mod switch: RK | Boosts the power of the low end, beneath the tone dial1 |
| Drive | Sets the amount of drive1 |
| Drive Clipping Mod switch: AT | Asymmetrical LED and silicon diode clipping, beneath the drive control1 |
| Drive Clipping Mod switch: RK | Dual germanium diodes for a softer, smoother and almost fuzz-like tonality, beneath the drive control1 |
| Level | Output level2 |
The two switch pairs are the heart of the pedal. The AT clipping mode offers asymmetrical LED and silicon diode clipping, while the RK mode brings the dual germanium diodes to the fore. Setting the pedal to AT/AT recreates Timmons' Super AT Mod tone, which Timmons says brings "the right amount of breakup" at his dynamic command, and he adds that with the gain turned up it provides "an incredibly cool Marshall-esque crunch tone"1.
"When we crank that drive up with the germanium engaged it's a super smooth, singing lead tone."
Circuit and the Super AT Mod connection
Underneath the hood there is a Keeley-modded, three-control Blues Driver circuit, and two germanium diodes, according to Guitar World1. The pedal is the result of a second collaboration between Robert Keeley and Timmons, whose earlier signature pedal with Keeley was the Super AT Mod1. Robert Keeley has said of the signature series, "These signature pedals with Andy Timmons are really special"3.
Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson reviewed the pedal in January 2024 and wrote: "The new Muse Driver does indeed make the very recent Super AT Mod obsolete - as it comes with two Mods - and that is one"2. In other words, the Muse Driver contains the Super AT Mod voicing plus a second Mod, so one pedal covers what the earlier single-voicing pedal did and more. Guitar Pedal X also lists it in its 2024 boost and overdrive buying guide as the "MK3 Driver Modified Blues Driver"4.
Sound range and internals
Keeley describes the pedal as bringing together JFET saturation, diode clipping and op-amp clipping for tones rich in harmonics1. Depending on the settings, the company says it can cover overdrive functionality from clean boosts to tube amp-pushing and square-wave, germanium fuzz tones, which places its range well beyond a straightforward overdrive pedal and brushes against fuzz territory at the RK clipping setting1.
Robert Keeley's own framing of the pedal is simple: by simply adding the pedal to your board, he says, it "will make your rig sound better"1.
Power, bypass and build
Two practical points for pedalboard planning:
- Power: the pedal can switch between 9-volt and 18-volt operation, which Keeley says gives diverse dynamic range and plenty of headroom1.
- Bypass: it can be switched between true-bypass and buffered bypass at any time, so the buffer can be engaged or left out as your board needs1.
Keeley describes the Muse Driver as switchable between nine and 18-volt operation, which the maker says gives diverse dynamic range and plenty of headroom1. The supply's voltage setting matters before plugging in, since the pedal is not limited to a single fixed voltage.
Keeley states that everything about the Muse Driver is geared towards the professional musician and their quest for an inspiring tone when performance demands it1. The company designs, engineers and manufactures the pedal in Oklahoma City, and the pedal is marked Made in Edmond, USA1.
Availability and price
The Muse Driver was announced as available to order at NAMM 2024, priced at $1991.
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Questions
Does the Keeley Andy Timmons Muse Driver have true bypass?
Yes, and it goes further than a simple true-bypass pedal. Guitar World reports that the Muse Driver can be switched between true-bypass and buffered bypass at any time, so you can run it hardwired when it is off, or use the buffer to protect your signal on long pedalboard cable runs. You choose the setting rather than living with one or the other.
What is the difference between the AT and RK settings on the Muse Driver?
The pedal carries two pairs of AT/RK switches, one for tone and one for drive clipping. The AT tone setting cuts lows for greater clarity, while the RK tone setting boosts the low end. On the clipping side, AT selects asymmetrical LED and silicon diode clipping, and RK brings in dual germanium diodes for a softer, smoother, almost fuzz-like character.
How is the Muse Driver related to the Super AT Mod?
The Muse Driver is the second Keeley and Andy Timmons collaboration and effectively replaces the Super AT Mod. Guitar Pedal X's Stefan Karlsson wrote that the new pedal makes the very recent Super AT Mod obsolete, because it comes with two Mods, and the Super AT Mod voicing is one of them. Setting the pedal to AT/AT recreates the Super AT Mod tone.
What circuit is the Muse Driver based on?
According to Guitar World, under the hood there is a Keeley-modded, three-control Blues Driver circuit, along with two germanium diodes. That lineage ties it to the earlier Super AT Mod overdrive, which also took a Blues Driver circuit as its starting point.
Where is the Keeley Muse Driver made?
Keeley Electronics builds the Muse Driver in Oklahoma, with the company stating it designs, engineers and manufactures the pedal in Oklahoma City, and the pedal marked Made in Edmond, USA.
Sources (4)
- Keeley Electronics releases Andy Timmons Muse Driver pedal, Guitar World, 2024-01-24
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-01-26
- Keeley Muse Driver: Ultimate Overdrive Workstation, Premier Guitar, 2024-02-12
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-16
