The Keeley Electronics Muse Driver Full Range Overdrive is a signature overdrive pedal built for session guitarist Andy Timmons, designed by Robert Keeley together with Timmons and released in January 2024. It is the second collaboration between the two, and it draws on Blues Driver DNA to shape its drive sound. MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley described it as a "veritable drive workstation" that can be deployed as a clean boost, as a tube-like overdrive pedal, or for square-wave fuzz shenanigans1.
Controls and voicings
The pedal keeps a simple three-knob setup: Level, Drive and Tone. What gives it its range is a pair of toggle switches, marked AT and RK, which let you choose between Timmons' and Keeley's preferred voicings for the Drive and Tone stages1.
| Control | Positions | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Level, Drive, Tone | knobs | The core three-knob setup1 |
| Drive switch (under the Drive knob) | AT | Asymmetrical LED diode clipping for Timmons' Super AT Mod sound1 |
| Drive switch | RK | A pair of germanium diodes do the heavy lifting; Keeley says this mode "can sound a bit like a vintage fuzz pedal with a softer, smoother feel"1 |
| Tone switch | AT | Timmons' preferred low-end response: super-clear, articulate, with good note separation1 |
| Tone switch | RK | The Phat Boost, adding width and warmth to single-coil electric guitar tones1 |
What it sounds like
Timmons frames the pedal as the distillation of a long pursuit. "The Muse Driver is the ultimate expression of the clean/slightly broken-up tone I've been going for over the last several years," he told MusicRadar1.
On the AT/AT setting, he said: "The AT/AT setting is exactly my Super AT Mod tone: just the right amount of breakup available at your dynamic command." He added that "every note and nuance is clear as a bell" and that the mode "also sounds great with the gain turned up, providing an incredibly cool Marshall-esque crunch tone"1.
Timmons also describes the Keeley-modded BD-2 Blues Driver circuit behind the pedal as "total luxury", and calls the germanium diodes the pedal's secret weapon1.
Circuit and bypass
Under the hood, MusicRadar reports a line dance between op-amp, JFET and germanium transistors, with the pedal drawing on Blues Driver DNA to fashion its drive sound1. The bypass is switchable: the Muse Driver can be run in true bypass or buffered, and holding down the silent footswitch for a couple of seconds lets you change between the two1.
MusicRadar points to an exclusive white version of the pedal at Sweetwater, alongside the standard finish1.
Where it sits in Keeley's range
The Muse Driver arrived in January 2024 as part of a busy stretch for Keeley's drive designs, which include the Keeley D&M Drive, the Keeley Super Phat Mod, the Keeley Red Dirt Overdrive and the Keeley Germanium Super Phat Mod. What sets the Muse Driver apart within that range is its dual-voicing scheme: rather than one fixed overdrive character, the AT and RK toggles let a player move between Timmons' clear, articulate signature sound and Keeley's germanium-flavored, fuzz-adjacent voicing on the same board1. For more on the category, see the site's guide to Overdrive Pedals.
Videos
Sweetwater
Shawn Tubbs
Corey Congilio
Questions
Is the Keeley Muse Driver true bypass or buffered?
Both. The Muse Driver can be run in true bypass or buffered mode, and you switch between them by holding down the silent footswitch for a couple of seconds. That lets you set the pedal to suit the rest of your board: true bypass when it is off and you want nothing in the signal path, or buffered when long cable runs or a big pedalboard would benefit from a buffer.
What does the AT/AT setting sound like?
With both the Drive and Tone switches in the AT position, you get Andy Timmons' preferred voicing: asymmetrical LED diode clipping and a super-clear, articulate low end with good note separation. Timmons says the AT/AT setting is exactly his Super AT Mod tone, with just the right amount of breakup available at your dynamic command, and notes it also sounds great with the gain turned up for a Marshall-esque crunch.
What is the Phat Boost on the Muse Driver?
The Phat Boost is what the Tone switch delivers in its RK position. MusicRadar describes it as adding width and warmth to single-coil electric guitar tones. It sits alongside the RK Drive setting, where a pair of germanium diodes do the heavy lifting and Keeley says the mode can sound a bit like a vintage fuzz pedal with a softer, smoother feel.
Is there a white version of the Keeley Muse Driver?
Yes. Alongside the standard version, MusicRadar points to an exclusive white version of the pedal available at Sweetwater. Both versions share the same circuit and controls; the white version is a retailer exclusive.
Where are the jacks on the Muse Driver?
The jacks are located on the top of the unit. Top-mounted jacks make the pedal easier to fit on a crowded pedalboard because patch cables run straight up rather than out the sides.
Sources (2)
- NAMM 2024: Keeley Electronics and Andy Timmons join forces once again for the Muse Driver, MusicRadar, 2024-01-23
- “These three new pedals dip into Keeley's decades of experience in modding classic circuits”: Keeley Electronics unveils the 4-in-1 Series, offering legendary drive and distortion in hybrid configurations, MusicRadar, 2024-03-12
