Andy Timmons tones

[elvis]

I learned the intros for a couple AT tunes - Electric Gypsy and Resolution. I got VERY close to the Andy's tone on these. For Resolution, I played clean with a Carl Martin compressor (though that has little effect on the tone), and for the dirt I added my OD808 set for just a little gain. The BB pre didn't work as well there because it has a bit too much gain. Funny I got so close, given that I am playing a 2-humbucker 7-string. It has a position on the pickup selector that grabs one coil from each pickup, so a lot like the middle position on a tele.

For Electric Gypsy, I also ran clean mode, but with the BB Pre. Perfect. Great dynamics, great sustain. Then I ran on Vintage LO, no comp or BB pre, and got almost exactly the same tone. BUT the amp is much more dynamic than the pedal. The BB pre is almost exactly the same tone as vintage LO. With the BB, I get a bit more controlled, even-sounding tone. With vintage LO, I get something a lot more punchy, and alive sounding. Both are great.

I'm still using an open-back 4x10. I love it more each day.

I wondered for a while if I would want a Lone Star, but now I doubt it.

 

[BostonRedSox]

You'll be able to get Andy Timmons tones with any Mesa amplifier, aside from perhaps the Express series amps. Andy, while traveling, is often seen using whatever Mesa the local Mesa shop has in stock. He doesn't always travel with his rig, hence his reliance on what is out there. Heck, there are videos of him using a Single Rectifier's clean channel and his sound is pretty **** fantastic. Tough to tell the difference, which goes to show you that the majority of the magic is in the player.

As long as you are aware of the amps Andy used on the specific track of choice, you should easily get close to his recorded tones. Obviously, you wouldn't want to try to get Andy's tone with a Lonestar, if Andy's recorded track employed a Marshall (go with a Stiletto).

If you aren't trying to duplicate his tones exactly, you should be close enough with your ED, two delays, and some light compression. You should post some clips!