TI Stompboxes, recommend real-world alternatives?
 

Hi!

I know nothing about real-world stompboxes but I got excellent results last night running my TT303 into my Virus for effects, especially I loved the way the Onion overdrive makes the 303 sound.

I sometimes play out live and I'd love to have the same overdriven 303 sound, , but there's no way I'd take my Polar with me at gigs, the beauty stays in the studio.

So, Infekted people, is there anybody here that would know which stompbox is the "onion" modelled from? From the manual and Internet, all I could find was "it's a fuzz".... but I already have a fuzz from Plush and it doesn't sound at all like the Onion...

Thanks!

"Onion Overdrive - A big distortion effect famous for its fuzzy character."

Based on the description, my guess is an Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi.

Only a guess, as I'm not largely a guitarist and don't have access to a Big Muff (that sounded wrong on several levels) to confirm, but Big Muff was also my guess, given the 'onion' like iridescent livery under warm incandescent light (seeing how Access named the effects on food flavours and colours, depending on the original colours of the pedals).

The original Big Muff 'tone' control is also a combination of a low + high pass filter (not just a standard tone control), which would fit with Access' implementation of the control. And the input/drive control on the TI could equally act as the Muff's Sustain.

Unfortunately Access stated they would never confirm which pedals were emulated due to legal reasons.

I have access to and am very familiar with the Big Muff...on electric guitar that is. However, I rarely use the distortion stomp boxes in the TI2. When I get a chance, I'll compare the Onion to the Muff.

That also sounded wrong on several levels, Lol.

That also sounded wrong on several levels, Lol.

A little "vintage muff" never hurt anyone did it? :)

Thanks for the feedback guys.... went to my favorite shop's website, saw they have like a dozen of different "big muffs".... the big muff, the russian big muff, the 4 big muff, the little big muff, english muff and tons of others....

I guess I'll have to take my 303 to the shop and see if they let me try them all :)

If it is indeed a Big Muff, it's likely to be the straight up Big Muff Pi or possibly the Russian Muff. All the others are newer variants of the Muff that I think would be weird to emulate. Who knows, they may have even emulated a vintage Muff that sounds nothing like the current runs. Either way, I'd try other brand's distortion pedals too. I bet you get good results with cheap Behringer overdrives. Have fun!

"Booger, what is hair pie?"