Forgot about that RAT magic

[dpaterson]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I had a big black square one with one footswitch on it late '80's. I think it just said "RAT" on the box. Cannot even remember if it had a LED or not. Seem to remember it was heavy. Use to have pics. but they're long gone. Went into a JCM800. Don't really remember what is sounded like now after all these years.

[Rich_S]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

Oh, yeah, the clone nails it. It’s not hard; it’s just a copy on the classic LM308 small box Rat. The LM308 isn’t an economical choice for mass production anymore, but there’s a good supply of them for DIYers. The Rat circuit was just one of those got-it-right-the-first-time, robust designs that it’s difficult to mess it up.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I recently did a shootout among all my dirt boxes. The BB Preamp is still my #1 but the Rat came in second and remains on the board. I love the harmonic content it adds. I liken it To bubbling lava, it rolls and changes all on its own, even if there’s no loud amp to feed back.

I think the ProCo is one of the GREAT industrial designs, it’s business-like and indestructible. My DIY clone on the other hand, is decidedly un-industrial.

Does your clone nail it? Love the BB BTW -got that and an AC, EP, and SL Drive.

I love how it took them almost a decade to add an ON/OFF LED to the RAT -I guess they figured that it wasn't subtle enough of a Pedal for a player to ever get confused about whether it was off or on.....

[Rich_S]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I recently did a shootout among all my dirt boxes. The BB Preamp is still my #1 but the Rat came in second and remains on the board. I love the harmonic content it adds. I liken it to bubbling lava, it rolls and changes all on its own, even if there’s no loud amp to feed back.

I think the ProCo is one of the GREAT industrial designs, it’s business-like and indestructible. My DIY clone on the other hand, is decidedly un-industrial.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

If you’re concerned about the way the Rat looks, you’re doing it wrong.

ha. I asked why... I don't have a problem with it Im curious how even to this day they have stuck to probably a style and theme that is the worst industrial design in the history of Guitar pedals.

I give them credit if anything.....

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

If you’re concerned about the way the Rat looks, you’re doing it wrong.

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I haven’t used one in forever... at the time I wanted Pantera style chunk, so I kind of hated it. Need to get another.

[NegativeEase]

SO tonight I broke out my Rat pedals and was comparing to my TS9, MXR, Big Muff, and a few others.

Whereas I think MXR Custom Badass is my favorite overdrive overall for it's versatility, and Big Muff can do that smooth buttery thing best, I hadn't used a RAT in maybe 15 years and forgot about the thing it does so well: The way the filter setting interacts with your pickups and touch on the strings is quite different than other pedals -It really interacts in a way that is a bit exaggerated versus other pedals. The Harmonic content is easy to pull out of a riff.

I was surprised that I like the smaller mid 80s RAT over the big vintage RAT -was expecting it to be the other way.

Anybody else know that RAT quality I speak of? Why are they so damn ugly?