What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

[Liam1963]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

Awesome info! Thanks to all that contributed! Now, which RAT is the one for me....

[Mincer]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

This was an old thread that has some good Rat-based info...hopefully the link works...

[Dave Locher]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

I like the fuzz-like qualities. I tried a couple of fuzz pedals but ended up with the Rat! Great boost into my crunchy amp.

[Aceman]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

They are a little fuzzy for me. Not as smooth as TS-derived or Klone pedals. I don't like my distortion pedals that distorted, though. Also I don't tend to use distortion/overdrive into an already distorted amp either. I don't think I am the target market, but that is probably the case of most guitar things.

Hey Dave - good jam tonight!

No doubt the Rat can get into Fuzz territory - thus use as a Marshall boost is their super-power. In a non-over-the-top-modded Marshall.

Into a non-timed basic 800 - killer. Don't over do the distortion.

[Mincer]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

They are a little fuzzy for me. Not as smooth as TS-derived or Klone pedals. I don't like my distortion pedals that distorted, though. Also I don't tend to use distortion/overdrive into an already distorted amp either. I don't think I am the target market, but that is probably the case of most guitar things.

[Aceman]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

My personal favorite Rat is the Proco Solo. Everything a Rat can do and more.


I have had an original Rat on my board in the past few years, as well as a Mooer Black Secret. I have played a bunch of Rat 2'a.

I say go Solo if you must go Rat.

[Van Noord]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

I also recommend looking at the many Rat clones out there, which have mode switching options that allow you to go between various incarnations of the Rat. They receive lots of praise and are on a lot of boards currently. Namely the Mooer Black Secret, Mosky Black Rat and the Tom'sline Black Teeth.

Be aware that the original Rat's power supply takes an odd 1/8 input. Some don't like that aspect, whereas the clones all take the generic center negative Boss type.

[Aceman]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

First of all, I hate to be that guy - but someone has to...

There are DOZENS of Rat threads. Anything you could want and more is out there. I mean, in here....If it is true deep knowledge, the search function is your thread.

Other than that, it is a killer boost into a standard Marshall type amp with a unique type of tone control. There is a thread just about the Toine control on the top page of this room.

[Lewguitar]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

The way I use pedals like the Rat or the Klon is NOT as a clean boost with the gain turned way down on the pedal.

Instead, I turn the guitar itself down to 2 or 3 for cleanish rhythm tones.

Then I turn the guitar up for increasingly more overdriven and saturated lead tones.

Eventually, I’m on my bridge pickup with the guitar’s volume on 10 and I start turning the guitar’s tone control turned way down...maybe on Zero, tho more often on 2 or 3.

That starts getting me that “Wah Wah pedal in its sweet spot” kind of soloing tone and puts me into Brian May, Tom Scholz, Cream era Clapton, Santana and Gary Moore-ish territory.

[devastone]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

Assuming form the prices, it looks like the plain Rat (the Rat II) is made overseas and the other versions are still made in the US(?). Apparently the one with the germanium diodes is the "You Dirty Rat" version, not the vintage, sorry about that.

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

I have a run-of-the-mill Rat 2, and I love it. Its strengths in my hands seem to be blues and hair metal.

[LLL]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

I nominate this thread title as Best Thread Title So Far of 2019.

[Liam1963]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

More of a distortion that a Big Muff, but it will cross over into that kind of territory. Capable of more gain than a Dist+, and the tone control makes it more versatile. And again, it has it's own tone.

IF you are curious and find a good deal, yeah, go for it, it's the only way you'll know. There are a few variants, not sure how many, there is the Rat, the Rat II, the Vintage Rat, the Turbo Rat, and the Solo. The Solo is a little different from the rest. There have been some small circuit changes in the others over the years, and the biggest thing is the originals used a LM308 opamp and the newer ones us an OP07 but I can't tell you a specific date that the change happened. I think the new Rats are made overseas and the older ones are made in the US.

As far as the difference between the Rats, the Rat II is basically the newer version of the Rat, maybe a slight circuit change, but it uses Silicon clipping diodes, the Vintage Rat is the same circuit with germanium diodes, and the Turbo is the same with LEDs. That said, you can buy a kit from BYOC that has a switch to get all three, the kit also comes with a NOS LM308 chip and is true to the original circuit.

Thank you for the info! I'll pick one up, and I can always add a switch and a couple of LED's if it warrants a modification (or two)! Advertised for $70.00 on Sweetwater, not a huge expense...

[NegativeEase]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

Rat also works as an overdrive -even for Bass.

Here's light Bass Overdrive using regular RAT

[devastone]

Re: What's The Cheese On The ProCo Rat?

More of a distortion that a Big Muff, but it will cross over into that kind of territory. Capable of more gain than a Dist+, and the tone control makes it more versatile. And again, it has it's own tone.

IF you are curious and find a good deal, yeah, go for it, it's the only way you'll know. There are a few variants, not sure how many, there is the Rat, the Rat II, the [*EDIT* "You Dirty Rat"], the Turbo Rat, and the Solo. The Solo is a little different from the rest. There have been some small circuit changes in the others over the years, and the biggest thing is the originals used a LM308 opamp and the newer ones us an OP07 but I can't tell you a specific date that the change happened. I think the new Rats are made overseas and the older ones are made in the US.

As far as the difference between the Rats, the Rat II is basically the newer version of the Rat, maybe a slight circuit change, but it uses Silicon clipping diodes, the [*EDIT* "You Dirty Rat"] is the same circuit with germanium diodes, and the Turbo is the same with LEDs. That said, you can buy a kit from BYOC that has a switch to get all three, the kit also comes with a NOS LM308 chip and is true to the original circuit.