Forgot about that RAT magic

[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? :lmao:

 

[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.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

If you’re concerned about the way the Rat looks, you’re doing it wrong. :fing2:

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

If you’re concerned about the way the Rat looks, you’re doing it wrong. :fing2:

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.....

 

[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

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.....:lmao:

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

It’s a fantastic pedal. In recent years...

Used an original 1980 Rat in to the front of a Marshall. It indeed had that sound!
Used a Mooer Black Secret. Mixed reviews...all in all a solid pedal. Decent enough Rat substitute, especially at the price.The 18v mode is evil awesome. Wasn’t a fan of the bottom end.

I actually ended up owning-preferring my Proco Solo to any of them. Does everything a Rat does and more!

 

[Aceman]

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.

For a tonally obsessed Dio fan, I’m truly surprised, if not slightly doubtful...

 

[NegativeEase]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

It’s a fantastic pedal. In recent years...

Used an original 1980 Rat in to the front of a Marshall. It indeed had that sound!
Used a Mooer Black Secret. Mixed reviews...all in all a solid pedal. Decent enough Rat substitute, especially at the price.The 18v mode is evil awesome. Wasn’t a fan of the bottom end.

I actually ended up owning-preferring my Proco Solo to any of them. Does everything a Rat does and more!

That's cool. the RAT has that interaction with pickups and touch in the harmonic areas that is just different.

I was running both RATS into a JCM 800 last night . -pretty brilliant...

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

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.....

For the same reason EHX still makes the full size Big Muff, or that Tube Screamers are still green and Phase 90s are orange. It's become their signature.

 

[DonP]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

Never had a RAT, but I think I should get one. Suggestions on which one to get? I run mostly Marshalls, a 1998 DSL100 1/2 stack, a 3203 Artist with a 4x10, a Laney AOR, a Randall RM100LB...

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I had a small box RAT with the LM308. It was a great pedal for what it did. Ended up selling it because it didn’t play well with my amp at the time. Wish I still had it now. Most of my dirt comes from my amp, but I have a Joyo Ultimate Drive when I need a little more oomph.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Aceman]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

Never had a RAT, but I think I should get one. Suggestions on which one to get? I run mostly Marshalls, a 1998 DSL100 1/2 stack, a 3203 Artist with a 4x10, a Laney AOR, a Randall RM100LB...

The currently available Rat 2 pedal is great. It may not be the "cork sniffer" rat - but it does what Rats do.

The Harmon LM308 is a newer close to perfect recreation, as I understand it.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

Had a RAT Deucetone for awhile...just couldn't get on with it tbh and ended up selling it. It was just a little too fuzzy pour moi. Lot's of great tones have come from it though!

 

[Swampy]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I’ll break mine out every once in while. I want to love it, and sometimes I do. But for some reason, sometimes I don’t. Yeah, confuses me too.

I do like the fuzz that it can give.

 

[Mark Cearlock]

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.

Wampler designed Paisley-rat? Thats pretty cool btw

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I use this one:

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Forgot about that RAT magic

I still use my TC Nova drive, which is a rat clone and tube screamer together in one pedal. They can be stacked either way or run parallel and midi controlled for 18 different settings. I love the rat side of it for a lot of rock songs. I have tons of other drive pedals but this one is so versatile I’ll probably always keep one.