ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

[mrfunnyman]

Thinking about picking up a ProCo 85 white face RAT reissue to drive the front end of my JCM 900. I know that this was the pedal that was used to give the JCM 800 that tone from the 80's that we all love, but I'm wondering will I be able to put this pedal in front of my JCM 900 4102 and possibly achieve the same tone? The gain on my 900 is pretty nice but the amp if you set the clean channel up for a killer clean tone then when u switch over to the gain channel it's mush. If you dial in a killer lead tone, then switch over to clean it sounds really sterile. Any suggestions?

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

That's the problem with those amps. You can try using your neck pickup with the volume down for cleans and live with it like it's a single channel amp, or dirty/less dirty, that's what I would do. Sucks, but eh, you can make it work pretty well with some effort. If you're gonna run a Rat you can definitely run less gain on the lead channel and balance the sounds better with the filter on the Rat or add an EQ, but yeah, you can make it sound pretty damn good with a Rat.

Don't forget the EQ controls are all interactive on the JCM's, meaning if you adjust the lows too high, they affect the highs, and if the mids are out they never sound right. That could be part of your problem too, try going with less extreme settings (if you have them, like, nothing over 8 would be a maximum).

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

it will sound good, but it wont sound like an 800. I used to use a dual reverb 900 back in the early/mid 90s and i played in a band who used the 800/rat combination so it was a pretty clear comparison. His 800 was very dirty, so hed only use the rat for leads.
However, i still have a jcm900 master volume, as well as a bunch of od pedals including a rat. I tend to run that amp low gain and really like the mxr od for its dirt. sounds titanic. With the rat its nice too.
So - for your amp, i reckon you will get a really good sound this way....
Set up your clean channel how you like it, then use the rat for your crunch sound.
Then just set the lead channel up with a hair more gain than the clean channel and you get 4 useable (and switchable) sounds.
Rats are very good for an 80s rock tone and can do a pretty good marshall imitation thru a fender too. Their eq is very similar to a hotrodded 800. I can understand why you want the whiteface reissue, they are good like the old ones, but for less bucks and a little more versatility you should also check out these:
http://www.hartmanelectronicstore.com/LM308-Op-Amp-Distortion-OAD.htm
really good pedals, built by a total gentleman.

FWIW - easily my fave od pedal with my 900 is the MXR gtod (or classic overdrive from gc) which is not expensive, but somehow sounds better and hairier than all my other overdrives/distortions, so if you can score one cheap then its definitely worth looking at.

 

[Bludave]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

I used a Marshall bluesbreaker in front of my DR 2 12" combo. I would use that with the clean channel & the drive channel. If I needed the clean to be Fender clean(it never really got that clean) I would just turn it off. Worked great!

 

[everdrone]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

I use the ratII in front of my MARSHALL jcm900 dual reverb

it sounds HUGE!! classic 80s distortion midrange.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

Seriously, one of the best sounds I've heard was a Rat into a Peavey Windsor into a G12-65 loaded 4x12. I'm pretty sure your JCM can hang if you set it right.

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

I like my Rats into everything. Including the sound board/computer directly.

The Rat is basically my favorite amp.

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

I made my way to the music store this afternoon to try out the RAT and I ended up walking out with an MXR Stereo Chorus pedal LOL. So then I get home and set up all my gear and decided I was gonna run my Behringer UM-100 Ultra Metal into the front of my Marshall along with the Stereo Chorus. It's a rap the Ultra Metal is gonna stay on the pedal board. I dialed it in just right between the Ultra Metal and chorus and nailed the guitar riff's to Poison's " Talk Dirty to Me", and Motley Crue's "Kick Start My Heart" I think I'm gonna go back this weekend and buy an MXR Flanger a Carbon Copy delay and the Dunlop Jerry Cantrell wah. DAMN THAT LITTLE PLASTIC PINK PEDAL!

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

dont you hate it when cheap gear sounds good? lol

 

[mrfunnyman]

Re: ProCo RAT into my JCM 900

LOL! Yes I do, I bought that UM100 2-1/2 years ago on clearance for $15 over a Boss Metal Zone. I still get a smile on my face every time I think about when I bought it, the salesman who rang me up didn't think it was gonna last 6 months and here it is 2-1/2 years later still pushing air and peeling paint. I think it's funny b/c everytime I think about buying a new distortion pedal I play around with this pedal and it makes me change my mind. I drooled, then bought a Wampler Pinnacle II over the summer then got rid of it a month later b/c I played my UM100 more than I did the Pinnacle. Such a shame.