ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

B

BloodRose

Professional Scapegoat
I did a search and found where Rat was used in a million threads about pedals and since Im at work, I can wade thru all. So scuse me if Im retreading..
I recently finally "got it" about using a tube screamer to boost a tube amp, but I have more questions.

ok... I thought JCM800s would be gain monsters because much of the music Ive heard from them have been brutal.. They arent..
Mine is alil more so than stock due to mods... What is a good way really juice one up? The Tube screamer helps.. (TS is especially good with my PV classic 30)
I remember back in the day, my buddy (we've lost touch) had a JCM800 and he ran a Rat thru it.. I remember that it sounded pretty good, but back then I was all about gain too.. I want good tone with singing sustain and a bit of Crushing on tap...
What would work good?? most of my distortion pedals work good on the clean channels but not so good on the gain channel...
Advice??
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

Back in the day, most all of those JCm800's had stuff up front pushing the distortion. and a Rat was a common device.

IMO/E, the best approach is grind up the amp, add a pedal set to low distortion and high volume into the front of the amp. But remember, this is in a full on power amp distortion situation. Gonna be loud.

I think what you want is a JCM900.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

Definitely time for a new amp rather than clogging the pipe with pedals. Back when pedals were necessary due to the lack of amp choices (or at least more pedal choices than amp choices), that was fine. Now they make amps that do Bassman-to-Dimabag, so why stick with an oldie-moldie that even the people that used them back then didn't think had enough power, hence the pedals?
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

I agree with Ace, roll the gain on the pedal back, as it does not take much to juice the front end. I used a Rat with my 800 back in the day as well. Now days, a clean boost and a touch of comp works better for me, cause I get all that wonderful oldiemoldie sound that love so much, w/o coloring the tone of the amp. The Duncan booster works great!
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

It's worked for Nuno for the past few decades. Don't use too much gain on the Rat, it can get too fuzzy, but they are great for slamming the input of 800s with the gain set below half and the level goosed (get the Turbo version for more output). You can also use your TS before the Rat for a solo boost, but it may get noisy, just turn off the TS when you're not playing. But, WDIK, I'm old school :) and like it. I'm currently using a Rivera Rake head (thanks Newking) and have an old modded SD-1 and Ibanez Fat Cat (Ibz's version of a Rat) and other stuff (phaser, flanger, vibe) in front of it.

I do use my DD-6 in the loop, delay is cleaner that way, but a delay will work fine in front of your 800 also. I saw Lynch a couple of years ago and got to mess with his rig up close, he had his delay in front of his Lynchbox, he's definitely old school but has killer tone.

I know, more than you asked...
-R
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

I appreciate the info! Im trying to get a good streamlined tone together, so everything helps
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

The old RAT pedals really did work hand in hand with Marshalls, as did the discontinued Boss OD-1. That was the best Boss overdrive and they replaced it with crap.

But fast forward to the future, there's better pedals than any of those from the 80's. I know it's expensive, but my Klon Centaur is irreplaceable when it comes to goosing an amp.
That pedal will turn any old Marshall into a flamethrower, but there's plenty of other new-school pedals that will do that. Forget about all that old crap. Even those of us who used that old crap like RAT and Boss will tell you....go on the hunt for new OD pedals to make a JCM 800 kick ass.

As a matter of fact, don't be a cheap ass, and take your amp to a store that has a bunch of pedals, bring $200, and figure out which one has the voice you want, pushing that amp.

The first OD that ever knocked my socks off was the original orange Fulltone FDII. I plugged that in, and realized that old stuff sucks! Forget the old junky OD pedals. Go on the hunt for something new and great. That's what players did in the 80's, and that's what players do now. The only difference is stuff doesn't suck now!
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

I've never even tried a Klon but everyone says they are the ultimate. My favorite living guitarist Jeff Beck now uses one. But for the last twenty years he used a Rat - so you know they're good.

I love the vintage Rats. But you gotta get the vintage model with the right chip. I have two of the big box Rats and it's my favorite distortion box of all time - but I have not tried a Klon and Jeff Beck is getting the best tone of his life on that Live At Ronnie Scotts CD and he's using the Klon.

One secret to getting a great sound out of a Rat is the FILTER control. It's like a treble control. It works BACKWARDS. Turning it up reduces the treble and fattens and sweetens up the tone and turning it down adds treble and sizzle and thins out the tone.

Lew
 
Last edited:
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

thanks!!
Gearjonser, Yeah, makes it hard when all I have round here is GC. I dont mind buying a good, pedal, I just cant afford to buy a bunch to try them. I currently have all these cuz I used to look for the pedal to make my gain:
Marshall jackhammer
DOD Grunge
Boss DS1 stock
DS1 spina modded
Tubescreamer
another one or two that escape me now

and based on Lew's review, I recently bought a Jemini.
The DS1 Spina mod, tubescreamer and jemini are the only ones I use
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

Gearjoneser said:
The first OD that ever knocked my socks off was the original orange Fulltone FDII. I plugged that in, and realized that old stuff sucks! Forget the old junky OD pedals. Go on the hunt for something new and great. That's what players did in the 80's, and that's what players do now. The only difference is stuff doesn't suck now!
Click to expand...

Yeah man. As a goose, that FDII on the comp cut mode with the boost engaged really kills! That is my main sound.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

The other day I rehearsed in a studio I had not been to before. In the room we were using I had a choice of 2 Marshall half stacks - JCM900 or Slash Jubilee model. I chose the Jubilee, set it to a clean/crunch sound and used my Blackstar Drive pedal for solos. I got an awesome sound. When we'd finished, the studio owner said he'd been sitting outside listening and wanted to know what amp I'd been using because he said it was the best guitar sound he'd heard in years. The Blackstar pedals are made by a bunch of ex-Marshall guys and are based around a single valve. They sound great and are WAY better than a Rat (I had a Rat2 for years). A Blackstar would turn your JCM800 into a monster. Do yourself a favour and check them out. Please PM me if you have any questions.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

I still say these days there are way better amps for mega gain.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

The question is this...how muchgain are you looking for???

An 800 kicked in the ass with the right box can be down right heavy IMHO....Zakk Wylde thinks so too!

Zakk uses an 800 and for years boosted that with an SD-1 (not it's a Wy;de OD, which is based on his SD-1!) and did just fine.

Now, if you want mroe gain that say Zakk Wylde gets than it might be time for another amp or a stand alone distortion pedal and just use the 800 as a clean starting point...
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

How much gain am I looking for? hmm.. Well, I love 80s metal which is why I wanted a jcm 800. I just dont get as heavy of tone from mine that Ive heard on recordings that use them. I mean, I really care for Kerry King, but that is plenty heavy.. Zakk's Stillborn is plenty heavy.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

What about a Marshall Guv'nor?

I have one and love it. JCM 800 "in a box" is what they call it. It should go perfect with the real thing.
 
Re: ProCo Rat ? Juicing a JCM800?

I have one and love it. JCM 800 "in a box" is what they call it. It should go perfect with the real thing.
Click to expand...
I have a feeling that it will be too much of the frequencies that jcm800 are known for that they won't go well together. Its something that generally happens with ac style pedals into ac30's so I would think it would be similar.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Lets Define Pro Level Gear in 2026
2
Replies
32
Views
1K
Sam SG
S
Masta' C
Small Builders That Deserve a Mention
Replies
6
Views
598
ZachcNJ
Z
C
Fuzz pedals
Replies
10
Views
684
Mincer
Mincer
Hiwatts and Gibsons
Happy NPaD.
Replies
0
Views
388
Hiwatts and Gibsons
Hiwatts and Gibsons
idsnowdog
Addicted to Fuzz!
Replies
9
Views
788
idsnowdog
idsnowdog
Back
Top