Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

  • Yes, modify your Proco Rat II pedal!

    Votes: 3 60.0%

  • No, don't modify your Proco Rat II!

    Votes: 2 40.0%
  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

I would Sir. Aside from old Rats which sound better than new ones, the Keely mod really makes the new ones sound a lot better from everything I've ever learned about them.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

You could buy a "real" rat for $100. I just saw one on ebay for $90 bin a week ago.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

I can't see a reason for me to mod my Rat2. Sounds awesome as-is and I can honestly not hear a difference between a vintage Rat and mine. I got no idea what the mod does, but as I personally can't see how the Rat2 can sound any better, I wouldn't dump more than I payed for it to begin with for a mod.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

What do you not like about the pedal that you're hoping the mod will change?
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

Try out a Deucetone, first.
It's 2 Rats in one pedal.
Channel A features the Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, and Dirty RAT.
Channel B gives you the choice of Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, or Clean RAT tones.
Vintage RAT is 1n914 diodes. Turbo RAT is red LEDs. Turbo is 1N34 Germanium diodes.
You can cascade one Channel into the other or run "stereo".

I've modded mine by socketing in 2 x LM308's and that's pretty much it.
If I do anything else it will be a variation on the Ruetz mod.

If you want the pretty much the most versatile RAT to date, check out Beavis Audio's Four Knob Rat.

If it were me, I'd add an LM308 if it doesn't have one and decide from there.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

MetalManiac said:
I would Sir. Aside from old Rats which sound better than new ones, the Keely mod really makes the new ones sound a lot better from everything I've ever learned about them.
Click to expand...

thanks brutha for the insights

I have been reading on it for awhile and seems to be golden, aside from the die hards that love the 80s rat. back in the 80s and 90s people would try a rat for hair metal and throw em away! they are certainly the sound of hair metal. I think they sound good for my heavy rock.

Andrew Lamprecht said:
You could buy a "real" rat for $100. I just saw one on ebay for $90 bin a week ago.
Click to expand...
ya true, I see em for cheap now that the reissue has been out for years. wanted to try the Keeley, it is a different sound and possibly versatile with the 3 switch function, but I just wont know for sure

Psykel said:
I can't see a reason for me to mod my Rat2. Sounds awesome as-is and I can honestly not hear a difference between a vintage Rat and mine. I got no idea what the mod does, but as I personally can't see how the Rat2 can sound any better, I wouldn't dump more than I payed for it to begin with for a mod.
Click to expand...

I hope the mod adds more bass and less static when I am not playing

ratherdashing said:
What do you not like about the pedal that you're hoping the mod will change?
Click to expand...

to make it a little different and improve tonal qualities - less harshness and maybe more adjustability. I might like a little less distortion and more overdrive. not sure really, but if I get it I doubt I would be replacing it for a few years at least.
MojoMonster said:
Try out a Deucetone, first.
It's 2 Rats in one pedal.
Channel A features the Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, and Dirty RAT.
Channel B gives you the choice of Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, or Clean RAT tones.
Vintage RAT is 1n914 diodes. Turbo RAT is red LEDs. Turbo is 1N34 Germanium diodes.
You can cascade one Channel into the other or run "stereo".

I've modded mine by socketing in 2 x LM308's and that's pretty much it.
If I do anything else it will be a variation on the Ruetz mod.

If you want the pretty much the most versatile RAT to date, check out Beavis Audio's Four Knob Rat.

If it were me, I'd add an LM308 if it doesn't have one and decide from there.
Click to expand...

cool suggestions brutha! I cant fit that on my small pedalboard but I am sure the deucetone is perfect for rat enthusiasts like myself.

that is cool what you did to mod it. I am not gonna be able to mod mine, I tend to avoid tweaking my gear, but I should learn, that would be fun :)
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

The new Rat gets a lot of hate, but I LOVE the thing. It's just downright NASTY. I've never played an older one, so I can't compare. But would I be willing to spend that money on a mod that could lose some of the hideous-ness of that current Rat? Probably not.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

Rich_T said:
The new Rat gets a lot of hate, but I LOVE the thing. It's just downright NASTY. I've never played an older one, so I can't compare. But would I be willing to spend that money on a mod that could lose some of the hideous-ness of that current Rat? Probably not.
Click to expand...

RatII is a fine pedal,; though its more modern sounding than the old Rat. It has some obvious things that need improvements; it sounds too glaring, and the Keely mod adresses that , and makes it more approachable and versatile for pedal that can sound a little less fizzy on top ,with a better more balanced EQ like an older rat, but basically retain the sound of the modern one with a touch more finesse.Every RatII can benefit from that.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

I asked Keeley to just do his main mod on a 90s RAT2 with LM308, not do the extra switching and stuff just improve the basic rat sound.
It didn’t do it for me… maybe it gave more bass but the “improved” fidelity took away most of the Rat thing and it felt less warm to me aka no brown sound.
I would try an old or retro RAT, or realize the RAT is not your box and try something different.

I like the Keeley TS mod he did on my Sparkle Drive :)
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

Rich_T said:
The new Rat gets a lot of hate, but I LOVE the thing. It's just downright NASTY. I've never played an older one, so I can't compare. But would I be willing to spend that money on a mod that could lose some of the hideous-ness of that current Rat? Probably not.
Click to expand...
Yes! it gets a ton of hate. It has hideous parts that are pretty awesome. I know you dig the old marshalls and Rat type flavor of The Melvins - Queen song. I dig that song, I saw them live with two drummers = incredible!!

Ya, I cannot compare really, and the reviews seem to indicate it will do what I want it too. Really the Keeley modification to the Rat makes it a very different pedal, three toggle switches and all. I have been using it more as an overdrive/boost, but I like the rat hideousness, and that is what Keeley promises.

CountFeedback said:
I asked Keeley to just do his main mod on a 90s RAT2 with LM308, not do the extra switching and stuff just improve the basic rat sound.
It didn’t do it for me… maybe it gave more bass but the “improved” fidelity took away most of the Rat thing and it felt less warm to me aka no brown sound.
I would try an old or retro RAT, or realize the RAT is not your box and try something different.

I like the Keeley TS mod he did on my Sparkle Drive :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insights, I like my rat but am hoping for the improvements that Keeley suggests. I think my rat is pretty similar to the original rat, and I am looking for a more versatility. I am hoping for less of the low end bass disappearing when I step on the rat pedal. I will most likely send it to Keeley in a week or two.

Glad the Sparkle drive mod worked good :)

Thanks for the insights all! :beerchug: of course any other insights or comments at all are appreciated, cheers
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

the second position on the switch when you lift the clippers on a rat alone is worth the price of admission.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

MojoMonster said:
Try out a Deucetone, first.
It's 2 Rats in one pedal.
Channel A features the Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, and Dirty RAT.
Channel B gives you the choice of Vintage RAT, Turbo RAT, or Clean RAT tones.
Vintage RAT is 1n914 diodes. Turbo RAT is red LEDs. Turbo is 1N34 Germanium diodes.
You can cascade one Channel into the other or run "stereo".

I've modded mine by socketing in 2 x LM308's and that's pretty much it.
If I do anything else it will be a variation on the Ruetz mod.

If you want the pretty much the most versatile RAT to date, check out Beavis Audio's Four Knob Rat.

If it were me, I'd add an LM308 if it doesn't have one and decide from there.
Click to expand...

I have never seen that... cool

does it switch for tines, or is that the "range"

How is it stock?
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

Aceman said:
I have never seen that... cool
does it switch for tines, or is that the "range"
Click to expand...
The Deucetone has a 3-position slide switch for each side.
Stock it sounded like a contemporary Rat.

How is it stock?
Click to expand...
Honestly, what I discovered is that I couldn't much tell the difference between the stock IC and the 308.

I discovered the Deucetone a few years ago when I was looking to get back to a dual Rat setup like I had in the late 80's/90's.
At one point I was running 2 x Rat II's and an RDU rack unit, cascaded stereo into a couple of practice amps.
It was Rat nirvana. lol

Early 2000's I'd just put together a BYOC TS9 clone and was reading up on the available Rat clones.
The idea was to get 2 kits and mod to my liking.
I found the Deucetone for a good price on eBay, instead. I went and socketed the LM308's and decided that was enough for now.
If I ever decide to DIY another set, I'd go with a couple of Beavis' FKR pedals.

And it's nice to have both pedals in one enclosure.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

RAT & RAT 2 are my favorite distortions. I had a friend of mine who builds pedals change out one resistor value to make an 80s Rat2 spec closer to a vintage Rat.
I've stuck with that one for five years and like it better than Keeley's component upgrade RAT2 I had done. I thinks it's 1 input impedance resistor made it sound warmer like a vintage RAT and didn't loose the RAT growl.
 
Re: Should I Modify My Proco Rat II Distortion Pedal with Keeley?

I have a Keeley RAT with a 3-way switch. It seems that there is some variability in the tone of different RATs, and some happen to have "floppy" bass. I think the Keeley mod tightens up the bass response, in addition to giving a few different modes. For me, the most desirable feature is that tightened bass response on the "standard" circuit. If I was in your place, I would get the mod if I was dissatisfied with the bass (like my freakin Big Muff).
 
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