the pc Rat

Hootsmon

Does it offer something any different to the rest of the bunch (ODs) and which one is the "best" or most sought after?

Thanks guys  

tekbow

It can go from being quite a good boost, to a great OD/distortion all the way into fuzzy territory (big muff style).

I find them quite articulate, and rich too when blended with amp gain.

As for desirable ones, kinda goes in order of production.

Earliest big box ones, followed by the white face Rats, then, specifically the 86 black face rats that had the white face circuit in them. Those are still a bit of a sleeper though.

Later black face rats in 87 appear to have the RAT2 circuit in them (tbh not wild amounts of difference, but it matters in terms of collectability).

Then USA made rat 2's followed by offshore made rat 2's.

Insert the big box reissues between the WF/BF rats and the rat 2.

The LM308N chip is a big deal to most aficionados. I've been informed that, unlike tubescreamers, the chip does make a difference in how they sound. Whether that is accurate or not, I cant say.

Hootsmon

Thanks for that  ^  

can the tizzy/fuzzy be dialed out OK?

You got a link for early big box one for pics?

tekbow

They don't have to be fuzzy at all, all depends on the filter control and gain.

Pics here if you click the links.

There was an early custom order rat followed by 2 versions of the big box rat before the small box WF and BF.

https://www.ratdistortion.com/topic/about

roberty

They're definitely their own thing.  I got my first in the 90s and have six now.  The LM308 does make a difference but not one any sensible person would notice.  My fave is Turbo rat.  Make sure you try it at band volume, they seem to sound tizzy at home but articulate and meaty in context

ICBM

Technically it's more of a distortion than an overdrive, but it can do overdrive-like sounds at one end of its tone range - it's a very versatile thing, it goes all the way from that (distortion low, filter high) to an abrasive fuzz-distortion (dist high, filter low) via a more normal distortion.

There are four basic versions of the original - Vintage, II, Turbo and You Dirty Rat. Vintage is the most middy and overdrive-like, II is grittier and edgier, Turbo is louder and smoother, YDR is rougher and raspier. There are also many copies and derivatives which allow you to switch between approximations of some or all of these - they're all basically the same circuit, but with some component differences in well-chosen places.

I like the II and the YDR best personally, but I know a lot of people prefer the Vintage or the Turbo.

In the end I stopped using them though - while they do a huge range of sounds, all of them sound like a Rat... if you see what I mean! Eventually I just got tired of that.

The chip does *not* make any difference to the sound. What does is the pots... really! These were changed at about the same time as the chip and the switching, so the idea that it’s the chip is understandable - but it’s actually the pots that matter. You need the older US-made full size pots with the correct taper.

Hootsmon

Thanks all 

stickyfiddle

Wis for ICBM. I'm not using my Rats much these days as they're a bit abrasive for home playing, but they're brilliant for cutting through in a mix. 

I also like the 2 and YDR more than the others. I actually like my straight-after-they-got-worse Rat2, which has the wrong chip. It's a slightly softer sound than my original-circuit clone (fuzzdog kit ftw!) but it's what I used for the best part of 10 years so it feels like it's part of me, even if it's not the "good" one. 

guitargeek62

stickyfiddle said:

Wis for ICBM. I'm not using my Rats much these days as they're a bit abrasive for home playing, but they're brilliant for cutting through in a mix. 

I also like the 2 and YDR more than the others. I actually like my straight-after-they-got-worse Rat2, which has the wrong chip. It's a slightly softer sound than my original-circuit clone (fuzzdog kit ftw!) but it's what I used for the best part of 10 years so it feels like it's part of me, even if it's not the "good" one. 

Was that my old one perhaps? I could never remembee who I sold it to!

stickyfiddle

guitargeek62 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Wis for ICBM. I'm not using my Rats much these days as they're a bit abrasive for home playing, but they're brilliant for cutting through in a mix. 

I also like the 2 and YDR more than the others. I actually like my straight-after-they-got-worse Rat2, which has the wrong chip. It's a slightly softer sound than my original-circuit clone (fuzzdog kit ftw!) but it's what I used for the best part of 10 years so it feels like it's part of me, even if it's not the "good" one. 

Was that my old one perhaps? I could never remembee who I sold it to!

 

No, I got mine new in about 2004. It's had a slightly dodgy something in the wiring for a very long time but I've never been able to work out what. One of these days I should take it apart and try and fix it properly...

jellybelly

Nothing sounds quite like a Rat, especially in a band mix.

I’d agree with practically everything said above and add that playing it at home volumes vs live is very different - it’s quite compressed (the Rat 2 is anyway) which means when you dig in you don’t get much extra volume. I’ve had the volume almost at max for a gig and then turned it on at home without thinking and SMACK, full volume face slap!!

The Turbo Rat bridges the OD/Distortion barrier quite nicely and is much less compressed. 

Sassafras

I don't know why but the vintage big box Rat works brilliantly for slide. Maybe something to do with all the extra harmonics. The modern one just doesn't do this, it sounds very flat and dull in comparison.

borntohang

Can't beat a Rat. I upgraded to a Fuzzrocious just because I wanted the switchable gain pot as I love it as both an overdrive and a fuzz, but would happily use a stock one too. There's a lot of cheap LM308 based clones out there that have most of the sound and more of the switching options these days too.

MattBanshee

The RAT (well, various clones) is my favourite sound for alt-rock stuff, with the Turbo being my favourite flavour. Don't go overboard with the gain, and it'll cut through any mix.

TTBZ

I had a Keeley modded one for ages, my favourite mode was the middle one which I think had LED clipping. It was less compressed, sounded less "pedal" and more "amp". I'd get a Turbo Rat again. 

VJIves

The DRV by 1981 Inventions seems to be the hipster Rat of choice at the moment, haven't used one myself yet.

stickyfiddle

VJIves said:

The DRV by 1981 Inventions seems to be the hipster Rat of choice at the moment, haven't used one myself yet.

Yep, this and the TRex Mudhoney, which I can see becoming internet-flavour-of-month if their new marketing peeps get their acts together. 

See also Thorpy Warthog if you want Rat flavours with all round better-ness, apparently.

noisepolluter

stickyfiddle said:

VJIves said:

The DRV by 1981 Inventions seems to be the hipster Rat of choice at the moment, haven't used one myself yet.

Yep, this and the TRex Mudhoney, which I can see becoming internet-flavour-of-month if their new marketing peeps get their acts together. 

And the Mudhoneys vary too! I’ve got the V2, the Danish Collection and a TC Electronic clone of the original and they’re audibly different.

Still very curious to try a Warthog though.

VJIves

On the 1981 DRV thing, they're still a nightmare to get hold of, but as the latest surprise drop is the middle of the night US time, there's some available now (as a pre order, obviously): http://1981inventions.com/shop
That hyperfade colourway is lush.

TINMAN82

Mooer Black Secret is excellent for £40. Toggles between vintage and Turbo flavours. The vintage one was almost indistinguishable from a Proco whiteface ‘87  reissue I had.