Sell my DS1 and get a proco rat?

Calum13 · September 2018

So I bought a DS1 a few months ago second hand for £35 because I was after a nirvana guitar tone, but since then I've realised how much better sonic youth are

I've read that thurston used a proco turbo rat. I'm after that distortion used on teenage riot. Is there a significant difference between a standard rat and the turbo rat?

WeZ84 · September 2018

Try the Mooer Black Secret - it's a Proco Rat clone with a switchable turbo mode.

roberty · September 2018

I love the Turbo Rat

Could send you a Mooer Black Secret for £25 posted, let me know

ICBM · September 2018

Calum13 said:

Is there a significant difference between a standard rat and the turbo rat?

Yes, the standard Rat is more bitey and 'ratty' - the Turbo is smoother. But the Rat 2 is better than either of them in my opinion.

Calum13 · September 2018

roberty said:

I love the Turbo Rat

Could send you a Mooer Black Secret for £25 posted, let me know

I'll consider your offer

Matt_McG · September 2018

@roberty If @Calum13 ; decides not to go with the Mooer Black Secret, I'll take it. But only if he's not interested.

Calum13 · September 2018

roberty said:

I love the Turbo Rat

Could send you a Mooer Black Secret for £25 posted, let me know

Can it take a 9V battery?

meltedbuzzbox · September 2018

Calum13 said:

roberty said:

I love the Turbo Rat

Could send you a Mooer Black Secret for £25 posted, let me know

Can it take a 9V battery?

No

TTBZ · September 2018

There's also the little bear r-attack for £35 on eBay that does standard, turbo me you dirty rat modes. Wouldn't mind getting myself one, gets good reviews.

Johnnyseven · September 2018

Thurston didn't start using the Turbo Rat until the early 90's but he's been using them ever since. If you are after the Teenage Riot sound it may not give that to you, early SY isn't particularly distorted - the tunings are more important. They used amp drive in that era. They are great pedals and a personal favourite of mine though, I had 4 at one time - I think I only have 3 now. If you get one try and get an older version with CTS pots and bigger knobs, they're more consistently good. No need to spend extra for one with an LM308 chip though, it makes little or no difference - i've had both and tried them side by side.

Thurston has mostly used a Turbo Rat, Green Russian Muff, Phase 90 and a Dunlop Hendrix Octave Fuzz for the last 20 or so years of SY. Have a look at this website for loads of SY gear info:

http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/gear.html

roberty · September 2018

Matt_McG said:

@roberty If @Calum13 ; decides not to go with the Mooer Black Secret, I'll take it. But only if he's not interested.

Let me know guys

I am going to get a second turbo for my other board, that's how much I love them

thomasw88 · September 2018

sell your DS

Calum13 said:

So I bought a DS1 a few months ago second hand for £35 because I was after a nirvana guitar tone, but since then I've realised how much better sonic youth are I've read that thurston used a proco turbo rat. I'm after that distortion used on teenage riot. Is there a significant difference between a standard rat and the turbo rat?

Sell your DS1. The rat is about a gazillion times better.

ICBM · September 2018

thomasw88 said:

Sell your DS1. The rat is about a gazillion times better.

The DS-1 is also a great pedal, but it only has one good sound - which is both amp dependent and needs a very precise tone control setting.

The Rat is a lot more flexible, has at least three types of good sounds, and which are much less amp dependent. But it can’t sound like a DS-1.

Matt_McG · September 2018

@roberty I don't want to gazump @Calum13 , but if he doesn't want it, I'll definitely have it.

Calum13 · September 2018

Matt_McG said:

@roberty I don't want to gazump @Calum13 , but if he doesn't want it, I'll definitely have it.

You can have it. I usually use batteries with my pedals.

ewal · September 2018

This might be of interest. https://reverb.com/news/potent-pairings-how-to-sound-like-sonic-youth

Calum13 · September 2018

ewal said:

This might be of interest. https://reverb.com/news/potent-pairings-how-to-sound-like-sonic-youth

Yeah I saw that. I usually just use my Marshall with the gain turned up and a chorus pedal sometimes.

xscaramanga · September 2018

ICBM said:

Calum13 said:

Is there a significant difference between a standard rat and the turbo rat?

Yes, the standard Rat is more bitey and 'ratty' - the Turbo is smoother. But the Rat 2 is better than either of them in my opinion.

A quick Google indicates many users believe there is little difference between the original Rat and Rat 2. Can anyone point me to a list of differences in the circuit? I was planning on building a Rat from a kit, and I'm wondering about modding it to a Rat 2 (or even putting both on a switch).

ICBM · September 2018

jonnyscaramanga said:

A quick Google indicates many users believe there is little difference between the original Rat and Rat 2. Can anyone point me to a list of differences in the circuit? I was planning on building a Rat from a kit, and I'm wondering about modding it to a Rat 2 (or even putting both on a switch).

Everything you need to know about the various versions of the Rat...

There is quite a noticeable difference between the original Rat and Rat 2 - the 2 is quite a bit chunkier and grittier, the original is more midrangy. Notice that the 'Vintage Rat' uses the same clipping diodes as the 2 not the original though... which might explain some of the confusion.