Rat owners..

[Marbles]

Hi Rat-owners...

I own a rat 2, but lent that out to someone, so I can't compare (if they are comparable..)

I built 2 of my friends a rat clone (original), they both work identical, so I think my built is ok, but:


It sounds muffled very quickly. Even with a Tele the filter knob is pretty useless after 11 or 12 o'clock (gain somewhere between 12 and 4, played on an ac30). It basically only sounds good in my setup between 0 and 9 o clock.

Now I can remember that playing on my own Rat at low volume I did not like the sound that much, but can't remember the sound being so muffled.

I've heard other people say: A rat opens up at high volume, crank the amp and pedal and it will shine.


Unfortunately I won't be in a situation soon where I can crank stuff. I know I could probably mod it to sound a bit more trebly, but don't want those guys to be surprised with having a way too trebly pedal at high volume.

Do any of you guys know if a rat loses a lot of low end at high volume? Those guys play loud, so might not run into the same problems I have.

[alex.s]

I usually have the tone fully open (full treble) on my Vintage Rat (the late 90s/early 00s big box ones) and never close it by much at all or lose a lot of sparkle in my Jazzmaster - AC30 combination.

I might not be the most subtle sounding guitarist (I do liek my treble) but yes I do find the Filter control can muffle too much too soon in my opinion and experience!

[KT]

I made 2 landgraff mo'd (rat clone). One I made with linear 100k (Mo'd) and the other with 100klog. I liked 100k linear much more for the filter. It muffles less quick..

[Muadzin]

I've built two Rats in my life, a BYOC and one on an Aion board. As I figured I might have made a mistake with my BYOC build or something. In both cases never have I been so underwhelmed as in those two pedals. This is what everybody keeps on raving about? I've gotten more useful mileage out of my old Boss Turbo Distortion pedal. And even that one sounds like crap nowadays to my ears.

[motterpaul]

It is funny, but RAT is a pedal that many many players swear by. The one I built from here has an oscillation problem, but I think it sounds good for tone within its working volume range. The branded models I have seen used live do tend to sound muffled to me.

Let's just say there are many other pedals that I like, and it always depends on many things. But I do wonder about any circuit that turns out to be microphonic - because the vast majority do not have that problem.

Of course, the RAT also calls for an unusual Opamp (LM358 as I recall) and if you use something else it might not act like a real RAT.

[Marbles]

Thanks for all your replies!

I did use the LM308 chip, so that must be good.

Judging all your replies, plus the fact that the 2 I built are practically the same sounding, I think it's just the nature of the beast (...) then. Definitely will try the linear pot if that gives me a wider trebly swoop, thanks! Makes me feel at least that most of the pedal is useful..

Well, they wanted a rat, and apparently that's what they're getting :D

If they think it's too muffled for their setup, I can always mod it I guess?


Thanks!

[Frank_NH]

Here's the Rosetta-Stone for RATs...

[rocket88]

the rat uses a LM308, nothing unusual about it at all. the LM358 is used in a bunch of circuits for LFO's, like the MXR phase-100, smallclone, etc. it's a lower current dual opamp.

unfortunately, i can't comment on a stock rat build, as mine is fairly modified (blend, Ge diodes, tuned for bass), but i can say that depending on where the filter knob is the pedal can sound fairly muffled, similar to how a BMP tone control can sound really muffled or kinda ice picky.

the rat has been used many times to actually brighten and tighten up the sound of amps that tend to be a little darker when they are overdriven. a bunch of doom metal guys do this, like what you say it shines marbles. many times it's how you use a pedal and sometimes the rig that makes it sound good, not just how the pedal itself.

in any event the way i have mine set the gain is maxed, but volume is a little above unity running into my mesa boogie, which i can't turn up above 1 cause it shakes my house. so what i do to simulate running it at max volume is i put a booster in front of it to slam the rat. sounds amazing with my rig. when i do this the rat really opens up, so you might want to try it. btw, the booster should be a clean booster.

[Beaker]

I got given an early Rat recently, 'cos it was broken. Just needed a new switch and jacks. My son has nicked it already. He runs it at almost minimum gain, which is unusual, but it sounds great set like that.

If anyone wants to compare, the Roger Mayer Mongoose beats the Rat hands down. Even at full gain, it does not sound muffled at all. You can do Byrds type picking and hear every note.

[Marbles]

It's... an interesting pedal for sure.... I can't remember this struggle with the Rat2 I have, but it's hard to tell.
I never put the gain up a lot either. I used it either for bass, which was perfect, or at low gain as well. Sune from Raveonettes uses it with the gain not even past 9 o clock if I remember correctly and I kind of stayed in that area too. Will try the linear pot though.

[Marbles]

Tried the Linear pot for the tone. Does seem to make it a bit more useful, thanks!

What really helped was to play loud. A world of difference. The further the volume is up, the more it shines it seems. That explains why I couldnt recall having that problem with my Rat 2. It sounded good at gigs/rehearsals. When a friend tried that one out at home it wasn't that special. I thought it was the battery at the time, but must've been the low volume.

It's done

[Travis]

That part when Carl got shot was right around the time when I started losing interest in the Walking Dead comics. The kid gets half his face blown off with post apocalyptic medical attention and he survives.. And then the dude with the tiger.. Seemed like they were running out of ideas and just throwing whatever out there lol

Your build looks awesome though. Is that a decal or what? Looks great

[Marbles]

Haha yeah, I lost interest too..
But thanks! The guy was a fan, and I thought it would look pretty awesome with the silver enclosure.

Yeah, it's just a decal. So far it seems to work best for me. The only thing I really hate about it it when the pedal has SPST or other switches like that. Screwing them on always messes it up.

Would love to use silkscreen/screenprinting someday, but for one offs that will be a bit expensive... Maybe one day if I would be able to come up with a noisemaker myself, but that will be a lot of electronics books later haha.