RAT question

[daz]

I posted it in 4 forums but i don't know that any one answer will work. The answer i go also said the mod is just the same change thats in the RAT 2, and when i googled it i found others saying the rat 2 doesn't clean up well either. So i may try that, but doesn't seem promising after my google search. Another reply elsewhere suggested it's not even possible with the rat circuit so....

[Helmholtz]

Could someone link the thread from the "other forum"?

[daz]

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/rat-mo...#post-11676445

[Helmholtz]

Thanks.
Don't see anything promising here.

[daz]

yeah, i think it's just the nature of the beast. Thats ok, i still like it as a solo boost. But nothing sounds so good as a rat with the right pedal and amp setting with guitar on 10. I swear it's better then the best tube amp OD when the stars align with a RAT. If it cleaned up like a tube amp i might never use a tube amp alone. It has a feel in the attack when just right that's perfection. No wonder it's a legendary pedal.

[Helmholtz]

As you're using the thing as a clean booster, distortion and cleaning up essentially happens in the preamp stages of your amp.

[daz]

As you're using the thing as a clean booster, distortion and cleaning up essentially happens in the preamp stages of your amp.

Yep, i realize that but somehow turning the guitar down affects something in the rat that muddies the tone.

[Helmholtz]

Yep, i realize that but somehow turning the guitar down affects something in the rat that muddies the tone.

To me the problem is the 1nF cap at the input, which rolls off treble.
When using a buffer before the RAT the sound will be brighter requiring a different settiing of controls.

[Chuck H]

To me the problem is the 1nF cap at the input, which rolls off treble.
When using a buffer before the RAT the sound will be brighter requiring a different settiing of controls.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When the guitar is turned up full the 1n cap at the RAT's input circuit acts to lower the frequency of the guitars resonant peak but not it's amplitude. When you back off the guitars volume the circuit interaction changes and the 1n cap is now just extra capacitance to ground and reduces HF more than if it weren't there.

The "buffer" Helmholtz is talking about reduces the impedance of the signal being fed to the RAT and that decreases it's sensitivity to capacitance loads (like cable length or that 1n cap).

[daz]

Ahhh, ok. THAT i definately will try. Makes sense. I'll post back with results, tho it may be a few days or more b4 i get to that. Thanks guys.

[mozz]

Other forum is
https://www.diystompboxes.com

I actually can't stand tdpri as so many of those members are very opinionated and won't budge from what they think is gospel. There are a few knowledgeable people on certain subjects but some are so set in their ways you can know what their answer is before they even post it. Paid members will have you banned if you say something they don't agree on, especially if you are a new member. Diystomp boxes may have 1/10th of the members but 100x the knowledge when it comes to pedals.

[daz]

Other forum is
https://www.diystompboxes.com

I actually can't stand tdpri as so many of those members are very opinionated and won't budge from what they think is gospel. There are a few knowledgeable people on certain subjects but some are so set in their ways you can know what their answer is before they even post it. Paid members will have you banned if you say something they don't agree on, especially if you are a new member. Diystomp boxes may have 1/10th of the members but 100x the knowledge when it comes to pedals.

I posted it there too but the only reply said (paraphrasing) it ain't gonna happen. I'm trying Helmholtz's idea. Chuck agreed too and IMO there's better knowledge here with guys like that.

[Chuck H]

I posted it there too but the only reply said (paraphrasing) it ain't gonna happen. I'm trying Helmholtz's idea. Chuck agreed too and IMO there's better knowledge here with guys like that.

Well I can get behind respecting Helmholtz in that regard. I'm a bit less consistent.

But I AM a big fan of the early 80's RAT pedal because I had one early on and built my tonal ear using it. An ORIGINAL white face RAT that some scoundrel stole from me at a party gig one night. If I could find the dirty skunk I'd beat him to death with one of his own limbs.

[nosaj]

Even though i don't play much I love playing a dirty bass with rat. Of course i love fuzz like the Dead Meadow, Fu Manchu, etc...
nosaj

[daz]

Well I can get behind respecting Helmholtz in that regard. I'm a bit less consistent.

But I AM a big fan of the early 80's RAT pedal because I had one early on and built my tonal ear using it. An ORIGINAL white face RAT that some scoundrel stole from me at a party gig one night. If I could find the dirty skunk I'd beat him to death with one of his own limbs.

I had one of those too, tho it may have been late 80's. My timelines are so screwed up when i try to remember what i had and when. So much gear ! But i remember i think mid 80's going to a bar with my drummer that we played at regularly on a weekend when we weren't playing just to see what other bands play there. The guitar player had me salivating over his tone thru a twin and i had a twin a few years earlier and i had to see how he was getting such a great sound. Sure enough there was a RAT. That was my introduction and the only reason i only used them occasionally was the same reason i posted this. IMO they are capable of one of the best OD tones ever but it's too 1 trick pony to be an always on pedal. I find that i have to really dial in the amp and pedal together just right or it's just a decent sound. Hit that perfect setting tho and it can be magic.