Lets talk about Keeley modded Rats on Bass Guitar

Holy War · #1 01-28-2010, 02:31 AM

Hello, my name is Holy War, and I am fuzz junky

Yes, yes, we all know Holy War is a self proclaimed fuzz/od/distortion junky, but lets get right into it. I found a Keeley modded Rat for a good price and I want it. The problem is that I have no experience what so ever with Keeley Rats.

I know all the mods that have been done do it, but here in lies is my question: How do they sound on bass? I know it has a LM308 and has had numerous cap upgrades to improve bass response etc etc, but is it enough? Am I still going to be losing something with a Keeley Rat, or have all the mods made it a bass friendly beast? Also, a heads up, this particular Rat is a '96 Rat II non slant version.

Any and all informed (or ill informed if it brings the lols) information would be fantastic.

Thanks!

And for those not in the know here is a link to the mods performed:

http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=7

edit: Ill also add that Im going to be running a Boss OC-2 with it as well which may or may no help retain some of those lows (or atleast give it some umpf).

riotriot · #2 01-28-2010, 03:24 AM

I bought a new Keeley Rat a couple of months ago with the hope it would sound good on bass, but I found it doesn't. Major loss of low-end.
I have a clean blend laying around here and I still need to check it with that.. probaly that will do the trick.

Holy War · #3 01-28-2010, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riotriot

I bought a new Keeley Rat a couple of months ago with the hope it would sound good on bass, but I found it doesn't. Major loss of low-end.
I have a clean blend laying around here and I still need to check it with that.. probaly that will do the trick.

ya, thats what Im afraid of

I guess Ill be checking out the SFT instead

jetofuj · #4 01-28-2010, 03:40 AM

Our "rratajski" modded Rat for bass some time ago.

rratajski · #5 01-28-2010, 04:03 AM

No personal experience w/ the Keeley mods, but I do see them go up for sale often on the bay. It's too expensive to have your own RAT modded there when the Beavis mods are so cheap and easy to do...well, relatively easy to do...

IME, running any drive into a RAT sounds like crud. The only thing I liked going into my RATs was the BMS or HOG.

The SFT and RAT will be two TOTALLY different beasts.

If you can get the RAT at a decent price AND be able to to sell it again for the same price (so you don't lose out), go for it.

Holy War · #6 01-28-2010, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rratajski

No personal experience w/ the Keeley mods, but I do see them go up for sale often on the bay. It's too expensive to have your own RAT modded there when the Beavis mods are so cheap and easy to do...well, relatively easy to do...

IME, running any drive into a RAT sounds like crud. The only thing I liked going into my RATs was the BMS or HOG.

The SFT and RAT will be two TOTALLY different beasts.

If you can get the RAT at a decent price AND be able to to sell it again for the same price (so you don't lose out), go for it.

I wont be putting the SFT into the rat, it will be one or the other. Im thinking that the fact that the SFT is more bass friendly, it might be the best way for me to go. The Keeley Im looking at is $140 and has been for sale for about a month now so I dont know if I could turn it around quickly. I know Brian Cook uses a Rat and he gets awesome tone, but how does he do it without losing the lows? I dont think he uses a blend at all, but I could be wrong.

benmoore88 · #7 01-28-2010, 05:48 AM

i have a vodka mods rat that i love to rave about on bass at any chance i get. i believe that it is simliar to keeley mods.
it won't get you a tube style overdrive really.
but if you love that jesus lizard kinda brassy bass sound or metallic-y bass sounds - i like it. YMMV
probably not a pedal i'd get for bass without playing it or knowing the sound ballpark from records.
mine loses some low end still when i crank it but i have it on all the time so just eq more in. i wont' play in my heavier bands without it.

Holy War · #8 01-28-2010, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by benmoore88

i have a vodka mods rat that i love to rave about on bass at any chance i get. i believe that it is simliar to keeley mods.
it won't get you a tube style overdrive really.
but if you love that jesus lizard kinda brassy bass sound or metallic-y bass sounds - i like it. YMMV
probably not a pedal i'd get for bass without playing it or knowing the sound ballpark from records.
mine loses some low end still when i crank it but i have it on all the time so just eq more in. i wont' play in my heavier bands without it.

any clips or samples?

theunknowndude · #9 01-28-2010, 06:22 AM

have never heard the normal RAT on bass but I think the Turbo RAT I have sounds just fine,... doesn't work in my band's mix but on solo stuff it brings out that metallic brass sound really well, was a main feature on my addition to the Talk Bass noise album,... don't have a link to it at the moment,...

but combined with a PS3 set to original + octave up it was insane bwahhhh sounding metal distortion

dannybuoy · #10 01-28-2010, 07:05 AM

If you want gnarly and aggressive, I think you will be disappointed with the SFT. It's great for low gain applications but gets really mushy when cranked, and I can't quite nail the sound of that doom clip in reality for some reason. For heavier overdrive I prefer my Xotic BB, but if you want heavier than that I think a modded rat might be the way forward. I'm interested in building a BYOC Mighty Mouse myself!

grimniggzy · #11 01-28-2010, 07:33 AM

Anyone know if these...

are better or worse than the modded Rat II's?

I've been thinking these are the best choice for Rat's but I still have no clue.

vegas532 · #12 01-28-2010, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grimniggzy

Anyone know if these...

are better or worse than the modded Rat II's?

I've been thinking these are the best choice for Rat's but I still have no clue.

These are my personal preference for bass, it has an amazing "crunch factor" to it. Sadly I sold my first one to pay medical bills, which was modded by our own rratajski...now that one was really special!!

Holy War · #13 01-28-2010, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas532

These are my personal preference for bass, it has an amazing "crunch factor" to it. Sadly I sold my first one to pay medical bills, which was modded by our own rratajski...now that one was really special!!

any insight on the keeley stuff?

vegas532 · #14 01-28-2010, 08:24 AM

I tried one once and was...underwhelmed.

Holy War · #15 01-28-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas532

I tried one once and was...underwhelmed.

thought as much...oh well...Attack Goat/SFT/OCD here I come

grimniggzy · #16 01-28-2010, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas532

These are my personal preference for bass, it has an amazing "crunch factor" to it. Sadly I sold my first one to pay medical bills, which was modded by our own rratajski...now that one was really special!!

Thanks a lot. I've been itching for a Rat but wasn't sure and you just made my decision much easier.

markisloud · #17 01-28-2010, 11:46 AM

I have a Keeley moded Rat, and i use it with a Boss LS-2 to blend in low end, and i really like it. But it does lose low end, so a blend pedal is the key

Mark

benmoore88 · #18 01-29-2010, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holy War

any clips or samples?

i'm sorry man. dont' really have any at the moment.
but gnarly is a pretty good adjective for the sound