Does anyone else prefer Rat Fur over Tolex?

[Jugghaid]

Now, I think MOST people would prefer the aesthetics of Tolex over the gray rat fur on many cabs and heads. But some (like my Trace V6) also have colored rat fur, so that can be done. My biggest issue with Tolex is that it is WAY less durable than Rat fur. It rips really easy when you gig constantly and after a few years gets looking really beat up. I have rat fur cabs that have probably 100 gigs on them and look pretty new.

Now, if I was not gigging and had my gear in a nice safe environment all the time, I would probably go for some nice custom Tolex. More likely a nice finished hardwood cab. But for my gigging gear, I'm a rat fur guy all day every day.

What say you? Also please indicate if you gig.....

 

[gtirard]

Only for a winter coat

 

[2saddleslab]

Here's proof:

 

[ValerieK]

I think it's rad when paired with some 80s styling of some kind. It's more comfortable to sit on also, but otherwise not great. Definitely worse as a drink holder, particularly when spills happen... Looks neat in its own way.

 

[Aloe]

I've owned rat fur cabs, tolex-covered cabs and composite cabs (plastic with no other finish). I'm okay with any of them if the cab is light, loud and sounds good. this said, I'm using covers when transporting no matter the finish.

rat fur is a good durable finish that's pretty handy if you need to velcro things to it.
on the minus side, it absorbs scents and takes a bit longer time to clean.

I do have a orange guitar cab with worn tolex, I think, it adds some mojo. when it's like torn in half, it will look punk. if that's some small damages over the place -- nobody cares.

 

[DCErik]

I don't particularly care, but will attest that my cats prefer rat fur to tolex by several orders of magnitude.

 

[JRA]

if the cab sounds good, does its job as expected: i don't care what it looks like.

i've had preferences in the past: rat fur for heavy cabs, tolex/duratex for lightweight cabs. but i've covered a lot of cabs myself with bedliner, so there's that.

 

[SJan3]

Now, I think MOST people would prefer the aesthetics of Tolex over the gray rat fur on many cabs and heads. But some (like my Trace V6) also have colored rat fur, so that can be done. My biggest issue with Tolex is that it is WAY less durable than Tolex. It rips really easy when you gig constantly and after a few years gets looking really beat up. I have rat fur cabs that have probably 100 gigs on them and look pretty new.

Now, if I was not gigging and had my gear in a nice safe environment all the time, I would probably go for some nice custom Tolex. More likely a nice finished hardwood cab. But for my gigging gear, I'm a rat fur guy all day every day.

What say you? Also please indicate if you gig.....

I agree with you. My Genz Benz Focus and Aguilar DBs ripped easily when transporting but my earlier Aguilar GS and MarkBass cabs stayed looking good with an occasional vacuuming to keep looking fresh.
I do have an Aguilar SL112 but this time I had a custom cover made before I took it out.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

Rat fur is more bump resistant, but not as smell, dirt, liquid/rain or cat resistant.

 

[DrBnz]

Most cat prefer Rat Fur for cleaning their nails.

 

[coreyfyfe]

As a pet owner rat fur cabs are a hard no. Between scratching and the way they collect hair/dirt they just end up a mess. I've also seen/had plenty of cabs with damaged rat fur, I think if you consider the damaged cabs as a percentage of cabs with said material the numbers might be closer. But I also generally use covers for my cabs so they aren't damaged in transport.

 

[Goatrope]

My cat very much preferred rat fur. When I went with non RF cabs, she stopped helping.

 

[OldManNewBass]

My biggest issue with Tolex is that it is WAY less durable than Tolex.

Man, I absolutely HATE when one thing is less durable than the exact same thing...! ;^p

 

[Jugghaid]

Man, I absolutely HATE when one thing is less durable than the exact same thing...! ;^p

Oops. Fixed.

 

[MrWolf14]

Rat fur for me: I also use a Velcro strip to fix the head on top of the cabs.

 

[2112]

Rat fur crew checking in.

I long miss the days of being supported by several stacks of Trace Elliot's finest big iron, all upholstered with the thickly crucial luxury of dark green Corinthian rat fur.

 

[Spectrum]

The best thing about rat fur is the cigarette stink that clings to it forever. Who doesn't love that?

 

[howdydoody13]

Line X coating is best

 

[Wasnex]

They each have advantages and disadvantages. I have owned/gigged both and it's not necessarily something that factors into whether I buy something or not.

Other options I have gigged: paint, stain, duratex, molded plastic.

Carbon fiber is another option, but I haven't used it for music gear.

 

[ClassicJazz]

Non of the above!! I prefer my Carbon Fiber cabinets. Not only look cool but what you see if (minus the bass) is only 36 lbs!

And no...... the bass is NOT heavier! Kramers get a bad rap for being really heavy.