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ProCo Rat for Bass? Yes or No.

#101
gh0st42 said:
100% correct, but by that point, just get a Rat Clone/Variant that has a built in clean blend and/or bass adjusted EQ.

Between the 3 pedals you need to get to that point, you've spent enough $$ to buy one, and used up 3x as much pedal board real estate and power supply outputs to get there.

Candidates-
Broughton Locust Star
IdiotBox Blower Box
Dunwich/Magic Volt Thrower
MXR-85
Fuzzrocious Cat Tail/Rat Tail
Source Audio AfterShock
Click to expand...

"Bass adjusted EQ" is not all that worthwhile if its just a different configuration of the Rat's passive LPF. Im not familiar with all the pedals you listed but some of them surely just have the standard Rat tone control that cuts highs but does not boost any low end.

Im talking about setting up a more modern and powerful distortion setup based on the Rat. Not just getting some builder's Rat copy. If any of the ones you listed have an active EQ and a blend though that would be a solid option. If someone already has a loop blender of any sort they could try my idea for under $100 which was the point of the post.

My personal ideal rat for bass actually cuts low frequencies feeding the clipping amplifier to give the already-taxed opamp an easier job and improved definition is the result. Then you can boost bass by up to 15db on the back end for a more powerful final tone.
 
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#102
whoismarykelly said:
"Bass adjusted EQ" is not all that worthwhile if its just a different configuration of the Rat's passive LPF. Im not familiar with all the pedals you listed but some of them surely just have the standard Rat tone control that cuts highs but does not boost any low end.

Im talking about setting up a more modern and powerful distortion setup based on the Rat. Not just getting some builder's Rat copy. If any of the ones you listed have an active EQ and a blend though that would be a solid option. If someone already has a loop blender of any sort they could try my idea for under $100 which was the point of the post.

My personal ideal rat for bass actually cuts low frequencies feeding the clipping amplifier to give the already-taxed opamp an easier job and improved definition is the result. Then you can boost bass by up to 15db on the back end for a more powerful final tone.
Click to expand...

Everything on that list either has a Active EQ, a modified EQ stack/capacitors to boost lows or reduce low end loss, or a clean blend with a high pass or full spectrum for the wet signal. More "Rat Evolutions" than Rat Clones.

At least half of them can be had for about $100-$150 used.

I've been down the Rat(Dirt)/Blend Pedal/EQ road. It can work, but has some serious drawbacks. Phase issues, noise, and multiple failure points being high on the list.

The SA AfterShock in particular is a game changer. Want to EQ before your dirt? Want to run different dirt on two different channels and then blend them? High Pass or Low Pass Filter on either signal path? Two Rats with Different settings blending together? A Muff on Highs and a Rat on Lows parallel blended or in series? Clean Lows and a Rat on the Highs or Full signal? Need to throw a tube screamer into the mix?

It can do all of it, and got mine for $100 shipped.
 
#103
Looks like the Broughton and Idiotbox pedals are close to what Im thinking. I've not used either but if I had to pick from that list it would be one of those. Its hard to make a rat do it all though so I'd still want some sort of clean blend so the distortion circuit isn't expected to process 100% of the instrument's range. A low-passed clean blend really kills with a rat-style circuit. Stoked there are so many options on the market rn.
 
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#110
gh0st42 said:
The SA AfterShock in particular is a game changer. Want to EQ before your dirt? Want to run different dirt on two different channels and then blend them? High Pass or Low Pass Filter on either signal path? Two Rats with Different settings blending together? A Muff on Highs and a Rat on Lows parallel blended or in series? Clean Lows and a Rat on the Highs or Full signal? Need to throw a tube screamer into the mix?

It can do all of it, and got mine for $100 shipped.
Click to expand...
+1 for the Source Audio Aftershock as a Super Rat for bass as I find is easy to tune in a massive amount of that griz and clean. At one point chasing the Rat sound in my head I had a rack system that used a R2DU rack mount Rat with a crossover, EQs and mixer, the Aftershock does all that and can save your creations.
 

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