My Markbass NY604 cabs rat fur is holding up very well after about 4 years. No pets or smoke to worry about. I'd prefer Tolex of course but it is what it is.
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Rat Fur Poll
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
They're called Chimera cats ... genetically, it's its own twin >^..^<
At home I've got my rat fur 212 right next to my girls cat tree, which she thinks I've added as an extension to. So I keep a bass case between the cab and the tree, and my bass on a guitar stand on the other side to keep them from scratching it. When I'm playing, I find diming the volume and a thwak of the E string changes their intention
Cats dig rats. It's their nature to beat the tar out of it
Normally, move my own gear in and out because we were a touring nightclub group and couldn't really afford to pay roadies. The covers that I had carefully used on my Standel MCIIB/SAM30 amp were ripped apart by a "friend of the lead guitarist turned "roadie for the event". We were playing a corporate gig at the top of a hotel in Hollywood and by being roadie for a day he had admission to the gig. I warned him about catching the cover on the piano hinges in the station wagon we used to transport most of the gear and I watched him to make sure he did it right when we unloaded. He did fine but at the end of the evening after I put the covers on he took it down the elevator and just shoved it in the back of the station wagon ripping the cab covers in 6 different places. And, since Gibson had bought Standel and then eliminated them, there were no more covers to be had back then (mid-70's). Was better than having the Tolex torn but the covers were useless now.
Rat fur doesn't have that same problem, at least not to that degree. I'm still very careful moving my cab in and out of small SUV, but I don't really worry about it and I didn't have to spend any extra $$ for covers or moving blankets. I'm glad to hear that you took your job seriously enough to take those precautions. Of course you were a pro and not somebody just trying to get into the show free. You were also moving a lot more gear and I'm just playing locally now.
I'm not really dissing your love for Tolex. I've just had bad experiences with it and prefer the rat fur. I'd still get a Tolex cab if it was a better cab, but I like my DNS410 with its rat fur cover. A lot of folks don't like rat fur though and DNA offers a new sort of painted-on durable covering for them now too.
Haven't read the whole thread
I like rat fur. I think that it's the most durable--except for truck bed liner. I'm good at applying rat fur. The thing is that the high quality rat fur is a lot nicer than the cheaper stuff that you usually see. I went with Duratex over rat fur because it has the reputation of being "cheap". I've torn rat fur and re-glued it so it was not noticeable. I don't feel that Tolex is that reapairable. You can re-glue it but it's noticeable.
Duratex is not as durable---but---it's easily reapairable, Bondo, sand and Duratex. Using Bondo and a hair dryer I can repair a huge gash in a half hour.
I've bugged the Duratex people about coming out with a 2 part Duratex---but it's a completey different chemistry than he water-based one part. The 2 part catalized finishes are much harder and durable.
Back to rat fur. If it's high quality and applied well---it's great stuff.
I like rat fur. I think that it's the most durable--except for truck bed liner. I'm good at applying rat fur. The thing is that the high quality rat fur is a lot nicer than the cheaper stuff that you usually see. I went with Duratex over rat fur because it has the reputation of being "cheap". I've torn rat fur and re-glued it so it was not noticeable. I don't feel that Tolex is that reapairable. You can re-glue it but it's noticeable.
Duratex is not as durable---but---it's easily reapairable, Bondo, sand and Duratex. Using Bondo and a hair dryer I can repair a huge gash in a half hour.
I've bugged the Duratex people about coming out with a 2 part Duratex---but it's a completey different chemistry than he water-based one part. The 2 part catalized finishes are much harder and durable.
Back to rat fur. If it's high quality and applied well---it's great stuff.
We're immune the hard way - outbreaks like the Black Death (possibly 1/3 of population in Europe died) took care of many who weren't immune. The immune were the only ones left to have kids. Reminded me of a disease (leptospirosis) outbreak I heard about in the news earlier this year. Rats have also played a vital role in curing more than a few diseases, but that kind of record as a disease vector makes it hard on the rat booster club.
EDIT: There's a reason cats & terriers are popular pets.
I don't mind Algernon & his buddies, so long as they're in a cage where I live & eat - tigers too.
Anyway, it seems rat fur is mostly used as anti-ding protection. Ozite's website says they make it from polyester; I'm not interested in microfibers coming off the rat fur & getting into the water supply. I'm not gigging either, so I'll stick with au natural & a coat of poly (pick your poison...), unless I find out about something better/more beneficial. If I do gig, vet the roadies- check.
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I agree about the creatures being vectors.
I believe plague is a bacteria infection, not viral.
For that reason I wouldn't buy something new with rat fur. But I'd buy a used one if it was a killer deal, then rip off the fur myself. I don't like animal fur in general. No not PETA or anything, just allergies and things like that.
I voted indifferent, but the last rat fur cab I owned seemed to keep its " newness " longer than previous cabs. I wonder if they are using different, or newer, tougher materials these days, because it hardly showed any serious signs of wear and tear. Of course, having a slip cover is a must for me, so maybe that had something to do with it. Having said that, I don't really give a crap, if I like the sound of the cab.
you do realise rat fur is not made from rats?
A putty knife and channel locks will get the fur off in most cases, the adhesive left behind on the cabinet might be the real challenge...
D
Deleted member 165050
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I highly dislike rat fur!
Don't like the way it looks. It attracts dirt and hair. It holds in odors like smoke from bars. The couple of rat fur cabs I have bought in the past were used and in need of recovering. I immediately stripped them and recovered them with Duratex.
Don't like the way it looks. It attracts dirt and hair. It holds in odors like smoke from bars. The couple of rat fur cabs I have bought in the past were used and in need of recovering. I immediately stripped them and recovered them with Duratex.
I have had the best luck starting with pliers and a putty knife. Then I switch to a heat gun to soften the adhesive and scrape it off.
Is there a thread of refinished cabinets? Rat fur is OK, but wood stain looks really nice with a good wood.
Oh yeah a heat gun for sure can help... just be careful not to breathe the fumes or burn your cab down.
Yes I know it's not real. But as others said, it collects hair, smoke, etc. Nor do I like how it looks. I figured a heat gun would make it easier to remove it.
