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RAT Generations

Which one would be bassier and better on the whole?

  • Vintage RAT

    Votes: 2 40.0%

  • Modded RAT

    Votes: 3 60.0%
  • Total voters
    5
P

Petary791

Feb 20, 2005
4,074
8
36
Michigan, USA
#1
I love my Guv'nor to death, but it doesn't fit every distortion situation. I know a few guys that use a RAT (Justin Chancellor and Les Claypool being outstanding ones) and I really like that tone. I've heard the RAT 2 sucks eggs, so I was looking at the Robert Keeley modded one. That one looks pretty cool, but I could also get a vintage one on the Ebay. Which one would you guys reccomend... the Vintage or Modded 2? Thanks!

Invalid Link Removed
 
#3
I've owned both the vintage RAT and a stock RAT2, and I must say I liked the stock RAT 2 a bit better. Retained bass perfectly, the tone was everything I expected. IMO, pick up a used RAT2, and if you think it's lacking, THEN send it to Keeley.
 
#4
tplyons said:
I've owned both the vintage RAT and a stock RAT2, and I must say I liked the stock RAT 2 a bit better. Retained bass perfectly, the tone was everything I expected. IMO, pick up a used RAT2, and if you think it's lacking, THEN send it to Keeley.
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agreed. i dont know much about the low end retention, seems like they all lose a bit to my ears. but ive got a vintage one and (despite what people say, i like the sound wether it works or not) i use an eq to 'replace' or 'add' what is missing. many bassists (chancellor i believe at one point and greg edwards too) have used this technique.
 
#7
syciprider said:
Get yourself a Bass Driver and be done with it.

From OD to fuzz, the DT BD has it.
Click to expand...

I've tried it, and I thought it was pathetic. It sounded wwwaaaaayyyy too much guitaresque distortion to me. I could have been using bad settings.

tplyons said:
I've owned both the vintage RAT and a stock RAT2, and I must say I liked the stock RAT 2 a bit better. Retained bass perfectly, the tone was everything I expected. IMO, pick up a used RAT2, and if you think it's lacking, THEN send it to Keeley.
Click to expand...

You know, that's a fantastic idea.
 
#8
Split your bass signal, send one cord to the Rat and the other straight to your bass amp. Run the Ratted signal through the other input on your amp, or another amp entirely, the sound is fantastic, and no bass loss.


Also, do a search on DIY pedals. There's a couple of websites that can show you how to mod a Rat to change from one variety to another at the flick of a switch. Bear in mind that ProCo is famous for having used a vast array of different brands and tolerances of components, even on the same production run, all through the '70s and '80s. The info can be confusing, but a lot of fun if you're good with a soldering iron.
 
#9
jabberwock777 said:
Split your bass signal, send one cord to the Rat and the other straight to your bass amp. Run the Ratted signal through the other input on your amp, or another amp entirely, the sound is fantastic, and no bass loss.


Also, do a search on DIY pedals. There's a couple of websites that can show you how to mod a Rat to change from one variety to another at the flick of a switch. Bear in mind that ProCo is famous for having used a vast array of different brands and tolerances of components, even on the same production run, all through the '70s and '80s. The info can be confusing, but a lot of fun if you're good with a soldering iron.
Click to expand...

Well my dream rig will have two amps. I've never tried a to solder, i'll give it a whirl eventually.
 
#11
I've used a RAT as my main distortion for about a year and a half now, I love it. Right out of the box it was a killer distortion. Retained the low end really well too. I sent it to Robert Keeley to have it modded a few months ago mainly out of curiosity, and have been impressed by his work. It was a nice distortion pedal before, but now it positively smokes. His mods made it sound a lot smoother, a lot more natural, almost like an amp getting pushed right to the melting point. Its not as grainy or buzzy - I kind of miss that sometimes and I'm probably going to buy a seperate unit for grainy/buzzy-ness.

This is all very subjective of course, I can see where it wouldn't be everyone's favorite distortion flavor. At higher settings it tends to be kind of muddy and not very well defined, but I like that.

You should at least go track one down at a music store and give it a shot, it might be just what you're looking for, or it might not.
 
#12
CodeYbassboy said:
I've used a RAT as my main distortion for about a year and a half now, I love it. Right out of the box it was a killer distortion. Retained the low end really well too. I sent it to Robert Keeley to have it modded a few months ago mainly out of curiosity, and have been impressed by his work. It was a nice distortion pedal before, but now it positively smokes. His mods made it sound a lot smoother, a lot more natural, almost like an amp getting pushed right to the melting point. Its not as grainy or buzzy - I kind of miss that sometimes and I'm probably going to buy a seperate unit for grainy/buzzy-ness.

This is all very subjective of course, I can see where it wouldn't be everyone's favorite distortion flavor. At higher settings it tends to be kind of muddy and not very well defined, but I like that.

You should at least go track one down at a music store and give it a shot, it might be just what you're looking for, or it might not.
Click to expand...

Now when you sent it to Robert Keeley, what did you get done to it, and how much did it cost?
 
#14
I have two original RAT II's (mid to late 80's) and they both sound good, but do sound as if they lop off the very lowest frequencies. you can really tell with a powerful amp. I have been splitting signals like jabberwalky, but bought an LS-2 to try.

I also have a beat up "the Rat' with the large box. Its a completly different animal then my other 'RAT' pedals. It really sounds more like a muff, only more mid-rangy, harsh, and bad. It has none of the smooth complexness harmonic content of the RAT. I opened it up and its actualy a "1991 reissue'. I would avoid this model. I don't know how the newer reissue "vintage Rat" or " RAT II's compare to mine.
 
#15
syciprider said:
But the Rat is a guitaresque distortion too isn't it? :confused:
Click to expand...

Hmm, guitaresque was a bad explanation.

It didn't work for me really. I listened to the clips on Musiciansfriend a couple minutes ago, and I did like them actually. I'll check one out, but I'm pretty sure a RAT is where it's at.

I'm a poet, and I didn't even know it.
 
#16
I owned a stock Rat II from the 80's and always had to blend it with a clean signal to get it to work, but work it did. It's gone now, though, and I don't know what happened to it. The new Rat II's blow, IMHO, though, so I bought a Keeley Rat II, and it was the best thing I ever did. You get the cool original Rat sound, plus two different modes that work well without blending. Blending is still the way to go, but if you just need an occasional distortion for live work, I highly recommend Keeley's mods.
 

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