All user reviews for the ProCo Sound The RAT

I got this pedal for 65 dollars plus 5 dollars shipping at zzounds.com about one month ago.

Wow. What a great pedal. This is definatly different from every other distorion pedal i've ever tried, and I mean that totally in a good way. It has great sustain and an awesome, warm fuzz sound. This pedal can pull it all off. It's versitile, too. It can pull off a whole range of sounds. It's especially good with hard rock, which is perfect for my brand of playing.

While, I'm not crazy about the shape of this pedal. It's wider than it is tall, and is very thick, which kind of makes it hard to stomp on because of the large knobs right above the activator. Plus, it could use a status indicator. I've drained numerous batteries because i've forgotton to turn it off when I was done. Oh well. I guess that's "vintage" for you.

The pedal is made of metal, and weighs a good amount. It's black and has effective rubber stoppers on the bottom. Three large knobs are placed at the top. Distortion, filter, and volume. The input/output jacks are located on the back, along with the slot to put in a AC adapter.

I love my Vintage Rat. Even though I feel it could have been designed a little better, the sound is where this pedal shines. It's fantastic. Go get one! You'll be glad you made the investment.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

The pro coat Rat pedal is what is his iconic distortion pedals that it's been one of the most legendary distortion sounds in all of rock history. Much like the boss pedals and even Ibanez tube screamer this pedal goes down as one of the most highly used most recognizable distortion pedals in the music industry. It's a very simple design that produces a nice gainy sound. This is a sound that is somewhat unique to itself and it doesn't really sound like any other distortion pedal that you've heard. It does capturing the gaining distortion you looking for but the voice is slightly different.

UTILIZATION


This pedal basically asked three control knobs. You get the distortion control, filter control, and volume control. It has the foot switch along with the inout and output plugs and that's pretty much about it. It's a very simple design and you won't be hard pressed to figure out the best sound in this pedal.


SOUND QUALITY


The tone of this pedal is quite unique but still falls under the nice gain distortion that you've heard from basically any other distortion pedal. It's a cool vintage unit and if you really like that legendary rat tone, and I'm not talking about the band, than this is the only pedal to achieve that with. It's a cool sound and it's good for boosting already overdriven amps such as a Marshall JCM 800. If you like Nuno Bettencourt than this is probably a pedal that you would want to invest in. Nuno use to use this pedal in front of a old Marshall JMP amplifier. So if you dig that sound than this is a cool pedal to own.

OVERALL OPINION


You can find these pedals for well under $100 used. I don't find that the vintage ones to sound any better than the new or ones so I suggest just by passing that whole idea of the vintage rat battle. There's a lot of hype that's involved with the vintage rat pedals and I don't suggest drinking the Kool-Aid on that. These are cool pedals but they're very unique to their sound so if you're not digging the sound but I suggest getting a boss pedal or in MXR distortion pedal.

The Rat has 3 rglages: a "distortion" that controls the saturation level, a "Filter" which plays on the tonality of a sound loaded tweeter in a bass heavy sound and round. And finally a "volume" we will not present. Beyond a, an input and an output and a trap (viiiiss GRRRR) for the battery.
The first point ngatif: a power supply in mini jack, which requires the buyer to put a hold on its garland (1.50 euros for one cot)
PDAL TRS good quality, solid compact but heavy. It inspires the reliability and we quickly takes the bully without hsiter.

UTILIZATION

Trs rgler simple, does not need the pedals not Bac + 5 to be used without problem.
But beware: the proximity of knobs and footswitch must be taken into account, a kick imprcis dreglant pedals easily. Big feet, go your way .... The trouble is that there is no nuance: the knob rglant the level of distortion is not nothing impossible to have a crunch without losing all ...... It's really prjudiciable potato.

SOUND QUALITY

Well, the fuzz-distortion produced by The Rat is simply a radical and uncompromising. It's MEGA-Bourrin, the Big Muff is ridiculed by comparison. The effect is self-mm TRS good quality. We go (via rglage filter) a sound of screaming Shellac's a big heavy load low, ideal for the metal. Indiffrement uses a guitar or bass, the rendering is excellent in both cases. Caution: Users Start type guitar might not find it, a big double as significantly more appropriate.
Ds that connects a group, with bass, pedals shows its limits, Larsen galore, even if the sound is worthy of an airbus in flight .... Huge. The problem does not occur with a guitar, but you better have a hell of output level.
The trouble is that there is no nuance: the knob rglant the level of distortion is not nothing impossible to have a crunch without losing the whole potato is ...... prjudiciable really.

But the sound quality is at the appointment, it is on.

OVERALL OPINION

In conclusion, the rat is the fuzz-distortion is needed in a set of pedals, but effectively assist a distortion is versatile because bte trs is not versatile, and not to a book of his lumberjack ......

I do not would do the same choice today, because my ambition to use it with a bass in a group of post-rock. It works well in terms of sound, but the feedback too me Submitted ESG. Better to look down version complte more. But coupled with my guitar, it gives me good feeling trs, relays and much bang my Seymour.

Distort everything easier.

UTILIZATION

A drive, a tone and a level, America is not lost.

SOUND QUALITY

A sound standard that is in the middle or end of drive.
Distortion of the blur (song2), radiohead ... So we find ourselves from time to time taken by the desire to play or polythylne airbag ...
Trs good fuzz that swells with harmonics SETTING THE Tone quite effective.

OVERALL OPINION

4 years I use it as my project thanks to the factory circuit board and lists the components of pedals that can be found on the net, the view that the number of components 'there was I have therefore dropped and I just bought a € 100 approx.
Trs trs solid and stable it to last.

Overdrive pedals,
three knobs: distortion, filter, volume.
True-bypass switch on mine (apparently the former are not equipped MODELS)
AC power supply or battery by opening the small door in the housing site.
Trs good quality manufacturing, we feel that it is built to last.
The small detail too early: the mark of the settings on the knobs is phosphorescent!

UTILIZATION

Super simple rule: we seek its level of distortion, we set the filter, adjusting the volume and balance on the sauce.
No 'plop' when you switch, perfection.
Trs quickly found her and there is no buzz even with a note nag or regulation of the power supply industry (I have a power supply even when Electro-Harmonix ...)
Trs short and easy to use roughly effective is what is asked.

SOUND QUALITY

I mainly play on a tube amp in clean / crunchy with a lp custom with humbuckers and a sg, THE FIRST thing that surprised me is the excellent dynamics of the pedal.

The sound can range from light and good bluesy overdrive to heavy overdrive full of sustain and good rock n 'roll.

The filter knob did a great job, we move easily from full harmonic sound heavier and compress.

When my amp has heated as I push in the right spot that big crunch, the rat turns virtually distortion depending on the settings. (I do, however, never put the volume of the rat more than 3 / 4 eh! APRS any Fawn for compression)

It's excellent stuff, which gives me everything he has in the belly of the viel loupiotte type vox amp, twin ect ...

OVERALL OPINION

I no longer use it for 2 or 3 months is exactly the vintage od I was looking to boost my old amp (a head Evan has 60 runs ... not the streets), j ' I tried a flopped pedals: boss sd-1, mt-2, Big Muff, MXR + ... the Rat fills me for 65 euros I ever did this new choice without hesitation.

Said, it's a distortion pedal ptite / overdrive what!

UTILIZATION

It could not be easier: three knobs!

SOUND QUALITY

I'm surprised!
I use a Fender Hot Rod Deville 212, a Gibson Sg Std and occasionally a Cry Baby.
I've finally found the right supplement!
The crunch of the amp I liked bcp but I missed a good distortion.
I play garage rock genre rather Libertines and Strokes, so it's totally
what I needed!
Just one detail: Not too pushed in the distal or the filter, otherwise it compresses, and there
There are too low for me! Finally with ca ptits settings arranged in two seconds.
Otherwise, rock and roll and live the Fuzz!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for two weeks and I'm not disappointed!
I sold my Boss GT6 for it (more simple and sound, but a SOUND!)
I keep the one!

Crunch / analog overdrive, with IN, OUT, and a 9V power supply with an electrical outlet jack. I use it with a battery, the trap is strong and can be opened by hand if you have not cracked down like a brute.
Settings: Distortion, Filter (filter cut treble, even with a good bass) and Volume, plus On / Hard Bypass

UTILIZATION

Three knobs, hard to get any easier ...
When the manual, take my job very seriously tester, I have downloaded from the manufacturer, it has 3 settings and information on the power supply. I think it will certainly not anyone bothered to download it!

SOUND QUALITY

To start, note that I use this pedal with a LOW (active => big input level to the pedal ...)
So we will, therefore, a very good crunch to an almost distortion "fuzzesque" although in this case means more than what we played too. What a sound! : Vintage, dirty and hot (and yes even with a bass!), The crunch responds very well to the intensity of the game and the distortion is very "acid".
The sounds I get with: the crunch of Nick Oliveri on the first album of Queens of the Stone Age, or the distortion of Krist Novoselic (Nirvana) on Incesticide, even if it is not necessarily a reference.
I caught up with the lack of settings with the settings of my bass, which for players is more difficult (no preamp like an active bass ...).

Update: I now have a guitar (Fender Mustang) so I can try the Rat with (plugged into a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe). The Rat perfectly complements the amp: I use the crunch from the amp, but I prefer the Rat distortion, especially because I can put it after the wah. In any case this pedal does not have to face the shame of a grain tube distortion. Even with an output level of the lowest in the market (the microphones of the Mustang) I get a very powerful fuzz with the Rat (though less powerful in the treble). Note that after noon on the knob of distortion you feel compression Ascending; the disto food thoroughly all the dynamics, giving a very synthetic fuzz and lo-fi, which can be nice but not for everyone .

Difficult to return to its clear so it's good!

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two weeks and I'm delighted for her single grain (away from the modern types of Boss pedals, albeit in less versatility).
In short if you want to make you sound very personal, please, if you prefer the versatility, orient you rather (for bass) to the Digitech BassDriver. I also like its looks (look "East Germany" from my teacher scratching)
At 100 Euros, we are still in the initial price for an effects pedal so RAS on quality / price ratio, especially since it is manufactured in the United States.
Yes I do it again this election and I advise all bass players Alternative Rock / grunge / punk or even blues.

Update: I have now for 2 years, always satisfied, the pedal is very robust (no single scratch despite some concerts in unsavory conditions!)

The ProCo Sound Vintage Rat is an analog distortion pedal designed for use with electric guitar.  It has both a 1/4 inch input and a 1/4 inch output and can be powered by either a battery or a power supply.  This isn't a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box. 


UTILIZATION

The make up of the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat is really basic and is extremely easy to follow.  It simply has three different knobs to control distortion, filter, and volume.  Everything is pretty self explanatory for the most part as the labels for the parameters are found on most distortion pedals.  Even if you don't have any experience with a distortion pedal, the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat won't take too long to understand and for this reason a manual really isn't necessary.


SOUND QUALITY

Even though it is only useful for rock and metal, the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat has a thick distortion tone that is really full bodied.  I usually use this pedal with a Gibson SG plugged into a '76 Fender Twin Reverb as the amp doesn't have any built in distortion, so I feel I'm getting a pretty accurate representation of what the pedal sounds like.  If you play a lot of harder rock, the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat will give you a great tone for that type of music, but probably isn't all that useful outside of the genre. 


OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat for about three years and this pedal definitley is useful and while it isn't all that versatile, it is great at what it can do.  It is incredibly easy to use and has a really fat sound to it that although is best suited for metal and harder rock, you could probably stretch to use it elsewhere, it just depends what you are going for.  The price of the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat is about average but I do wish that it was a bit cheaper than it is because it has a simple make up and is somewhat one dimensional.  Compared to the regular ProCo Sound Rat, this pedal is a bit more gritty sounding.  All in all, if you are looking for a pedal with a lot of bite to use with harder rock music, the ProCo Sound Vintage Rat is worth a shot.

(Originally written by victhebig/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
SELF-MADE VINTAGE RAT:

PCB: tonepad.com

Components: smallbearelec.com

- 8-pin LM308AN chip (I removed the 30pf condenser because the LM308AN doesn't need it unless you want a more aggressive distortion sound)

- Silicon diodes

Modifications: switch for the original 1µF output condenser and 4.7µF condenser for the lows.

Another possible modifications: chip replacement with a NE5534, op O7DP; serial germanium diodes (I already tested this and it sounds great), diodes replacement with LEDs, cut-off switch for the 47-ohm condenser (Ruetz Rat) or replacement with a 1 kOhm potentiometer.

UTILIZATION

Very simple configuration.

My favorite settings (distortion / filter / level): 10 o'clock / 10 o'clock / 9 o'clock = powerful overdrive

10 o'clock / 12 o'clock / 12 o'clock = Nirvana distortion

12 o'clock / 10 o'clock /8 o'clock = guitar or bass boost

11 o'clock / max / max: fuzz reminding Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Gilmour, etc.

SOUND QUALITY

POWER IT WITH A BATTERY!!!!!!

This way, you get maximum low-frequency overtones.

The device shows its real quality when battery operated (like a Fuzz Face)...

Ultimate and best tube simulation. It works very good with a solid-state amp and it's a unique weapon with a tube amp.

OVERALL OPINION

I build all my effect pedals myself: TS808 boutique models, Orange Squeezer, Small Clone tremolo/chorus, RATs.

It costs me half the money and I double the quality and power. THINK ABOUT IT! Get in touch with me if you have any question about building a RAT pedal!