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Since the RAT is a huge success at the minimalist board thread I'm considering to get one.

There are different ones, so much I know. Is the difference huge?
Anyone ever played one of those whiteface reissue RATs?
Any known bad batches? Anything I should avoid or look for?

As you said there is a bunch of them out there. It depends what you're going for. The RAT2 used is always a safe bet.

A little tip with them? I like them especially after a 'Ruetz snip' mod. Google the instructions.

I've been pro-Rat for 5 years running now

I've seen Arto Lindsay rock a rig of 12string Dano > Digitech Whammy > Rat > Blackface Twin sounded friggin great.
I love my 80s sound. I am a sucker for No Wave and Punk.

A used vintage Rat is the way to go.
The Rat II can be modded to sound great and are dirt cheap used.

Nothing else gets that ‘80s sound so well.

MM

I've got 2 rats on the floor at the moment. One's an older rat 2 that still has the lm308, and one's one of the good reissues that still has the 308. I think I read somewhere that they made some without...so make sure the one you're looking at has one.

Look for a made in the USA model on craigslist. You should be able to find one for $40-$60 instead of being raped by ebay.

Right, lm308, what is up with that chip? I've seen one with that chip, and the guy wants 100Euro, another for a new RAT2 wants 45. Is that just collectable, or is it Mojo or is there a real difference in the sound?

phantasmagorovich wrote:Right, lm308, what is up with that chip? I've seen one with that chip, and the guy wants 100Euro, another for a new RAT2 wants 45. Is that just collectable, or is it Mojo or is there a real difference in the sound?

Mainly Mojo... the LM308 isn't for everyone either, some prefer other chips, by the cheap rat, socket the chip and you can pick up a LM308 for a few dollars/euros along with a couple of other Op-Amps and try them all out and see what you like best while saving a large amount of cash.

The chip is just famed cause of mojo from being in the original, it's a cheap and dirty Op-Amp, nothing special... the design of Rats may also fluctuate but the overal design is the same, there was most likely (having not studied the rat much I can't say for certain) several revisions of the original Rat anyway as is the usual practice for large companies so yeah... grab a Rat and you'll get a Rat tone, the only difference would be with Rats like the Turbo Rat.

I think the RAT2s are supposed to be a bit more aggressive? And the turbo rats more controllable and lower gain?
I'm too scared to get into the world of rats cause I know I'll love them

aussy wrote:I think the RAT2s are supposed to be a bit more aggressive? And the turbo rats more controllable and lower gain?
I'm too scared to get into the world of rats cause I know I'll love them

I'm pretty sure turbo rats are higher gain. Turbo. Vroooooom! And the rat 2 is based off the original design, but with a smaller enclosure and minor component changes from version to version.

DO IT. DO IT.

The "You Dirty Rats" have always tempted me

the only rat i would ever go for is a turbo rat... I think they have more gain dont they?

Gilmourish wrote:the only rat i would ever go for is a turbo rat... I think they have more gain dont they?

I think the only main difference in the 2 is the clipping diodes... the normal Rat uses Silicon diodes (1N4148 type) and the Turbo uses LEDs which technically actually give less gain (although I always thought it sounded like more too) but give more volume and also more bass.

So you could stick it on a switch, I always liked the Rat with LEDs, sounded a lot more open.

someone on the net even suggests 12 volts - I HAVE NOT DARED TO TRY THAT THOUGH.

Try it... there shouldn't be any harm in it, aslong as all electrolytic capacitors inside are rated for above that (the datasheet for the LM308 shows it will be okay too)... it should be perfectly fine, what difference it'll make, well that's a different question... some times upping voltage in effects works, others, it does not.

futuresailors wrote:

What?