People claim the circuit is the same, but I'm afraid to say that there's a bit more to it than the older ones just having that "vintage mojo". Opening them both up and checking the component count and their tolerances, I realised that there are far more differences between the two than the LM308. The Chinese ones are fizzy, harsh, and the Distortion is either so little that the pedal sounds like it's off, or, with a hair's width turn clockwise, has too much distortion to use it how I'd like. I swapped out the stock OP07 for a NOS LM308, thinking it might bring me a little closer to what I was after, and besides the most ridiculously minute change in frequency response, A/Bing between my pedal and my friend's '88 model yielded the exact same results as before - His was still smoother, still more subtle, with a massively more usable range on the Distortion and Volume pots. However, you simply can NOT do this with the Chinese ones.
I've come to prefer it over the typical Tube Screamer circuit, which always feels bland after I've been using a Rat. I use them Nuno style as an overdrive/filter for the guitar before it hits a high-gain amp, to tighten things up and give it character. I must qualify this by stating that I don't use them for their distortion. My friend has an 88 model Rat2, which I borrow from time to time as I absolutely bloody love it. They merely have minor EQ properties as a byproduct of their efficiency. I think people put far too much stock in that little op amp, which isn't a tone-shaping component by any stretch. It should have the chip, but even if it doesn't, I've come to realise that the chip has precisely fuck all to do with the tone.
I don't think it has the LM308 chip, but I'm super happy regardless. It's truly amazing and quite easily the best £59 quid I've spent on anything let alone music related. I've never had a RAT before and I have to ask myself why. I've just received a ProCo RAT 2, which appears to be a '97 model. I am still ashamed of myself to this day. I gave Electro Music in Doncaster my pedal, and £100 in cash for that. the only two things that would survive would be Cockroaches and late 80's early 90's Rat pedals their glow in the dark logos refreshed to blaze for another millenia!Īnd as for selling old gear? I learnt not to do that when I part exchanged my Roger Mayer Voodoo Vibe for a Line 6 MM4. These things there ould be a nuclear war, and all of humanity wiped out. Ha! Still plenty of life left in the old girl yet. This old Rat is probably a piece of crap and likely to break. And it has the black "X Wing" DPDT switch.įrom what I've read, that puts it as being an 89/90.Īre there any RAT aficionados out there who could verify my thoughts?Īnd no, it's not for sale. The date stamp on the distortion pot is 578943. It has a LM308N chip, and was assembled by "Vikkie"
It's definitely a USA made Rat 2 (Glow in dark, Red LED, 3.5mm power socket)
I've had it since around 1995, she it's always sounded rather sweet, or nasty depending on the knob tweaking. Today I decided to look into the age of my Proco Rat.
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