Proco Rat vs. Rat 2

[Tone2TheBone]

What's the difference between them.

 

[duhvoodooman]

The "2".

Sorry, couldn't help myself, Tone.

My understanding is that the Rat 2's circuit is the same as the original Rat and that the changes were of a cosmetic nature (nicer casing, glow-in-the-dark graphics, on/off LED).

 

[Spudman]

I'd always heard that the original sounds way different than the 2 (which I have). There was something different in he circuitry. I'll look around and see if I can get you a definitive answer.

What I can say is that my Rat 2 doesn't sound as good as the originals that I've heard in the past but that is all solvable with a simple mod. You can find used 2s pretty reasonably priced still. Then do the mod and shazam you're ready to rock.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I'd always heard that the original sounds way different than the 2 (which I have). There was something different in he circuitry. I'll look around and see if I can get you a definitive answer.

I'll be interested to read what you come up with, Spuds. I was just going by what I'd read about the evolution of the Rat on the ProCo website. But it's certainly possible that other changes were made that they don't mention, especially if they were of the "cost-cutting" variety with negative tonal impact....

 

[SuperSwede]

I´ve heard that the latest version of the Rat 2 (the one with a led) sounds less good than the first Rat 2 without led (the led is in the letter A). I havent had the chance of trying the later Rat 2 myself so I cannot confirm this...

I have tried both the older more wide Rat and the first version of the Rat 2, and I have to agree that the original rat doesnt sound exactly the same as the Rat 2. The new rats also have true bypass.

 

[Tone2TheBone]

Great info brothers thank you.

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

This site may be of help for you..

http://www.happybob.com/rstrand/rat/rat_versions.htm

All I know..is I have the Vintage Version which suppose to be original circuit copy.. It sounds different and better than a clone version in a digitech pedal.. and it's not going anyplace..
I actually have found more sounds in it than any of the other pedals I mess with.. it could replace the MUFF.. and has replaced a B.K.Butler.. it's amazing how many different sounds you can get from it.. clean to distorted.. I keep messing with it.. no wonder it's been around so long..

 

[markb]

To my ears, there's no contest. My 1990-ish RAT (big steel box, no led) sounds far better than a RAT II I bought a couple of years ago. I sold the RAT II on. The old RAT goes from a light OD to fuzz territory and, most importantly, cleans up from the guitar's volume knob. The RAT II was stiff and fizzy, the distortion character didn't cover the range of the old one, and it didn't clean up so well.

That link's useful but I'd say the mark 2 RAT casing was aluminium with a steel inner panel.