Do you use a rat in a tube screamer fashion?

[nujnujnuj]

Hi all.

Do you use a rat style pedal, in a tube screamer way?
High volume, 0 or low gain, and tone/filter to taste, to goose up your other OD/amp, and tighten things up?

Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[iggs]

Definitely ... that's my main use for any RAT style pedal. Crunchy amp + RAT style = my main sound.
Right now I'm using Walrus Iron Horse but also have and love JAM Rattler and Lovekraft Chupacabra.

 

[reprove]

I use a 1981 DRV this way. Amp has a bit of breakup and if I need more I hit the DRV with a Westwood. So good.

 

[GA20T]

The RATs I've owned don't even really work until that gain is up to 9:00, and some time before noon they get a little too distorted and thinned out for my purposes. I generally use the drive between 9:00 and 11:00/11:30 and adjust the volume until the system sounds its best in the room, then control everything with the vol., tone and attack on the guitar.

 

[Tootone]

TurboRATs have a bit more to offer in the low gain (overdrive sounds) department IMO.

They also offer a shed load more boost potential, although I don't think you could ever use or need that much... each to his own.

 

[Junta]

The run of the mill Rat I tried at a store a few years ago (plugged into a mini-Jubilee set to mild ‘crunch’ on the clean channel) did not have enough volume to use it in the same way you describe.

That’s when I knew right away I would have to go with a Jam Rattler (plenty of volume on tap).

I have A/Bed my mini TS with the rattler, and while the Rattler can be dialed in to come close, it is never quite the same. Different EQ.

I do not think an off the shelf Rat today or the Rattler does the ‘TS thing’ the way you described it good enough to replace the TS in my opinion.

having said that, I would always prefer the Rat or even better, the Rattler to the TS with gain levels higher than the very mildest setting.

 

[LordThurisaz]

I do sometimes with my Tech 21 British. Sounds nice.

 

[jazzguitarfan]

Yep, this is about the only way I use it (drive at about 8:30ish, volume 2-3, filter 2-3). It still operates more as a light overdrive than a mid boosting clean boost and doesn't sound the same as the TS. Instant Scofield and sounds nice.

 

[s3gle]

No way, Tubescreamer drive must be maxxed for tone.

Based on what you said, yes that's how I mostly use the Rat. I don't see how it's a reference to the other pedal, though. I wouldn't even use it if the other one wasn't pushing it, first. It gets more sustain with less volume from postamp power & cascades nicely without overly feeding back

 

[musickbox]

The run of the mill Rat I tried at a store a few years ago (plugged into a mini-Jubilee set to mild ‘crunch’ on the clean channel) did not have enough volume to use it in the same way you describe.

That’s when I knew right away I would have to go with a Jam Rattler (plenty of volume on tap).

I have A/Bed my mini TS with the rattler, and while the Rattler can be dialed in to come close, it is never quite the same. Different EQ.

I do not think an off the shelf Rat today or the Rattler does the ‘TS thing’ the way you described it good enough to replace the TS in my opinion.

having said that, I would always prefer the Rat or even better, the Rattler to the TS with gain levels higher than the very mildest setting.

+1

Having owned an 80's big box Rat, I can tell you there's not a ton of volume on tap. It also depends how hard you're trying to slam your amp or other pedals. If it's just slightly changing the EQ or texture, then you can easily do it. I would just temper your expectation. I would look at other pedals for this kind of approach.

 

[Zooey]

Do you use a rat style pedal, in a tube screamer way?
High volume, 0 or low gain, and tone/filter to taste, to goose up your other OD/amp, and tighten things up?

I am always surprised to see people say you can use a Rat in this way. Mine is almost silent with the distortion at zero and the volume all the way up. It doesn't get to unity until the distortion is turned up at least 1/3 of the way up. To get a significant volume boost, you have to have the distortion at about halfway where it is already much more distorted than people typically run a Tubescreamer.

 

[LordThurisaz]

I am always surprised to see people say you can use a Rat in this way. Mine is almost silent with the distortion at zero and the volume all the way up. It doesn't get to unity until the distortion is turned up at least 1/3 of the way up. To get a significant volume boost, you have to have the distortion at about halfway where it is already much more distorted than people typically run a Tubescreamer.

That's because people who use it like this do not put the distortion at zero.

Here is Nuno's RAT settings on the Generation Axe tour a few years back. This is about how you're supposed to set it. 8:30-900, Filter to taste, and volume as high as needed.

 

[Zooey]

That's because people who use it like this do not put the distortion at zero.

Here is Nuno's RAT settings on the Generation Axe tour a few years back. This is about how you're supposed to set it. 8:30-900, Filter to taste, and volume as high as needed.

I guess Rats are inconsistent because mine (early 90s big box RI) would not even be unity gain at that setting.

 

[LordThurisaz]

I guess Rats are inconsistent because mine (early 90s big box RI) would not even be unity gain at that setting.

The Fat Rat I have needs the distortion at 9:00, whereas others I have are full signal at 8:30. Either way, I can still use it to boost a tone for a bit of a different thing than a TS and some EQ/grit.

 

[monty]

It works good in that context, but I use my Rat for the dirt it provides.