let's list every Rat clone (and also just chat Rats)

[qersty]

Eloborate on the Cat Tail please...

I always thought it was just a rat with the usual clipping options and a couple other popular diy mods...Right?
Besides those high/low clipping switches...how does it compare to those other ones you tried?

There's a clipping switch that gives you the option of Si/None/LED (which I believe are the typical rat mods...) but the beauty of the CT is the high and low controls--those two knobs separately control the amount of clipping in the high and low range of the EQ, which just gives incredible control over the voicing and the ability to dial in both blown-out bottom end and cutting highs, as an example.

It also just seems to have a more usable EQ range than any of the other rodents, and the ability to more easily dial out the fizz.

Hadn't heard about the tone control. Makes sense since most people find it to be kinda sucky. Do you know if it is louder than the stock rat?

[benjuro]

Hadn't heard about the tone control. Makes sense since most people find it to be kinda sucky. Do you know if it is louder than the stock rat?

I don't have a Rat anymore to compare, but it does have more output volume than the Muffs I reserve for home use--although not as loud as something like a BAT Pharaoh.

[Snufkino]

Are the high and low gain controls just the standard ruetz mods? Or is there more mojo at play here?

I'd guess a ruetz mod at the least, or a variation of it, as from what I can remember it's quite subtle. Interested to see a schematic on that one.

[qersty]

Are the high and low gain controls just the standard ruetz mods? Or is there more mojo at play here?

I'd guess a ruetz mod at the least, or a variation of it, as from what I can remember it's quite subtle. Interested to see a schematic on that one.

This is what imagine it is close to; the "extra hacker points" ruetz mod, the cap values may have been changed for something else.

Also Broughton audio came out with a bax-coupled rat called locust starwhich is supposed to be nice. Broughton tends to be pretty hyped though (rats too. broton+ratt= HYYYPEE!) and i imagine it is hard to build a rat that is different enough to stand out from other rats that simultaneously pulls of the classic rat sound good enough. I'm personally just mad someone din't reserve the name for something grander than a rat...

[Jero]

Another one I found recently, the Matthews Effects Harbinger...rat with active tone (+/- 15db), Freq knob (100-4khz), and LM308. Can be found for about $100.

[qersty]

Another one I found recently, the Matthews Effects Harbinger...rat with active tone (+/- 15db), Freq knob (100-4khz), and LM308. Can be found for about $100.

That's kinda cool. Is it discontinued? The EQ seems to be 1-band before dirt which i'm into as i like to boost mids a lil alot before dirt. I was underwhelmed by this however on the dod boneshaker, not that im saying this would be in any way similar. would have been nice with a little more eq tho

[Jero]

Another one I found recently, the Matthews Effects Harbinger...rat with active tone (+/- 15db), Freq knob (100-4khz), and LM308. Can be found for about $100.

That's kinda cool. Is it discontinued? The EQ seems to be 1-band before dirt which i'm into as i like to boost mids a lil alot before dirt. I was underwhelmed by this however on the dod boneshaker, not that im saying this would be in any way similar. would have been nice with a little more eq tho

They are either discontinued, or not made often, it seems like. I know they've done at least 2 different finishes on them. They aren't on the site, but neither are a lot of other things they've made. So might be a small batch deal like their The Ghoul fuzz (which I'm also interested in but the demos are pretty limited). I haven't tried the Harbinger personally, but it seemed fitting for the thread...and it might have soft switching too. Which is always a welcome addition.

[codetocontra]

Jonny Angle did some comparisons:

[qersty]

TOUCHING MEEEEEEEEEE! TOUCHING YOOUUUUOUUUUUUU!

(isnt the 1981 supposed to be boost up front? sounds barely any different, maybe a lil more crushed and brighter)

[mcatano]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned previously in the thread, but I have one and it's a solid clone. Daredevil made them for a now-defunct shop on the south side of Chicago called 312 Vintage. Has all the popular mods you expect from a Rat clone plus a clean boost. Mine is a slightly different version with a toggle for the 'mod' section instead of a pot.

[Snufkino]

I think the 1981 is Klon/Rat? Looks hella swanky but I'm sure you could get a similar tone from doing a simpler mod to Rat. And it could do without all the booteek hipster guff on the website extolling about how sublime its farts smell.

[Jwar]

I think the 1981 is Klon/Rat? Looks hella swanky but I'm sure you could get a similar tone from doing a simpler mod to Rat. And it could do without all the booteek hipster guff on the website extolling about how sublime its farts smell.

I feel like some people sat in a room and tried to think of a way to grab all the cork sniffing hipsters in one go. Their solution was this pedal. Everything about this pedal wreaks of commercialism as well as personifying the hype machine at its worst. Fucking 300 bucks for a goddamn rat clone. Are people fucking high? Do they really think it's going to be better than the ones you can get for 40-50? I don't. It's all made from the same cheap Chinese shit. God this brand angers me. It's so shallow and pretentious I want to beat it to death. I feel like I'd have to fart in a champagne glass and smell my farts before I could own one of those.


Actually I'm getting sick of all hipster brands. There's a lot of them. Hipsters are like hippies except for not cool. So, I'm boycotting you fucks! You fake ass bitches!

[qersty]

Jesus christ i didnt realize it was that expensive. So people pay that price knowing it is just a rat clone? I agree with jwar that boutique stuff is getting outta hand.

[repoman]

The $50 one sounded the best imo
The other 3 sounded the same and were kinda muffled.

[Jwar]

The OG Rat is hard to beat! Codetocontra got me hooked when we last saw each other. I used to hate Rats until I tried an original, which amazingly, I never had.

I like variant pedals too. I just think 1:1 clones are lame regardless of the pedal (I'm sure that one is loaded with Klon like mojo though!! It has to be! It's on Instagram and popular!).