Why I DIY

[karbomusic]

I took my store-bought ProCo RAT apart last year, the knobs were super glued on and once I got it open (after ripping the POTs to pieces) I wasn't too happy to see what I had actually paid for. Other than the destroyed POTs, this exactly how it was manufactured, I did not bend any of those parts etc, they are as built:



I had to replace it, so I took a schematic, recreated in Eagle, did a layout, etched it and built it this evening:



Had to get it off my chest. /rant

[MovingInSloMo]

wow that's crappy comercial quility.. looks like the 70's electro harmonix stuff

[Luke51411]

That's a sweet drop in rat board 

[electrosonic]

Wasn't the Rat the inspiration for the RGs millennium bypass - getting virtual true bypass and an indicator LED with a DPDT.

I guess using a 3PDT saves money nowadays.

Andrew.

[aron]

Wait, are you saying that's a stock Rat? What about the globs of solder on the 3PDT? That can't be correct can it? Let me look into mine.... I know it was built better than that picture.

[karbomusic]

Wait, are you saying that's a stock Rat? What about the globs of solder on the 3PDT? That can't be correct can it? Let me look into mine.... I know it was built better than that picture.

I am saying exactly that, it's pictured as purchased other than my disassembly. I must have been burned in some way (counterfeit, fake or very bad run?) because I agree with your surprise yet the above is, or rather was my stock/commercial RAT.

I purchased it back in 2008/9 and it was from a reputable dealer though I can't remember who that was. It was an online seller, I even spoke to the gentleman/owner on the phone because I had gotten several pedals at the same time and had questions about one of them.

The one pictured above came with the OP07 as an FYI and no the 3PDT is as-is, I've never touched the insides of that RAT other than to pull it apart and do a mod after getting in to DIYing; that's how I discovered it.

EDIT: I did find a few pics on the net that were quite similar to mine.

[TGP39]

I appreciate aesthetics and good build quality as much as the next guy. You also upgraded the parts, but.......you have yet to mention the sound quality or sound difference between both pedals.
Also, great job on the upgrade.

Steve.

[karbomusic]

I appreciate aesthetics and good build quality as much as the next guy. You also upgraded the parts, but.......you have yet to mention the sound quality or sound difference between both pedals.
Also, great job on the upgrade.

Steve.

I couldn't reliably say since I haven't heard my stock one in a couple of years. I can say the stock one didn't get much use on my pedal board and that I think the rebuild sounds fantastic thus far. The true test will be to see how much it gets used compared to the previous one. I did find myself playing through it for quite awhile when testing so that's a good sign.

[LightSoundGeometry]

no, commercial pedals arel iek this ..i have taken a hundred of them apart and sloppy work like this is common I have found - the few old radios & TV I have taken apart look like this to

my 350 dollar vox nitetrain head, made in china of course now, looks very similar ...its hard to believe stuff works coming off these assembly lines like this

[Joe]

I guess gluing the knobs on is supposed to deter people from seeing the crappy insides, lol.

[karbomusic]

I guess gluing the knobs on is supposed to deter people from seeing the crappy insides, lol.

Yea, that was a bummer because I couldn't believe that was actually the case, that is until it came off... along with the entire POT shaft. I searched around and found that some are actually glued.

[LightSoundGeometry]

my danelectro fab series pedals are made pretty good, and they sound decent, are very usable - my boss pedals look good. its the vox and other brands that look bad ..my vox wah wah looks just like the rat

[MrStab]

FWIW, i've fixed two Turbo Rats and i didn't notice this level of construction quality, nor glued knobs. both had 3PDTs, i think both were late 80s-90s models (that doesn't seem right... were the big blue 3PDTs around back then?)

i did notice some serious problems with them both, though: the wrong power jack had been used, and the Filter control worked the wrong way round oh, wait...