Good morning to all, I've got an old Pro co Rat dist box that I use with my gmm when I'am playin slide, it's very controlable an works very well even at low volumes, I've had this piece for about fifteen years and it's still going strong, never had a problem with it ever, and works well with every set up I've ever used it on. My question is that with todays didgitals, is there anything out there that can last as long and perform the same and give me the same quality, I've looked at a few boards and checked out a boss (took it back), didn't like it at all, really weak and thin sounding. The pro,co is the only foot switch I use and it's still going strong but I'am asking becuase if it ever gives up, it's a hard piece to find, I've tried, so any thoughts and imput I would be thankfull.

I bought a Rat in the late 70s and still have it. I'm not sure about
how durable the newer digital pedals are, but Damage Controls makes
some interesting devices with tubes and built like a tank.

http://damagecontrolusa.com/products/

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

should anything on it break it would probably be a simple fix, and worth it for a vintage pedal and old friend

the digital world, computer or pedal based, is getting better but may not be there yet for you

the analog world has lots of options with original vintage pedals the holy grail

"build your own clone' has duplicated the rat, and built upon it, analogman I think also has a rat, new rats by pro co and others are out there but some say they aren't as good as the originals.

Thanks for your reply, I wasen' expecting anyone to come back with they have one,I've been looking around for awhile now in my area and so far nothing, even got a few (whats)? from some of the younger guys. Like I said earlier I don,t need one but I like mine so much and have gotten so used to haveing it that I don,t want to go without this box should it ever fail. how do you like yours and do you still use it or are you useing newer equip. I do have some people keepin a six on it for me, but as of yet nothing for
sale, and the two that I have found, the guys don,t want to give them up. I will check out the site you mentioned and have a look. Thank you much! good info.

I don't think digital effects will ever match analog completely. I have a ProCo Rat, one of the first ones. Newer digital products are designed to be cheaply produced, not to be durable. Cheap electronics will eventually fail, and far sooner than good old wires and solder! A Rat is easy to repair if you burn it up or wear it out......just a couple solder joints to replace the magnetic foot switch or a potentiometer. It is tough as a tank, and you should use it if it suits your style! It will likely outlast you anyway just like anything else that is a quality piece.

Hi and thanks for that bit knowlage, everything helps! I used to live in the city and back
then it was easy to find this sort of stuff but now I,am in a small town, love it but limited when it comes to availability, I did not know pro,co was still making them I was told no but he must have ment it the same way you just put it, as there not the same.
I like mine and have never use it to the max output, never needed to,works great with tube amps, and I just use it to dirty things up a bit when I,am playin slide,but man it does the job very nice. I'll check into what you,ve told me for shure, just only now getting into this computer thing, now I know why I like blues keyboard players so much,cuase I,am strugglin with this key board and man its not easy,going to have to practice alot more. Thank you much! have a great day.

Thanks, your for shure right if this box keeps it up the way it has over all these years,I guess I should start useing this comp to see if anyone makes a double wide dirt box for me and my old time equipment but then again they don,t make that stuff like they used to either, nothing stays the same except the blues,from the root to the fruit and now I,ll be thinking all day about going back to roots, wonder if they let you in heaven with you guitars and stuff. Thanks to you man, I'am glad I got this old tanker! have a great day! PS, are you selling it?

the only digital pedal i use is a boss ds-2, and i usually only use it to give my big muff a little more bite!
everything else is analog.... just sounds so much better

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Favorite bands:

Melvins
The Jesus Lizard
Cows
Big Business
R***man
Minutemen
Flight
Minor Threat
Big Black
Shellac
Karp
Scratch Acid
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Pixies

Man your muffs got teeth! holy crap! shades of joline rotten, pistolli sex, I,am ramonins?
(whats?) , just kidin with ya, couldn't stop myself, gotta go befor wifey thinks I,am on one of those smut sites. Have a great day! Thanks.

Older ProCo Rats like yours are good equipment. I played one back in the mid 80s to early 90s and it sounded great with a Gibson LP. It had good sounds. It was the last distortion pedal I ever owned. Back then even te Boss DS-1 couldn't compare. However, I've been into OD since. I don't think you'll find a Digital Distortion that can compare. However, BYOC makes a clone of the RAT.

You ARE!


(grabbed this off teh Martian oh- oh- oh-thread)

Cheers...

Nutter

Smut? This is HIGH CLASS STUFF!!!

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You dig?

THAT!looks vintage.

Yes and exspensive!