The Helix Rat

Teetonetal

I have never liked rats. 
Lat night I was searching for a sound, flixed through the Helix OD/FUZZ emulations, found the sound I liked and was shocked to see it was a RAT emulation. Sounded massive.

So is it a good emulation? I'd kind of like to try a real one now? What Rats apart from the ProCo ones are good? The Proco rat is not so easy to get here.

Cirrus

The old Line 6 DM-4 Rat model is great, so I assume the Helix one is too. I was playing with the Helix Native trial over the weekend, didn't spot the Rat. Which model is it, might try it tonight.

The Rat is one of my favourite pedals, though it is quite touchy - easy to make it sound too fizzy, you really need to work the filter knob in conjunction with getting the gain just right for the part. But when it works, it's perfect.

Teetonetal

@Cirrus it's called vermin od I think

Sporky

No idea how it compares to a real RAT, but it's my favourite overdrive/distortion pedal in the Helix. With the Industrial Fuzz just after.

jellybelly

Teetonetal said:

I have never liked rats. 
Lat night I was searching for a sound, flixed through the Helix OD/FUZZ emulations, found the sound I liked and was shocked to see it was a RAT emulation. Sounded massive.

So is it a good emulation? I'd kind of like to try a real one now? What Rats apart from the ProCo ones are good? The Proco rat is not so easy to get here.

I tried it back to back with my whiteface rat and it wasn’t all that close - not a million miles away either and certainly a cool sound.

Real one was less compressed, less smooth, less gain, more top end definition - subtle, not massive differences mind! L6 version was more 80s hair than 90s grunge, if that makes sense? A Rat 2 might be closer though would be interested in hearing others’ thoughts!

stickyfiddle

I found the Helix Rat a bit too harsh and trebly compared to my 2 Rats (early 00’s Rat2 and pedalparts kit build). Well worth trying a real one though - they’re great pedals

Teetonetal

stickyfiddle said:

I found the Helix Rat a bit too harsh and trebly compared to my 2 Rats (early 00’s Rat2 and pedalparts kit build). Well worth trying a real one though - they’re great pedals

Hmm . now this could be it. I have found rats to be a bit dull and smooth before, the helix one has a bit of bite, which I like.

meltedbuzzbox

You can always check out a mooer blacksecret. 
It's not a million miles away from a rat and has a few options. It's 25 quid used usually

gibsongretschfan

I think it’s modelled in an original Rat they had, the white face and Rat 2 are both a bit smoother

thomasw88

have an old rat 2 a black secret and the line 6 hx.   I don't like the vermin on the HX much.    The Mooer is decent tho and for the money a no brainer.

stickyfiddle

Teetonetal said:

stickyfiddle said:

I found the Helix Rat a bit too harsh and trebly compared to my 2 Rats (early 00’s Rat2 and pedalparts kit build). Well worth trying a real one though - they’re great pedals

Hmm . now this could be it. I have found rats to be a bit dull and smooth before, the helix one has a bit of bite, which I like.

FWIW my pedalparts one with LM308N chip is a bit bitier (is that a word?) than my Rat2, so you may still like the circuit, just not the current production of stock Rat2 pedals. 

I actually like the You Dirty Rat best - germanium diodes instead of silicon, which gives a hint more “old fuzz & amp” to the tone rather than the excellent but quite harsh regular Rat soun

BintyTwanger77

I've got a Jam Rattler on my board and it sounds fantastic. It has the NOS LM308N chip in it as well.

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/jam-rattler-618038

Teetonetal

BintyTwanger77 said:

I've got a Jam Rattler on my board and it sounds fantastic. It has the NOS LM308N chip in it as well.

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/jam-rattler-618038

Got any clips of it?

Teetonetal

meltedbuzzbox said:

You can always check out a mooer blacksecret. 
It's not a million miles away from a rat and has a few options. It's 25 quid used usually

Good shout. Might do that.

BintyTwanger77

Teetonetal said:

BintyTwanger77 said:

I've got a Jam Rattler on my board and it sounds fantastic. It has the NOS LM308N chip in it as well.

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/jam-rattler-618038

Got any clips of it?

Not of me playing it (wouldn’t inflict that on anyone), but I found this, comparing the Rattler to a stock Rat 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDJOmfjDHUQ

roberty

meltedbuzzbox said:

You can always check out a mooer blacksecret. 
It's not a million miles away from a rat and has a few options. It's 25 quid used usually

I've got one I can do for £25, PM for details