Modes and looking up info on each pedal , I found they all sound unique in their own way . Each pedal recreation has similarities but also has a wide range of differences . Some are heavy and more fuzz-like , and some have more headroom , cleaner with good sustain .
Here are some details . The 1-OG 1979 is the V1 pedal , the original , killer RAT . I find it grainier than the V3-B . The 2-WHT 1884 is the White Face RAT , considered by many as the “ Holy Grail ” and is quite similar except the Filter knob works in reverse making for wider control over the tone . The 3-TRB 1989 is the Turbo RAT . They traded a Silicone diode for LED for the clipping circuit . It ’ s the first model with an LED on / off indicator . The 4-BRAT V6 1997 was a low-cost model , also released as a Guitar Center branded pedal called Roadkill . The BRAT added an input buffer and a few capacitor value changes . The 5-DRTY is the Dirty V7 2004 . This circuit uses germanium diodes for the most saturation of all the versions . The 6-LA
1986 was an Ibanez version of the RAT made for Metal . The distortion is created by clipping the op-amp , giving the perfect 80 ' s LA rock tone . The 7-GRF 1999 is the Landgraff MO ' D . It ' s a high-end hand-wired RAT-inspired pedal , known for its fantastic aggressive sound . The 8- Caroline 2010 , ( Wave Cannon ) is a fantastic RAT-like version paired down from 4 to 3 knobs for this application . It ' s got a great Big fuzz sound , perfect for the single low note follow the bass thing . Lastly , the 9-JHS 2008 mode is based on RAT mods Josh and his guys did to thousands of pedals . It ' s got Josh ' s personal touches and increases the range in the distortion from light to heavy . I love it .
MY TAKEAWAY : As I started researching about this pedal , there was a lot to learn , and historic stuff I ' ve never heard . I am so grateful to Josh and his team for making this amazing tribute to one of the most iconic pedals . His attention to detail is obvious , as you go from one MODE version to another . I lean toward the Whiteface which I ' m very familiar with , LA for humbucker crunch , The Caroline for uniqueness , and I love what Josh did with his JHS mod . This is a wonderful pedal in the studio . You can pick two different modes and use one for the original part and the second for the double . It ' s super quick to go back and forth if I have to fix something and get the right tone back .
On my worship board , I like it as the second to last pedal before the TIM . It ' s a perfect pedal for getting lead lines to speak in the mix , and it has great sustain . Overall , I can ' t say enough good about this pedal . It ’ s super easy to get a killer sound . You can go old school or very modern vibe with the last few modes . PACKRAT is a keeper , and perfect for a board that is used live and in the studio . I think you ’ re gonna love it !
Price $ 249.00 www . JHSpedals . info