Introducing Rosie the Rat (aka Slow Lorus)

[Rich_S]

Man, it only took me a year to build this thing.  I got all the parts together, decaled the enclosure, then got busy with other things and didn't get back to it until now.  I wanted a Rat, but pedalboard space dictated it had to be a Boss-pedal footprint or smaller.  So, I ordered myself a Slow Lorus board.  I planned on a basic Rat design, with two clipping diodes and no switch.  This was to be a low-budget build, so I drilled a surplus 125-B enclosure that I got for free because it had no back plate.  It's one of those red-pink powdercoated ones from Small Bear, hence the name "Rosie the Rat".

It's late, so I could only test it through my Vox Amp Plug, which doesn't take boost or dirt pedals well.  However, early indications are it sounds like a Rat.  I'm glad I changed my mind at the last minute and added the 3-way clipping switch; there seem to be a lot of different tones in there.

Pics and a report on how it sounds through my 18 Watter tomorrow, I promise.

[Rich_S]

The photo doesn't show the true color - it's more pinkish than orange for better or worse.  Meh, it's what I had in the junk box.  You can't see it in the picture, but the finish on the top is uh.... textured.  Yeah, that's the ticket, it's textured.  What that means is, I accidentally bought a can of Krylon GLOSS clear acrylic instead of my tried-and-true satin acrylic.  The gloss started to wrinkle the powdercoat, but I noticed in time, let it cure, and resumed with the satin.  (Another box I was painting at the time didn't get off so easy; I had to sand it down to the primer and start over.)  In the end, Rosie was not built as a work of art - she's meant to be stomped on with a pair of funky old red Converse hightops.

Nothing out of the ordinary inside - the only mod I did to the circuit is the symmetrical clipping diodes.  



With any luck, I'll get a chance to try it through my amp later in the day.

[Rich_S]

Cheesy goodness!  

Man, I'd forgotten how totally nasty a Rat can be.  The bottom is kind of farty on the low strings below the 7th fret (might want to fix that eventually), but the upper registers sing.  I love how Rats kind of bubble slowly with this ever-changing harmonic structure.  It sounds like rolling lava, threatening to explode at any moment.  Rosie certainly has as much dirt as I'll ever need, which is exactly what I built it for.  My "normal" lead sound is more "ampy" - either a hot clean boost or a clear, dynamic overdrive (Eternity or modded SD-1).  Rosies' job is going to be over-the-top fuzzy stuff, and infinite-sustain special effects.

The dirt really comes on fast.  It cleans up way down around 1, but by 2 it's really dirty and goes up slowly from there.

I always had a thing against Turbo Rats - I rmember trying one 25 years ago and leaving with a negative impression.  Gearmandude's YouTube demo of the BYOC Rat clone reinforced that negtive image; I just liked the diode clipping better.  But now, I'm really glad I put the LEDs and mini-switch in Rosie - all three tones are different and usable.  The center position probably won't get used much since I have my normal OD/boost pedal instead, but if this was my only dirt pedal then I could see using all three positions.

This was all through my 18 Watter clone, with the attenuator (Weber MiniMASS) turned way down to bedroom level.  I can't wait to crank it up, take off the "blanket" and get a listen to more of the high-end detail.  The end game is going to be a shootout with my Monte Allums Recto Mod DS-1; another great distortion pedal but maybe a bit too polite for my needs.  Rosie should fix that problem easily.

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

That looks great!! I really like the little pictures describing the knobs kinda like an old orange amp 
I've been told Rats are known for their insane harmonic structure but I wasn't really catching on my rat build. I think I need to pull it out and slam away at it again!

[Rich_S]

Old Orange amps are the bomb.  You should see my Nutrino, and the graphics I used for "Drive" and "Glass", here: http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=12.0.

[bigmufffuzzwizz]

Those all look awesome! I'll never forget playing a 1972 MKII OR-80 w/ a matching 1972 4x12 cab. Everyone working there runs for their earplugs!

[nzCdog]

Nice pedal man, tidy job
Is that leopard skin your on pedalboard?  

[Rich_S]

Nah, that's the chaise lounge in out family room.  There's a guy who goes by the handle Xssive on the Seymour Duncan forum who builds his own versions of '80s-vintage Charvel superstrats; gorgeous guitars.  He's also a great photographer and often uses leopard-print fabric for his backdrop.  I use the chaise lounge as a gag-homage to Xssive.  He also sold me the neck for my goldtop Schecter PT, which by the way, I have yet to try through the Rat.

[nzCdog]

It would be a great idea for a pedalboard... so long as you don't need velcro I guess...  It's never worth understating the raw sex appeal of genuine leopard-skin printed fabric 

[Rich_S]

That Xssive guy at the Duncan forum has a HUGE pedalboard covered in leopard-print fabric.

Edit: Found a picture.

[nzCdog]

So much win! I want one!!!

[slimtriggers]

Nice job on the Rat!  A clean, solid build and not too precious to take a stompin' from ol' Chuck Taylor   I like it.

Man, that Xssive pedal board is SWEET!  I love the labels on his bypass looper.

[Rich_S]

Xssive is a graphic designer by trade, and a hell of a photographer.  Somewhere around here, I have a couple of bogus Schecter decals he made me for my goldtop PT.  One of these days, I'll put a really nice neck on it, and use those to make it look really authentic (right now, it has a Fender MIM neck).

You should see the superstrats he builds.  They make ME want to play hair metal, and I'm a Tele geek!

Edit:  Check the "Photography" section here http://www.1320designcompany.com/ and browse the slideshow.