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DVM's Rabid Rodent BYOC Mouse v.2 Proco Rat Clone review
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Thread: DVM's Rabid Rodent BYOC Mouse v.2 Proco Rat Clone review

  1. #1
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    Default SVL's BYOC v.2 Mouse

    Thought I'd post a few "progress pics" for the pedal build I'm doing for Sunvalleylaw. This is the new-for-2008 BuildYourOwnClone.com Mouse vers. 2.0 kit, which is a modified clone of the famous ProCo Rat. For this new version, BYOC owner/effects wizard Keith Vonderhulls added an extremely cool new feature--a 6-way rotary switch to give the pedal 6 separate signal clipping modes. Three use the Rat's stock clip-to-ground distortion circuit, but the other three run through the pedal's feedback loop to the operational amplifier (opamp), like the Tube Screamer and its many imitator overdrives use. This gives a lesser degree of distortion with a smoother tone and less compression and sustain. The combination of the two clipping schemes makes for a very flexible pedal--basically a hybrid distortion/overdrive. Smart design!!

    Of course, I couldn't just build it stock--perish the thought!! So I changed a couple of the clipping modes to give the pedal a greater range of tones. In stock form, the 6-way switch positions give the following clipping configurations:

    1. Symmetric silicon diode distortion (stock Rat mode)
    2. Symmetric red LED distortion (sometimes referred to as "Landgraff" distortion mode)
    3. Asymmetric silicon diode distortion
    4. Symmetric silicon diode overdrive
    5. Asymmetric silicon diode overdrive
    6. Symmetric MOSFET (BS170 transistor) overdrive

    With four of the six modes using silicon diode combinations, I thought it would be a good idea to mix it up a bit more, so I altered positions 3, 4 and 5 to give the following:

    1. Symmetric silicon diode distortion
    2. Symmetric red LED distortion
    3. Symmetric JFET (J201 transistor) distortion
    4. Asymmetric silicon diode overdrive (1x3 1N914 diode array)
    5. Symmetric red LED overdrive
    6. Symmetric MOSFET (BS170 transistor) overdrive

    That gives a mix of silicon diode, LED and transistor clipping on both the distortion and overdrive sides of the rotary switch.

    I also added another popular Rat circuit modification known as the "Ruetz mod", after the guy who originated it. It's ridiculously simple, involving a SPST toggle to switch a resistor/capacitor pair in and out of the circuit. When switched out, it cuts the pedal's gain, flattens the frequency response, and gives a warmer, smoother tone--a nice counterpoint to the stock Rat's more raucous distorted sound. So, in combination with the v.2 Mouse's 6 clipping mode setting, the Ruetz switch doubles the pedal's available tones to 12. You can see what I mean about flexibility!

    So with that as background on the pedal, here are a few photos taken at various points during the build (which is still underway, at this point):

    PCB in process of being populated with components. Almost done, except for some of the clipping arrays, and the opamp hasn't been installed in its socket yet:



    Fully assembled pedal. The top knob is the 6-way rotary, then volume on the left, gain on the right and tone on the bottom. Note the toggle on the left side down low for the Ruetz mod:



    Another shot of the assembled pedal--the obligatory "gut shot". You can clearly see the solder connections (12 in a circle, 2 in the middle) for the rotary switch. The clipping sections are at upper right (1 - 3, the "distortion" clippers) and left (4 - 6 , the overdrive arrays).



    More to follow....
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

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  2. #2
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    I lay my soldering iron at your feet. Cool stuff as always, DVM.
    Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
    Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
    Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
    "I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn

  3. #3
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    After assembling the pedal, it's time to take it back apart and paint and decal the enclosure. As I type this, that's underway, but not yet finished. Here's a few more photos of this phase of the build:

    Here's a shot you won't see too often--the "guts" when the pedal is disassembled for painting. And if you didn't think a pedal outside of the enclosure is functional, guess again. Look at the second shot--that power LED is lit! You'll have to take my word for it that it sounded just great...



    I call my modified version of the BYOC Mouse the "Rabid Rodent". Here's a look at the printed decal, before application to the (not yet) painted enclosure:



    Lastly (for now) are two shots taken during the enclosure painting process. The first shows it primed with flat brown primer, and in the second it's painted with silver metallic Krylon enamel:



    I'll post a couple of final pics when I get the pedal decaled, clearcoated and reassembled in a couple of days...
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  4. #4
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    very cool vood! thanks for the progress pics....definitely a nice clean job! :

    ww
    Quote Originally Posted by just strum
    For the record, my annoyance with Warren has a lot to do with the hissing noises he makes.
    Guitars: Gibson 1998 Les Paul Special : Peavey Predator (Early 90's Fat Strat Copy) : Ibanez GAX30TR
    Brownsville Reso - 101 Electric Reso : Fender GDO-300 Maple Quilt Top Acoustic

    Amps: Fender Super Champ XD

    Effects: Digitech RP250 Modeling Guitar Processor : DVM "Phased and Confused" Script Phaser Clone : Digitech Bad Monkey
    Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus : Behringer Distortion Modeler : Ernie Ball Volume Pedal : Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

  5. #5
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    "Tone" not "Filter"? Out of interest does that tone control work backwards like the Rat's?
    Electric: Fat strat > Korg PB > TS7 > DS1 > DD-20 > Cube 60 (Fender model)

    Acoustic: Guitar > microphone > audience

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by markb
    "Tone" not "Filter"? Out of interest does that tone control work backwards like the Rat's?
    No, it works like most tone controls, more treble clockwise. The kit is set up that way, though you can always wire that pot backwards to mimic the Rat. I wasn't going for vintage -correctness on this puppy, though. With all those modifications--both by BYOC and the ones I added--it would seem pretty pointless!

    BTW, I have the original version of the BYOC Mouse myself, and it is wired per the Rat "filter" control in that one.
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  7. #7
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    looking very cool Bob! Thanks for posting the progress pics. That one with it in the chain, guts only, cracks me up. I have been over at a block party where I got to listen to, then play with some guys doing pretty decent cover music. I got to play an Eric Johnson strat through a Tube Driver pedal into a mic'd Blues Jr, also plugging my strat into the same rig, then play my own rig to finish up. The EJ was nice, but I honestly liked mine just as well. It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait til the next time I get to and have some sick tones dialed up out of my new Rodent!

    EDIT: Of course you are going to do some clips before you send it off, yes? I would ask for strat and Dot, since those would be the closest to my rig and soon to be rig. I feel it only fair that you test drive it and record it some to share with the faithful here.
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
    Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
    Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay


    love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
    - j. johnson

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by sunvalleylaw
    Of course you are going to do some clips before you send it off, yes? I would ask for strat and Dot, since those would be the closest to my rig and soon to be rig. I feel it only fair that you test drive it and record it some to share with the faithful here.
    But, of course! : :
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  9. #9
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    Bob,

    That pedal enclosure and PCB look killer. :

    Excellent work. I've been following the various completed enclosure threads on the BYOC BBS, but your builds look much better than most of the finished pedals I've seen there.

    I've never tried out any of the various Rat circuits. How do they sound in comparison to the various Boss OD/distortion circuits?

    tung
    I was just a regular guy. My only super power was being invisible to girls.
    - Dave Lizewski, Kick-A$$

  10. #10
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    Thanks, Tung--always appreciate the encouragement. :

    A big part of a neat & clean build is a high quality PCB, and I've never seen better than the BYOC boards. Very easy to work on & very forgiving.

    To be honest, I really don't have much experience with the Boss distro pedals. The only one I've played (briefly) was a DS-1, which I really didn't care much for in stock form. Too harsh & trebly, IMO. I really bought it just to try one of the Allums mod kits (which, BTW, are very nice & reasonably priced, I thought), which turned it into a much better sounding pedal. Smoothed and filled out the tone very noticeably. Mudcat ended up buying it from me, so maybe he can comment.

    As far as the Rat circuit goes, I find it to be kind of the quintessential '80's distortion sound. It doesn't have the thick bottom end a lot of fuzz pedals do, but still has gobs of smooth distortion & sustain. I particularly like to use it with a neck humbucker with the guitar's treble rolled way off--it mimics the famous Clapton "woman tone" almost perfectly. Of the distortion boxes I own, the original version of the BYOC Mouse is my overall favorite--but this new v.2 kit is even better, with the added clipping options. I may have to build one of my own--it's that good.
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  11. #11
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    With the Reutz mod, it should have a "Phat" mode as well. Maybe not as much as a Fuzz, but I have a fuzz so this is looking like a great add to my pedal line. The DS-1 may get lonely for a while, though I imagine I will still want to use it to Cobain up in combo with my chorus.
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
    Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
    Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay


    love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
    - j. johnson

  12. #12
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    The other distortion box I was considering was the Marshall Guv'nor, but I could not pass up the opportunity to order this cool pedal from DVM. I bet with the mods, I can get a Guv'nor tone out of it, or something close. : I am also thinking of the Tom Petty dirt tones that were happening at the block party yesterday and thinking that this pedal will be all over those.
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
    Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
    Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay


    love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
    - j. johnson

  13. #13
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    Some folks call the ProCo Rat a fuzz box, but to my ears it sounds more distortion-y than fuzzy.

    By the by, here's a review of the Rat from everybody's favorite reviewer:
    Axen: Jackson DK2M, Fender Deluxe Nashville Telecaster, Reverend Warhawk 390, Taylor 914ce, ESP LTD Surveyor-414
    Amphen: Jet City JCA22H and JCA12S cab, Carvin X-60 combo, Acoustic B20
    Effecten: "Thesis 96" Overdrive/Boost (aka DVM OD2), Hardwire DL-8 Digital Delay/Looper, DigiTech Polara Reverb, DigiTech EX-7 Expression Factory and CF-7 Chorus Factory, Danelectro CF-1 Cool Cat Fuzz
    "I wish Imagine Dragons would be stuck in an Arcade Fire for an entire Vampire Weekend."--Brian Posehn

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    Top notch all the way DVM I always love a good gut shot:

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    AAHHHHH not the gear wire guy !!!!
    Nooooo, not the box !!!


    Excellent job VoodooBob ! (hey, that rhymes)

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by ted s
    AAHHHHH not the gear wire guy !!!!
    Nooooo, not the box !!!
    I share your pain! Two minutes on the box, two minutes on the effect. :
    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



  17. #17
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    I am glad he covered the all important note of how to register online, and the catalog showing the other Rats that were not being reviewed. :

    I like his coverage of the tones, and how the "filter" knob, which I now know is equivalent to a tone knob wired backwards, works.

    tung, he also does a Boss DS-1 review, so you could compare, since you were asking.
    Steve Thompson
    Sun Valley, Idaho


    Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
    Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
    Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay


    love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
    - j. johnson

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by sunvalleylaw
    I am glad he covered the all important note of how to register online, and the catalog showing the other Rats that were not being reviewed. :
    Really, it's like: "Dude stop futzing with the box and just play the friggin' thing already." No one cares about the box. :

    Quote Originally Posted by sunvalleylaw
    tung, he also does a Boss DS-1 review, so you could compare, since you were asking.
    Cool, thanks for the heads up, I'll have to check that out when I get home from work.

    tung
    I was just a regular guy. My only super power was being invisible to girls.
    - Dave Lizewski, Kick-A$$

  19. #19
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    Will post the last couple of pics in this posting, as available:

    First, waterslide decal applied to painted enclosure:

    DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:

    Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE

    Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue

    Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!

    DVM's Gear Photos
    Visit MY WEBSITE!



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