The Ultimate Alt/Grunge Distortion Pedals? Proco Rat Vs Boss DS-1

Full comparison video on my channel !

[@chrispeterson5505]

🐀 The Rat is nice and crunchy. The DS-1 is too thin.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Fair play.

[@BinarySecond]

I really enjoy how music is described

[@princesssolace4337]

Both are beginners/newbie effect pedals ... once u reach a certain level, u gonna get a proper amp with proper gain channel and proper guitar for watever type of music u are playing.

[@PHDDP1978]

​@@princesssolace4337😂😂😂😂

[@princesssolace4337]

@@PHDDP1978 Ain't joking mate ... haven't touch my DS-1, CH-1, BASS BALLS@ElectroHarmonic and BOSS DR5 drum machine since 1992. I bought the DS1+CH1 together with a shitty used 5w/10w(not sure of the wattage) single channel, practice amp (I think it was ROSS keyboard amp, but wat do I know, I urgently needed an amp so I can practice) ... any songs effect/EQ set-up, the amp just got a grunge distorted/OD or grunge clean tone ... its worst when u play a stock Tele through it ... u sneeze next to it, all the sonic feedback from your guilt will resonate through the speaker/amp 🤣 I got a 92' 30w, US made, PEAVEY Envoy 110 for home practice amp(highly recommended by me), a H&K Metal Master(it got 2 valve tubes driving 2 gain levels independent from each other ... need I say more) and a 92' JCM800 head(no speaker cabinets)for studio/live. (been hot-rodded by a guy from CERIATONE back in 98') ADA mp-1 + Digitech 256xl DSP is all I need for distortion/overdrive + more than enuff of ambience/signal processing on the Digitech. On stage I only got a late 80s KORG wah pedal. When playing live, one of my tech crew handles the preset pedal switching from the ADA+Digitech according to the set list. (that's what rehearsals for) PS - sorry if it sounds like a rant🙏

[@bluecheesemints9208]

i think it's important to note that the rat feels so full because the filter isnt too open - the DS-1 could use with similarly rolling the tone back especially at higher gain

[@TVguy9999]

Exactly. He uses the DS-1 with nearly full gain and but didn't do the same on the Proco Rat...(was that on purpose?)

[@KLBoringBand]

@@TVguy9999they’re both pretty comparable gain wise. The tone is just set way brighter on the DS1 here

[@paullee5449]

Great point Guys

[@karlthunderaxe]

rolling back the tone on the DS-1 won't bring back the missing lows

[@cadams1607]

​@karlthunderaxe no but it will reduce that top end hiss that really stands out.

[@Bruin_ffs]

Keep in mind the rat’s “filter” knob basically works the opposite way of the “tone” knob on the ds1. I still prefer the rat but by tweaking the tone knob you can get a much fuller sound out of the ds1 than you hear in this demo.

[@ecrecords615]

Double track your rhythm part with Rat track panned one way and DS1 panned the other. Will combine for massive stereo sound!!

[@andrew6889-p5c]

I know this wasn’t the point, but the combination of the two of them operating in call and response is really nice. Each one gives a different feel for the same riff. Neither one better or worse.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

That’s a great shout!

[@telemachia]

One is Sonic Youth, other is Smashing Pumpkins

[@filth315]

Those are both big muffs

[@CoasterGuy2323]

And smashing pumpkins is better

[@Riffmaster227]

One is sonic youth, one is Nirvana DS-1 FTW

[@iTsCrAzY1000]

pumpkins used muffs and fuzzes

[@benjamusic8888]

Actually i thought i'd love the ds1 more... but the rat has such a beautiful sound❤

[@jameslong9921]

There is no "better" imo, you could happily drown any audience in the sonic wash of either beastie.

[@zonkz6947]

Sonic wash 😮 🧼

[@hippoheadstudios4097]

rat all day. its more broken up and just has a better feel

[@Bellabaddi]

After about 30 plus years of playing, finally got a rat. Digging it. It has a 80s glam rock vibe to me… with my current setup.

[@sylvestre.rawminey]

Turn down the tone of the DS-1, and it sounds good !

[@LowKickMT]

the rat sounds like every high gain on an amp the ds1/2 is like a high rpm chainsaw, iconic af

[@DadBroCo]

I just bought both! Can't wait to unwrap them!

[@AdADglgmutShevanel]

I listened blind and totally thought the DS-1 was first, which sounded best to my ears. The Rat sounds more full. I just finally ordered one yesterday and can't wait for it to arrive!

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

🙌🙌

[@imsinala]

How do you like it a month later? :) thinking about getting one myself.

[@AdADglgmutShevanel]

@@imsinala it's the perfect distortion! I thought about getting a more modern distortion, but this does everything I need. It's so easy to dial in a great sound. I got mine for $57 on Reverb. I think it was open box, but it looked like it was brand new to me.

[@imsinala]

@@AdADglgmutShevanel I appreciate the response bro I’m definitely looking into getting it!

[@TheLemonFox]

They're pretty similar and you can get great sounds out of both if you know how to use a tone knob.

[@DeadChan67]

As someone who wants to achieve that raw sound, that DS-1 on high gain is just what I’m looking for!

[@krazyhartin]

Recently, I got the Proco Rat pedal because of artists I like, use this pedal. I really like it.

[@needthecoast]

They are both awesome. It all depends on how they sound in your song mix.

[@earlycuyler2295]

Proco rat ftw. From clean boost, light overdrive, crunch, high gain distortion, to fuzz. If you can only have one gain pedal, a rat is DEFINITELY the way to go.

[@StaticcSignal]

Both are good. Ds-1 is great to pair with fuzz and od to make the tone sound fuller whereas Rat is good stand-alone. At least in my experience

[@HangYourCross999]

RAT all day. Been using one for decades despite ridicule… until now. It can get huge sounding with the right amp / can combo, especially when paired with other pedals for flavor

[@xxczerxx]

The DS-1 has a fizz on the top end I don't like. The Rat feels somehow harsh and smooth which is perfect to my ears

[@oliverlangrall2014]

I love em both! just got the rat pedal and now, along with a ds-1, I'm running 3 different dirt pedals and 2 fuzz boxes on my pedal board for a really nice color palate of noise :) A pedal switcher is key to run them in parallel if using more than one at a time.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

That sounds sick!

[@mikeroadblock]

Both. Multi track them.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Great shout!

[@Ghetto-Yeti]

I always used the DS1 as a first stage clean sound distortion like what maybe a TS or BD would be. Also, it's a great not clean boost. The Rat sounds great but was never my go to too bassy and muted. I'm a bigmuff/DS2/Box o Rock guy. Also, none of the new DS1 pedals sound good w out modding. The 80s and early 90s ones are so much better. That being said a ds1/rat combo is a fantastic alt rock sound.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Ahh no way. I didn’t realise the older ds1s sounded better!!

[@comradeoffset]

@@thesethingsmakenoisesid argue that they sound pretty similar. jhs did a good vid on how similar distortion pedals can be no matter the op amp. his bad monkey vid and rat history vid are great examples of it. i think as guitar players we can get caught up in things like worrying about small components even when they have no scientifically calculable difference

[@Ghetto-Yeti]

@@comradeoffset I agree w you in principle and the bad monkey is a great example. To me the silver screw/80s DS1s do sound a lot diff from the new DS1s in every guitar center is store around. They aren’t terrible and depending on what you use them for- esp if you aren’t a musician who plays out live etc. That being said, the new ones are thinner sounding and don’t have any balls when you roll of the gain and use them as a boost or a layer on top of something else like a DS2, which I only use in mode 2 (the mid boost side). I was actually really surprised the 1st time I bought a new DS1 because it sounded really shitty. I’d only ever played old 80s ones and expected the new one to basically sound the way the vintage ones had… I mean, it’s a damn DS1… why would they change the way a giant, popular pedal sounds and performs? I’m not a label whore when it comes to gear. If it SOUNDS GOOD it is good. I love the clones of everything Behringer makes. Their clone of the DS1/D+/Rat is awesome and the DS1 circuit sounds almost exactly like the original- def better than the new Boss versions. So, sure lots of inexpensive stuff kicks ass on its expensive counter parts but lots of new gear doesn’t sound quite up to snuff when it comes to owning its vintage counter parts. Also, my $30 original Chinese KLON clone is every bit as good as the real deal to me and I still have enuf left over to buy a vintage guitar and amp so……

[@stillpist]

I have a 1984 ds-1 and a whiteface rat reissue. Never actually a regular rat or a new ds-1, but I also got pretty good deals on both.

[@princesssolace4337]

I got a 88 Korg wah pedal+DS-1, 90 ADA mp-1, 92 JCM800 head, 90 H&K Metal Master, 90 Peavey Envoy 110, 92 Digitech 256xl DSP. Never got anything new after 94 ..... even my personal home mixer is the 1992 Yamaha 02R

[@nedim_guitar]

For those who haven't tried it, the DS-1 is great into a distorted amp, like Marshall. It tightens the low end of it nicely.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Yeah definitely!

[@Tyrannosaurine]

I use a DS-1 always on and a volume pedal to roll it back and get a gritty clean. A little bit of adjusting the treble, mid, and bass on your amp will make it sound better than it sounds in this video (although, I always keep the tone knob on the pedal at 11 o clock or lower).

[@jeffjefferson8137]

i have both, i’ve been using to rat for light overdrive lately it definitely does that better than the boss can. but something about tone and drive cranked to the right on the boss is so good. i’m just a sucker for anything kurt used

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Yeah I think it’s an awesome pedal

[@jeffjefferson8137]

@@thesethingsmakenoises definitely, can’t go wrong with either of them

[@fuckcensorship69]

"I dont care how I sound, if I can still pretend to be my hero"

[@rique_.leal.]

a mix of both would be so cool to see.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

I do quite often actually! It’s a great shout 🤘

[@rique_.leal.]

@@thesethingsmakenoises awesome! I dont have either pedals but i like to mix their plugin variants im bandlab and they sound awesome! The rat provides a smoothness and thickness to the shrill ds1

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

That sounds awesome mate!

[@rique_.leal.]

@@thesethingsmakenoises it definitely is! Thanks

[@commondog3956]

Both are solid.

[@Eggnoodlesandketchup3]

The rat sounds like early teenage fanclub. The ds1 is pure nirvana

[@foursamm]

I've played a Rat for longer than I'd like to say. Nothing rocks like the Rat...not even the third, unnamed option, The Big Muff.

[@HK007Filmworks]

I picked the Metal Zone.

[@nickspitzley8539]

I think it would be wise to use both if you had two guitarist. The DS1 is thin and fizzy but has better cut. Both in the same track at the same time are ideal.

[@design1of470]

The RAT is brighter, I use mine a lot. Tbh I also have a DS-1 b/c they're pretty cheap, but I don't really use it.

[@sk1rr627]

both are good but depends what style you are going for

[@danielnm156]

I personally prefer the RAT, how you turn the knobs gives you a lot of options whereas the DS1 is more static, it is what it is ! but it is also a very interesting pedal as it interacts very differently with different amps and guitars.

[@thisdyingsoul76]

Oddly, I find the RAT less harsh in spite of how filthy it can get.

[@rickleblanc8900]

Never really been a Rat fan but in this video, it sounds full and just enough bite, very good. The DS1 wow, it is not dialed in the way I remember it sounding

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

They’re cool aren’t they. Hmm yeah I kinda think it sounds better on different amps

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

I have them both and wouldn't sell either one. They're exceptional distortion pedals.

[@Yoshi1up]

Ds-1 is good for stacking I think. Rat is good on it's own.

[@zachmiller4575]

In this test it’s the rat for me sounds nice and full

[@DavidSmith-sw5kg]

I looked up the DS-1 on KZbin 2 days ago for information about it and have been inundated by posts about it ever since. It seems to me it’s more metal crunchy than the Rat which sounds compressed & muffled.

[@maurostrachwitz747]

Something worth noticing the Rat can be used on bass, this was done by The Haunted's bassist on the "Revolver" album, it sounds really crunchy.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

That’s awesome. My band have tried it before but didn’t get it to come out that great. Maybe it’s time to give it another go!

[@nikoma_]

The settings for the DS-1 sound too light and airy. Mine doesn’t sound like that. My overall DS-1 settings are warmer.

[@blackiesavage7661]

Even Ratt used Rat

[@mazakada]

Had a ds 1, always disappeared when playing with the band. Sold it and bought a tube screamer clone instead. Now considering adding the rat!

[@RaitoXLive]

The ds1 sound reminds me of Rush band and Pulse ultra. Now I know which one I will get :D

[@adamn78]

Both have their merit, IMO. I own a DS-1, and the settings can be adjusted to where it sounds fuller. The RAT also sounds good. It really is a matter of personal preference.

[@therockerkid327]

Ds1/2 was highly used in the 90s

[@JCVidZ0912]

uh oh i think i prefer the rat also was that bullet with butterfly wings?

[@PleiadianArcturian888]

I’ve used the Boss it sounds like shit ordered the RAT I’m excited also great video.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Haha!!

[@paullee5449]

I only have 4 pedals And these two make up half My collection!!! Both are whoppers 🤟

[@ktg5047]

Both are really good, but in no world could I choose either over a big muff

[@lewischerry3552]

The RAT just has so much more body to it, I like the DS-1 but it’s a lot more treble, kinda curious how they’d sound stacked with the RAT doing most of the heavy lifting and the DS1 adding some extra stuff on the top end but there’s no guarantee they won’t sound really bad together either

[@CapNtrip5]

Rat for my liking!

[@sercastamere9853]

Different applications. HOWEVER, ultimately all the good tones you hear on records come from AMP GAIN AND VOLUME, combined with mic placement. You'd be hard-pressed to find almost any example aside from Nirvana where a great tone came from a distortion pedal or overdrive primarily. A notable exception to this is commonly earlier "fuzz" pedals like the Tone Bender and other vaguely related "booster" and eq pedals like the Rangemaster Treble Booster, and later of course the Big Muff. BUT, overall it remains true espcially in Metal that almost all the great tones are purey the amp and guitar + in-studio compressors and mic placement.

[@jesseberman7408]

These are both great pedals, but this demo only shows one sound from each. You can get both to sound like the other is shown here, and much more. The character of the distortion and eq filters are different, but the DS1 can sound more present and full if you use more level than gain. The "can of bees" thing mostly happens after 2 o'clock on the gain, and the RAT sounds better through a clean amp than the DS1. Everything will depend on your rig and tastes. A Boss pedal from the 70s wasn't made with direct-in, digital recording in mind. Obviously.

[@Van_HaIen]

Ds1 reminds me of old rocks songs fro. Acdc or kurt coban

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

🤘🤘

[@couchcamperTM]

this video was brought to you by RAT, paying to make the Boss sound thin. xD

[@toogoodinc]

The DS-1 lives and dies by the amp it's run through and the speakers outputting the sound. I've never messed with a Rat but I'm really liking the sound in this video.

[@twiff3rino28]

I prefer the DS-2 over the current DS-1 circuit. I built a Rat about 10 years ago and use the DS-2 into the Rat a lot.

[@jameslong9921]

The Ibanez Tube Screamer was pretty popular in the mid 80s as well, I thought the Ratt was a later addition to the competition?

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Yeah tube screamer was definitely really prominent. Not too sure when it was actually made though. Early 80s?

[@tonoselectricos]

Both of them!!!!++ But I tend more towards the RAT and it's fuzzy tone.

[@nick011182]

I'm not sure, so it's a good thing I own both.

[@chrisspino6888]

Really blew it on the eq for the ds1

[@onlyusernameleft2]

As someone who's owned 2 DS-1s and 0 Rats I think the Rat wins by a wide margin.

[@Astroducc]

woah, dial back that tone on the DS-1

[@-WidioAndikaPutra]

Absolutely RAAAAAAT

[@gwugluud]

You could probably play through a clock radio and still sound good, lol. The Rat (and the good clones thereof) can also double as a fuzz, and is a little gnarlier. Just imo. Still a fan of the DS1 of course.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Haha cheers!!

[@puppets1979]

The one you like best is the better one.

[@MondoJim]

The actual answer to Rat or DS-1 is "Yes".

[@flavioforce1]

o DS1 fica melhor usando no canal com um pouco de ganho, daí fica sensacional...

[@loganhall-tr5vk]

Get both, and then a muff for good measure. Edit-sub in a ds-2 rather than the 1

[@abelramirez7320]

Back in 2016, it was the first pedal I ever bought. It's never left my rig.

[@solidstorm6129]

Personally, I can’t help but like the sound the Rat more. I think it’s got something extra to its sound, you know.

[@LetM3Decompose]

DS-2 is better imo for the two switches you can get a harsher tone

[@adammoravek1785]

DS-1 is straight Nirvana

[@SteveSpears-Kuhlah]

It depends on how you tweak it

[@swissarmyknight4306]

The Rat is great, but don't sleep on the Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion (basically a DS-1 but better). Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal is also great for this, depending on the sound you want. You don't have to run it wide open for the chainsaw sound; more moderate settings were quite popular in Shoegaze. HM-2w is even better for it, especially if you're tuning down.

[@earthrocker8955]

I never got into the DS-1, it just sounded like a blanket of soulless digistortion maybe good for certain passages but it lacks balls

[@destroso]

DS-1 is harder to get the tone out of, it needs specific settings to sound good. Something is wrong here and it’s sounding way too thin.

[@ewdranofficial]

This pedals make the entire sound of Kurt Cobain

[@shumailkhan7205]

Nothing beats the rat

[@builtforlucky]

DS-1 for woah wosh wosh sound like!

[@mikuchudo894]

bullet with butterfly wings

[@jamesrabic5380]

Both are fantastic pedals but if I could only have one it would be the Rat.

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Yeah great pedal!

[@LubaLuba1]

So DS-1 has a plastic switch under the pedal that does work after couple days real cheap and strong pedal doesn’t help it

[@Casey3-P-O]

I far prefer the Rat. I wonder what they'd sound like stacked. Maybe with the gain about 1/4 or 1/2 on each of them.

[@jcwoodstl]

Not good. They sound better in stereo so you get a mix of the two

[@Loooosszeeerrrr123]

The big muff is!!butstill love these two🙃🙃😊

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

Agreed haha

[@christhayil8354]

I like the Rat

[@ShirazSimonian1980]

The DS-1 has never grown on me no matter how times I've tried

[@PN-hx8mm]

In my opinion, I like the DS-1 because it sounds much more grungy and the RAT sounds muffled

[@SadisticSadistOfficial]

Rat. BOSS is more for Metal. I use a BOSS DS-1 myself

[@drewlarsen2224]

RAT wins all day every day. Its so versatile, it can go from a overdrive to a thick drone fuzz

[@pastaway3620]

All two for me!

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

🤘

[@arroncusimano9169]

when your band has 2 guitarists, give them each one of these and pan each hard left and right

[@dcalespaul2487]

The Rat of course !

[@karineribeiroribeiro7373]

Good vibes!I like songs❤👌🔥🔥🔥❤👏

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

💜🤘

[@karineribeiroribeiro7373]

Thank you👌💪🎶👏👏

[@BruceEdwards]

Both

[@cristoestobal]

Rat for me!

[@thesethingsmakenoises]

🤘🤘