TurboRAT acting weird; I need help

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:06 am

Something weird happened to my TurboRAT and I don't know what it is. Last night, it was super muddy, even when I backed off the gain. It was almost like it was clipping too much too, because it started making a chopping noise that was reminiscent of a spasmatic tremolo. I unplugged it, took the battery out, and left it like that overnight (I don't know, it just felt like the right thing to do. I thought maybe the battery was broken). Today, just now, I plug back into it, with the same amp, the same reverb pedal after it, and the same guitar.

First thing I notice is that it sounds super bright now. I usually kept the filter all the way down when the gain was all the way up because it sounded just right, but now it sounds a bit rougher around the edges. Normally, it was like the edge of construction paper when torn: fuzzy, warm, and just a bit jagged and just right. Now it's like the torn edge of sand paper: much sharper and jagged sounding.

I actually kind of like this new even-more-jagged fuzz sound I'm getting, but after a while, the spasmatic tremolo came back for a bit. I turned the gain down a little and it went away for a second, came back, then went away when I turned the gain down again.

Does anyone know what could have happened/be happening inside my pedal? I'll post gut shots of it if needed.

AaronGuitarDude · Post by **AaronGuitarDude** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 2:56 am

it happened to me once to my RAT and after that, i found out it's the amp problem, perhaps wiring/tube issues. for my solid state amp, i just rewire em and it's fixed

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:00 am

How old was your amp though? My amp is a 15 watter (tube) isn't even one year old and I rarely turn it up very loud or abuse it. There have been a few times I cranked it up, but it's been fine.

I dunno, I figure I can live with it. I'm fairly sure its not the amp, but I'll check it out.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:37 am

Try it with another amp and see if the same thing happens.

I dunno what could be causing this aside from something being off with your power supply. Does it do the same with just a battery? It sounds like it could be getting over/under voltages from the supply, that's about the only thing that could cause weird issues like this. Possibly the supply gets overheated and starts putting out the wrong voltage after a while.

Try swapping in a fresh battery and just use that for a few sessions to see how it does.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:45 am

Pens wrote:Try it with another amp and see if the same thing happens.

I dunno what could be causing this aside from something being off with your power supply. Does it do the same with just a battery? It sounds like it could be getting over/under voltages from the supply, that's about the only thing that could cause weird issues like this. Possibly the supply gets overheated and starts putting out the wrong voltage after a while.

Try swapping in a fresh battery and just use that for a few sessions to see how it does.

I only ever use a battery with my TurboRAT because I don't have the proper power supply or the converter for my OneSpot (I can't find it for sale anywhere near me). Batteries last forever in RATs anyway. I will try another battery, but I've never once had this issue with the battery running low. It sounds totally different when the battery is running low.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 1:13 pm

i would guess its a power issue, def try a new battery.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:46 pm

Pens wrote:Try it with another amp and see if the same thing happens.

Try this, its an important step. Also, remove everything from your signal chain except the Rat. The more variables you have, the harder it is to pinpoint what is really going on.
If it still does it on another amp, try another guitar, then different cables if it still occurs.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:05 pm

of course you have already tried yelling at it, yes? and tried pouring beer on it and using duct tape? always try those three things first.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:08 pm

robert(original) wrote:of course you have already tried yelling at it, yes? and tried pouring beer on it and using duct tape? always try those three things first.

I always find that pouring beer in me helps me fix things.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:51 pm

I guess it's possible to have a badly behaving battery that sometimes shorts and overheats itself and puts out bad voltages.

The issues you're describing really sound like the circuit is getting starved or something like that, and that it works okay for a while after a "cool down" indicates that.

I mean, it's also possible that the chip or a transistor was faulty and is overheating and acting up also, but I'd start with the battery just to eliminate the simplest fix.

AaronGuitarDude · Post by **AaronGuitarDude** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:50 am

daftsupernova wrote:How old was your amp though? My amp is a 15 watter (tube) isn't even one year old and I rarely turn it up very loud or abuse it. There have been a few times I cranked it up, but it's been fine.

I dunno, I figure I can live with it. I'm fairly sure its not the amp, but I'll check it out.

17 years old. an old peavey bandit. and i'd guess check the wiring in your RAT. probably issues with burned wire or smth.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 4:52 am

Pens wrote:I guess it's possible to have a badly behaving battery that sometimes shorts and overheats itself and puts out bad voltages.

The issues you're describing really sound like the circuit is getting starved or something like that, and that it works okay for a while after a "cool down" indicates that.

I mean, it's also possible that the chip or a transistor was faulty and is overheating and acting up also, but I'd start with the battery just to eliminate the simplest fix.

I figure its this one, to be honest. I do use it with rechargable batteries that I usually switch out every once in a while.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 4:24 pm

I encountered a similar problem with the turbo rat I just acquired. I have narrowed it down to the a battery clip, replace yours and it might fix it.

Post by **Doog** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 11:42 am

Buy a wallwart, for gosh's sake.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:04 pm

Doog wrote:Buy a wallwart, for gosh's sake.

can't ever find one that plugs into the rat, otherwise I would.

besides, the battery drain is super low on rats, and I'm using rechargeable batteries.

anyways, I have a feeling it was the battery clip since its starting to feel loose. nothing that can't be fixed by a little squeeze.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:45 pm

Didn't your OneSpot come with the adapter plugs? Mine came with a ton of extra plugs, just simply get the one that has a 1/8th plug on it. I use the same and when I swapped the RAT out for the Sansamp they use the same plug, it's not really that weird.

luciguci · Post by **luciguci** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:08 pm

nope, my one spot came solo, no extra bits. I know the plug isn't weird, it just isn't sold around here for some reason.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:21 pm

Here ya go.

That one'll do ya.