Straightforward Controls That Work
No complicated menus or confusing settings. The RAT’s simple three-knob layout (Distortion, Filter, Volume) gets you dialed in fast, so you spend more time playing and less time tweaking.
Built to Handle Anything
ProCo pedals are housed in rugged metal enclosures that can take a beating on the road. These aren’t fragile – they’re made to survive countless gigs and studio sessions.
Timeless Tone That Fits Anywhere
From blues to metal, the RAT’s versatile voice adapts to whatever style you’re playing. It responds naturally to your guitar’s volume knob and playing dynamics, making it feel like an extension of your instrument.
Categories
From wide-brimmed styles for maximum coverage to sporty caps for active days, there’s a Solumbra hat for every activity. Find the perfect fit for your lifestyle and sun protection needs.
Choose Your Sound Pedals
Whether you need subtle grit or full-on sonic mayhem, there’s a pedal that matches your style. Find the right flavor of distortion, overdrive, or fuzz that speaks to how you play.
RAT2 Distortion Pedal
The RAT2 delivers that iconic gritty distortion that’s been on countless records since the ’70s, with simple controls that go from smooth overdrive to full-on aggressive saturation.
Lil’ RAT Distortion Pedal
The Lil’ RAT packs the same classic distortion circuit into a smaller enclosure that saves precious pedalboard space without compromising the tone that made the original famous.
FATRAT Distortion Pedal
The FATRAT gives you the classic RAT sound plus a MOSFET clipping option and a built-in boost circuit for thicker, more saturated tones that push your amp even harder.
You Dirty Rat Distortion Pedal
The You Dirty RAT uses asymmetrical clipping for a more raw, open distortion character that feels closer to a cranked tube amp than the standard RAT’s aggressive edge.
Turbo Rat Distortion Pedal
The Turbo RAT ditches the silicon diodes for LEDs, giving you higher gain and a more aggressive, cutting distortion with extra punch and clarity.
Deucetone RAT Dual Distortion
The Deucetone RAT puts two independent RAT circuits in one box, letting you stack different distortion flavors or switch between rhythm and lead tones on the fly.
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About Brand
ProCo Sound started in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1974, and they’ve been making reliable audio gear ever since. What began as a company focused on professional audio equipment took an unexpected turn in 1978 when they released the RAT distortion pedal – a piece of gear that would become one of the most recognizable effects in music history.
The RAT wasn’t trying to copy anything that came before it. It had its own voice: aggressive when you wanted it, smooth when you backed off, and always responsive to how hard you hit the strings. That LM308 op-amp chip at its heart gave it a unique character that guitarists immediately connected with. By the 1980s and 90s, you’d find RATs on stages and in studios everywhere – from indie rock bands to metal acts to experimental noise artists.
What makes ProCo different is their approach to manufacturing. While many companies moved production overseas, ProCo kept building pedals in Elkhart, Michigan (they moved from Kalamazoo in the early 2000s). Each pedal gets assembled and tested by hand in the USA. This isn’t about national pride – it’s about quality control and being able to fix problems quickly when they come up.
The company hasn’t chased trends or flooded the market with dozens of variations. They’ve stayed focused on what they do well: making tough, reliable gear that sounds good. The RAT 2 is essentially the same circuit that made the original famous, just refined over decades of real-world use. They’ve added a few variations over the years – the Turbo RAT for more gain, the You Dirty RAT for a different clipping style – but the core philosophy remains the same.
ProCo also makes cables, direct boxes, and other pro audio equipment that doesn’t get the same attention as the RAT, but it’s equally solid. Their passive direct boxes are workhorses in studios and on stages. Their cables hold up to the kind of abuse that comes with touring.
The RAT’s influence on music is hard to overstate. Kurt Cobain used one. Jeff Beck used one. Thom Yorke used one. But it’s not just famous players – countless bedroom guitarists and weekend warriors have relied on RATs because they’re affordable, they sound great, and they don’t break. That’s the real legacy: a pedal that works for everyone, regardless of budget or genre.
FAQ
The RAT 2 is basically the same circuit as the original, just with an updated LED and a standard power jack instead of the old battery-only setup. The tone is virtually identical – they just made it more practical for modern pedalboards.
You can use either. Most RAT pedals run on a standard 9V battery or a center-negative 9V DC adapter. Check your specific model, but the RAT 2 and most modern versions have a power jack built in.
Older RATs used different op-amp chips depending on when they were made. The classic LM308 chip has a specific sound, but ProCo has used other chips over the years. Also, the Filter knob is actually a tone control that works backward – turning it down makes the sound brighter, which confuses some people at first.
Some players do this with older models using two 9V batteries in series, but check your specific pedal first. The RAT 2 is designed for 9V operation. Running higher voltage can give you more headroom and clarity, but it can also damage pedals not designed for it.
Absolutely. The RAT works great on bass, especially if you blend it with your clean signal or don’t crank the Distortion knob all the way up. Many bass players use it for aggressive tones or to add some dirt to their sound.
Start with all knobs at noon (12 o’clock position) and adjust from there. Roll back the Filter knob for brighter, cutting tones, or turn it up for a darker, heavier sound. The pedal responds really well to your guitar’s volume knob too, so try rolling that back for cleaner tones.
Try turning up the Filter knob (remember, it works backwards). A higher Filter setting will roll off the high end and give you a smoother, warmer distortion. Also check your amp settings – the RAT pushes a lot of high-mid frequencies that can sound sharp if your amp is already bright.
ProCo typically offers a limited warranty on their products. Contact them directly for specific warranty information on your pedal – they’re pretty good about standing behind their gear.
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Clients Thought
Players keep coming back to ProCo because the pedals do exactly what they promise without any fuss. From weekend warriors to touring pros, people appreciate gear that sounds great and doesn’t quit on them mid-set.
I’ve been through probably a dozen distortion pedals over the years, but my RAT 2 hasn’t left my board in five years. It handles everything from blues to heavy rock without any fuss, and the night I accidentally kicked it off stage and it kept working like nothing happened – that’s when I knew it was a keeper.
Marcus T.
Customer
Picked up a RAT about three years ago after hearing it on some old Nirvana recordings, and it’s become the one pedal I can’t do without. Whether I’m recording at home or playing dive bars on the weekend, it gives me that raw, aggressive tone that actually cuts through the mix without sounding like a chainsaw.
Derek M.
Customer
I was skeptical about all the hype around the RAT until I plugged one in at a friend’s studio session. The way it responds to how hard I play and cleans up when I roll back my guitar’s volume – it feels alive in a way most pedals don’t, and now I understand why people have been using these things for decades.
Jenna R.
Customer