Hello there, and welcome back to yet another guitar pedal review! As you may have noticed, recently, I have started purchasing guitar pedals, mostly overdrives, distortions and boosts to test with tube amps and reactive loads in a direct recording setup.
Table of Contents
I wanted to try as many pedals as possible and document my experience here for you guys, however, I eventually would like to stop, as it takes a lot of time to produce these videos and articles :).
We are going to continue with a legendary pedal—in fact, the number one best-selling distortion/fuzz pedal on Thomann currently (for a long time!)—ProCo RAT 2!
Like I always do, I will do my best to provide as many details as possible about this company and the pedal and a brief demo video in this ProCo RAT 2 review.
TL;DR
Trying as many boosters/drives/distortion pedals as possible is an inevitable phase for guitar players who are looking for the holy grail of guitar tone! My main goal is to find usable unique and also traditional guitar tones in combination with my Marshall JVM410HJS and JVM410H.
As it has been able to stand its time through decades, ProCo RAT 2 is one of candidates for those who are looking for a secret sauce in their guitar rig. The ProCo RAT 2 is literally built like a tank and the first impression is that it can survive nuclear wars at any given time!
The metal housing weighs a ton for a such small footprint and really sits tight on your pedalboard. The company didn’t even hesitate to add very solid supporting pads at the bottom of the chassis as well as the no-tool-required battery compartment!
It also features a really cool and player friendly, glow-in-the-dark indicators as you will see from the images below. Overall, the pedal is extremely easy to use, solid, affordable and inspiring to play for hours!
The only thing that may confuse some players is that the typical tone control on most pedals work pretty much the opposite on the RAT 2. It is labelled as Filter and basically it filters more high frequencies when you increase the amount of filter as opposed to a typical Tone control. But you will get used to it quickly.
There are so many useable sounds you can get out of this pedal. On the extreme settings in which you dime the distortion, it goes into fuzz territory quickly and it’s still usable and musical sounds. But what I like with the ProCo RAT 2 is the ability to boost stock amp sounds and bring life into your guitar signal.
I would recommend you use it either on a clean channel with distortion around noon or 1 o’clock (depending on your guitar pickups) or crunch and overdrive channels as a boost meaning no distortion, filter to taste (preferably minimum settings) and volume maxed out!
cigilovic.com totally approves the legendary ProCo RAT 2 to anyone looking for that legendary sound in their guitar rig. It’s affordable, easy-to-use, built like a tank and it’s so inspiring. There’s a reason why this pedal is legendary and still the#1 best-selling dirt box on Thomann website for ages!
Let’s start with a quick introduction to this legendary brand, ProCo Sound, for those who have never heard of it!
About ProCo Sound
It all started in 1974 when the Sound Factory, a business in Kalamazoo, MI, that comprised several music-related enterprises, shut down due to financial difficulties. The following day, Charlie Wicks, who managed the music retail store section of the Sound, founded ProCo Sound Inc.
He began by creating high-quality speaker cabinets in partnership with ElectroVoice, as well as mic cables, guitar cables, and stage snakes. ProCo quickly earned a national reputation for its top-notch products and outstanding customer service. They also bucked the typical conventions of large businesses and remained true to their relaxed (some might say bohemian) roots. Best Tools For Guitars at Stewmac.com
Interestingly, Kalamazoo is located midway between Chicago and Detroit, so major bands performing in Detroit or Chicago would often stop there gigs. It was also a college town with a legal drinking age of 18 instead of 21, which led to an unusually vibrant nightlife scene. For all these reasons, Kalamazoo already had a bustling music scene in 1974 and the perfect spot for a musical gear company to start.
Sometime in 1977 or 197, a ProCo employee/engineer named Scott Burnham designed the RAT and the first known physical form of the RAT was likely produced in 1978 and is often referred to as the Box RAT.
ProCo Sound revolutionized the world of guitar distortion pedals with the release of the RAT pedal. Its unique design and versatile distortion quickly caught the attention of musicians. The RAT became known for its fuzzy but clear distortion, which was a favourite among guitarists across various genres, including rock, punk, and metal.
The success of the RAT pedal was a key turning point for ProCo Sound. The RAT‘s distinct sound and simplicity made it a hit among guitarists, and it earned a place in the pantheon of classic guitar effects pedals. The RAT 2, released in 1983, was a refinement of the original, becoming the most popular version and still in production today.
While the RAT remains the company’s flagship product, ProCo Sound has created other gear over the years, such as multiple RAT pedal variants, including the Turbo RAT (1989) and the RAT 3 (1999), which offered more features and options for players. The company also manufactured cables, known for their durable and high-quality builds.
ProCo Sound was acquired by Dunlop Manufacturing in the 1990s. This acquisition allowed the RAT pedal to maintain its prominence, and ProCo Sound became part of the larger family of brands under Dunlop’s umbrella.
While ProCo Sound was once acquired by Dunlop Manufacturing in the 1990s, it appears that ProCo Sound is now part of ACT Entertainment. This change in ownership may have occurred in more recent years. The RATdistortion.com website, which is printed on the current original box, indicates this change.
ACT Entertainment is a company that specialises in distributing professional audio equipment and musical instruments. There are multiple brands under this company, such as ProCo Sound, RAT and Lava Cable, as well as many pro audio gear brands.
ProCo RAT 2
The ProCo RAT is one of the most iconic and beloved guitar distortion pedals in the history of music, especially within the rock, punk, and metal genres. The original RAT pedal was released in 1978 by ProCo Sound, a company based in Flint, Michigan.
The RAT was designed to provide a versatile distortion with a wide range of tones. It featured a simple design with just three controls: Distortion, Filter, and Volume. This was intended to give guitarists an easy yet highly flexible tool for shaping their tone. Check out the best guitar pickup company, Seymour Duncan here!
The RAT became popular for its fuzz-like distortion but with more clarity and definition compared to other pedals of the era. It has a distinctive “fuzzy” crunch that can be tight and sharp or more open and saturated, depending on the settings.
The Filter knob (which is often mistaken for a tone control) is especially unique, as it allows players to modify the treble response of the pedal. Turning it up adds more high-end, while turning it down gives a darker, more bass-heavy sound.
The RAT‘s distortion ranges from light overdrive to full-on, fuzzy, high-gain distortion. The Volume control adjusts the output level, while the Distortion knob adjusts the intensity of the gain.
The earliest version of the RAT, known as the RAT 1, was produced with a metal casing. Over time, the pedal underwent minor changes, but the original circuitry was remarkably consistent.
The RAT 2 (1983–present): The RAT 2, released in 1983, became the most well-known version of the pedal. It offered a more refined design, with slightly modified circuit boards and packaging, but retained the same tone and basic controls. Although it’s still the #1 best-selling distortion/fuzz box on Thomann‘s website, other iterations of RAT are not so popular and probably not in demand by players. Ads - Check out these ads to support this web page
ProCo Sound‘s RAT pedal has remained a significant tool in the evolution of guitar tone. Its ability to produce everything from subtle overdrive to heavy distortion made it versatile enough to be used in various genres such as rock, punk and metal.
ProCo RAT 2 Tech Specs
| ProCo RAT 2 | Tech Specs |
|---|---|
| Series | RAT Distortion |
| Type | Distortion/Fuzz |
| Controls | |
| Distortion | Distortion dials in the perfect amount of gain – from mild overdrive to full out fuzzy assault, and the volume control lets you dial it in just perfectly against your bypassed clean tone. |
| Filter | Dialts high frequencies. Tothe right to roll off brittle high-end frequencies. To the left and allow the natural brightness of your instrument to shine through. |
| Volume | Sets the overall output volume of the pedal. |
| Signal Path | 100% analogue signal path |
| Power Supply | 9V DC, either via a 9V battery or external power adapter (center-negative) |
| Current Draw | 0.6mA (idle) - 1.6mA (full-on) |
| Hardware | Heavy-duty, industrial footswitches, knobs, and jacks |
| Dimensions | 103 mm (D) x 89 mm (W) x 73 mm (H) |
| Weight | 794 g |
| Battery Compartment | “No tools required” battery compartment |
As you can see from the images and the tech specs, it’s a standard distortion/overdrive template. You have basically three knobs structure as with any dirt box out there. However, instead of a typical tone control, you have a filter pot here.
As far as I learnt from the internet, there have been different iterations of RAT pedals with how this filter knob works. The current release features a filter knob that works quite the opposite of a typical tone knob.
When it’s fully counter-clockwise, the maximum amount of treble/high frequencies is present. As you increase the filter, it filters out those high frequencies, resulting in a darker tone.
RAT 2 comes in a very simple box with almost no box content! The first thing you will notice is the weight. You may have come across the term “built like a tank!” for any guitar pedal or relevant gear.
However, I think they really mean it with this heavy-duty housing! It weighs a ton for such a small fingerprint and feels like it could easily survive nuclear wars! 🙂
All the knobs, the footswitch and the housing feels so solid and well made even though it’s made in China. And, yes, the current production line is made in China for those who don’t know.
At the bottom of the pedal, you will have your serial number, extremely well built supporting pads which are tighten with screws (not like your typical 3Mpads).
RAT 2 also features the no-tool-required battery compartment, which you can easily unlock by simply loosening the bolt.
Apparently, the labelling on the box is a bit confused overall. As you already know, this is a legendary pedal by the ProCo Sound company. However, the company was acquired by ACT.
When you go to RATdistortion.com, you will be redirected to ACT’s official website. But on the box, there’s also RHC Audio mentioned. When you search RHC Audio, you will also end up with ACT’s website, as it probably means RapcoHorizon, which is another brand under ACT’s umbrella.
Basically this ProCo and RapcoHorizon belong to ACT currently. I don’t know much about these companies so I can’t comment on anything concerning how they operate.
On the I/O section, you have your standard input and output as well as the 9V DC power in with a negative centre. So, standard power supplies for guitar effects and pedals should work without any issues.
One thing you can easily notice is the gap below. I think the bottom chassis is a bent metal, and they couldn’t do a perfect job with this one. Just so you know, u may have a similar build or a better one, you never know! 🙂
Apart from the wide array of sounds you can get out of this black box, there’s another really cool thing about this pedal! As you can see from the image below, it features glow-in-the-dark pointers and the RAT logo.
I mean, this should be a standard feature on all pedals, especially for people who play gigs in dark stages. On top of that, they implement a mildly lit red LED when the pedal is activated, not a crazy bright blue LED to help you see the pedal clearly (in fact, blinding you at all times, even in the sunlight!).
Overall, the ProCo RAT 2 is built like a tank, and you will immediately feel it’s worth every penny! Before I give you my review, let’s first have a look at the no-talking sound demo that I prepared for this article.
For the demo, I used my already-recorded loops that I stored in my Boss RC-5 pedal as I just wanted to do a very quick demo. In these loops, I used my FGN Boundary Odyssey, Cort M600, Fender American Standard Strat, Ibanez AR300 and Epiphone SG Custom Ebony guitars. Ads - Check out these ads to support this web page
Apart from the guitars, I used my usual setup featuring my Marshall JVM410HJS, Two Notes Torpedo Captor X SE, RME Babyface PRO FS and Genelec DP8020 DPM. For the effects, I also applied the Valhalla Room Reverb plugin in the post. I also experimented with different channels on my JVM 410HJS to show you what this sounds like on a clean channel, as well as crunch and overdrive channels as a boost.
ProCo RAT 2 Review & Sound Demo (no talking)
ProCo RAT 2 Review
As you can hear from the demo video, there are tons of usable sounds out of this dirt box. When the settings are maxed out, it may not sound so appealing to most players.
Since I’m used to hearing Marshall-type drives and distortion textures, the fuzzy characteristics of the ProCo RAT 2 were not cup of my tea. However, when you adjust the settings, it immediately responds and generates lots of usable tones.
While demoing this pedal, I started with an improvised lead on the clean channel, then activated the pedal with minimal settings. Surprisingly, I found myself playing that theme for a long time and kept improvising. This is a good sign with a pedal that is expected to sound like a fuzz pedal!
I think if you don’t tune all those settings and try to use it as a boost, and sometimes with a bit more high-gain settings (ideally up to noon or around 1 o’clock), it yields perfect results.
It sounds really good and makes you want to play for hours and hours! I find the ProCo RAT 2 as one of the most inspiring distortion pedals ever!
On the other hand, even though it offers tons of gains, it can still act as one of the booster pedals you could ever imagine! Please have a listen to the demo video, there are sections where I used crunch and overdriven sounds from my JVM 410HJS.
When I activated the pedal with a classic boost setting, meaning no distortion, filter to taste and the volume is dimed, it really brings life into those stock amp sounds.
I believe this is one of the most popular ways to use this legendary pedal in its history. Players tend to bring character to their Marshalls just by adding a RAT with minimal settings, and it really cuts through anything without being shrill.
As you can hear from the demo video, when you dime the distortion, it gets really muddy immediately. So, please don’t expect to hear modern metal sounds out of this pedal by cranking the distortion. It goes into the fuzz territory very quickly.
Overall, I can recommend this pedal without a doubt with 100% confidence to those who seek a secret sauce in their rig. If you want a filthy distortion/fuzz pedal that can give you all the extreme, filthy fuzz sounds while acting like a super cool boost, this is your pedal!
Where to Buy ProCo RAT 2?
As mentioned in the article a couple of times, the ProCo RAT 2 is still the #1, best-selling dirt box on Thomann‘s website. This means you can almost always find them brand new on Thomann for a very competitive price. It’s really cool as you never have to worry about this pedal being discontinued. Always available and always ready to purchase!
Check out ProCo RAT 2 on Thomann here
You can also check out your local marketplace on Facebook, eBay or any other local websites specific to your location for the used ones, as well as Reverb.com. It’s not always easy to find used ones for a good price, as it’s very easy to buy a brand new one at an affordable price tag.
But if you are interested in getting the original, vintage ones, I think you should definitely check out Reverb regularly!
Check out ProCo RAT 2 on Reverb here
Thanks for visiting my blog and supporting me so far! I will hopefully see you in the next review here!
Osman Cenan Çiğil – cigilovic.com
Post your comments and feedback here
By submitting a comment, you accept that you will be automatically included in the newsletter. You can always opt out in case you are not interested in the content updates.Check out the best used gear website!
